Founded in November 1977 by Juan Luis Salas and Manuela Ana Lozano, El Cairo opened as a small tapas bar occupying just 60 square metres of the building that the couple eventually purchased in 1983. In preparation for the upcoming Expo 93 they closed the building for two years to competely restore it, extending the restaurant to two floors and creating a hostel on the upper floors. These days the Hostería Salas group also have two other restaurants, Asador Salas and Sevilla Bahía. All specialise in traditional Andalusian cuisine, with an emphasis on fish and seafood at El Cairo.

Now run by Iván Salas, with his son Iván (4th generation) recently joining the team, El Cairo is old-school style and elegance with careful attention given to both service and quality, and it is popular with locals and visitors alike. There is a long wooden bar with high stools for tapas, two dining rooms (30 and 80 people), a small private room and a large side walk terrace. My favourite spot is at the tapas bar (in the dining rooms and on the terraza they only serve raciones). In fact, over the years I have only had tapas at the bar here and they are exceptional both in flavour and presentation. One day I will have to convince a group of friends to try out the dining room with me.

Favourites include… well, pretty much everything I’ve tried. Excellent fish fritos, elaborate corvina and monkfish tapas that are more like entrées, lovely grilled meats, possibly the best chicken livers I’ve ever had and, yes, DO try the blood with onions, the latter two being original recipes by Manuela Ana Lozano.

There’s an extensive wine list, with more than 60 available by the glass. Bar service is both professional and friendly. Maîtres José Rodríguez and Juan Ruiz run a tight ship, and you can see the pride everyone takes in their work. Booking recommended.

Bread/Service Charge: 2.50€ PER PERSON

Reyes Católicos 13
Tel 954 213 089
Open: 12.00pm – 1.00am
All day kitchen
€ € € €

Food 9 | Wine 8 | Service 9 | Ambiance 8

ensaladilla

aliñá de gambas

caña de lomo ibérico de bellota

Ibéricos and cheese

salchichón Sendra

prawn guacamole

jamón croquetas

bacalao frito (salt cod)

merluza frita (fried hake)

breaded grouper filled with jamón

fried chocos (cuttlefish)

monkfish “bomba” filled with prawns

grilled prawn and calamar skewer with fried rice

corvina in cream sauce with prawn and jamón

Iván (4th generation) serving whole baked pargo in the dining room

grilled swordfish with garlicky sherry sauce

merluza (hake) a la bilbaina

grilled red tuna

garlicky spinach and garbanzos with fried eggs

mushroom risotto

presa (pork) skewer in garlic sauce

sautéed chicken livers

sangre encebollada

solomillo with creamy green peppercorn sauce

carrillada Ibérica

solomillo al whisky

Diego, Antonio & Paco  (2012)

Paco, Julio (Diego’s son) & Antonio  (2017)

Team Cairo 2025: Iván Salas, Curro, Alejandro, Antonio

maîtres José Rodríguez and Juan Ruiz

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Updated March 2026