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

Maria Mulata

Carrer de la Mercé 27 : Drassanes : Jaume
www.mariamulata.com : Tel. 0034 932 955 584
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Depending on the level of political correctness you subscribe to, "Maria Mulata" is a bit like saying "Half-Caste Helen", "Mixed-Race Melanie" or even (shudder) "Bi-Racial Barbara". Not be confused with Musical Maria, or the countless other bars in town with Maria in their name, this trendy cocktail bar in the Gotico is downtown's answer to Gracia's St Germain, except everything is on a larger scale, from the spacious main bar to the gigantic film projector (oh god, not another one) and the humungous olives (seriously, they were the largest I'd ever seen). While I definitely appreciated the quirky music, which on this occasion seemed to consist entirely of smooth lounge covers of synth pop classics from the 80s, and the fancy décor (see picture above), I was less enthusiastic about the deceptively rubbish happy hour. Advertised outside as "two cocktails for 8 euros", it turned out to be a case of "any colour you like so long as it's black", with the mojito being the only eligible tipple. As if this wasn't annoying enough, it was only after having instinctively selected "large" from the choice of "large or small" that I discovered that only small mojitos qualify. That minor quibble aside however, Maria Mulata is definitely one of the classier bars in the Gotico and there are certainly much worse places to have a drink in this part of town.
Paul