The Crab Pintxos and Steak Tartare on the bone were outstanding, and enjoyed my glass of Monastrell. The place was pretty quiet since we went on a Wednesday night. Especially loved the service from Altay, who was patient while we decided on what to order, gave us amazing suggestions and served with a lovely smile all through!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Gelo Petsvona
Interesting spot, outstanding decor, good vibe and the Michelin star! Very expensive special wines. Cool menu. We loved tuna cones and shrimp croquettes. Octopus was just ok, something is up with the potatos it was on top of. Beef tartar with bone marrow was very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Gayan Pathirana
On a night when Toronto's winter arrived with full fury—snow piling to the knees, wind chill plunging to minus twenty—this corner of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood offered more than shelter. It offered warmth of the truest kind.
The room hums with an easy conviviality that feels earned rather than engineered. Isshan, whose command of the Spanish wine list proved both knowledgeable and generous, guided us through a progression of reds that traced a quiet journey across the Iberian Peninsula. Mary-Anne's service complemented his expertise with attentive grace.
What distinguishes an evening here is not merely the food—though the tapas arrive with confident execution—but the sense that the kitchen and floor operate in genuine harmony. The plates encourage sharing; the pacing invites lingering. A meal unfolds rather than simply arrives.
On this particular evening, what began as refuge from hostile elements became something rather more memorable: a small celebration, conjured from Spanish wine, good company, and the simple pleasure of being looked after well.
A neighbourhood gem that rewards the curious and comforts the cold.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Peter Ernst
A group of us had lunch here recently and we were all pleasantly surprised. Everything from the innovative cocktails (one for each day of Christmas) to the service and of course the food, was quite enjoyable. I quite enjoy tapas and their offerings did not disappoint. I looked forward to returning soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jemy Joseph
Jan 2026 first time visiting this restaurant. Amazing ambiance and interior decoration. Lots of intricate details. The paintings.... I'm not sure what's going on with them or who's the artist. Didn't seem like a fit with the overall ambiance. Still unique though
Service was excellent.
Food: the portion sizes are small but every item I tried was absolutely delicious - tuna cone - shrimp croquette - crab cake - Catalan chicken lettuce wrap - manchego cheesecake (the orange casing around the cheesecake was a bit underwhelming), but it paired well with the raspberry sorbet
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Aleksandar Popovic
food honestly idea of tapas is small bites of good and flavorful food. we got patatas bravas, they were bomb. otherwise other dishes were meh, the octopus was dry (probably from slicing it up and letting it sit). its not bad, but for the price nothing to write home about.
service: 1 hr wait for a walk-in the day after new years when we were a party of two and also half the restaurant being empty. like be forreal.
we kept getting different waiters and vibe was that they were busy when the retaurant was at half capacity??? i feel like unless you are order a bottle of wine or higher number of dishes (we had three each), you arent getting much service.
atmosphere: i will say interior is absolutely gorgeous. i would go here just to sit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 2
Shenette V
* Exceptional dining experience at Madrina Bar Y Tapas in the Distillery District, truly is one of the standout restaurants in Toronto’s scene.
* Exquisite quality of food; every tapa was flavourful, refined, and presented at a standard consistent with its Michelin Guide recognition.
* I have dined at many restaurants around the world, and this one is genuinely exceptional and memorable.
* Our server, Altay, was extremely professional, warm, and accommodating throughout the evening.
* Altay’s recommendations from the menu were excellent and elevated the overall experience.
* Loved the complimentary sweet Spanish shot served at the end of the meal; I enjoyed it so much that I purchased a bottle to take home.
* The level of customer service is above and beyond, and it is clear that the staff—especially Altay—truly enjoy what they do.
