Liceu. Walk toward the water on Las Ramblas. Left onto C. Ferran. Right onto C. Avinyó. Left onto C. Comtessa de Sobradiel. Live music M-Th 11:30pm and midnight, F-Sa 11:30-m and 1am, Su 11:30pm and midnight. Calendar of events for the month available online or at door. Cover M-Th €5, includes 1 drink; F-Sa €8, includes 1 drink; Su €5. Beer €3.80. Cocktails €7.80. Open M-Th 9pm-4am, F-Sa 9pm-5am, Su 9pm-4am.
SMOLL BAR
C. Comtessa de Sobradiel, 9
BAR
The chic ’60s decor and friendly, burly bartenders combine to please an ever-present hip, gay-friendly, and young crowd. When there’s room at the bar, squeeze in tight and try one of over 25 cocktails or a signature shot. The Rasmokov (vodka shot with a lime wedge topped in sugar and espresso powder) will leave you caffeinated, sugar-buzzed, and full of fuzzy, extroverted feelings.
Liceu. Walk toward the water on Las Ramblas. Left onto C. Ferran. Right onto C. Avinyó. Left onto C. Comtessa de Sobradiel. Beer €3.50. Cocktails €5.60. Open M-Th 9:30pm-2:30am, F-Sa 9:30pm-3am.
MANCHESTER
C. Milans, 5
BAR
663 07 17 48 www.manchesterbar.com
The long listing of bands on the exterior—Joy Division, The Cure, Arcade Fire, The Smiths, and many, many more—leaves little to the imagination. After passing the turning record table on the interior, you’ll find a dark world of intimate seating, band references, and people who love both chatting and drinking the night away. A 7-10pm happy hour with €1.50 Estrellas gets the night started off right, and a vending machine selling tobacco is open until closing.
Liceu. Walk toward the water on La Rambla, left onto C. Ferran. Right onto C. d’Avinyó. Left onto C. Milans before hitting C. Ample. Manchester is located where the street curves. Happy hour beer €1.50. Beers €2-4. Shots from €2.50. Mixed drinks €6. Open M-Th 7pm-2:30am, F-Sa 7pm-3am, Su 7pm-2:30am. Happy hour daily 7-10pm.
TRECE
C. Lleona, 13
BAR
If you can fight your way through the crowd of international 20-somethings into this pocket-sized hangout, Trece offers some of the best mojitos in Barcelona (€6). Bare walls with exposed brick show off local artwork and an assorted selection of dismembered body parts, including a set of mannequin legs sticking out over the restroom door and a torso functioning as the primary light source. Hits from the’80s abound, and a projector plays a selection of music videos and YouTube clips over the heads of the clientele.
Liceu. Walk on Las Ramblas toward the sea, left onto C. Ferran. Right onto C. d’Avinyó and left onto C. de la Lleona. Beer €3. Cocktails €6-7. Open M-Th 7pm-3am, F-Sa 7pm-5:30am, Su 7pm-3am.
OVISO
C. Arai, 5
CAFE, BAR
www.barnawood.com
Cafe Oviso is where ancient Roman villa meets bohemian dive bar. A myriad of frescos adorn the walls, including images of peacocks, myths, and a curious scene in which a man appears to be putting the moves on a lion. Benches and larger tables invite clients to continue the theme and lounge at their discretion like a drunken Bacchus. A delicious variety of food and juices are served during the day, while at night the bar fills up quickly with a mix of locals from the Plaça Trippy.
Liceu. Walk toward the water on Las Ramblas. Left onto C. Ferran. Right onto C. Avinyó. Left onto C. Arai; Oviso is on the right as you enter the plaça. Food and juice served during the day. Beer €3. Cocktails €7. Open M-Th 10am-2:30am, F-Sa 10am-3am, Su 10am-2:30am.
EL BOSQ DE LES FADES
Pg. de la Banca, 16
CAFE, BAR
933 17 26 49 www.museocerabcn.com
If you have ever wondered what it’s like to be a hobbit and drink a whole pitcher of Sangria (€12), Bosq de les Fades provides the perfect opportunity to settle your burning curiosity. A wooded canopy creates an enchanted forest deserving of the bar’s name. If you’re not the outdoorsy type and prefer something more domestic, you can hang out in a haunted bedroom, so long as you don’t mind a woman behind a false mirror dropping in on your conversation. Be prepared for as many gawkers as diners, as the fantastical facade across from the Wax Museum is a popular photograph point.
