One of the best things about this accidentally retro bar is how much fun it is to explore. There are secret, time-bending portals connecting the endless labyrinth of dining rooms… or so it seems. When the same short, middle-aged waiter in a waistcoat kept appearing every time we entered a new room, we wondered how else he could have got there so quickly.
The simple explanation is that La Figal is run by three almost identical brothers, and it was the way each of them spoke to us as if they’d met us many times before that brought us to such an abstract conclusion.
Restaurante La Figal first opened its doors in the 1940s, and in 1982 it was taken over by three Asturian brothers, Manuel, Emilio and José, who named the bar La Figal after a fig tree that grew above their family home.
Although the majority of its 1940s decor remains intact, parts have been updated over the years, giving the bar an eclectic look that has stood the test of time. The atmosphere follows a similar rule: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, so if you want to see what Spain was like in the 1980s, La Figal is a gem of a time warp with a daily post-church crowd to match.
Let me take you through each of the labyrinthine spaces in this beautifully kitsch bar…
The bar at the back was busier than the front, with punters tucking into generous tapas with their cañas…
And now through to the rear dining areas…
Those beautiful grey speckled-marble walls and smoky mirrors below the mezzanine…
BEHIND THE SCENES
After a stroll with the brothers through their bar, mezzanine and dining room, we had a drink up at the bar to chat about why we were taking these photos. José also took us through his Google reviews, proudly swiping past ratings of 4 and 5. When he came to a 1, he told me that the reason they got such a low score is because the customer was jealous of his receding hairline.
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