Entertainment in Barcelona
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Liquid
reviewed
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Palau de Dalmases - Espai Barroc
Perhaps the most pretentious bar in town, this 'baroque space' occupies the ground floor of a handsome 15th-century palace. Like a Peter Greenaway set, it is often the stage for a little light baroque music or operetta - the perfect accompaniment to your outlandishly priced goblets of wine.
reviewed
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Robadors 23
On what remains a classic dodgy El Raval street, where a hardy band of streetwalkers, junkies and other misfits hangs out in spite of all the work being carried out to gentrify the area, a narrow little bar has made a name for itself with its Wednesday night gigs.
reviewed
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Miramelindo
A spacious tavern in a Gothic building, this remains a classic on Passeig del Born for mixed drinks, while soft jazz and soul sounds float overhead. Try for a comfy seat at a table towards the back before it fills to bursting. Several similarly barn-sized places line this side of the passeig.
reviewed
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Metro
Metro attracts a casual gay crowd with its two dance floors, three bars and very dark room. Keep an eye out for shows and parties, which can range from parades of models to bingo nights (on Thursday nights, with sometimes-interesting prizes). On Wednesday nights there’s a live sex show.
reviewed
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La Caseta Del Migdia
The effort of getting to what is, for all intents and purposes, a simple chiringuito (makeshift cafe-bar) is well worth it. Stare out to sea over a beer or coffee by day. As sunset approaches the atmosphere changes, as lounge music (from samba to funk) wafts out over the hammocks.
Walk below the walls of the Montjuïc castle along the dirt track or follow Passeig del Migdia – watch out for signs for the Mirador del Migdia).
reviewed
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One
A classic dance place inside the fantasy land of Poble Espanyol. The main dance floor, with the latest in lighting effects and video screens, gets jammed with people from all over town as the night wears on. Shuttle buses run from Plaça de Catalunya and Plaça d’Espanya from midnight to 3.30am and back down into town from 5am to 6.30am.
reviewed
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Kiosco la Cazalla
For decades from 1912, the Kiosco La Cazalla served passers-by beer, wine or a glass of morello cherry-based firewater known as cazalla. This little-known Andalucian beverage, often served with a few raisins floating in it, is an acquired taste (some Italians claim it is similar to sambuca). After years closed up, the hole in the wall just off La Rambla (claiming to be Barcelona’s smallest bar) is back in business. A shot of 50-proof cazalla costs €1.50.
reviewed
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Barcelona Rouge
Decadence is the word that springs to mind in this bordello-red lounge-cocktail bar, with acid jazz, drum and bass and other soothing sounds drifting along in the background. The walls are laden with heavy-framed paintings, dim lamps and mirrors, and no two chairs are alike. Stick to simple drinks, as the €10 glamour cocktails are on the watery side.
reviewed
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Dboy
With pink laser lights and dense crowds of fit young lads, this is one of the big dance-club locations on a Saturday night. Electronic music dominates the dance nights here and, in spite of the 6am finish, for many this is only the start of the ‘evening’. You need to look your gorgeous best to get in past the selective doormen.
reviewed
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Ommsession Club
Hanging out in certain hotel bars has become cool in Barcelona. So much so that locals like to hang out in some of them too! The ground-floor lounge Bar Moodern in Hotel Omm is one of the places for beautiful people to preen and be seen. When you’re finished lounging around upstairs, you can head into the basement Ommsession Club, a smallish but fashion dance venue, straight downstairs from Bar Moodern.
reviewed
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Tablao Nervión
For very tourist-oriented flamenco, this place has unbeatable offers. Come along to the second show at midnight and the only obligation is to have a drink for €6. If you come at 11pm, you pay €12 for the show and a drink (beer or sangria). Or you can do the whole dinner and show thing from 10pm.
reviewed
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Concert De Carilló
Some 5000kg of bronze in 49 bells (a carillon) swings into action for free monthly ‘concerts’ in the seat of the Catalan government, allowing spectators a rare chance to get inside. In the pretty Gothic Pati dels Tarongers, an internal terrace lined with orange trees at the heart of the building, the audience is treated to a midday performance of just about anything, from classical through bossa nova.
reviewed
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Rosebud
Inspired in name only by the film Citizen Kane, Rosebud is an assault on the senses, with blaring music (mostly ʼ80s and ʼ90s) and flashing lights. Go-go dancers keep punters in rhythm and three bars operate inside downstairs, with another upstairs on the balcony and bar service in the garden. Those under 30-something may find it a little, well, ‘old’. From Tibidabo it looks like an enormous glasshouse.
