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Los 33
Meats and Grills · Justicia, Madrid
Restaurant in Madrid, Spain
Book with PearlThe Read
Parrilla Meets Iberian Provenance
Price
€€€
Chef
Oswaldo Gonzalez Herce
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Los 33 is one of Madrid's most atmospheric fire-led restaurants, earning a Michelin Plate in 2025 and. Chef Oswaldo González Herce runs an open parrilla focused on dry-aged Spanish beef with Uruguayan influences. Book the dining room for a special occasion; the bar takes walk-ins for tapas and wine.
About Los 33
The Verdict
Los 33 is worth booking if you want a fire-led dining experience with genuine atmosphere in one of Madrid's most animated neighbourhoods. At the €€€ price point, it delivers very good food, a thoughtful wine list, one of the more energetic rooms in the city. It is not trying to compete with the technical ambition of DiverXO (Progressive - Asian, Creative) or the tasting-menu precision of DSTAgE; and that is not a flaw. For a special occasion that should feel alive rather than ceremonial, this is a strong choice.
The Room
The spatial identity of Los 33 is what you notice first. The dining room in the Salesas district; at Pl. de las Salesas, 9, uses earthy tones, raw textures, soft light anchored by oak pillars. The open parrilla is visible behind the long bar counter, the movement of the grill gives the room a warmth that feels earned rather than designed. There are two distinct sections: a bar area for tapas and drinks (no reservations required) and the main dining room, which requires an online booking. That split is worth knowing before you arrive, because the two experiences are genuinely different in pace and formality.
For a date or celebratory dinner, the dining room is the right choice. The layout is intimate enough to feel considered without being stiff, the energy from the open grill provides the kind of ambient drama that makes an occasion feel special. Compared to a more subdued room like Smoked Room, Los 33 skews livelier, choose accordingly based on whether you want contemplation or energy.
The Food and the Fire
Chef Oswaldo González Herce anchors the menu in parrilla culture, working mainly with dry-aged Spanish beef over a wood and charcoal open-fire grill. The beef programme draws primarily from Spanish producers, with cuts handled over open embers. Sourced data from the awards record confirms a signature Galician Rubia steak dry-aged for 60 days, the grilled Bikini sandwich has been specifically noted across multiple independent assessments as a dish to order. Veal sweetbreads also appear with consistent praise in verified award commentary. The menu runs alongside contemporary dishes and more traditional Uruguayan recipes, a pairing that reflects the South American thread running through the kitchen's identity.
The Michelin Plate recognition in 2025 positions Los 33 as a restaurant with cooking that meets a credible international standard, without the full star weight that would push it into a different price bracket. That is, practically, good news: you get recognisable culinary craft at a price that does not require the commitment of a tasting menu. For a comparable fire-led experience in Madrid, Leña Madrid and Rubaiyat Madrid are the obvious adjacent choices; Los 33 tends to read as more characterful and less polished than either, which will suit some diners more than others.
The Wine List
The wine programme at Los 33 is built on a strong Spanish spine, Ribera del Duero features prominently given its natural affinity with grilled beef, extends into Latin American and broader Old World references. The inclusion of Tannat, the bold Uruguayan red that has real structural weight, is a smart and deliberate nod to the South American identity of the kitchen. This is not a wine list assembled for prestige optics; it is chosen with a logic that connects to what the kitchen is actually doing. Staff are described across verified sources as genuinely engaged with the list and able to make pairing recommendations with confidence. For a wine-forward special occasion dinner, that service depth matters as much as the list itself. If Iberian wine depth at the leading end is your priority, Coque has one of Madrid's most serious cellars, but at a considerably higher price and formality level.
Booking and Practical Details
Reservations: Required for the dining room; book online. The bar area accepts walk-ins. Booking difficulty is rated easy by current availability data, but the restaurant is noted as one of Madrid's harder tables to secure given its profile, book as far ahead as your plans allow. Dress: No formal dress code confirmed, but the Salesas neighbourhood and the room's aesthetic suggest smart-casual is appropriate. Budget: €€€, expect a mid-to-upper spend for the full dining room experience with wine. Location: Pl. de las Salesas, 9, Centro, 28004 Madrid.
Who Should Book
Los 33 works well for a date night or small group celebration where atmosphere and food quality both matter but neither needs to be the singular obsession of the evening. It is less suited to diners seeking a structured tasting menu format, the à la carte approach gives you more flexibility but less narrative arc. Solo diners can eat well at the bar without a reservation, which makes it a practical option for a traveller wanting a genuinely good meal without planning friction. For wider context on the Madrid dining scene, see our full Madrid restaurants guide, and for planning around the visit, our full Madrid hotels guide, our full Madrid bars guide, and our full Madrid experiences guide cover the surrounding neighbourhood well.
If you are building a wider Spanish food trip, the fire-led category is well represented beyond Madrid: Quique Dacosta in Dénia, El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, and Arzak in San Sebastián each operate at a different level of ambition. For international comparisons in the meats and grills category specifically, Damini Macelleria & Affini in Arzignano and Carcasse in Sint-Idesbald are useful reference points. Also worth considering in Madrid's own fire category: Rural and Sua.