Drassanes. Walk briefly along Las Ramblas toward the water. Turn left onto Pg. de la Banca. El Bosq de les Fades is at the end of the road, in front of the Museu de Cera. Cava glass €3, bottle €16. Sangria €3.50, pitcher €12. Wine €2.30. Cocktails €6.10-7.20. Open M-Th 10:30am-1am, F-Sa 10:30am-1:30am, Su 10:30am-1am.
BOULEVARD CULTURE CLUB
Las Ramblas, 27
NIGHTCLUB
933 01 62 89 www.boulevardcultureclub.com
With three rooms, dizzying lights, and a clientele that borders on barely legal, Boulevard Culture Club plays host to the nightclubbers of the traveler-laden Las Ramblas. Promoters draw in dancers with discount fliers along the street. If you don’t like the techno playing in the first room, just move on to the next to hear some Missy Elliott instead.
Liceu. Walk on Las Ramblas toward the water, destination on right. Reduced admission with flyer distributed along Las Ramblas. Calendar of special events and theme nights on website. Cover €15; includes one drink. Open daily midnight-6am. Free for men before 1am and women before 2:30am.
KARMA
Pl. Reial, 10
NIGHTCLUB, BAR
933 02 56 80 www.karmadisco.com
Karma: for those who dream of disco in a partified subway station. A bizarre mix of blues, soul, and ’80s music plays for a largely uninterested older set while rainbow lights wrap around two barrel vaults that mark the bar and dancefloor. You may be better off living your actual dream by grabbing a boombox, some streetside beer, and a metro ticket—not that Let’s Go suggests (illegally) drinking in public.
Liceu. Walk on Las Ramblas toward the water. Left onto C. Ferran, Right to enter Plaça Reial. Club cover €10; includes 1. Beer €4. Cocktails €6-8. Club open Tu-Th and Su 12am-5am, F-Sa 12am-6am. Bar open daily 6pm-2:30am.
La Ribera
ALMA
C. de Sant Antoni dels Sombrerers, 7
BAR
93 319 76 07
A quieter alternative for those too cool to bother with the packed houses and inflated prices of nearby Passeig del Born. Cheap drinks provide bait for any traveler, while relaxed seating, rotating art exhibitions, and a bartender that stays surprisingly laidback even when drunkenly berated about the lack of mojitos give solid reasons to stay for the night.
Jaume I. Walk down C. de la Princesa and take a right onto C. Montcada. Upon entering Psg. del Born, take a right onto C. dels Sombrerers and then take a right again onto the 1st street on your right, C. de Sant Antoni dels Sombrerers. Cava €1.80. Beer €2. Cocktails €6. Open Tu-Th 8:30pm-2:30am, F-Sa 8:30pm-3am.
EL BORN
Pg. del Born, 26
BAR
933 19 53 33
Shed the pretense and shabby themes and stop in to El Born for a straight-up bar—no more, no less. Marble tables and a green palette provide gametime seating and trenches for those brave enough to claim them on weekend nights. With cheap beer (€2-2.50) and ambient music, it’s no wonder this place is always full. Jaume I. Walk down C. Princesa and take a right onto C. Montcada. Follow until you hit Psg. del Born. Free Wi-Fi. Beer €2-2.50. Mixed drinks €6. Open Tu-Su 10am-2:30am.
EL COPETÍN
Pg. del Born, 19
LATIN BAR
607 20 21 76
Shimmy your hips at this dance floor that doesn’t stop. Cuban beats blare the entire night from shortly after opening onward, attracting a laid-back, fun-loving crowd that knows how to move. A cafe-like portion up front provides some reprieve for those needing a breather, though the waitstaff may be too busy dancing along to tend to your every beck and call.
Jaume I. Walk down C. Princesa and take a right onto C. Montcada. Follow to Psg. del Born. Mixed drinks €7. Open M-Th 6pm-2:30am, F-Sa 6pm-3am, Su 6pm-2:30am.
BERIMBAU
Pg. del Born, 17
L
ATIN BAR
933 19 53 78
This Brazilian copas bar, reportedly the oldest Brazilian bar in Spain, offers a range of drinks you won’t easily find this side of the Atlantic. Try the guarana with whiskey (€8) or an orange and banana juice with vodka (€9). Relaxed, beachy beats fill the air, with wicker chairs to let you live out the summer dream.
