Obama

Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 603 : Passeig De Gràcia
www.obamabcn.com : Tel. 93 301 6524
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Obama-mania has reached Barcelona at last! If you needed to do a double-check on this pub's name, then join the club. I couldn't decide whether to be impressed with the pure chutzpah of whoever named and themed this pub, or to be appalled at the cringingly obvious connection between the first black American president and British colonial rule in Africa. Talk about walking a tightrope of white, middle class, liberal guilt! It's surely not meant to be intentional, right? Well, anyway, the bar itself is surprisingly spacious, given its compact corner location. There are three levels: the first is the walk-in street level, facing the main bar; this is followed by a slightly raised seating area as you move further back which has its own smaller bar; finally, there's an additional cosy and intimate seating area upstairs. It's fair to say that the pub is themed to within an inch of its life! The walls are covered with faux pictures of scenes, maps and characters from the Great British Empire - all nice and interesting, but with an authenticity score of exactly nil. The affect is also somewhat spoilt by the inclusion on pretty much each wall of a flat screen TV. The clash of old empire memorabilia with modern media is jarring to say the least. That said, the decor is so overdone that it's actually rather awe inspiring, in a "My god, I can't believe someone has actually done this!" kind of way. One big plus, in my book at least, is the bar's location - it's just to the north of Plaça Catalunya, right next to the Passeig De Gràcia metro and so is really convenient, yet away from the usually packed out tourist pubs that are directly off Las Ramblas. As with all pubs in the center of town, drinks aren't cheap, but for a visit to such a (unintentionally?) controversial pub is surely worth the price! I still just can't quite believe it exists!
Karma

Kimera

C/Mozart,16 : Diagonal : Fontana
Tel. 627 526 404
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Kimera is the classic cheap, scruffy, hole-in-the-wall bar that is favoured by locals and youngsters on a budget. Small, dark and smokey, this bar is tucked away in the bowels of Gracia and quite hard to find. This is certainly one for hardy ex-pats as opposed to fresh-faced tourists, as a smattering of Catalan is recommended in order to communicate with the bar staff. Still, all the patrons are friendly enough and the beer and food served is cheap and wholesome. Very much favoured by the young, helmet wielding moto crowd, the bar has plenty of vibe and conversation. Music was modern reggae and pop, interspersed with rock classics. There are stools at the bar and the classic marble tables & chairs as you delve further into the back into the place. There's art on the deep red walls, but this isn't a fancy-schmancy cocktail bar - this is a bar to drink beer at cheap prices before heading off to more salubrious locations, but I for one enjoyed it!
Karma

Xix

C/Rocafort 19 : Poble Sec :
www.xixbar.com
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Cool bars in this neighbourhood? Surely nobody comes to this area for a good imbibing? Well you'd be wrong if you checked out this rather wonderful find! Situated nice and close to the metro this place is stylish, beautifully kitted out and provides a fab range of cocktails. A bar for local peeps and the more curious ex-pat (include myself in that category) that oozes nice decor, good music and actually feels like if you picked it up, popped it in your pocket and dropped it into El Borne it wouldn't be out of place. Of course the universe being what it is there is a 'catch' and that'd be the prices which are likely to suck dry your wallet if you're not careful! Standard beers are a hefty price, sitting at over 3 Euros however you get what you pay for in a bar like this and to be fair the cocktails are well priced. The building itself is particularly old and rustic-ish and the inside although not big has adequate seating space - if not you might find a place at the bar. The staff are friendly and take making cocktails seriously so if you fancy going somewhere special in the neighbourhood you won't go wrong here! Too expensive for alcoholics but recommended for the rest of us when we want a little more than a drink and a stool to park on!
N.B Fans of Gin will want to check out their website for some expert advice!
ZeroZero

Treinta y siete grados

Avinguda de Roma 114 : Hospital Clinic
Tel. +34 653 088 948
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It's not every day in Barcelona that you find a bar which is stylish, spacious and soundproofed. Well, the day we discovered Treinta y siete grados was clearly no ordinary day. Compared to its local rivals, it's not as cheap as Mama's (pronounced "Mama! Ooo-oo-oooh!" to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody), nor as lady-friendly (oh yeah, you know what I'm trying to say) as Mini USA, nor as easy to pull in as the nearby brothel. Treinta y siete grados nevertheless has its own charms, namely live music (hence the soundproofing), comfy English pub style seats and alcoholic drinks which you can pay for at the bar and then drink while sitting down and chatting to people you know. When they're not hosting live bands, they show football and other sports on a reasonably massive projector. Bars here in Barcelona tend to be long and narrow, as opposed to being wide and squarish like most bars back in the UK, therefore the most oustanding aspect of this pub is simply its spaciousness, something that we continued to remark upon way beyond the point at which it stopped being interesting, relevant or profound. This bar is probably way too far off the beaten track for tourists, but people who live nearby should give it a shot. If the mention of "Avinguda de Roma" doesn't make you go, "Avin' a what, mate?" then this bar could be right up your alley.
Paul

