The restaurant is open from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m., like a bar that never sleeps, welcoming everyone without judgment. With five shifts, it serves almost 500 guests a day and offers a menu that everyone can agree on.
Cover portrait: DR
Madrid has always had a soft spot for things that burn. It's no coincidence that when a restaurant decides to put fire at the center of the scene, word spreads faster than charcoal. In the space of two years, Los 33 has become the place everyone is whispering about but booking weeks—even months—in advance. It's a phenomenon that defies simple explanation and puts even the most discerning taste buds to the test: why does everyone want a table here? The Salesas neighborhood, elegant and bohemian, has seen an old Irish pub frequented by rugby fans transformed into a controlled orgy of embers and cocktails. This is thanks to a couple whose heads are hotter than the Josper grill that rules the dining room: Sara Aznar, with Uruguayan blood and the management of El Viajero in her DNA, and Nacho Ventosa, who moved from music to catering with the same attitude of someone who knows how to keep time.
They tell 7Canibales that it all started in Uruguay, during a party on the oceanfront, in front of a traditional grill, where meat punctuates conversations, friendships, and plans. A spark that flew from the beach of José Ignacio to Madrid. Ventosa smiles when he explains the choice of name: "Los 33 were the guerrilla fighters of Uruguayan independence. ‘Orientales’ would have made people think of sushi bars. And then 33 is the number of revolutions per minute of vinyl records: I come from music, I can't forget that." The restaurant is open from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m., like a bar that never sleeps, welcoming and non-judgmental. But it's not just any space that makes the difference: it's the seats around the grill, the ones you have to win with a well-planned reservation. The rest of the restaurant works on a first-come, first-served basis: you arrive, you make your way through the crowd, you wait for someone to get up. And if you want to look the flame in the eye, you have to earn your next move. In five shifts, almost 500 guests a day. A young, well-dressed audience, with wallets ready to forgive a few extravagances. That's Madrid: it applauds success and queues up to be part of it.
Oswaldo González is in charge behind the grill—his résumé spans Benares in London, China, Astrid y Gastón in Peru, and he returned home via DSTAgE and Triciclo. His cuisine is a blend of mixed experience, international technique, and South American roots. Sharing is the verb of the menu: dishes designed for the center of the table, confidence between hands, bites stolen with consent. Every trendy restaurant has its two totems. Here they are:
• the grilled bikini — a mixed sandwich elevated to micro-luxury: finely sliced Ferrarini ham, Havarti cheese, smoked butter from Soria. A smoky bite worthy of a standing ovation for a sandwich born of humble beginnings.
• Angus ribeye cut across the bone — a simple idea, made brilliant by the flame: juicy, tender, instinctive.
González does not play on the amazement of a photographic catalog, but on ingredients that demand respect.
This is immediately apparent from the Santoña anchovy on brioche, shiny like a salty jewel, and the smoked butter that returns like a consistent refrain.
The vegetable section amazes with grilled snow peas, accompanied by aged meat to prove that you don't need to label yourself “vegan friendly” to make green lovers happy. Then comes the moment for meat. Los 33 treats it like a cult, choosing between Angus, Simmental, Rubia Gallega, and Wagyu. The winning side dish is a personal ode: Javier Goya peppers—a tribute to the chef at Triciclo, intense, very Spanish, with that fleshy pulp that needs no translation. The liquid direction is entrusted to Silvia Machado, a talented sommelier who needs no theatrical effects. A former Michelin-starred OSA, trained in Galicia and Madrid, she leads a smart, extensive wine list, with wines by the glass that allow you to play without risking your mortgage. Those who want to explore lose their minds when faced with the Clandestine Wine List: labels for curious hearts and trained palates. Prices are fair, although a couple of options under €20 would make the most democratic of hop lovers happy.
So, what's the secret?
Here's the beauty of it: no one knows. Not even Aznar and Ventosa claim to know. The food works. The service is relaxed enough. The bill—€60-70 per person—doesn't scare off those looking for trendiness without too many compromises. The atmosphere does the rest: that feeling of being part of something that is happening right now. It doesn't ask you to commit forever: it invites you to come back. And if, at the end of the evening, you find yourself planning a new date with the grill, you've already answered the initial question. Perhaps Los 33 hasn't invented anything new. Perhaps it just understands Madrid better than others: the city loves sizzling meat, hands slicing, the anticipation building. It loves that lively flame that forces you not to get distracted. It loves feeling like it's in the right place while the fire tells a story that smells of South America, music, friends, and long nights.