* I highly recommend this **tapas** restaurant to anyone looking for a top-tier dining experience in Toronto!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dr. Deborah Nixon
We had dinner on December 17. Nice decor and nice atmosphere but music too loud and not unique. The service was excellent and the waiter was very attentive. The wine list is extensive although by the glass options limited. The food was mixed- some very good, others not well done. We ordered tuna tartar and steak tartar. Not what we expected. They were each served in a little cone and the tartare seemed whipped. good taste but outrageously priced for what it was. We also ordered the Manchego cheese and it had been clearly sitting in the kitchen too long as it was cold and the cheese was hard. Disappointing. We had the smoked octopus which was overcooked and hard. The taste was good however but at $29 for a small plate, this should have been perfect. The shrimp and clam paella was very good but the clams were minuscule and the paella was tiny. Ridiculous for $38. They forgot the crispy bread with tomato and when they brought it we were at the end of the meal. It was okay but a few very small slices for $13. The wine was good but pricey- 5oz for $20. Huge mark up. All in all, nice place but ridiculously priced. Dinner was $350 for 3 people. In an out in 90 minutes. We were told we had 2 hours. For this price, we should not have had a time limit. I don't think I'll be back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Edith S
The atmosphere and customer service were lovely, making it a place worth visiting at least once. The tapas we ordered were tasty, though the portions felt small for the price. A bite sized octopus over potato alone costed over 30$! Unfortunately, their sangria was a bit disappointing, as it tasted more like lemonade than an alcoholic drink.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Zulia Castellanos
Madrina stands out as one of Toronto’s finest restaurants, offering truly distinctive cuisine and craft cocktails—The Godfather being particularly memorable. The service, led by Sergio and the manager, was impeccable and elevated the entire dining experience.”
A cozy tapas spot in the Toronto Distillery District that delivers big on flavor. The standout dish was the Espuma de Patata con Trufa—a rich, silky truffle potato foam that’s worth the visit alone. The rest of the tapas menu was solid, with bold, well-executed flavors. Staff were friendly, making the whole experience enjoyable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
carmen cristina salas villasmil
Delicious food and atmosphere, our server was excellent. We didn't wait for our table. I recommend reservation 3 o 4 weeks in advance because it is a small place. Amazing experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Conor Hughes
Excellent food and great service. Would highly recommend the crispy mussels.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Paul Mantovani Musson
Excellent food and very extensive Spanish wine selection. Nice discount if you buy wine to take home. Our server Dane was amazing. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
S Y
Altay was very professional and friendly. He elevated our experience in this restaurant.
The Crab Pintxos and Steak Tartare on the bone were outstanding, and enjoyed my glass of Monastrell. The place was pretty quiet since we went on a Wednesday night. Especially loved the service from Altay, who was patient while we decided on what to order, gave us amazing suggestions and served with a lovely smile all through!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Interesting spot, outstanding decor, good vibe and the Michelin star! Very expensive special wines. Cool menu. We loved tuna cones and shrimp croquettes. Octopus was just ok, something is up with the potatos it was on top of. Beef tartar with bone marrow was very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
On a night when Toronto's winter arrived with full fury—snow piling to the knees, wind chill plunging to minus twenty—this corner of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood offered more than shelter. It offered warmth of the truest kind.
The room hums with an easy conviviality that feels earned rather than engineered. Isshan, whose command of the Spanish wine list proved both knowledgeable and generous, guided us through a progression of reds that traced a quiet journey across the Iberian Peninsula. Mary-Anne's service complemented his expertise with attentive grace.
What distinguishes an evening here is not merely the food—though the tapas arrive with confident execution—but the sense that the kitchen and floor operate in genuine harmony. The plates encourage sharing; the pacing invites lingering. A meal unfolds rather than simply arrives.
On this particular evening, what began as refuge from hostile elements became something rather more memorable: a small celebration, conjured from Spanish wine, good company, and the simple pleasure of being looked after well.
A neighbourhood gem that rewards the curious and comforts the cold.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A group of us had lunch here recently and we were all pleasantly surprised. Everything from the innovative cocktails (one for each day of Christmas) to the service and of course the food, was quite enjoyable. I quite enjoy tapas and their offerings did not disappoint. I looked forward to returning soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jan 2026 first time visiting this restaurant. Amazing ambiance and interior decoration. Lots of intricate details. The paintings.... I'm not sure what's going on with them or who's the artist. Didn't seem like a fit with the overall ambiance. Still unique though
Service was excellent.
