Bel.Luna

Rambla de Catlalunya, 5 : Plaça Catalunya
: : www.bel-luna.com
If listening to some great live Jazz is on your "to do list" you won't go far wrong in this bar / restaurant situated nicely in the centre of Barcelona in the famous Rambla Catalunya. Offering a good quality restaurant and bar upstairs, the main attraction is really underground where nested below the main street is a lovely old, candlelit room oozing with Jazz vibrations. For Barcelona, this is a surprisingly large dwelling and featuring historical photos, an old piano, candlelit tables and smoky, after-hours romantic lighting. This is definitely the place to escape from it all. Well, everything except for the great music of course! Concerts are provided regularly (see website for details) and on occasions they do a "jam" night which is much cheaper than events nights. Prices are overall a little steep here but for a Jazz club this is normal and although they are pricey, the cost is more than made up for by the atmosphere and the music that will caress your soul and wash away all the stresses and strains of everyday life in the city.
ZeroZero

The Michael Collins

Placa de la Sagrada Familia, 4 : Sagrada Familia
www.michaelcollinspubs.com : Tel. 93 459 1964
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The most authentic Irish pub outside of the center of Barça, the Michael Collins' location near the most iconic of Barça's tourist spots, the Sagrada Familia, makes it a perfect place to stop off for a pint of Guinness in the middle of your Barça tour. Apparently it's one of the oldest pubs in the city, which lends it an air of authenticity in this otherwise overdone genre, although the website says it opened in 1997 - but, hey, who doesn't love an Irish pub! Of course, like all pubs, sports viewers are heavily represented in the clientele, especially during the weekends. The large projection screen is retracted at other times though, and the TVs are innocuous enough such that Michael Collins is a genuinely interesting pub to visit with friends of an evening. A hearty pub food menu is available if you've grown tired of endless tapas and want some good old fashioned fish 'n' chips! Of course, prices are on the "tourist" side of normal, but the MC is worth it thanks to it's good location, friendly atmosphere and attentive bar staff.
Karma

The Palace Bar

C/ Vigatans, 13 : Jaume
www.thepalacebar-bcn.com
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Formerly the Clansman, this recently revamped, rebadged and reopened bar in the heart of the Born is a most agreeable place to knock back a few pints and shots on a Friday or Saturday night. The bar manages to combine the beers-on-tap, order-at-the-bar style of a typical pub with the trendy decor and candlelit vibe of a more intimate cocktail bar. The bar staff are particularly friendly, and crucially for those on their hol's, English speaking. The bartender assured us that the bar's decoration is still a work in progress. If that´s the case then it will surely look amazing when it's finished as it's already head and shoulders above most Barcelona boozers. It's not the easiest bar in town to find, but fortunately it is at least on one of the Born's more prominent back alleys. It might not be a findable enough meeting point to start your night out, nor the most banging place to finish it, but for that mid session journey from lightly sloshed to heavily sozzled, it's as good as anywhere in the Born.
Paul

El Nus

C/Mirallers, 5 : Jaume I
Tel. 93 319 5355
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Open one of the white curtained doors into El Nus and you'll take a step into the past with stone walls, dusty chandeliers and lots of dark wood. A wonderful place to enjoy a quiet drink whilst chatting with friends over the subtle jazz music playing in the background. Here the beer is served in the old fashioned, traditional way with frosted glasses and a small saucer of free nuts. There's a small area to sit at the bar, whilst the other half is split level with a staircase to the low mezzanine directly above a sunken seating area. Very much an old school bar of simple wooden tables and chairs, but decorated with genuine objects d'art and a cash till out of the 50's, this place is perfect to escape the crowd and enjoy the simpler pleasures of life.
Karma

Rubí

C/Banys Vells, 6 : Jaume I
www.rubi-bcn.com : Tel. 93 310 6824
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Rubí is an atmospheric and popular bar tucked into the backstreets north of the Born area. High ceilings, chandeliers, stone walls, oversized mirrors and soft candle lighting lend this once ancient house a warm and interesting style. The upstairs mezzanine has lounge seats where you can recline and enjoy the decadent feel. Being Rubí, the bar is of course red, with the upper level separated by an ingeniously decorated wall of original Spanish wine bottles. Definitely one for the wine and cocktail crowd, Rubí's happy hour is from 7pm to 9pm when cocktails go for €3.50 - that's half price, so remember that after 9pm it's €7 per drink! There's also an interesting menu of light dishes that are "offered in appetizer size or as a main course to encourage sharing of plates", as their website puts it. A cool music selection of funk, soul, and jazz gives the bar an exclusive club feel. Rubí's one of those bars that's definitely worth leaving the main Born strip to find, and the happy hour makes it a great place to enjoy a few early cocktails.
Karma

