Los 33, the Madrid restaurant where you can be seen and be seen, where you'll eat very well.

In a Madrid where restaurants are springing up like mushrooms and media buzz lasts as long as an Instagram reel , it's rare to find an establishment that not only takes off from day one, but also maintains its presence, lines out the door, and the attention of the trendy crowd for more than a season. Los 33, in the lively Plaza de las Salesas, has managed to do so for three years now with a rare combination of business intuition and traditional River Plate savoir-faire . Not surprisingly, this Uruguayan-rooted steakhouse with a Madrid soul is now ranked 15th in the global ranking of The World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants . But beyond the acclaim from the press, guides, and rankings, its most commendable aspect is its ability to fill five daily seatings without losing its authenticity or charm.

Founded by Sara Aznar—a veteran of the capital's hospitality industry and the soul of El Viajero—and Nacho Ventosa, a former music industry executive, the restaurant was born from a stroke of inspiration: "It all started with our Spanish/Uruguayan heritage, during a celebration in José Ignacio, revolving around a wood-fired grill. We realized that this concept fit perfectly with Madrid and its customs," they explain. And indeed, it did.

Since its opening in 2022, Los 33 has consolidated a diverse, cosmopolitan, and intergenerational clientele, who come without a reservation to enjoy a drink—note the negronis and espresso martini—and a simple snack at the bar, or reserve the required two months in advance to grab a table by the grill, our favorite spot due to its bright light and proximity to the embers. Fire isn't just the main cooking technique here; it's also the symbol and driving force behind the entire project.

At the helm of the kitchen is Oswaldo González, a nomadic chef who traveled between London (the Indian Benares) and Lima (Astrid y Gastón), before settling permanently in Villa y Corte, where he worked first with Diego Guerrero (DSTAgE) and finally for a few years with Javier Goya at Triciclo. This international and multicultural journey is reflected in a simple, direct, and flavorful menu focused on the local produce and the season. There are no spheroidization or trompe l'oeil here. The menu features quality meat, a mastery of the grill , and an undeniable commitment to providing enjoyment in an environment with no dress code , more conducive to meeting old or new friends than a business lunch. Haven't we always associated carnivorous restaurants with the tables of power? Well, Los 33 is the exception to the rule.

At a recent summer lunch, it's still striking that there's no name at the entrance. Why should there be, if this is a place for insiders or aspiring chefs? Once settled in, it's best to entrust ourselves to Oswaldo, who will feed us, in tapas and half-portions, a mix of iconic dishes and seasonal bites. Due to the high temperatures, we skip the classic chistorra and the chamizo empanadas—sliced ​​skirt steak, two winter favorites —to focus on a splendid anchovy on brioche bread with smoked butter, eggs stuffed with tuna belly in an impeccable old-fashioned style that reminded me of Sunday lunches with my grandmother, cheerful fried piparras, and a super-thin, juicy, and crispy strip steak cut, eaten with your hands, marking the difference between this and a conventional steakhouse.

Halfway through the menu, the house's undisputed icon arrives: the grilled bikini, so Instagrammable that foodies have turned it into a cult favorite and it's already being copied ad nauseam. The secret to its success lies in crispy, well-toasted bread, melting Havarti cheese, and remarkable prosciutto . So simple and so satisfying.

Before the carnivore section, it's worth noting that Los 33—like another Chueca favorite, Roostiq—is doing a wonderful job with its vegetable garden. Which is good news for our cholesterol levels. Be sure to order the sautéed spinach with pine nuts, raisins, and generously grated Parmesan cheese, or the grilled snow peas with cured meat, or the grilled cauliflower with smoked cauliflower puree—which resembles the green comfort food of the great Yotam Ottolenghi— or, as the season draws to a close, some creamy morel carbonara with cured meat instead of guanciale .

With the main course meat, the question is choosing the cut: sweetbread, rump steak, flank steak, ribeye, rib eye… There's also sea bass and sole for those who've renounced the pleasures of melted fat and smoke. But that wasn't our case. We opted for a 90-day aged Wagyu ribeye (we're not given to longer periods, although it all depends on the animal). Sliced ​​into thin slices, cooked to perfection—rare, but not overcooked, as this highly marbled meat should never be served overly raw—and accompanied by red peppers cooked twice, Javi Goya-style, which are a feast for the palate in terms of texture, aroma, and flavor.

One of the lesser-known attractions when talking about Los 33 is its superb wine cellar. At the helm is Galician sommelier Silvia Machado, trained at A Tafona and Culler de Pau, who earned her Champions League honors at the legendary Etxebarri and whom we recently met on the banks of the Manzanares River, tending to wine in Osa. Here she's at her best, managing a selection full of well-known brands as well as bottles from small, cult producers at fairly reasonable prices. So wine lovers shouldn't have the slightest qualm: on the contrary, they'll have a hard time choosing among so many attractive bottles!

Furthermore, for restless diners with a desire for extravagance, Machado offers, in addition to the standard menu, a "Clandestine Wine List" filled with rare gems of limited production, at reasonable prices that avoid falling into the trap of speculation.

“Shall we have dessert at the bar?” suggests my companion, who is a regular. I understand the suggestion as soon as I change the setting: at the after-dinner conversation, the bartenders are busy preparing coffees and long drinks at the entrance counter, while some seasoned customers take advantage of the lax hours to improvise a late lunch or early afternoon snack. Even in this, Los 33 exudes wisdom, a spirit of service, and mastery of timing.

When I get home, I read a report in Expansión about the Spanish restaurants where it's hardest to reserve a table. Alongside undisputed temples like El Celler de Can Roca, Disfrutar, Etxebarri, DiverXo, and Elkano, Los 33 has slipped in. They have a much lower average bill than all those giants, but the clientele's desire to secure a reservation is similar. And, you know what? I completely understand: we don't every day crave haute cuisine that demands our attention. What they offer here is almost the opposite: eat well, soak up the atmosphere, and let yourself go.