Fresh squid is sliced into rings, battered lightly, and fried until golden and crispy. The rings stay tender inside. They're dropped into a warm, crusty baguette with minimal sauce. Cheap, fast, and the reason 10,000 people a week walk through the door.
Tips from diners
Order one bocadillo, a cold beer or soft drink, and eat standing at the high counter. The whole meal takes 10 minutes and costs under 7€.
La Campana gets mobbed 1-3 PM and 8-10 PM. Come 11 AM-1 PM or 3-5 PM for the same food with no queue.
This is the most famous bocadillo in Madrid. Order it, take it to Plaza Mayor 30 seconds away, and eat it sitting down with a view.
Spanish lager, chilled.
Tips from diners
A bocadillo and a beer is the inseparable pairing. The cold cuts through the richness of the fried squid.
Fresh lime or lemon agua fresca — a refreshing alternative to beer.
Tips from diners
If you don't drink alcohol, ask for agua fresca — it's made fresh daily and perfect with the salty squid.
Fried potatoes with spicy mayo and aioli.
Tips from diners
Order patatas bravas to share while the bocadillos are being made. Fills the 5-minute wait.
Squid and jamón ibérico in a single sandwich.
Tips from diners
A step up from the simple squid. The jamón adds saltiness that pairs well with the fried squid.
La Campana opened in 1997 on Calle de Botoneras, just off Plaza Mayor. For 25 years, the bar has been slicing fresh squid, battering it, frying it golden, and dropping it into crusty baguettes. At 4€, it is the cheapest iconic meal in Madrid's historic center. Always busy, constantly buzzing with tourists and locals rotating through.
The bar is small and always crowded. You will have to squeeze. This is not a sit-down restaurant — it's a standing counter where you eat and leave.
Come at off-peak hours (3-5 PM, 11 AM-1 PM). You'll wait 5-10 minutes instead of 20-30 during lunch and dinner rushes.
At 4€, La Campana is the cheapest iconic meal in Madrid's center. You're not paying for comfort — you're paying for the famous sandwich and the price.
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