Food: the portion sizes are small but every item I tried was absolutely delicious
- tuna cone
- shrimp croquette
- crab cake
- Catalan chicken lettuce wrap
- manchego cheesecake (the orange casing around the cheesecake was a bit underwhelming), but it paired well with the raspberry sorbet
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
food
honestly idea of tapas is small bites of good and flavorful food. we got patatas bravas, they were bomb. otherwise other dishes were meh, the octopus was dry (probably from slicing it up and letting it sit). its not bad, but for the price nothing to write home about.
service:
1 hr wait for a walk-in the day after new years when we were a party of two and also half the restaurant being empty. like be forreal.
we kept getting different waiters and vibe was that they were busy when the retaurant was at half capacity??? i feel like unless you are order a bottle of wine or higher number of dishes (we had three each), you arent getting much service.
atmosphere:
i will say interior is absolutely gorgeous. i would go here just to sit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 2
* Exceptional dining experience at Madrina Bar Y Tapas in the Distillery District, truly is one of the standout restaurants in Toronto’s scene.
* Exquisite quality of food; every tapa was flavourful, refined, and presented at a standard consistent with its Michelin Guide recognition.
* I have dined at many restaurants around the world, and this one is genuinely exceptional and memorable.
* Our server, Altay, was extremely professional, warm, and accommodating throughout the evening.
* Altay’s recommendations from the menu were excellent and elevated the overall experience.
* Loved the complimentary sweet Spanish shot served at the end of the meal; I enjoyed it so much that I purchased a bottle to take home.
* The level of customer service is above and beyond, and it is clear that the staff—especially Altay—truly enjoy what they do.
* I highly recommend this **tapas** restaurant to anyone looking for a top-tier dining experience in Toronto!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had dinner on December 17. Nice decor and nice atmosphere but music too loud and not unique. The service was excellent and the waiter was very attentive. The wine list is extensive although by the glass options limited. The food was mixed- some very good, others not well done. We ordered tuna tartar and steak tartar. Not what we expected. They were each served in a little cone and the tartare seemed whipped. good taste but outrageously priced for what it was. We also ordered the Manchego cheese and it had been clearly sitting in the kitchen too long as it was cold and the cheese was hard. Disappointing. We had the smoked octopus which was overcooked and hard. The taste was good however but at $29 for a small plate, this should have been perfect. The shrimp and clam paella was very good but the clams were minuscule and the paella was tiny. Ridiculous for $38. They forgot the crispy bread with tomato and when they brought it we were at the end of the meal. It was okay but a few very small slices for $13. The wine was good but pricey- 5oz for $20. Huge mark up. All in all, nice place but ridiculously priced. Dinner was $350 for 3 people. In an out in 90 minutes. We were told we had 2 hours. For this price, we should not have had a time limit. I don't think I'll be back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
The atmosphere and customer service were lovely, making it a place worth visiting at least once. The tapas we ordered were tasty, though the portions felt small for the price. A bite sized octopus over potato alone costed over 30$! Unfortunately, their sangria was a bit disappointing, as it tasted more like lemonade than an alcoholic drink.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Madrina stands out as one of Toronto’s finest restaurants, offering truly distinctive cuisine and craft cocktails—The Godfather being particularly memorable. The service, led by Sergio and the manager, was impeccable and elevated the entire dining experience.”
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
A cozy tapas spot in the Toronto Distillery District that delivers big on flavor. The standout dish was the Espuma de Patata con Trufa—a rich, silky truffle potato foam that’s worth the visit alone. The rest of the tapas menu was solid, with bold, well-executed flavors. Staff were friendly, making the whole experience enjoyable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious food and atmosphere, our server was excellent. We didn't wait for our table. I recommend reservation 3 o 4 weeks in advance because it is a small place. Amazing experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food and great service. Would highly recommend the crispy mussels.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food and very extensive Spanish wine selection. Nice discount if you buy wine to take home. Our server Dane was amazing. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Altay was very professional and friendly. He elevated our experience in this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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