Jamboree

Placa Reial, 17 : Liceu
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Jamboree is an extremely famous Jazz bar, right in the epicentre of Barcelona. Hosting such famous names as Chet Baker and Ella Fitzgerald, this place oozes history and style. Most nights don't be surprised to find a concert playing with a hefty door charge, although Mondays are a good night to go because not only does it have cheap entry but the qualilty of music is still astounding. The building itself is also well worth checking out as it's basically a refurbished cellar with old and original stonework and arches. Prices of drinks are not exactly cheap but considering the quality of music and ambience this place displays they are not unreasonable. This unique club also boasts Hip-hop DJs and therefore attracts an excitable mixed crowd of ex-pats, locals and of course a generous helping of tourists. A place to escape from reality, drink, chill and dance your socks off afterwards. This place has it all if you want more than a locale to drink and chat in!
ZeroZero

Virreina

Plaça de la Virreina, 1 : Fontana : Joanic : Gracia
www.virreinabar.com
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A perennial favourite for socialising in the sunshine, bar Virreina has one of the most popular terraces in town and is found, unsurprisingly, in Plaça de la Virreina, one of Gracia's most charming squares. They do superb sandwiches and have menus in several languages, including Spanish, Catalan, English, German and French. The interior is decorated in a warm shade of orange and is a cut above your average bar, although it does fall prey to the cardinal sin of strip lighting. A lovely place to meet for a coffee or a beer in the afternoon or early evening; it's unlikely to be the setting for the greatest night of your life, but it's certainly a very convivial place to shoot the breeze and bask in the glow of the Mediterranean sun.
Paul

Dow Jones

C/Bruc, 97 : Diagonal
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Well, this is definitely a pub with a few differences and to be honest it has it all. Despite being a huge fan of bars that are not in any way connected to footy culture or attempting to be a paragon of the English pub in Barcelona, I actually really like this gaff. In fact this is going to be my second 5 star bar rating as there is really nothing (as hard as I try!) to fault with this place. It has a great little pool area - which means as opposed to most bars in this city, you can reach all of your shots without gauging the walls or ceiling (see Paul's review of the Bristol Blue for more details!), a unique "stock exchange" pricing system so you can grab your favourite tipple at a price that fits your dusty, cobwebbed infested wallet, real pints of beer (and Guiness), plus the staff speak English too! Every 30 minutes or so the stock market suffers "un crack" and drink prices go down by 30-50%. Good decor and the aforementioned pricing system and you've got the perfect pub in Barcelona. A good place to invest in an afternoon's drinking with an inevitable Alka Seltzer session in the morning!
Zero Zero

Mond Bar

Plaça del Sol, 21 : Fontana : Gracia
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Plaça del sol's little anomaly, Mond Bar eschews the wooden rustic charm of its neighbouring bars in favour of a minimalist, fluorescent, vaguely ambient decor. Small and imperfectly formed, at first glance there appears to be an upstairs seating area, but it turns out to be merely the loos. Apart from a small bar area, Mond Bar is essentially just one shoebox shaped room with club adverts adorning the walls. Try to get a space on the long padded bench running round the edge of the room, as the rest of the seats are uncomfortable small square poofs. One definite thumbs up is the free jukebox with a selection that balances trendy electronica such as Hot Chip with 21st century indie like Franz Ferdinand and classic bands such as the Smiths and the Clash. Mond Bar may not be quite as cool as it thinks it is, but it does at least provide a genuine contrast to other bars in Gracia.
Paul

Cafe del Teatre

C/Torrijos, 41 : Joanic
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This cute little abode is a fab place to hang out and ingest a few bevies - prior or post to stuffing yourself with popcorn at the nearby cinema. Offering a comfortable and warmly lit décor, food and a veritable spread of good tunes, a sojourn to this bar will leave you feeling warm and snug inside. Friendly, young bar staff, mellow ambience and arty walls will mean that your imagination can relax and soak in the atmosphere of good times and satisfying brews. Prices are not bad too, average for this type of locale and it's great place to gossip with friends, romanticise your next conquest or simply sit and emerge yourself in a good book. This is not the type of bar you'll find yourself getting bladdered in but a place to unwind and let your mind float down the rivers of life.
ZeroZero

