Cardamomo Tablao Flamenco

We loved the show. WOW lots of energy and dancing. They just keep going. The dancers and musicians gave it all they had. When you buy the tickets you get 1 drink. we had three people so we ended up getting i think 2 sangria’s that were very good. You need to order as soon as you sit down. Hard to get them to help once the show starts. Not a bad seat in the house. So happy we went.

This is an intimate and first class Flamenco show. I felt the dancers, singers, and musicians were outstanding, and it was the best Flamenco I have seen (of the three I have seen in my life). The show lasts about one hour. The dancers exhibited great passion for their individual performances. Not a big venue, and only one or two dancers perform at a time. The tables are close to the stage so you can see their facial and hand expressions as they dance. I would definitely go back.

My friend and I went there for the 6pm dinner and show. The food was surprisingly good. I got the confit duck and my friend got the steak. The flamenco dance was great too although I was expecting more people dancing. Overall I’d recommended considering it’s much cheaper than some other places we looked up.

1 star only because the dancing was good. But the service was horrible and it doesn’t seem to be an isolated issue since it affected the entire room.
Came here in August with one of those deals where you pay for 2 drinks whether you drink them or not. Show started and we received our first drink. A short moment later (before the show started), our waitress came by to offer us our 2^nd drink. I told her I was not ready yet. She left and never came back! It was very warm in the room. You’d think they turned the air off on purpose so the customers can order more drinks during the show (a trick done in club scene.) But they never came back to ask us if we wanted another drink or even food.
At the end of the show I spoke to the waitress and she was clueless as to why I was so upset. Her explanation was that there were waiters all around and I could have asked anyone and she didn’t have to come back around. Apparently she didn’t remember that we told her we’d like our drink a little later.
If you go here you will see that towards the back of room which is elevated almost like a 2^nd floor level (where I was sitting) there was 1 waiter (who looked like a bus boy) to the right on the bottom level. I happened to be sitting on the right side and was unable to get his attention because he was not looking at any of the guests to see if we wanted anything. Besides, he didn’t even look like a waiter. Those sitting on the left side wouldn’t even have seen this guy.

We did the dinner (buffet) and flamenco dance on a Tuesday night while on vacation in Barcelona. The food was very underwhelming, and the sangria that was part of our package was undrinkable. If your looking for an older crowd, this is the place to go. No one was under the age of 65 – 70! Not my cup of tea.
The dancers were great, would recommend the show, skip the food!

Flamenco is a must watch in Spain. This place was great, with all talented performers, singers and musicians. Loved the energy and passion in them.

Enjoyed the show last night with my 8 year old. We had to change show times due to flight delays and they were very pleasant and easy going about it. The show was great and you could really see the emotion on the performers faces. I have nothing to compare the flamenco too as it was my first experience. The stage is small and with the singers and musicians the dancers really use it. 2 guys and 1 lady preformed for the 8 clock show.

Good flamenco. Terrible sangria. Music was nice. The venue was also good. Don’t sit too close or you will likely get sweat drops on you. Second or third rows are preferable. I liked that it didn’t go on and on…50 mins and done. Beautiful tradition.

It was the most beautiful experience I had while in my 2 day trip in Madrid! The dancers were really passionate and talented! The sangría was delicious!

Einen schönen FlamencoAbend verbrachten wir mit einem 3Gänge Menu im Cardamomo. Kleines Tablao für einen tollen FlamencoAbend. Das 3Gänge Menu war für ein Tablao durchschnittlich gut und der anschliessende Flamenco machte Spass. Der Service war gut und nach unseren Ankunft in Deutschland bekamen wir sogar Fotos von der Flamenco Show an dem Abend per Email zugesendet.

Avoid having dinner here! This tablao flamenco is in a very central area close to some of the major hotels (Palace, Villa Real etc). You would be well served eating in one of the many fine restaurants or tapa bars in the immediate vicinity. Service very sloppy and uncaring. Drinks expensive. The flamenco itself was very good.

