Casa Julio Restaurant

Now famous for serving croquetas to the lead singer of U2, Casa Julio is an authentic Madrid institution. Although recent renovations have caused Casa Julio to lose a little of its old-fashioned charm, it still maintains its characteristic red tile roof and a few details such as the antique seltzer tap (perfect for a nice vermouth) and the classic bar stools.
The croquetas are their defining dish but you’ll also find it’s hard to resist the Spanish potato omelet. The croquetas come in seven flavors, but my personal favorites are the ones made from leek and mushroom, spinach, and morcilla (blood sausage). You can order 6 or 12-piece plates and combine the flavors however you’d like. They’re pretty big and filling, so if you decide to sample a plate while you’re having an afternoon vermouth, you definitely won’t be hungry for dinner.

Here, you can have the best croquetas in Madrid. It might sound strange, but the spinach croquetas are delicious. The ham and cheese ones too!
A piece of trivia: years ago U2 chose this spot to do a photo-shoot and they’ve paid a visit every time they’ve returned to Madrid.

A few years ago, around 2007, I went to this place after hearing that it was frequented by U2. The place itself isn’t anything special, just your average tavern, but the fried eggs and croquetas are tremendous!
We got there so late that the kitchen was already closed but the nice old woman decided to fire up the stoves especially for us. We ordered some fried eggs and potatoes and the woman reached into a potato sack and started peeling potatoes right there on the spot! And if you see how they prepare the eggs, you know they’re going to be good. Oh, and the croquetas! Over the years, I’ve tried just about every plate on the menu and chatted with the owners to find out a little more about the U2 story.