El Racó de Sants

Guadiana, 6 : Plaça de Sants
Tel. +34 93 421 6422
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An Irish pub? In Sants??? Yes, fear not, the hitherto Irish pub shaped gap in the Sants boozing market has been well and truly plugged with this dark, expensive, "atmospheric" (whatever the hell that means) drinking hole. Perhaps due to its location on the outskirts of central Barcelona, this pub is not the most authentic Irish pub you will ever come across, although it's certainly a step up from Taladro's which could be described as a bog-standard Spanish bareto with as much talent for disguise as a giraffe in dark glasses trying to get into a "polar bears only" golf club. El Racó de Sants combines all the classic characteristics of the typical Spanish bar (narrow shape, uncomfortable seats, shit service, etc) and adds a few cosmetic "Irish" touches such as dark oaky wood furniture, celtic music and lots and lots of ships (some of them in bottles, which to me is a bonus). I shouldn't be too harsh on this place as the last time I was there I accidentally smashed my beer bottle and the waitress very kindly cleaned up the resultant carnage without so much as a disparaging look in my direction. Believe it or not, I'd been on the zero zeros all night, so it just goes to show you gotta be careful with those non-alcoholic beverages. The moral of the story: drink more alcohol!
Paul

Tribal cafe

C/Blai 29 : Poble Sec
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Yet again the infamous ZeroZero has been out and about in Poble Sec working his little socks off - seeking out more dens of iniquity in order to pass away the somewhat more mysterious hours of darkness, after a day of soaking up the life affirming Barcelona sun. And here we have a place that'll serve that purpose. If a chilled, semi-lit ambience, hand crafted cocktails and puppets hanging from the ceilings are on your 'to do' list anytime soon then I've found the space for you! And what a space it is, with well placed tables and chairs, a large but not imposing bar, great friendly service and even an ante-room for those who need to smooch after ingesting the beautiful yet deadly she-beast which goes by the name of Mojito! Talking of which, these she-beasts are not cheap here compared to say B.O (a bar further up this street) but they are wonderfully created and the bar itself is certainly much more interesting when it comes to 'good vibes and atmos'. Definitely a place to take a potential suitor to add a spark to your night and with the magical cupid puppets watching over you, you might just find Mr Mojo rises!
ZeroZero

Maumau underground

C/ Fontrodona 33 : Poble Sec
www.maumaubarcelona.com : Tel. 934418015
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The idea of taking an old Victorian style warehouse (not whorehouse!) and turning it into a bar can't be beaten. The results are simply wonderful due to the flexibility of space and the fun that can be had with the ambience. In this case we have a HUGE bar (something that BCN regularly has problems with!) filled with sofas and projectors semi-illuminating the lovely old original brickwork of the building. Tucked away into a salubrious street in the lesser explored Poble Sec area, you'll find this bar simply magical when you walk in - feeling like you've found somewhere really unique and exclusive and this is partly due to the membership system that they run. Don't worry though as although it's possible to enter without signing up, I thoroughly recommend that you do so as for only 8 euros (per year) you'll receive discounts on all drinks. After spending one night here you'll have recuperated your fee if you stay for a couple of bevvies. Talking of which the bar has the usual array of beer, wines, spirits and cocktails although I wasn't able to confirm how 'artisan' the cocktails are. Music wise, the bar veers towards soul, funk and Motown (think old-school) and adds another unique element to this wonderful yet slightly tucked away establishment in Poble Sec!
ZeroZero

Mudanzas

C/ Vidrieria 15 : Jaume I : Barceloneta
Tel. 93 319 1137
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Mudanzas (Movings) is an unpretentious local bar/café which has been preserved for almost two decades. The traditional wooden structure and simple decoration provide its characteristic essence and appeal. The design and décor is of the classic euro-café: a main bar with stools and space for round marble top tables and chairs - perfect for small groups. Larger throngs should head upstairs, but don't expect sofa's or anything fancy - the seating is comfy, but utilaterian. In the daytime this place is mainly a café, which the quarter dwellers, local working people and tourists frequent. In the evenings the customers are a cosmopolitan mix of intellectuals, neighbours, artists and locals that contribute towards the agreeable and cozy atmosphere. Music is as varied as the audience: jazz, pop, reggae and house - but all at socially conductive volume levels. If you're looking for a simple drink and snack away from the glitzy and boisterous Born, then pop into Mudanzas for the classic, traditional café-bar experience.
Karma

7Sins

C/ Muntaner, 7 : Universitat
www.7sinsbar.com : Tel. 93 453 6445
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This centrallly located bar seems to have a bit of a split personality, but that ends up making the place all the more interesting. At street level there is an open, uncluttered space with simple dining tables for couples and a central U-shaped bar, over which hangs a huge chandelier. The lighting is bright, but not severe and there is a flat screen TV for sports. Music was classic pop, funk and soul at an unobstrusive level. The downstairs bar offers a darker, burlesque and more intimate atmosphere with an area of vaulted ceilings and sumptuous chesterfield sofas, that lend a VIP air to the club / music room (see website for live music). The bar appears to attact a relaxed, younger international crowd, with a sprinkling of ex-pats due to the pints of Guinesss and Heineken on tap. 7Sins would seem to be a good bet for casual drinks with a few friends - but the layout isn't condusive for large groups, unless you're going to head downstairs for a gig. Outside street tables & chairs of the classic silver aluminium variety are available for pavement dining and drinking. Good quality food is available: salads/starters from €7, burgers from €9, main dishes from €11. There's a fine selection of beers, wines & spirits at reasonable prices: good value bottled beer at €2.50 / €3, and pints at €4.50, yet oddly expensive cocktails at €8. Tea, coffee and soft drinks are also available and are reasonably priced. The staff were all friendly, and many spoke enough english for this lazy ex-pat!
Karma