Distrito Cinco

C/Vallirana, 30 : Lesseps : Fontana : Gracia
Tel. 93 237 4827
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Just outside bohemian Gracia in swanky St Gervasi, this spacious bar offers a broad mainstream appeal that is virtually non-existent in Gracia, Barcelona's most alternative area. Distrito Cinco is probably too far uptown for most holidaymakers and daytrippers to bother with, but it is worth checking out for those living in Gracia who fancy something a bit different but don't want to travel too far. It also pulls off the nifty trick of rolling into one the pre-club bar, the pool den and the café with outdoor terrace, making it suitable for many different moods and occasions. It is rather too expensive for heavy drinking sessions, but you could find much worse places to play pool and the little square outside is very charming and quiet, making the terrace a great place to sip a cheeky afternoon beer. The décor and music might be a bit tacky for some tastes and do keep a tight grip on your wallet, but otherwise this is a cool place to hang out.
Paul

Lupino

C/Carme,33 : Liceu : Catalunya
Tel. 93 412 3697
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This Parisian-influenced bar and restaurant is like a Le Corbusier wet dream, assimilating all that is most austerely po-faced in modern-day bar design trends. Long, beige and very thin, Lupino carves a swathe between two streets, fronting out on the east to a narrow Ramblas contributory and on the west to a terraced area behind the Mercat de la Boqueria (the central Barcelona market). The décor betrays all the trappings of pretension most beloved by the style-bar sluts: Spartan, tunic-wearing waitresses with the demeanour of nurses administering an enema; an airport landing strip, back-lit wall design; cream leather pouffes; and retina-scorching-white table cloths stacked with pristine glassware. Step out onto the front terrace, however, and it's a different story. As the flat, filtered brew of Barcelonan air hits you you're suddenly back in the Med, with trailing ivy, dried flower arrangements and deckchairs. Maybe worth popping in for a decent cocktail, but in general though, the Lupino is past it's prime and to be honest is in dire need of a facelift and attitude adjustment.
Karma

Milk Bar

C/Gignas,21 : Jaume I
www.milkbarcelona.com : Tel. 93 268 0922
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Since opening in March 2005, Milk has created a truly unique style. Dangerously comfortable booths, sexy cartoon art and hand-crafted wallpaper all contribute towards a decadent ambiance. The evening menu embraces culinary cultures from all over the world. Weekend brunch is excellent, not only providing delicious plates such as traditional homecooked Irish breakfeast or eggs benedict but also a selection of complimentary English, Irish and Spanish newspapers. Milk has a good location nestled in the narrow streets of the old Barri Gothic, and a soundtrack of rare and funky tunes to set the mood for a great night out. And their cocktails are a treat for selective and discerning tastebuds. The Milk Bar & Bistro offers a modern and elegant option for the ever livelier nights of Barcelona's old town. As their website describes: "Plush sofas, flirtatious pillows, gilded lacy red picture frames, antique chandeliers and incredible wallpaper designed by 50's designer Florence Broadhurst." The menu changes seasonally, and popular dishes include the "Milk hamburger" topped with the house sweet onion relish, served with wedges and tonkatsu sauce, "The Ultimate Caesar Salad" which has their homemade dressing, chapata croutons, smoked bacon, parmesan cheese and topped with a warm poached egg and of course the ever popular "Seafood Jumbalaya." Milk has a famous cocktail list with a legendary Happy Hour for selected cocktails from €3.50 between 7pm and 9pm daily. All-in-all a premium cocktail bar and definitely worth hunting out amongst the narrow catacomb streets of the old Barri Gothic.
Karma

Princesa 23

C/Princesa 23 : Jaume I
www.drinkfoodlife.com : Tel. 933190472
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A bar - aptly named after the street it inhabits - to suit those of us who like a little bit of class whilst quaffing our beverages. I was pleasantly surprised when entering to be greeted in English and given a choice of not only whether to eat or focus primarily on necking some drinks, but if I required a smoking or non-smoking area. A nice touch and not particularly common in this neck of the woods. I was also further pleasantly surprised by the array of drink choices, everything from the usual beers and cocktails (which were artisan by their very nature!) to cider. On parking my butt at the clean and spacious bar area, I was further impressed by a quick gander at the decor. To be honest there are no 'novelties' in this bar but it's definitely well thought out and (I hate to coin this adjective!) nice! Finally, I opened my ears - ready to feel disappointed by the usual, illogically chosen and out of place tunes that amateur proprietors shove hastily into their CD players - only to find them pleasantly caressed by some mellow, yet up-beat tracks that believe it or not you might find in an English bar! All in all then, if I were to summarise this bar I'd say, "Great". For those concerned that despite my unusually optimistic diatribe, I've only given this four stars, I'd like to say to them 'check your wallet on your way home!'
ZeroZero

