Entering Malaga is like wandering into a small, unknown and unspoiled historic Spanish eatery. Upon entry you'll immediately note a bar to your left. There is no other bar on the Upper East Side like it. It's covered end-to-end by a clay-colored awning, the trim of which is lined with rustic tiles featuring Spanish idioms; if you want a refresher on your high school or college Spanish, then, all you need to do is practice while sipping your sangria. The bar includes an unobtrusive television at the end closest to the entryway for those who want to stay in touch with current events. The bar itself is made of dark wood and Spanish tiles, which decorate its base. The background of the bar, meanwhile, is white stucco with brick. Two large, elaborate circular-framed paintings, one of a bull fighter and one of a flamenco dancer, frame each end of the bar. Affixed to each of these are two rows of glass shelves that hold glasses and stemware. Along with an old-fashioned cash register, liquor is located in the middle of the bar within a recessed triangle area that has a brick background. Although the bar appears intimate -- it seats about a dozen people -- there's definitely standing room if your party needs it. To the right of the bar is a multilevel wrought iron wine rack that holds about 75 bottles of red wine. Farther to the right of that is a flowing white drapery that separates the bar area from the first dining area.

After having a glass of wine or sangria at the bar, one can enter one of three dining rooms, each with its own unique style. The first is quite authentic in design. Directly at its entrance sits a tall vase of red and white roses. The room has yellow walls with a variety of paintings throughout that feature tapas and food. There are also several mirrors, wrought iron chandeliers, and wall-mounted lanterns made of wrought iron and glass. The ceilings are comprised of elaborate embossed metal panels. There are a few free-standing tables, although the majority of seating is in booths along the wall. The tables themselves are quite generous; even if you've ordered a great deal of tapas, they'll fit because they're brought out in wrought iron towers several serving platters high. If you'd like to sit in the hustle and bustle of this dining room, but want a tad more privacy away from the bar area, there's a nook in the form of a semicircular booth that's situated behind an open wrought iron gate. Here you can see the entire room without being too close to your neighbor. Toward the far end of the room is an archway that leads to the restrooms and the second dining room. The wall over the arch is painted to look like the brick archway of a house, with a flower-adorned balcony and another arch looking out into the garden. You truly feel as if you're in the main dining room of a Spanish casa.