This was my favorite thing that I did in Spain. We had gone to a fairly underwhelming place to eat, and I’m so glad we did, or we wouldn’t have bought tickets to come here. We were solicited by a young woman, who showed us articles and pictures attesting to how great the show was, but it was her genuine enthusiasm for the show that really sold us. She really seemed to love it, and told us that thought it was a tad long for her four year old, he loved it as well (though he is a special boy). She said that unlike most flamenco shows (geared toward tourists), this isn’t a show, this is real flamenco, authentic, not a show but a session that you get to see. I handed her somewhere around sixty euros.
The tickets themselves are for the show and two drinks per person; our seats were on the left side in the first row (beyond the tables), and they were great, though the venue is small and I’m pretty sure any seat is great. The drinks were good and of nice size, and I would have expected to pay anywhere between 6 and 10 euro for each one. They offered two plates that night, a braised ox dish and and egg and jamon dish, and we thought both were good, but you don’t come here for food, this is more of an appetizer to hold you over until dinner – or at the very least soak up some alcohol. Now I did see a couple reviews mention the disorganized service, and I can attest to that, but it wasn’t bad, just a bit who’s-on-first; at least they were pleasant.
As for the flamenco ‘show’, was it authentic? spontaneous? was it REAL? I don’t freakin know, what the hell do I know about flamenco? Nothing, that’s what. What I do know is that there were a lot of people speaking english and that the hour and a half (I think) flew by, and the experience was awesome. I would try and tell you what it was like for me, but I ain’t no poet, all I can do is give it five stars.

Great flamenco show, and cheaper than some of the other venues I looked at. It was 31 euros (if I remember correctly) to watch the show with one drink included. 39 euros if you want two drinks. Drinks listed on their menu were 10 euros each, so I suppose it was a good deal. I got the cardamomo which had rum and fruit juices in it (and mint, so I would highly recommend this if you enjoy mojitos) and was DELICIOUS, although incredibly strong (my two friends and I all got the same drink and we all felt it.)
The dancing was absolutely incredible though! The venue is not that big, so you get a good view of the dancers no matter where you sit. We sat at the very front row, so we could see everything, and the dancing was absolutely insane! The performers (the dancers and the musicians) were all incredibly talented, and I was especially blown away by the technique of the guitarists. Would definitely recommend checking out a show if you are in Madrid, there is just so much energy in the dancing and in the dancers’ facial expressions, really an experience unlike any other!

3.5 stars. Service was just awful. Hard to order your food and drinks. 30 minutes after we were seAted not one single server approached us to take our orders. Show was ok. The dancers were energetic and emotional. The price of tkt covers for 1 drink of your choosing. Food is extra. We got the tkt from mercado san miguel since they have a kiosk there. The location seems to be seedy part of the town. Venue is small so you get to see the dancers up close.

Excepting the fact that almost an hour into the show, a group of people determined to hold up their phones [obscuring our view] and record the whole performance were seated in front of my party, the show was absolutely exquisite. The end even included an impromptu guest performance from two gentlemen in the audience who are– I am given to understand– the best dancers in Spain, or nearly so. The energy and excitement of the music and the dancers must be experienced to understand, but it is something everyone should do at least once.
The venue itself is less prepossessing, though truthfully it had little impact on my enjoyment. The food and drink options where overpriced, so we didn’t order anything save the drink included in our show tickets, and those were decent, but nothing impressive. But truthfully, food and drink and wobbly chairs just stop mattering once the music begins.

ursula, if you are reading this, you are the best ever!!!
i sadly missed most of the show last year in sept because i got food poisoning at another restaurant and vomited the whole show. (music sounded great from upstairs at the toilet) and ursula took great care of me until i was able to get back on my two feet. she would check up on me, brought me water, helped me clean my mess. give this amazing woman a raise! you’re the best, and will be coming back this year, i hope to get attended by her! :)

The show itself is extremely exciting and lively. The dancers have an amazing amount of stamina and are really talented. There is a cool drum box.
The food is tasty, but rather expensive and small portions. I only had the tapas (not the main menu).
Would definitely recommend! Drink coffee before, it goes late. But pretty much everything in Spain does :)
Wish there was at least one synchronized dance!

We travelled to Madrid, Spain on a family vacation (with three kids) and wanted to expose them (and ourselves) to some traditional flamenco. Cardamomo was one of the top rated flamenco experiences, so we pre-​booked (which I strongly recommend) and selected the 9pm show on a weekday. It did not disappoint! If you visit Madrid… experiencing authentic flamenco is a must, and I strongly suggest you try Cardamomo!
The place is quite intimate… all seats are good, even if you sit toward the back (there is a raised, theater style floor, so your view is great anywhere you sit). They have an excellent sound system, and the service is helpful and attentive. We tried several of their appetizers (each were good) and they offered great sangria and one of the all time best Mojitos I have ever tried (try one — it was awesome)! They have outstanding «acoustic» flamenco musicians (five total) and multiple male and female flamenco dancers. Each was outstanding. They put on a strong show for about 90 minutes and the passion of the performers is astonishing. The price of the ticket includes a drink.
Even our kids (ages 10, 8 and 5) loved the show and wanted to return. Highly recommend!