The Fastnet

Passeig Joan de Borbó, 22 : Barceloneta
Tel. 93 295 3005
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The Fastnet is an atypical Irish pub in Barcelona, inasmuch as it is probably the only one near the Barceloneta beaches. Its décor is maritime based and the name derives from the famous lighthouse that marks the southernmost point of Ireland. Out of the dozens of Irish pubs and bars in the city, this is the only one that seems to have realised that it is situated in Mediterranean climes and not wet and windy Dublin, and as such is open, light and airy as opposed to the standard dark and smokey atmosphere preferred by most other establishments. It has the usual varied selection of local and imported beers that you would expect from any decent pub. The Fastnet's major plus is its reasonable sized terrace that overlooks Port Vell and the main street from Barceloneta to the beaches - which makes it a great place to go if you like to sip a pint of Guiness and watch the tourists go by. Like all pubs, it has a big-screen TV and is always filled with Brits whenever there are football matches on. The Fastnet also has a good reputation for offering a fine full English breakfast and other hearty pub dishes. All in all, it's the perfect place to have a cold pint after a hard day's sunbathing on the beaches.
Karma

Aurora

C/Aurora, 7 : Liceu : Sant Antoni
Tel. 93 442 3044
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The Aurora is one of Raval's secret gems. It's eccentric decorative features and a fun-loving, arty party crowd create a quirky bar that's open 'till late on weekends. There's a really fun ambiance, with friendly bar staff, eclectic electronic music, cocktails and red décor that makes Aurora a unique lounge bar with dance club mix. Throw in a daily happy hour until 11pm and you can guarantee that this place is full of punters up for having a fun night out.
Karma

The Queen Vic

Nou de la Rambla 24 : Liceu/Drassanes
www.thequeenvic.net : Tel. 93 317 3771
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Another pub in downtown, but this time on the Raval side of the Ramblas for those who have grown tired of all the Irish pubs on C/Ferran. The Queen Vic appears to specialise in catering for the football and stag/hen do crowd - so if that's what you're looking for then this is the place to go! There's little more to say about this drinking den to be honest. It's not horrendous, it's not fantastic - it's just another pub in the center of town just like all the others, more or less. Personally, I'd recommend perusing the photo album on their website in order to get an idea of the sort of clientele and atmosphere you can expect to encounter before getting too excited. Okay, okay, maybe we're being a tad too harsh and a bit pretentious, but here at drinkBarcelona we want you to sample some of the better bars with spanish or catalan character - but if you absolutely must go to a pub then there are better ones than The Queen Vic to be found near the Ramblas.
Karma

Pitin

Passeig del Born 34 : Jaume I
Tel. 933195087
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I was intrigued by the etymology of the name of this bar and it means two distinct things which I'll let you cogitate over! One, a worm that infects Windows systems and spreads through network shares. Two, a Creole word for 'a lady of the night' or 'whore' in laymans terms! Either way none of the definitions come remotely close to describing this rather cramped, claustrophobic, stair laden, pleasant death trap of a bar on the well trodden Passeig Del Born. If sweaty, sauna inducing, low celing bars with bad service and tuna can conditions appeal to your sense of fun glands then this could be the bar for you. Jam packed with peeps quaffing the usual array of intoxicating liquids, skin-to-skin and bum cheek-to-bum cheek this place will either induce an erotic tingle to your night or a feeling of being an overworked pinball in a badly designed pinball machine. Music isn't offensive - as is to be expected in the bars in this zone and although I've heard positive claims about this bar from other sources citing its historic, romantic overtones, for me it was a highly frustrating experience to spend more than a small amount of time here. A bar that doesn't live up to its name!
ZeroZero

Cactus Bar

Passeig del Born 30 : Jaume I
www.cactusbarbcn.com : Tel. 933106354
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Sometimes I wonder if there isn't anything else BUT bars in this popular part of town, as yet again I discover another abode competing for locals and tourists in this beautiful, old miniature high street. Unfortunately, the competition in this part of town is extremely high and so although this is a pleasant enough place - small, intimate and fine for a couple of swifies - it doesn't fair as anything special when pitted against the barrage of trendier bars that adorn the neighbourhood. Music however was good, upbeat (in a good way) and prices reasonable, especially as this is a very trendy, bourgeois, bohemian part of the city. Being probably one of the smallest places on the street, space is lacking but well compensated for by the use of stools and clean, uncluttered bar space. All in all, this is a pleasant and mellow enough space to hang for a drink but with the disadvantage of being literally surrounded by the hottest competition in the city. As I said to Paul last night, 'if this bar was in my street, I'd be very happy!' Let's hope the down to earth decor and friendly service can keep the punters rolling in.
ZeroZero

Travel Bar

C/Boqueria 27 : Liceu : Jaume
www.travelbar.com : Tel. +34 93 342 5252
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This haven for backpackers in the heart of the old city closely resembles one of its patrons: friendly, practical and disheveled. It is likely to polarize opinion more than most bars as it is heavily tailored to the needs of travelers. The advantages of this approach include wi-fi internet access, a busy mix of gregarious punters to mingle with and ultra-cheap 1 euro dinners every night at 8pm for those on a shoestring budget. There is also a famous bar crawl, reputedly the largest in Europe, which emanates from Travel Bar on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 9:30pm. The downside, especially for us affluent residents, is that it does feel rather more like a busy train station cafe than a cosy pub. The choice of beers on tap is limited to one, San Miguel, and the service can be a bit terse. The bar is redeemed somewhat by the nice terrace outside one of the two entrances and indeed your first impression of this bar may vary according to which side you approach it from. Ultimately, the name tells you all you need to know about this place. Travelers should flock here in droves, locals and residents should probably go elsewhere.
Paul