Planning details
- Location
- Pl. de las Salesas, 9, Centro, 28004 Madrid, Spain
- Website
- los33.net
- Phone
- +34 914 99 72 58
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Los 33 pairs the conviviality of a neighborhood bar with the seriousness of a grill-centered dining room. The entrance gives up the smell of wood smoke before the door does, and sturdy oak pillars frame a formal space where an open parrilla is the visual and culinary anchor. The split layout — a walk-in bar for tapas and a reserved dining room for full grill preparations — creates a dual personality: rustic, fire-forward cooking presented with composed, classic diningroom details. The overall impression is warm and underscored by an explicit focus on provenance and technique at the flame.
Best For
This is an evening destination for people who come for serious grilled beef and a focused Spanish-influenced menu. The bar area suits casual visits for a glass of wine and a tapa or two, while the formal dining room is appropriate for celebrations, group dinners and date nights that center on shared cuts. The kitchen’s emphasis on dry-aged beef and parrilla technique means Los 33 particularly rewards diners who plan to linger over the grill offerings — from wagyu and empanadillas to the signature Galician blonde txuleta — in the later hours.
Ordering Tips
Start at the bar if you want drinks and small plates without a reservation; the description explicitly notes walk-in bar seating for tapas. Given the kitchen’s stated focus on dry-aged beef and provenance, ask the staff about which cuts are being dry-aged and their origins before ordering. Share one of the larger grill cuts — the Galician blonde txuleta is a signature — so the table can sample the parrilla technique. Don’t skip the lighter items listed among signatures, like the bikini or empanadillas, as starters while the grill comes up to temperature.
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
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Also consider
Also Consider
- DiverXO; Progressive - Asian, Creative, €€€€
- DSTAgE; Modern Spanish, Creative, €€€€
- Smoked Room; Progressive Asador, Contemporary, €€€€
- Paco Roncero; Creative, €€€€
- Coque; Spanish, Creative, €€€€
Restaurant context
At €€€, Los 33 sits a price tier below most of its obvious Madrid comparators. DiverXO, DSTAgE, Paco Roncero, and Coque all operate at €€€€ with tasting-menu formats and, in some cases, Michelin star recognition. If technical precision and a structured progression of courses is what you are after, those venues deliver a different register of ambition. DiverXO in particular is in a separate category for sheer creative audacity. Los 33 does not compete on those terms and is better for it; the à la carte format and lower price point make it a more accessible and repeatable experience.
Smoked Room is the most direct fire-led competitor at the higher price tier: it is more technically refined and more contained in its atmosphere, which suits diners who want concentration over energy. Los 33 wins on room character and social warmth; Smoked Room wins on culinary focus. If your priority is a genuinely alive dining room with very good food rather than technical absolutism, Los 33 is the stronger booking. If you want the fire-led format taken to its most serious expression in Madrid, Smoked Room is worth the extra spend.
For value within the fire and grills category specifically, Los 33 at €€€ with a Michelin Plate and a well-constructed wine list is difficult to fault. Booking is rated easy relative to the attention the restaurant attracts, which is a practical advantage over harder-to-secure tables at DSTAgE or Coque. The bar walk-in option adds further flexibility that none of the €€€€ comparators offer.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Los 33 guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I eat at the bar at Los 33?
Yes. The bar area at Los 33 takes walk-ins and is the way to access the restaurant without a reservation. You can order tapas and drinks there without booking. If you want a full dinner in the dining room, you need to book online in advance; walk-ins at the dining room level are not reliably available.
Is Los 33 good for a special occasion?
Yes, with the right expectations. At €€€ per head with a Michelin Plate, an open-fire grill, a room that generates genuine energy, Los 33 delivers on occasion dining. It works better for a date night or a small celebratory group than for formal milestone dinners; the atmosphere is animated and social rather than quiet and hushed. If you need a more technically precise, haute-cuisine occasion, DSTAgE or DiverXO are stronger fits.
What should I wear to Los 33?
The Salesas district runs fashionable rather than formal, Los 33 follows suit. The room has earthy tones, raw textures, an open grill; the aesthetic is stylish but grounded. Dress well without feeling the need to wear a suit; presentable casual to smart works here.
Is the tasting menu worth it at Los 33?
The database record references an à la carte format with dishes including a bikini sandwich, veal sweetbreads, a 60-day dry-aged Galician Rubia steak, but does not confirm a dedicated tasting menu. Specific tasting menu pricing and format are not documented in available data, so check directly when booking online.
Is Los 33 worth the price?
At €€€, Los 33 is worth it if atmosphere and a confident fire-led kitchen are your priorities. Independent reviewers note the cooking is enjoyable and the experience is complete, but they also flag it does not consistently compete with the absolute top tier of global steak and grill restaurants. If pure culinary precision at the same price point is the goal, Smoked Room gives you a tighter, more technically focused fire-led experience. Los 33 wins on energy, room, occasion.
Is Los 33 good for solo dining?
The bar counter at Los 33 makes solo dining workable; you can walk in, sit at the bar, eat tapas without a reservation. For the full dining room experience solo, it is less natural; the room is built for groups and couples. If solo counter dining at a fire-led kitchen appeals to you, the bar format here is one of the better options in the Salesas area.
What are alternatives to Los 33 in Madrid?
For a more technically driven fire and smoke experience at a similar or higher price, Smoked Room is the direct comparison. For avant-garde tasting menus rather than grill-focused dining, DiverXO and DSTAgE are the relevant alternatives. If you want a grand, classically anchored Spanish dining room, Coque is the contrast. Los 33 sits in its own lane; parrilla culture with South American energy and genuine room atmosphere; which none of those replicate directly.
