River Oaks’ Hottest New Restaurant Requires a Six-Week Wait — MAD’s Reservation Mania

Getting Into This Spanish Stunner Will Take Patience

By Shelby Hodge // Jul 1, 2019

Photography Shafik I. Rifaat

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The city was mad for MAD, where every seat was booked for the next six weeks, including those at the bar. (Photo by Shafik I. Rifaat)

The MAD hall of mirrors leads to the Instagram-worthy, ultra modern restrooms, (Photo by Shafik I. Rifaat)

A peek inside the ladies room at MAD in River Oaks District. (Photo by Shafik I. Rifaat)

The wrap-around bar seating at MAD offers 360-degree service, no standing allowed. (Photo by Shafik I. Rifaat)

The blue banquettes can be secluded by velvet curtains for privacy at MAD in River Oaks District. (Photo by Shafik I. Rifaat)

The terra cotta-hued sofas adjacent to the bar are a favorite of those wishing to see and be seen. (Photo by Shafik I. Rifaat)

Lower level bar front seating invites leisurely dining at MAD in River Oaks District. (Photo by Shafik I. Rifaat)

The brutalist mural above the open kitchen in MAD is the Spanish designer's nod to Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. (Photo by Shafik I. Rifaat)

The bar scene at MAD isn't a 'scene' at all, rather a civilized mise en scène. (Photo by Shafik I. Rifaat)

It seems the entire town is mad for MAD, the killer new entry into River Oaks District’s vaunted restaurant realm. Without truly serious connections, if you don’t already have a reservation at the Lázaro Rosa-Violán designed eatery, you’ll have to wait six weeks before getting even a glimpse of the much ballyhooed interiors.

Forget about hanging out at the bar for a look-see. You need a reservation for that too.

So wildly popular is Ignacio Torras’ and chef Luis Roger’s second restaurant (following the acclaimed BCN), it seems that the entire city is clamoring for a table. If you nab that reservation, you might want to choose your table with an eye for your taste in tableaus.

Every seat is a hotspot, but the views vary from location to location. None disappoint. A Picasso devotee, for example, might want a table in front of the wall of Picasso ceramic plates. Or a Chihuly fan might position in front of the open kitchen where one of the master’s two MAD chandeliers playfully hangs above the open fire.

Unless seeking a somewhat discreet table, we wouldn’t choose the patio for dining on duck tongue tacos and MAD’s wicked tomato concoction. No, we prefer to savor our paella amid the riot of avant-garde decor that has everyone who was lucky enough to have garnered a reservation swooning.

While there is seating on all sides of the bar, we opt for the high-profile section of bright orange sofas, plumped with decorative pillows, next to the bar or one of the tufted blue banquettes along the far wall, where velvet curtains can close for those seeking privacy. Both locations present front row seats to the vibrant scene that resonates with a sophisticated international vibe.

As Rosa-Violán told PaperCity, “I want to create an experience. We created a lot of different scenes.”

But the bar scene? There isn’t one. Not like the three-deep crush you can find on occasion at Brasserie-19 or the Thursday night over-the-top bar scene at Steak 48. Reservations are required for the bar at MAD and you are expected to order from the menu, perhaps the Iberico ham and the scallop crudo plates to go with your Ma Vie en Rose cocktail.

With reservations a must, every seat in the house offers a totally civilized experience.