Jaume I. Walk down C. Princesa and take a right onto C. Montcada. Follow to Psg. del Born. Cocktails €8-10. Open M-Th 6pm-2:30am, F-Sa 6pm-3am, Su 6pm-2:30am.
PRINCESA 23
C. Princesa, 23
BAR
932 68 86 18
Cheesy quotes line the wall, ’80s and ’90s hits flood the stereo, and young tourists unashamed of both of these details pack the club to the gills. Shamelessly capitalizing on an inauthentic medieval-esque Spanish theme, the continually stuffed house dishes out cheap mojitos and caipirinhas (€4) until 11pm and offers up a selection of nachos, tapas, and wraps so you can eat away the embarassment of actually enjoying yourself.
Jaume I. Walk down C. Princesa. Mojito and Caipirinha €4 until 11pm. Cocktails €7. Sandwiches, wraps, and nachos €4.50-10.50. Salads and tapas €4-7.70. Open daily noon-3am. Kitchen open noon-midnight.
El Raval
MARSELLA BAR
C. de Sant Pau, 65
BAR
93 442 72 63
Walls lined with antique mirrors, cabinets, old advertisements, and dusty bottles will have you waiting to witness your first saloon brawl. Luckily, the crowd is genial and friendly, even after a few absinthes (€5)—not that there’s room to fight in this crowded place anyway. Crackling paint and fuzzy chandeliers will have you feeling every month of the bar’s 190 years of business.
Liceu. Walk down C. Hospital and take a left onto C. Junta de la Comerç. Take a right at the end of the street onto C. de Sant Pau. Beer €3.50. Absinthe €5. Mixed drinks €5-6. Open M-Th 11pm-2am, F-Sa 11pm-3am.
PLASTIC BAR
C. Sant Ramón, 23
BAR
www.myspace.com/plasticobar
This hip bar is big enough to host as many people as are cool enough to enter. Dark paisley walls with a green lit bar let you squeeze through to the back portion, where the real life awaits. The upper level is for lounging, while the scratchy soundsystem of the lower portion pumps a mix of modern indie and ’60s rock to a crowd excited to dance the night away.
Liceu. Walk on Las Ramblas toward the Sea. Take a right onto C. Nou de la Rambla and right onto C. de Sant Ramón. Shots €3. Beer €3-3.50. Mixed drinks €6. Open M 11pm-2:30am, W 11pm-2:30am, Th 11pm-2:30am, F-Sa 11pm-3am.
BAR BIG BANG
C. Botella, 7
BAR, MUSIC CLUB
www.bigbangbcn.net
The back room attracts a collegiate crowd to watch free nightly performances like the jazz acts, standup comedy, and vaudeville-esque theater. Out front, customers are serenaded by big band favorites—both local and national—over the stereo and black-and-white projector screen. Creepy eyes look down from every corner, whether from the frames of outsider art or from the jazz star photos lining the dark walls.
Sant Antoni. Walk down C. de Sant Antoni Abad (in the corner of the square where C. del Comte d’Urgell and C. de Manso meet) and take a hard right onto C. Botella. Schedule of performances and special events on website. Variety show on Tu, DJ on F and Sa at midnight. Shots €3. Beer €3-4. Cocktails €6.50. All cheaper before 11pm. Open Tu-Sa 9:30pm-2:30am, Su 10:30pm-2:30am.
VALHALLA ROCK CLUB
C. Tallers, 68
BAR, MUSIC CLUB
www.myspace.com/valhallaclubderock
Be prepared to see burly men air-guitaring Slayer in the place where a normal dance floor should be. At times serving as a concert hall, this dark and industrial-esque nightclub is a haven for those sick of flashing lights and throbbing techno. Free cover on non-show nights means you can use the saved cash to try their entire selection of chupitos del rock, specialty shots named after bands from Elvis to Whitesnake (€1).
Universitat. Walk down C. Tallers. Draught beer €1.50-2.50 daily until 10pm. Check myspace for calendar of concerts and special events. Shots €1-2. Sangria €2.50. Beer €2.50-5. Mixed drinks €6-7. Open daily 6:30pm-2:30am.
