"Granada's living literary table where Lorca's circle met; come to Plaza del Campillo for Antonio Torres's rabo de toro on a birthday."
Federico Garcia Lorca read early poems at the Cafe Alameda that once stood on this corner of Plaza del Campillo, where the El Rinconcillo circle gathered in the 1920s. Chikito took over the spot and kept the literary memory alive while turning it into one of Granada's best-known tables for Andalusian cooking. Chef Antonio Torres runs the kitchen, and the dish people come for is the rabo de toro at €26.50, slow-braised oxtail that locals treat as a benchmark.
Chikito trades on Granada itself rather than on a star. Chef Antonio Torres cooks regional Andalusian dishes with an Arab-Andalusian undercurrent, the food of the city set down without reinvention. The rabo de toro, braised until it falls from the bone and finished with its own reduced sauce, is the order locals measure the kitchen by, listed at €26.50. Alongside it sit habas con jamon, the broad beans with Trevelez ham that define a Granada spring, fried fish from the coast at Motril, and the free tapa that still arrives with every drink at the bar.
This is a taberna at heart, with a busy front bar and a fuller dining room behind. Expect to spend roughly €40 to €55 a head with wine for a sit-down meal, less if you graze tapas at the counter. The wine list stays close to home, with sherries from Jerez and reds from the Granada and Ronda hills. It is honest, generous cooking, and the kitchen has had decades to settle into it.
Chikito sits on Plaza del Campillo, beside the Fuente de las Batallas and a short walk from Puerta Real and the cathedral. The front is a classic Spanish bar, loud and busy at the counter, where regulars stand for a drink and a tapa. The dining room behind is calmer, lined with photographs and old-Granada memory, lit warmly, with tables close enough to feel social rather than private. Dress is relaxed; this is a city institution, not a special-occasion temple. Go early or book, because the terrace on the plaza fills fast on warm evenings.
Chikito works for a birthday or a celebratory dinner because it gives visitors the real Granada in one room: a lively bar, a proper dining room, free tapas with the first round, and a famous oxtail to anchor the table. The plaza terrace is the seat to request in summer. It is atmospheric without being expensive, so a big group can eat and drink well without a punishing bill. For more options across the city, see our best Spanish restaurants worldwide and the best Spanish restaurants guide.
Not for diners chasing modern tasting menus or a quiet, refined room: Chikito is a busy traditional taberna, loud at the bar and built around classic Andalusian plates.
Yes, if you want traditional Granada cooking rather than fine dining. Chikito has fed the city for decades on the site of Lorca's old cafe, and its rabo de toro at €26.50 is a local benchmark. The room is atmospheric and the value is strong. Come for the institution and the oxtail, not for cutting-edge plates.
Not very, but worth doing for dinner and essential for the summer terrace. Chikito takes reservations by phone on +34 958 22 33 64, and the dining room behind the bar usually has space midweek. Weekend nights and warm evenings on Plaza del Campillo fill quickly. Walk-ins can graze tapas at the front bar without a booking.
Relaxed and casual. Chikito is a Granada taberna, so smart-casual or even neat everyday dress is fine, and there is no jacket requirement. Locals treat it as an everyday institution rather than a dress-up occasion. Dress for comfort on the terrace in summer, when the plaza stays warm late into the evening.
Plan for roughly €40 to €55 per person with wine for a full sit-down meal. The signature rabo de toro is €26.50, starters and tapas are cheaper, and grazing at the bar costs far less. A free tapa arrives with each drink in the Granada tradition. It is solid value for the location and the history.
Yes. The mix of a lively bar, a warm dining room and a famous oxtail makes it an easy choice for a celebration, especially on the summer terrace. Book ahead for groups and request a plaza table. See our best birthday restaurants for more ideas across other cities.
By phone · +34 958 22 33 64
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Chikito keeps Granada's classic Andalusian table alive. See how it sits among the best Spanish restaurants on the planet.
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