Nos Vemos

C/Roger de Flor, 334 :  Joanic 
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Loosely translated, the name of this bar is "see you later", which can lead to some convoluted text messages to Spanish chums along the lines of "see you later at 'see you later'". Decidedly off the beaten track, this is actually our local bar and it deserves a mention for that reason alone, even if it is far from being the swankiest joint in town. With three pool tables, a pinball machine, a foosball table, and a bunch of footy-showing tellies, this covers all the sports bases. The dingy neon décor is vaguely reminiscent of the kind of grungy American redneck pool bar seen regularly in cheesy films from the 80s. At first glance, Nos Vemos seems tacky and cheap, and indeed it is, but that's part of its charm. It's not the best bar in Barcelona (heck, it may not even be the best bar on the block), but as a "local bar for local people" it does exactly what it says on the tin.
Paul

The Celtic Cross

C/Corsega, 343 : Diagonal
www.celticcross.es
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[Note that as of 2009 the Celtic Cross is no more! It has changed hands and is now appears to be more of a coffee bar. Check the comments for further updates.]
This unassuming and inconspicuous pub is reputedly "Barcelona's newest Irish bar", but ignore it at your peril! Literally next door to La Cervesera Artesana, it shares its neighbour's relatively obscure location, so if you're in the area you should kill both these birds with the same stone. The Celtic Cross may not be quite special enough to warrant a trip uptown for tourists who are staying in the centre, however, for those staying nearby in Gracia, it's well worth popping in and enjoying the friendlier than average bar service and chatty ex-pat-heavy atmosphere. As you would expect from a bar of its kind, they serve cider and Guinness, both welcome antidotes to the numbing monotony of another umpteenth bottle of Estrella. The best thing about the Celtic Cross is that more than any other pub in town it avoids feeling like a foreign novelty pub. This sense of authenticity may not always be such a big deal, but it certainly makes a refreshing change to bars like the Bristol Blue, where the owner's idea of "pubness" is often rather bewildering. Easily the best pub in Gracia and one of the best pubs in town.
Paul

Flaherty's Irish Bar

Pl. Joaquim Xirau : Liceo / Drassanes
www.pflaherty.com : Tel. 93 412 6263
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Flaherty's is one of a chain of Irish pubs in Spain, so it does have a slightly plastic feel - though not as bad as some. The pub itself is large, comfortable, friendly, popular and serves a wide variety of beers, whiskeys and of course, Guiness. In addition it has an excellent pub menu, and food is available from 10am until midnight. Pl. Joaquim Xirau is just off the Ramblas, so it's in a great location and provides a pleasant sunny Plaça in which to enjoy a smooth cold pint of the black stuff. Happy hour is 6pm-8pm daily, when a bottle of the local Estrella is only €1, but be prepared to pay typical tourist pub prices the rest of the time. It boasts two TVs and a projector screen, which are perfect for watching all the usual sporting events. During the day the the music is 80's to modern day pop, whilst in the evenings there is generally a move towards traditional and contemporary Irish live music. In summary then, Flaherty's is the typical Irish pub abroad, but it's very well done and well worth a visit to remind yourself of that quintessential pub experience.
Karma

London Bar

Nou de la Rambla, 34 : Liceo / Drassanes
Tel. 93 318 5261 : Hours 7.30pm - 5am
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As a grand old bar in the center of the Raval barrio, the London Bar has an enjoyable bohemian, if smokey, atmosphere. There's live music most nights and no cover charge, which makes this place popular with the locals, tourists and ex-pats alike. The interior is long and the décor has been kept to the original, traditional style, which lends an historical glamour to the place. The main bar is at the front, covered in brass and mirrors, with the rest of the place stretching through to the back and a small stage for the live music. Unlike most Barca bars, the London Bar has a surprisingly efficient table service, which is perfect when you just want to drink, chat and listen to the music. One of the few bars still open until 5am, with reasonalble prices for such a central location, the London Bar is a great place to start or end your evening.
Karma

Hard Rock Cafe

Plaça Catalunya, 21 : Catalunya
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Probably the single most popular meeting point in Barcelona, due to its privileged position at the top of the Ramblas in Plaça Catalunya, this temple to all that is tacky and tawdry is an acceptable place to wait outside, but for god's sake don't go in, whatever you do! The atmosphere is unpleasant and makes the average Yates' Wine Lodge seem like the height of chic. There are far too many tellies covering every inch of wall and ceiling and they all seem to be continually showing either Twisted Sister or Quiet Riot music videos (which is fair enough, considering the name of the bar). It's noisy, packed with gormless wonders and exudes a soul-destroying plastic chain pub vibe. I suppose it's a notch up from McDonalds, but then, at least with McDonalds you can get in and out a lot quicker. On the plus side, the food is quite decent, if rather basic, and with it being an American establishment, the portions are gigantic. Also, they have a cunningly hi-tech system for making you wait for a table. As the restaurant is usually packed, you're given a remote-control style gadget which you take with you to the bar. You can then relax and enjoy a pint in comfort, knowing that you'll be buzzed when there's a table available. However, once that giddying technological fun is over, eating and drinking here is quite a depressing experience. Unless you're an American hair band fanatic hankering after some prime ribs, avoid this bar – you can do so much better than this!
Paul