reviewed
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Bodega la Penúltima
There is a baroque semi-darkness about this dark timber and sunset-yellow place, which gives off airs of an old-time wine bar. In Spanish lore, one never drinks la última (the last one) as it is bad luck. Rather, it is always the ‘second last’ (penúltima) round. A mixed group crowds into the lumpy lounges around uneven tables at the back or huddles at the bar for endless second-last rounds of wine, beer or cocktails.
reviewed
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Santa Marta
Foreigners who have found seaside nirvana in Barcelona hang out in this chilled bar back from the beach. A curious crowd of Rastas, beach bums and switched-on dudes chat over light meals and beer inside or relax outside over a late breakfast. It has some tempting food too: a mix of local and Italian items, with a range of filled rolls (bocatas) for €5, or a dish of mozzarella di bufala (buffalo-milk cheese) for €8.
reviewed
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Lika Lounge
The publicity noise about Barcelona’s only ‘ice bar’ (a bar with a strip of ice to sit your drinks on) is a bit of a distraction. But this backstreet cocktail lounge is a low-lit, fashionable place to sip on creative combinations. The Pornstar Martini, with Cointreau, passionfruit and a side glass of cava, hits the spot. Through the back is a second smaller bar, and DJ sounds cover a broad, mainstream spectrum.
reviewed
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Plaça de Braus Monumental
A decision by the regional Catalan parliament in July 2010 means that bullfight may be banned from January 2012, so aficionados need to get in a last look in the 2011 season. Fights are staged at around 6pm on Sunday afternoon in spring and summer. Tickets are available at the arena. Prices range from €20 to €120. The higher-priced tickets are for the front row in the shade – any closer and you’d be fighting the bulls yourself.
reviewed
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Blvd
Flanked by striptease bars (in the true spirit of the lower Rambla’s old days), this place has undergone countless reincarnations. The culture in this club is what a long line-up of DJs brings to the (turn)table. With three different dance spaces, one of them upstairs, it has a deliciously tacky feel, pumping out anything from 1980s hits to house music (especially on Saturdays in the main room). There’s no particular dress code.
reviewed
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Sala Mephisto
Heavy metal, Gothic and hard-rock fans converge on this one-time workshop for concerts by groups from all over Europe. The music determines the crowd, so expect pale people in theatrically dark clothing. Long-haired lads with tats and leather mingle with pale wraiths in flowing black dresses and heavy make-up. It’s all in the name of good fun. Heavy metal lovers should especially check the place out from 1am on Saturdays.
reviewed
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Up & Down
An uptown club that has its moments, Up & Down attracts a mixed crowd, tending more to 30s and above. Upstairs is for drinking and revival music while downstairs you can dance to a mainstream mix of international tracks. Leather sofas and even leather padding on the pillars recalls an age when clubs were called discos. Although it can feel passé, this place gets packed early in the week when other venues can be limp.
reviewed
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El Paraigua
A tiny chocolate box of dark tinted Modernisme, the ‘Umbrella’ has been serving up drinks since the 1960s. The turn-of-the-20th-century decor was transferred here from a shop knocked down elsewhere in the district and cobbled back together to create this cosy locale.
Take a trip in time from Modernisme to medieval by heading downstairs to the brick and stone basement bar area. Amid 11th-century walls, DJs spin on Thursdays (from 10pm) and live bands – funk, soul, rock, blues – hold court on Fridays and Saturdays (from 11.30pm).
reviewed
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Noise i Art
Step back into the 1980s in this retro den. Red, green and other bold colours dominate the decor in a place where you might encounter Boney M on the video music play. Drape yourself on the circular red lounge, have a light meal (served up on old LPs) at red-lit tables alongside floor-to-ceiling glass windows, or perch yourself at the bar. The daiquiris may not be the best you’ve ever had, but are probably the biggest!
reviewed
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Taverna La Violeta
They just don’t make bars like this anymore. A broad and sociable space with a pool room next door, this crumpled, cheerful bar was long something of a working-class meeting centre. Drinking goes on much as before at its mostly marble-topped tables, but the bulk of the punters are now of the student variety. The atmosphere is good-natured and rowdy, and you can pick up tapas and bocadillos (filled rolls).
reviewed
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La Fira
A designer bar with a difference. Wander in past distorting mirrors and ancient fairground attractions from Germany. Put in coins and listen to hens squawk. Speaking of squawking, the music swings wildly from whiffs of house through ’90s hits to Spanish pop classics. You can spend the earlier part of the night trying some of the bar’s shots – it claims to have 500 varieties (but we haven’t counted them up).
reviewed