The Santiago Bernabéu continues to grow and improve every day, and today marks the opening of one of the top new restaurants in the stadium: KO by 99 Sushi Bar.
This is a high-end restaurant offering the finest Japanese cuisine. The very design of the venue reflects Japanese culture, elegance, and meticulous attention to detail.
You can find more information on their official website, where you can also book a table (although reservations do not seem to be available yet). They also have pages on Facebook and Instagram. According to several YouTubers, the opening date was set for Monday, March 10, but we’ll have to see if it actually happens today or later (we’ll keep this post updated).
Restaurant Details:
📍 Address: C/ Padre Damián 3, Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Gate 39, 28036 MADRID
📞 Phone: +34 915 46 45 52
📧 Email: contact@ko-99.com
🌐 Official Website: https://www.ko-99.com/
To locate it within the stadium, you can see its exact position in a RealMadrid1902 YouTube video. It is situated at the very top of one of the corners (below the video scoreboard), making it one of the prime locations in the stadium, alongside the SkyBar (whose future remains uncertain).
The KO by 99 Sushi Bar Menu
Based on their Instagram stories, these dishes are featured on the menu:
- A8 Wagyu Gyozas
- Kobe Edamame with Truffle
- Whole King Crab Leg au Gratin
- Oysters Nº3 Toro, Caviar & Ponzu
- Chawanmushi
- Katsusando
- Wagyu Maki
- King Crab Al Ajillo
- Sea Urchin Tempura Maki
- Ohitashi
- Chirashi
- Crispy Carabinero Tartar
- Hotate Tempura
- Wagyu Tartar
- 99 Jewel
- Corn-fed Chicken Robata
- Uni-Carabinero Carpaccio
- Caviar Hosomaki
- Bone Marrow Gunkan & Caviar
- King Crab Salad
- Truffle Otoro Okonomiyaki
- King Crab Futomaki
- 99 Sushi Bar Flag Gunkan
- Hokkaido Uni Gunkan
- Salmon Flambé Nigiri
- Wagyu Gunkan
- Binchotan
- A5 King Nigiri
- Sea Bass Flambé Nigiri
- Otoro & Wasabi Nigiri
- Wagyu Skewers Robata
- Miyazaki A5
- Kohitsuji Yaki Robata
- Sashimi
- Sake Carpaccio
- Hamachi Tartar
- Shishito Pepper Tempura
- Foie & Caviar Nigiri
- Tiger Prawn Tempura
- Umami Crystal Toast
- King Crab Tempura
- Fresh Wasabi
- Royal Otoro Tartar
- Yakimeshi
Price & Quality
As of now, menu prices have not been released, but it is safe to assume that this is a premium dining experience. Given its high-quality cuisine and prime location—one of the best spots in Madrid (in our opinion, the very best)—this will not be a budget-friendly option. Additionally, within the Bernabéu, it is arguably the best-positioned restaurant, second only to the SkyBar.
Once the full menu pricing is available, we’ll update this post. However, it will undoubtedly be worth it for a special occasion.
More Photos of the New Restaurant
Here are some additional images shared on their social media:
Latest Updates
Update: 18/03/2025
By checking Instagram comments, it´s official: they have opened today! Then from now on everybody can go to the restaurant 🍣😍
YouTuber Jesús Ramírez was lucky to be among the first to visit the restaurant. He enjoyed the stunning views and delicious food.
In the video from YouTuber RealMadrid1902, he showed the entrance to KO by 99 Sushi Bar at the Bernabéu, located to the right of the Puerta 57 restaurant entrance. The door that is open for KO by 99 Sushi Bar is Gate 39.
Additionally, some journalists have already been inside the venue in the past few days, so it seems that a few people have already had the chance to experience it.
El “KO by 99” del Bernabéu es 🔝 🍱🏟️ pic.twitter.com/JnVsKemHTM
— JesúsGallego🐬 (@JGALLEGOonfire) March 5, 2025
The Founders: The De León Brothers
Thanks to an article from El País, we learned more about the story behind KO by 99 Sushi Bar. It belongs to the Bambú Group, founded by two brothers from Madrid: Pedro and Fernando De León.
Interestingly, their first restaurant was not Japanese but Italian, which they opened in 1998. They trained in the United States, and upon returning to Spain, they wanted to implement the ideas they had learned abroad. After successfully running their Italian restaurant, they sold it to pursue their true passion: Japanese cuisine.
Currently, Bambú Group generates over €20 million annually and has a team of more than 500 employees. They operate six restaurants in Spain (four in Madrid, one in Marbella, and one in Barcelona), plus international locations in Abu Dhabi (with a Michelin star), Dubai, and Rabat (Morocco).
Contract & Venue Details
- 10-year lease with Real Madrid
- 600 square meters, spread over two floors, with a 120-seat capacity
- Open daily for lunch and dinner, except on Real Madrid match days, when it becomes a VIP hospitality area
- 80% of the menu is different from 99 Sushi Bar, but some signature dishes remain
- High-end nightlife concept, featuring premium drinks, including Japanese whiskey bottles priced up to €6,000
This looks like an exciting new addition to Madrid’s food scene—and especially to the Bernabéu experience! 🍣✨
Here’s the English translation:
Can you make a reservation during the matches?
One thing you’re probably very interested in is whether you can reserve a spot there to watch the matches. This week we found out that, at least in the case of Plaza Mahou and KO by 99 Sushi Bar, during matches they stop operating as regular restaurants and become VIP Zones sold by Real Madrid as part of their most exclusive experiences.
So during the games, they no longer function as typical restaurants but are transformed into ultra-VIP areas with catering provided by Real Madrid’s hospitality services. Therefore, yes, you can get access to watch the matches there, but only through Real Madrid’s VIP box tickets.
Chef Noam Gonzales Herrera, heading the brigade at KO by 99:
New: it seems that on Fridays and Saturdays (I assume in the afternoon/evening) they play music with a DJ.
