I am researching Madrid with children and want to know if tapas bars (some/many/none?) are open during siesta hours (as an alternative to staying up later for dinner). Thanks.

If you want to eat a good value meal during the afternoon. (ie Lunch) you should have a Menú del Dia. Bigger portions and better value than Tapas.

Finding food in Madrid is no problem at about any hour of the day, but taking children to Tapas Bars might be questionable. Questionable not just in hours, but in an enviornment and food(it can be anything) conducive for children. Many I suggest one of the many markets that have delis that serve quality late lunches?

Also some tapas bars become very crowded and some charge to sit at a table ratehr than stand at the bar.

I see children in tapas bars all the time, so why would something like that be "questionable"? Lunch in Madrid is typically served from 13:00 to 16:00 (1:00 pm to 4:00 pm), and is usually the main meal of the day. You can do tapas before lunch or dinner, not as a substitute to a good lunch.

You might want to read Maribel's Guide to Madrid for her recommendations on where to dine with children (www.maribelsguides.com).

We just got back from Madrid and San Sebastian with our fourteen month old. We had no problem finding restaurants and tapas/terrazas open all day long. Our schedule was different every day based on her sleep, jet lag, naps, etc. Sometimes breakfast at 11am and dinner at 9pm and other days earlier. We also took our baby into tapas and pintxos places with her in the backpack and nobody looked twice. There weren't a lot of babies but there are so many places that are half empty or not smokey that it was really no problem at all. Of course we did most of our eating outside so hopefully it will be warm enough for you to do this.

A lot of places are closed but just as many are open i would say.

Once again, I agree with Ribeirasacra, this time on making the midday meal your principal meal of the day.

Most places that offer a Menu de dia serve it until 15:30 or 16:00. I usually schedule myself for around 15:30. That's after the main (13:30) crowd and portions are likely to be quite ample as end-of-service time approaches.

The answer to your question: yes, tapas bars are open during siesta.

Why can't someone have tapas instead of a typical lunch or dinner meal?

I think it is sometimes interesting to sample several different small dishes (whether tapas or appetizers) as a substitute for a typical lunch or dinner.

quite right paul. if you're holidaying, presumably saving € and loading up with a 4 course menu del dia is not your primary consideration...you want to dip in and taste bits of what's on offer.
what's more, you can order larger portions of tapas in most places - either media raciones (half plates) or raciones

All right, have tapas instead of lunch...but it´s not customary. Tapas (pintxos is another thing) are normally to be had before lunch, with a glass of wine or a small beer. I´ve posted this before, but just to clarify:

- Tapa: typically, what you´re offered when ordering any drink at a bar in many areas of Spain (mainly central and southern). Free. It may consist of a piece of bread and ham, a small ration of chorizo, or some meatballs, or cheese (or something of the kind, but small).

- Ración: You order this in a bar and pay for it. It is bigger than the tapa, may consist of the same food as tapas (meatballs, for instance), you may order media (half) ración and you normally have them seated, in the middle of the table, with a basket of bread (free) and shared by all the people on the table. You normally order two or three at the same time, and may be your dinner.

- Pintxo: mainly in the Basque Country and neighbouring areas. Cuisine in miniature, you pay for them. Normally available at bar counters, you take them with your hand and eat them standing at the counter, with a glass of wine, a small beer or a cider (www.todopintxos.com for more info). There are contests on the best pintxo. You go hopping from bar to bar, always having a pintxo or two and a small drink, enjoying each bar´s specialties. You pay based on an honour system (you tell the waiter how many you had and he believes you). In SS many bars offer pintxos "on order", very elaborated and great to taste.

Classic hours for pintxos or tapas are noon to two in the afternoon, before lunch, and 8 to 10 in the afternoon, before dinner. Always with friends, always a excuse for socializing, never a way to get drunk. In any case, pintxos, tapas and raciones are offered, in most places, all day long.

Kids and babies are welcome in bars. These are places to socialize, and kids are part of our love for families.

Hope this helps!

Mike, Thanks for the info.

From an American perspective, we are on vacation and probably arent using these bars to meet with friends. We are experiencing(in our own ugly way) the culture and venturing to as many of them as we can comfortably handle drawn by the food and inexpensive drinks. To us its a White elephant happy hour buffet, from which I have received everything from an old piece of salami on moldy bread to a 3 oz gourmet fish dish. Its exotic for us but certainly not glamourous. I wouldnt take my kids there for a meal.

Ok, now don´t think American and American bars. Spain is full (I mean, FULL) of bars, as you may know. Bars in Spain are not places to get drunk (with the logical exceptions...), but places where you meet. I don´t say that kids should enter (in fact, a recent law has forbidden their entry, but it´s not enforced). I´ve been to bars with my parents all my life, and it´s just the way it is. They are full of food, appetizers, noise, tv on....the Spanish way. And smoke, that too (but improving...). I just wanted to point out that in Spain we don´t make a clear division between what you call "tapas bars", "bars", "cafeterias" or any other kind of place to have a drink (except discos, music pubs,...)

...and don't forget clubs mike!...