If you find yourself in Spain and looking for some cultural experience you should visit Flamenco. There are dozen of places in Madrid — this came up highest rated. This was my first experience so I have nothing to compare it to but I absolutely loved it. You won’t find colorful dresses here, it’s not your typical (commercial) type of establishment. It’s more minimalist but the passion of the performers is astonishing. The show is almost 2 hours long with couple of short breaks. The price of the ticket includes a drink — a strong one :)

Disclaimer: We haven’t seen any Flamenco before, so this is our first time. But wow, I thought this was very good. Cardamomo is not one of the bigger touristy ones and based on my research online, this is the one where even the locals go.
The show is close to 2 hours (with few breaks) for € 39, includes 2 drinks (read reviews about not to get the dinner package). The 2 female and the 2 male dancers were all very passionate and danced so hard (literally!) that we were afraid the floor was going to crack. Totally worth it.

Mola !
J’y ai passé une partie de la soirée du nouvel an et c’était très sympa, musique variée, un peu de rumba et une bonne ambiance ! J’y retournerai bien pour le tablao flamenco…

«Échame una mano prima, que viene mi novio a verme», «Anoche me diste un beso, que beso tu me darías, que cuando abrí los ojitos, se estaba haciendo de día».
Esto es el Cardamomo, flamenco dispar, ecléctico. Desde el flamenquito comercial de Niña Pastori hasta los cánticos más festeros con tintes de Camarón de El Potito.
La gente también es así, mezcla de estilos. Gitanos maqueados, guiris con ganas de mover los brazos y las muñecas, otros a los que simplemente nos gusta el flamenco.
El Cardamomo ofrece buen flamenco, y gratuito, pero hay que saber qué día y cuando acudir. Yo he visto a Javier Rubial y al Capullo de Jerez gratis, a dos metros del pequeño tablado. Lo de Rubial fue un lujo. Me sentí un afortunado.
Si vas despistado te pueden clavar un día de actuación con entrada y ver algo sin interés. Así que consulta la programación antes de ir.
También te recomiendo, aunque no te apasione el flamenco, una visita el miércoles o jueves. El ambiente es más flamenco y quizás tengas la suerte de ver a una gitana o un gitano marcarse un zapateado.

Tablao flamenco que acoje tanto a profesionales como a estudiosos. Buenos guitarristas y bailarinas, pero los cantantes no son de lo mejor. El espectáculo es caro, 30 euros, aunque es digno de ver, pero la comida y la bebida lo son aun más, así que mejor ir sólo a tomar algo y dejar la cena para otro sitio. Precios para turistas extranjeros que están dispuestos a pagar, pero fuera de lugar para los que conocemos los precios de Madrid. El diseño en este caso es lo de menos, no es un tablao flamenco tradicional, se ha ido adaptando con el tiempo. Si de verdad os gusta el flamenco, no está de más hacerle una visita, pero antes investigad ya que circulan por internet descuentos para cenas y menús especiales de tapas que hacen el lugar más asequible. Yo no he probado las cenas, me duele pagar esos precios, asi que sobre la comida no voy a opinar. La cerveza bien tirada y los vinos, muy aleados de los precios habituales, incluso en sitios de renombre no los cobran tan caros. Eso sí, evitad los fines de semana, yo he ido un miércoles y un sábado, y disfruté mucho más del espectáculo el miércoles, el ambiente más tranquilo, menos voces, menos turistas…

A este tipo de sitios no se me hubiera ocurrido ir al menos hoy en día. Pensaba que ya estaban más que pasados de moda y que pertenecían a otra época.
A mi padre le apasiona el flamenco así que nos decidimos un día en mirar por internet por si encontrábamos algún sitio para llevarle a ver un espectáculo por su cumpleaños.
Encontramos unos descuentos a través de una página de internet y allí que nos plantamos. El espectáculo como tal es caro, si no recuerdo mal sin descuentos ni nada sale por unos 30 € pero merece la pena verlo aunque sea solo una vez, más que nada por el tema de la economía que nos es que ande muy allá en los tiempos que corren.
También puedes disfrutar de una cena, pero nosotros solo fuimos a ver el espectáculo y tomarnos una copa.
El local es una mezcla entre lo moderno y lo antiguo, ya puestos me hubiera gustado más verlo todo como antiguamente.
El estilo de música no me va mucho, pero pasamos una velada muy buena.

