Cheap Eats in Madrid

Free tapas at El Tigre, a lot of chocolate and churros and San Gines, and the tourist packed San Miguel Market that is not cheap.
I didn't really go to any sit down proper restaurant kind of place when I visited Madrid because I had a tight budget. But I am going to share two yummy places that are inexpensive and will leave you pretty satisfied, too.

First, El Tigre, the tapa bar where there are no seats and you get a free meal for ordering a drink.

At the bar restaurant El Tigre, they give very generous servings of tapas enough to be a meal with drink purchases. My friend and I went together, he got a small beer, I got a mojito that turned out to be very, very big, and we got three full plates of food that we couldn't finish...all this for less than 10 euros combined. We went in the afternoon when it was rather calm, I heard it could become quite chaotic at times. Everyone stands, eats, and drinks. You go in, order your drink, and the bartender/tapa master behind the counter delivers your drink, and then tapas. We got bread with jamon (ham), patata fritas (fried potato with spicy sauce), and croquettes (fried veggie mix usually with potato and other things). Half way through our food the bartender asks if we wanted paella and I said yes, so more food! We didn't finish everything but we almost did, I'm quite proud of we did. My friend says if you finish your food they will just give you more so everyone leave very filled.

El Tigre: Calle Infantas 30, Madrid, Spain (not too far from Gran Via) 

We almost finished our other food so tapa guy gives us paella.

Tapa guy and shelves of tapas.

I also went to San Gines for churros and chocolate....mmm....what could go wrong with fried bread dipped in hot chocolate? A must visit food place, it was around 3-4 euros for 6 churros and a cup of chocolate sauce. After finishing my churros I drank the thick chocolate sauce, I don't think I've had so much chocolate in a day before. Six churros is a lot of churros, and if that isn't enough drinking a cup of melted chocolate will you very satisfied. There's also milk you could order, and I think that would make a lovely addition to the snack.

San Gines: Pasadizo de San Ginés, 5 (near Plaza Mayor)

And a little note about supermarkets, they close on Sundays, so do plan ahead if you rely on supermarkets for food. The ones in the city center still open, but it's usually the expensive ones like the one in department store Corte de Ingles.

The famous San Miguel market was a beautiful market to visit, but an expensive place to eat. Better for window shopping if you're on budget. See all the cheese, wine, olives, fruits , ham beautifully arranged. I bought this bocadillo with fish for 2 euros, at the local supermarket I got 2 boxes of this white fish for a bit more than 1 euro, so consider making some tapas back home/hostel.

Imagine pretty food behind glass shelves, wine tasting events, and lots of tourists. Good place to take pictures of food.

Very expensive this bread is.

Jamon (ham) and bread is everywhere, Again, you can make your own easily as any supermarket has a good selection of bread and hams.

So if you're wondering what I ate if these are the very dew eating places I talk about, well, I make my own sandwich and take that with me for lunch. As for evenings, I cook myself :)