Barcelona Bar Guide

Bar Hopping in Barcelona

This page gives you a detailed review of the most popular and well-known Barcelona bars.

One thing that can be said for Barcelona is that it has a great bar scene, unlike in other countries where the action is mainly set around pubs or clubs. It’s worth remembering that a typical bar will tend to get busy at around midnight, so to guarantee a seat get there a bit earlier, many also stay open till 03:00-04:00.

London Bar
Nou de La Rambla, 34
Metro: Liceu, (Green Line, L3) 5 mins walk
Tues-Sun 19:00 - 01:00
Website: Click to visit the London Bar in Barcelona

London Bar is basically a pub, but a pub that has been open since 1910 and used to be frequented by the likes of Dali, Picasso and Hemingway. The décor has been kept the same which lends an old school glamour to the place. It also serves as a venue, with live music every night at the stage right at the back of the bar. Check the website for who is playing, and give it a chance even if you don’t like the sound of it.

When I went the music was advertised as pop rock, which didn’t particularly take my fancy. However we got a table at the front of the bar and could easily talk over the Oasis hits being belted out at the back!

You can go up to the bar to order, but there is also a very efficient and friendly table service which will expect you to pay straight away when you get your drinks.

The atmosphere is lively and friendly, it’s a great place to just pop into and the prices aren’t that bad, bottle beer 3 euros and a spirit + mixer at 5.50 euros. There is also absinthe for the foolhardy!

Schilling Bar
Calle Ferran, 23
Metro: Liceu, (Green Line, L3) 10 mins walk
Daily 10:00 - 03:00

This was actually the first bar I ever went to in Barcelona, purely by accident, and this is the big thing about Schilling, it has such a great location. Calle Ferran, just off Las Ramblas is one of the busiest, most vibrant streets in Barcelona so it’s the perfect place for the bar to catch people wandering.

Schilling has a good breakfast and is in an ideal location to stop for coffee and do some people-watching during the day, but at night is when the place comes alive.

The Schilling Bar is often described as a gay bar but whilst it is very gay-friendly there is a good mix of people of all ages and preferences. All I remember about my night in Schilling was the tasteful décor, the cocktail-juggling waiter, and the trendy people milling in and out.

Miramelinda
Passeig de Born, 15
Metro: Jaume 1 (Yellow Line, L4)
Daily 20:00 - 02:30, Fri & Sat it stays open till 03:30

This bar is in the trendy area of Born, and is well known by locals and tourist alike for its incredible array of cool cocktails, apparently home of the best mojito in town.

The bar is quite big and has an ambient dark red decor. This Bar also has very effective air-conditioning which is refreshing during the summer months.

This popular bar gets busy after 12 so make sure to get there early and that way you are more likely to get a table. And once you do have one, make sure to have at least one person look after it while you order your drinks or it will disappear!

There are two levels to this Bar, and if you sit up in the gallery then you can order your drinks from the waitress which is great service. The prices are normal, 6 euros for a mojito or any spirit + mixer.

Buda Bar
Pau Claris, 92
Metro: Psg de Gracia
Daily 21:00 - 03:00
Website: www.budarestaurante.com

Opulent restaurant, bar, lounge club, you will certainly feel like you’re living the high life. The bar is expensive but it is a good place to spot the rich and the good looking. To be honest, it was all bit pretentious for me, people were concerned with being seen and I felt slightly out of place. However the drinks are well made by the impressive bar staff, and it’s good to experience a little luxury now and again. The word is that going there for an early evening drink before supper is the best way to visit the bar.

Other Bars in Barcelona worth Noting:

Dry Martini
Aribau, 166

Metro: Provenca (FGC)
Incredible, classic, swanky bar. Very expensive, the kind of bar that is probably frequented by the rich and famous. Huge wine cellar, good cigar selection, definitely the place to go if someone else is paying!

Zahara
Psg. Joan de Borbo
Metro: Barceloneta, (Yellow Line, L4)
Just off the beach, a good place to move into when the sun has died. This bar has an outside terrace where you can sit and watch the world go by, well priced and good variety of cocktails. However the reason I’m including it is purely because of the novelty value: if you sit inside on the sofas then you order your drinks on a phone set into the seats!

Bristol Blue
Torrent de L´Olla, 39 -41 bajos
Metro: Fontana, (Green Line, L3)
Pub / Bar perfect for watching some sport, having a drink and perhaps a game of darts. It’s large enough so you don’t get the usual crush like in some of the more central pubs. Also there are 10 types of beer on tap and more than 18 bottled beers.

As you might have guessed it isn’t hard to find good bars in Barcelona. The varied Bar scene in Barcelona is one of the things that makes this city so special.

Related pages

Barcelona Night Clubs
Irish Bars in Barcelona
Restaurants in Barcelona

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