Es un bar de copas original, lleno de ambientillo flamenco, con un montón de gitanos entre sus adeptos, y con música del sur siempre sonando.
Lo mejor es pillar un conciertillo. Las copas son asequibles y el sitio muy céntrico, al lado de la calle Huertas. Además, cierra tarde. Es un local distinto para la zona en que está, más de adolescentes y de música pachanguera, pero merece la pena visitarlo si se está cerca.

Forget every other nightclub/​bar in Madrid, this is the one. This is the only one. The first night I went in, Friday, it was packed with macho locals all stamping on the ground with big heels to music I’d never heard before. Proper flamenco. Cigarette smoke. Stamping. Danger? Yes, something very spanish, very macho. Men with the Spanish shoulder length hair, emulating their heroes, men with the Spanish mullet, djs mixing flamenco records together. All of them quite short. EUR4 for a glass of sangria.
The next night, Saturday, was the flamenco show, and it cost EUR20 to get in early (or maybe it was just because I was a tourist). A drink was included in the entry fee. The tables at the front were all reserved, so I sat at a table towards the back, I may have been better off standing at the front near the side. I think the locals all wait for an hour after the show’s started and then get in for nothing, but that’s just a guess. Since the stage is kind of three quarter you can still see from the side. Cardamomo is divided into two, presumably two old shops knocked together, so there is a wall dividing two different bars, the seated area from the standing area.
The flamenco band were on first, a singer, two guitarists and a man hitting a box. The singer was in pain, or singing about pain, from the heart, huge great wails of noise that seemed to be partly improvised, and it looked as if the two guitarists were either really enjoying it or trying not to laugh. Then the first female flamenco dancer. Not like you see in films; this was real flamenco. They dance separately, not with castanets or any of that rubbish. She had an unusual posture that reminded me rather of Doon Mackichan playing Mrs Overall. She sort of hunched over all the time, even when she was stamping her heart out. Her expression was kind of ecstatic but surprised as if she couldn’t quite believe she was doing it.
Then the man flamenco: he was older, with huge hair and a jacket, and he stamped much louder than her, each footfall sounded like a gunshot or a dropped vase. He looked a little wary, a little scared, like a young boy acting on stage; ‘Is this alright? Am I doing well?’ He would make little runs across the stage, sizing up the distance each time, then run across, and emphasize the move with his heels I– RAN– ACROSS– THE –STAGE. bang bang bang! Then he would look out at us again hoping for our approval; was that alright? Are you pleased? This made him hot, and he cooled down by flapping his jacket, and then his waistcoat, just to cool down a bit.
There was a break for a while, and some women arrived and sat behind me who wouldn’t stop talking. The manager wanted them to shut up; the spanish for shush is ssss.
There was more singing from the flamenco band, then a drum off between two drummers, then a solo guitar spot which the ladies talked through, although it took a long time for the guitarist to get in tune. A long time. The others were taking the mickey out of him a bit. Even when they started singing again he stopped playing to retune.
The lady came back on in a different outfit, and this time it was about banging as much and as fast as possible. There was a female singer as well (I don’t think it was her doing it, but the drink was strong, spanish style: half fill the glass with spirits to save on mixer). Again she whirled her arms around, pleading with us, hunched over as if she’d just brought in some macaroons for Celia Imrie.
Then the bloke came back, and he wasn’t taking any prisoners. Yes, there was still a little boy expression, but he was banging and stomping like a rooster, he wasn’t taking any prisoners, and the floor was going to pay, for daring to allow him to walk on it. This was the man dancing. BANG BANG BANG BANG. He jumped around the stage as well, and ever so slowly tap. tap tap. started his big rapid heel tapping climax. banbabababababababababababng BANG. And then the two of them raced each other into an insanely imrpovised finale that made both of them smile a lot. It was great, but it would have been even better sat at the front (althought it might leave you deaf.) They were Cecilia Gomez and David Martin. He wasn’t english, i think it was common policy in Spain for actors of a certain age to choose english names starting their careers, the younger ones just keep their spanish names. I saw them offstage and they were all short, even the musicians, but onstage they were giants.
I made the mistake of ordering a second drink, a Havana Rum and coke, EUR9, but it was insanely strong. Around me spaniards were drumming on tables and stools and banging away on the floor. I heartily recommend Cardamomo, but I think you would only really appreciate it if you were spanish. And David Martin was having a cigarette outside as i left so I was able to say ‘muy bueno’ to him and touch my heart, which I think he appreciated.

Flamenco toute la nuit
Ceux qui dansent sont souvent des habitués et font des démonstrations. Après ça on se sent souvent mal à l’aise. Les professionnels dansent le mercredi. Mais le lundi c’est musique latine et brésilienne donc vengez vous à la salsa.