Madrid night life has more bars and nightclubs than any city in the world, six, in fact, for every 100 inhabitants – wherever you are in town, there’ll be a bar close by. That’s because your average Spanish bar is not just a place to drink. Instead they form the centre of community life, usually filled with a cast of
old-time regulars alongside people of all ages. Madrileños drink often and seem up for a drink almost any time of the day or night, but they rarely do so to excess; drinking is almost never an end in itself, but rather an accompaniment to good conversation, food or music. Perhaps
they’ve learned that pacing themselves is the key to lasting until dawn – it’s a key strategy to learn if you want to make the most of your Madrid night.
In addition to local corner bars, Madrid is replete with late-night temples to good taste that have something special about them – these are the places we’ve concentrated on here. Places to drink listed throughout this chapter are divided into cafés and bars, although the dividing
line between the two is often blurred – just as you can order a coffee in many bars, they won’t look strangely at you if you order something stronger in a café.

Here is a list of the best bars in Madrid night life:

CAFÉ DEL SOUL Chill-Out Bar

x91 523 16 06;
Calle de Espoz y Mina 14; h4pm-2am Mon-Thu,
4pm-3am Fri, 2pm-3am Sat, 2pm-2am Sun; mSol
Cocktails (with or without alcohol) for €6.50
are a big selling point these days in Madrid.
If you add chill-out music (that turns to
chill-house later in the night) and curious
décor that incorporates Moroccan lamps,
Café del Soul is more mellow than many.

MELOUNGE Map Chill-Out Bar

x91 369 26 41
Calle de San Pedro 22; h7pm-3am Thu-Sat;
mAntón Martín
On a quiet backstreet just in from the Paseo
del Prado, Melounge is a colourful, but cosy
split-level little bar with an artsy vibe and
where mojitos, daiquiris and piña coladas
cost an eminently reasonable €5.50. From
time to time it has small shows or exhibitions
and it’s always worth stopping by to
see what’s happening.

DOS GARDENIAS Map Cocktail Bar

x91 429 29 69; Calle de Santa María 13;
h6pm-2am Mon-Thu, 6pm-3am Fri & Sat,
5pm-1am Sun; mAntón Martín
When Huertas starts to overwhelm, this
soothing little bar is the perfect antidote.
The flamenco and chill-out music ensure a
relaxed vibe, while sofas, softly lit colours
and some of the best mojitos (and exotic
teas) in the barrio make this place perfect
to ease yourself into or out of the night.

THE PENTHOUSE Map Cocktail Bar

x91 701 60 20; Plaza de Santa Ana 14;
h9pm-4am Wed-Sat, 5pm-midnight Sun;
mAntón Martín or Sol
High above the clamour of Huertas, this
exclusive cocktail bar has a delightful terrace
overlooking Plaza de Santa Ana and
the rooftops of downtown Madrid from the
7th floor. It’s a place for sophisticates with
chill-out areas strewn with cushions, funky
DJs and a dress policy designed to sort out
the classy from the wannabes. If you suffer
from vertigo, consider the equally sybaritic
Midnight Rose on the ground floor.

EL CALLEJÓN Map Flamenco Bar

x91 429 83 97; Calle de Manuel Fernández y
González 5; h7.30pm-2.30am Sun-Thu, 7.30pm-
3.30am Fri & Sat; mSevilla or Antón Martín
Tiny El Callejón lives and breathes flamenco
from the music coming from the sound
system to the stars of cante jondo (deep
flamenco song) who adorn the walls. The
clientele includes flamenco stars who
recognise authentic flamenco when they
hear it.

TABERNA ALHAMBRA Map Flamenco Bar

x91 521 07 08; Calle de la Victoria 9; h10am-
2am; mSol
There can be a certain sameness about
the bars between Sol and Huertas, which
is why this fine old taberna (tavern) stands
out. The striking façade and exquisite
tilework of the interior are quite beautiful;
however, this place is anything but stuffy
and the vibe is cool, casual and busy. Later
at night there are some fine flamenco
tunes.

CASA PUEBLO  Jazz Bar

x91 420 20 38; Calle de León 3; h8.30pm-
2.30am Tue-Sun; mAntón Martín
Jazz may be all the rage in Madrid, but
Casa Pueblo was onto it long before the
fad started and will remain so long after it
passes. As such, it has a whiff of authenticity
about it. Tango is also a staple of the bar
and there are occasional live acts and great
drinks to be had.

Madrid JAZZ BAR

Jazz aficionados will love this place for its
endless jazz soundtrack and private booths
(at last, a bar that has gone for privacy
instead of trying to cram too many people
in) and there’s plenty of greenery to keep
you cheerful. If you want live jazz, head
elsewhere, but this place is unbeatable
for its cruisy jazz vibe.

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