SANT PAU 68
C. Sant Pau, 68
BAR
934 41 31 15
An absurdist bar with an identity crisis. The Van Gogh-esque wall of ears is paired with gas tank-inspired lights and a metal chandelier with circuit board cutouts casting geeksheek patterns of light across the stairwell. If you’re looking to get away from the crowd, grab a bloody mary (€6) and head upstairs to scrawl your regards on the graffiti wall.
Liceu. Walk down C. Hospital and take a left onto C. Junta de la Comerç. Take a right at the end of the street onto C. de Sant Pau. Beer €2. Mixed drinks €6. Open M-Th 8pm-2:30am, F-Sa 8pm-3:30am, Su 8pm-2:30am.
L’OVELLA NEGRA
C. Sitges, 5
BAR
933 17 10 87 www.ovellanegra.com
Think Viking beer hall without the possibility of a funeral pyre burning into the night. Cheap beer flows freely, which makes stomaching the kitsch—anyone care to take a picture with the drunken black sheep cutout?—possible. Split-log benches and a selection of foosball, pool tables, and TVs provide all the charm of a frathouse in Valhalla.
Catalonia. Walk toward the sea on Las Ramblas and take a hard right onto C. dels Tallers. then take a hard left onto C. Sitges. Tapas €1.50-4. Shots €2.30-3. Beer €1.20-3.60. Pitchers of beer and sangria €10.70-12.50. M-Th 9am-2:30am, F 9am-3am, Sa 5pm-3am, Su 5pm-2:30am. Drinks cheaper before 11pm.
L’Eixample
LES GENTS QUE J’AIME
C. Valencia, 286
BAR
93 215 68 79
Come down the stairs into this sultry red velvet underworld for antique photographs, jazz covers of “Tainted Love,” and vintage chandeliers that set the mood for you to partake in their sinful pleasures. Not sure where to head for the rest of the night? Cozy up next to the palm-reader, or have your tarot cards read to keep from indecision.
Diagonal. Turn right onto Passeig de Gràcia and walk for 3 blocks. Take a left onto C. Valencia. Les Gents is downstairs next to Campechano. Palm reading and tarot cards M-Sa, €30 and €25. Wine €3. Beer €3.50. Cocktails €7. Open M-Th 7pm-2:30am, F-Sa 7pm-3am, Su 7pm-2:30am.
LA FIRA
C. Provença, 171
CLUB
65 085 53 84
Decorated entirely with pieces from the old Apolo Amuseument Park in Barcelona, this club is like a debaucherous family reunion without having to worry about the faux pas of incest. The walls act as a masoleum to innocent years past, sporting dioramas of the fair, fortune tellers, and masks of questionable racial politics. Dance away under the big top, and try not to get too creeped out while downing Espit Chupitos under the glare of the knowing sphynx.
Hospital Clinic. Walk away from the engineering school on C. del Rossello and take a right onto C. de Villarroel when it dead-ends. Take the first left onto Provença; La Fira is a few blocks down. Often hosts shows or parties, sometimes with entrance fee or 1-drink min. Beer €5. Cocktails €8. Open Th-Sa 11:30pm-3am.
ZELTAS
C. Casanova, 75
BAR
93 450 84 69 www.zeltas.net
Like a story lifted from a sultry romance novel about an all-male harem with impeccable taste, Zeltas pleases the eyes in more ways than one. An all black interior draped in white, flowing fabric sets the tone, while chic white couches and a bar seemingly dedicated to those looking to dance shirtless sets the mood. Musky cologne floats through the air, and beefy male dancers in tight black spankies make the air somehow thicker.
Universitat. Face the University building and walk left on Gran Vía. Turn right onto C. Casanova. Zeltas is down 2 blocks. Male dancers nightly. Beer €5. Cocktails €7.50. Open daily 11pm-6am.
LA CHAPELLE
C. Muntaner, 67
&nbs
p; BAR
93 453 30 76
A wall of devotional figurines and paintings with mostly nude men in front allows La Chapelle to show a gayer side of the sacrament. Solemn red lighting mixed with modern bubble lights cut through the veil of testosterone—apparently debaucherous religious imagery is bait for bears. Get a little closer to God while getting a lot closer with some grizzly guys.
Universitat. Face the University building and walk left on Gran Vía. Turn right onto C. Muntaner. La Chapelle is 2 blocks down. Beer €2.50. Mixed drinks €5. Open daily 4pm-2:30am.
DOW JONES
C. Bruc, 97
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 192