Ugo Chan
Hugo Muñoz fills the gyoza at Ugo Chan with Madrid-style tripe and serves them with fried chickpeas.
Why go
Hugo Muñoz, born in Madrid in 1982, learned to cook under Abraham García at Viridiana and learned nigiri from Ricardo Sanz.17 He opened Ugo Chan near Plaza de Castilla in November 2021 and won a MICHELIN star in 2023.8 The name goes back to his grandfather, who did business with Japan and hosted Japanese visitors at the family's house in the mountains outside Madrid. They called the boy Hugochan,
little Hugo.4 Muñoz told Julia Pérez Lozano of Gastroactitud in 2021: I'm interested in bringing old Madrid cooking onto my own ground. Researching old recipes, seeing what the connections are, where the intersection is. Giving up the classics is a mistake.
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The soldadito de Pavía shows the idea. In 2021 Muñoz served it as an homage to Casa Labra, a celebrated Madrid tavern: a strip of salt cod fried like tempura and set in a dashi of roast peppers. Pérez Lozano called it magnificent
and wrote that the cod soaks up the pepper juice, giving a bite of a different texture and flavor.
1 She called the onion soup in smoked-bonito consommé with aged Comté a radical but calm fusion, very well balanced.
1 The MICHELIN inspectors picked out the highly memorable caviar lentil Japanese curry with smoked breast of wood pigeon and coconut
in 2025.3 Philippe Regol of Observación Gastronómica ate there in January 2025 and found Muñoz paying tribute to French cooks as well. Regol called the sea urchin and truffle brioche served with his version of Guy Savoy's artichoke soup sensational.
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The nigiri draw the complaints. Pérez Lozano wrote in 2021: A pity the rice is not up to standard. It needs review!
1 Regol thought the flamed toro nigiri would be better without the caramelized sugar
in 2025.2 Pérez Lozano summed up the kitchen: Perhaps you can fault the technique, not the flavor.
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Regol found the room lively, without being unpleasantly noisy. People talk as if they were in their usual neighborhood restaurant.
2 The chef Dabiz Muñoz gave the plan in 2023: The best way to eat there is to go with a bunch of people and order as many dishes to share as possible.
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Order this / avoid
- Order: the tripe gyoza. Philippe Regol (Observación Gastronómica, 2025):
Hugo Muñoz's signature dish. Japanese meets Spanish. Delicious.
2 - Order: the soldadito de Pavía (Julia Pérez Lozano, Gastroactitud, 2021).1
- Order: the onion soup (Julia Pérez Lozano, Gastroactitud, 2021).1
- Order: the deconstructed ensaladilla (Russian salad) with Maresme peas,
delicate and delicious
to Philippe Regol (Observación Gastronómica, 2025).2 - Order: the caviar lentil curry with wood pigeon (the MICHELIN inspectors, 2025).3
- Avoid: the foie and eel nigiri,
too heavy
to Julia Pérez Lozano (Gastroactitud, 2021).1
What locals & experts say
- Dabiz Muñoz, chef (January 2026):
It's hard to say which is the best, but Ugo Chan is one of my favorites. It's a restaurant for people who love to enjoy themselves. Very contemporary, creative, very personal and different.
6 - Award: one MICHELIN star, held since 2023.8
- Award: 2 Soles Guía Repsol, first given in 2024 and held in 2025.10
Good to know
- Where: Calle de Félix Boix 6, near Plaza de Castilla.8
- Timing: lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday, shut Sunday and Monday. The cocktail bar stays open late on the same days (esmadrid, December 2025).8
- Booking: book at ugochan.com.10
- Price: El Español put the tasting menu at an average of 200 euros in September 2026. You can also order by the dish.6 The ensaladilla cost 14 euros a portion in January 2025.2
Verdict
should-visit — Book Ugo Chan for Hugo Muñoz's Japanese takes on old-Madrid dishes, the tripe gyoza and the soldadito de Pavía above all, and bring friends to share. Go light on the nigiri. In September 2026 the tasting menu averaged 200 euros, or you can pay by the dish.