One of the oldest bars in Madrid, this tiny, old-fashioned standing-room-only tapas joint opened in 1910. Near the Plaza Major in the old quarter of La Latina, the bar is rich in colorful tiles, wrought iron pillars, bottles, wineskins and faded photographs of the city. Bodegas Ricla draws fans with its boquerones en vinagre: fresh anchovy fillets marinated in vinegar and seasoned with garlic and parsley. Inexpensive but good wine and sherry are available by the liter, poured from tall clay urns, and vermouth is on tap. Also try the “cecina” (thin slices of cured venison); cabrales cheese in cider; and meatballs in sauce.

Smoking in Spanish bars is verboten, but this old-world sanctuary to sherry and manzanilla remains discolored by tobacco and time. Five Sherries come by the glass, half-bottle or full bottle, and bottles are refilled from barrels stacked behind the bar. Order a tapa of mojama (salt-cured tuna) and maybe a little cecina (the beef equivalent of jamón) to accompany. The bar is frequented by locals and the owners keep the tourists in check by enforcing a no-photo policy, along with no spitting on the floor and absolutely no tipping. Conversation note: Hemingway used to drink here.

With their reputation for staying out all night, the people of Madrid are popularly known as “los gatos” (the cats), and there's nowhere better than this quirky, old-school Spanish bar round the corner from El Prado in Huertas to begin a night prowling the streets. The bar is hung with strange but amazing decor and all manner of paraphernalia, from gramophones to choirboy mannequins. Bull fighting paraphernalia fights for space with classical and pop art treasures. But what really counts is you can get a selection of tasty canapés, olives, jamón and a good frothy beer.

One of the few eateries that takes reservations, this family-run tapas bar and restaurant was founded in 1966 on Calle de Libertad in Chueca and is popular with the locals. In 2006, Francisco Bravo and Concha Ortega took the reins, maintaining its 40-year tradition of Castilian and Andalusian cuisine. Specialties include toast, fried fish, croquettes, lamb chopsticks and 45-day aged grass-fed beef from Sierra de Guadarrama. Homemade apple and chocolate cakes tempt the sweet tooth. Pro tip: To try a bit of everything, opt for the Bocaíto Tasting Menu, ideal for sharing among friends or for family meals.

This historic taberna has hardly changed since it opened in 1917 on the vibrant Plaza de Chueca. It is famous for its spectacular frescos of wine gods and cherubs, tiled walls and zinc bar top with embedded sink. Antique casks and taps, wooden shelves and old dusty bottles decorate the cellar. Beer and vermouth flow freely on tap, and the crowd can get lively on weekend evenings when it spills over onto the main plaza. Known more for its drinks, the tapas menu includes razor fish, deer stew and canapés with cream cheese and anchovies.

Long-running Pittsburgh-born eatery is known for its overstuffed sandwiches piled high with coleslaw and french fries. It’s an edible Pittsburgh institution. You can get it with salami. Or with turkey. Or roast beef. Or even with no meat at all. But it's not a Primanti Bros. signature sandwich without a generous serving of crunchy, tart coleslaw, tomato slices and crisp french fries piled high on top of soft Italian bread. Onions are available on request. The eatery was born in 1933 during the height of the Great Depression, when Joe Primanti opened a cart in Pittsburgh's Strip District selling sandwiches to hungry truckers. Encouraged by sales and positive feedback, Joe expanded to a small storefront on 18th Street, where he was joined by his brothers, Dick and Stanley, and their nephew, John DePriter. Open 3 a.m. to 3 p.m., the brothers fed hard-working truckers and shift workers “good food for a fair price.” According to John, "One winter, a fella drove in with a load of potatoes. He brought a few of 'em over to the restaurant to see if they were frozen. I fried the potatoes on our grill and they looked pretty good. A few of our customers asked for them, so I put the potatoes on their sandwiches." The rest, as they say, is history. Jim Patrinos bought Primanti Bros. in 1974, which now stays open 24 hours.  

Family owned and operated for more than 40 years, La Pola is a small, old-school, counter-service cafe that turns out popular Cuban sandwiches and other Latin specialties. For the best Cuban sandwich outside of Miami, order the Especial De La Casa, which puts a Galician spin on the classic with the addition of pernil, jamón dulce, prosciutto, salami, queso, chorizo and Pepino. All the meats are sliced in house, stacked on Cuban bread, lathered with an intense garlic mojo and grilled to perfection in a small panini press. Add a cafe con leche and a handful of chicharrones for good measure.

Billed as a “Cuban and International Cuisine Bar,” this popular eatery is a great place to sit down and have a meal or just to grab one of their great Latin dishes to go. The diverse menu includes Colombian as well as Cuban cuisine. Don’t miss the Sandwich Gallego, a masterpiece of cheese, roast pork, sausage and Spanish prosciutto on pressed ciabatta bread and served warm. They are known for their "Sandwich De Pollo," but don’t miss the Gallego. It's filled with three kinds of Latino cooked meats. It’s their version of the classic Italian sandwich done Latino: simple, inexpensive and completely delicious.

For a real taste of Cuban cuisine, head to this local favorite in Union City. N.J. The restaurant puts a modern twist on Caribbean/Antillean (Creole) food with an emphasis on its Cuban roots. Don’t miss the Marielito Cubano con Croquetas, which combines a balsero (a traditional Cuban sandwich with grilled ham, Swiss cheese, seasoned roast pork and a mustard sauce) with two crushed ham croquettes inside. It’s muy delicioso!

This no-frills Latin diner owned by native Argentinians offers only two things on their menu: a traditional steak sandwich and smoothies. Why mess with perfection? Their amazing Latin marinated steak sandwich with French fries (American cheese and onions are optional) on toasted Cuban bread keeps fans coming back for more. The menu offers the sandwich in two sizes: “chico," which means child; and "grande," which means large. The grande is big enough to feed two people or have leftovers for lunch the next day.

Pro tip: It’s cash only for a piece of sandwich heaven, Fans say they have one of the absolute best Frita Cubana sandwiches north of Miami.