La Cervesera Artesana

C/Sant Agustí, 14 :  Diagonal 
www.lacervesera.net
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Tucked away on the cusp of Eixample and Gracia, this Catalan run pub is easy to miss, but worth making the effort to discover. The main attraction is the homemade beers ("torrades") that are brewed and served here - you can even watch the beers fermenting through a large glass window. They also sell Kwak, not a homemade beer, but a curious one which is served in an amusingly bulbous flask apparently borrowed from a children's chemistry set. The other plus is the free mixed nuts that are continually replenished while you guzzle. La Cervesera Artesana is frequented primarily by locals with a smattering of ex-pats thrown in and very few tourists, if any. Music comes from the thick end of the 80s cheese wedge - think Rick Astley rather than Duran Duran. Relaxed and inoffensive, it's an agreeable place for a few quiet pints, but is unlikely to form the centrepiece of an epic night out in Barcelona.
Paul

Sagardi

C/Argentería, 62 :  Jaume 
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One of the best known of the many Basque tapas bars in the city, Sagardi is an ideal place for hungry and dishevelled new arrivals to flock to for a refreshing glass of cider and a mouthwatering spread of authentic Basque "pinchos". These tasty morsels consist of a unique topping pinned to a chunky slice of baguette with a cocktail stick. The variety of pinchos on offer is quite magnificent and the system for paying for them is the same as in all Basque tapas bars. Simply help yourself to food from the bar and collect the cocktail sticks on your plate (resisting the urge to pocket them, drop them on the floor, or sneakily transfer them onto your neighbour's plate), then when you´re ready to leave just present the barman with the sticks and in exchange he will present you with a hefty bill. In Sagardi, the pinchos are 1.60€ each, which may sound fine, but beware, it's deceptively easy to gorge on these moreish snacks and end up paying through the nose. This bar is also a fine restaurant and if you choose to be seated in the back for a proper meal, there is the sheer unadulterated fun of helping yourself to unlimited free refills of cider from the huge barrels on the wall, holding your glass an arm's length away while the cider spurts into it in a big pleasing arc. For tourists, this place is a great place to come on your first evening in Barcelona; for those living here, it´s an easy choice when entertaining foreign guests. 
Paul

Heliogabal

C/Ramon y Cajal, 80 : Joanic
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Well as you can see by my first and possibly only 5 star rating, I absolutely dig this joint! This is a place for peeps who need good music, kitsch decor and a 'street' inspired atmos. If you want the very best in house, drum 'n' bass or hip hop, you won't find it here. If however you're musical tastes lean towards indie, rock, alternative or anything involving non-computer based music, this is definitely your kind of place! Ranging from live music during the week to a residential weekend DJ, you can't go wrong in this unique bar, slightly off-the-beaten track, nestled in the lesser known streets of Gracia. Take your pick of pews in the nooks and cranniess of the conservatory or grab a table and chairs in the main room - either way this is a place for drinking away the stresses of a hard week's graft. Expect an air of tranquility during the week and to be bounced around like a bumper car at the weekend. Either way, you'll have a fun time and some great pictures to take back home!
ZeroZero

Borneo

C/Rec, 49 : Jaume I
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Another great find in the Born area! Unusually, this bar has two levels and a fab 'film' based decor. The usual array of drinks and devilish cocktails can be found here, along with music and there's a typically hip feel to it. Since its inception in 1993, this bar has become very popular with 'arty' types, seeking to display their local talents and this gives it a very unique feel. Large windows overlooking the street or a cosier upstairs balcony should satisfy all your needs - you can watch the world drift by or spend a more initmate evening in the lowlit upper part of the bar, gazing and melting in your beloved's eyes! Like most bars here, the vibe is pretty tranquil in the week with a livelier crowd gracing its presence from Thursday onwards. I particularly like the range of drinks - anything from world teas to super strong Caipirinhas (try a couple and see how your feet become distant memories of stability) and the varied yet cool array of tunes sweeping the air like angels dancing in the night!
ZeroZero