Madrid's bar culture has evolved dramatically in the past fifteen years, transforming from a city known primarily for its nightlife into one with genuinely world-class cocktail bars and wine-focused establishments. The city now competes seriously with Barcelona and has arguably surpassed most other Spanish cities in the quality and innovation of its drinking scene. Salmon Guru has international recognition, but the best of Madrid goes far deeper than any single bar. These are the best bars in Madrid we actually recommend.
The Best Cocktail and Creative Bars in Madrid
Madrid's serious cocktail bars cluster primarily around Chueca and Gran Vía, with notable exceptions in La Latina. The ambition level is genuinely high, the technique is impeccable, and the prices remain far lower than you'd expect for this quality of execution.
01
Salmon Guru
Chueca$$$Creative Cocktails / Theatrical
Diego Cabrera operates Salmon Guru as a laboratory of cocktail innovation. The main room is theatrical without being precious, the drinks are technically executed at the highest level, and the ambition is genuinely unapologetic. Salmon Guru has been listed in the world's best bars rankings consistently, and for good reason. The creativity here influences the rest of Madrid's bar scene. Booking ahead is necessary.
Order: Whatever the bar team recommends — they understand their own menu better than you will.
02
Bar Cock
Gran Vía$$Classic / 1920s
Operating since 1921 with essentially unchanged art deco interiors, Bar Cock represents the best of Madrid's classic cocktail tradition. The room is beautiful, the bartenders are serious about classic cocktails, and the entire operation exists without needing to reinvent itself. The martinis are extraordinary, the service is professional, and the atmosphere is genuinely sophisticated. This is where Madrid's old money drinks.
Order: A martini or a Negroni — classics are why this place exists.
03
Museo Chicote
Gran Vía$$$Historic / Grand
Hemingway drank here. Museo Chicote is one of Madrid's most legendary institutions, operating continuously since 1931. The room is genuinely grand, the bartenders are world-class, and the entire operation manages to be both famous and genuinely worth visiting. The cocktails are technically excellent, the service is attentive without hovering, and the atmosphere rewards dressing well. This is institutional Madrid drinking.
Order: Their house special — it changes seasonally but is always excellent.
04
Macera Madrid
La Latina$$Craft / Homemade Spirits
Macera Madrid operates out of a tiny La Latina space, making house-infused spirits and cocktails using their own ingredients. The approach is genuinely craft without being precious, and the results are consistently interesting. The bartenders are clearly excited about what they're doing, and that enthusiasm translates to the drinks. This is where Madrid's bar community goes when they want to drink seriously.
Order: Their current infused spirit special — the experimentation here is worth experiencing.
The complete Madrid bar guide
Every category across the city — cocktail bars, wine bars, hidden gems, and neighbourhood classics. Our full Madrid guide has you covered.
Madrid's wine bars have been transformed by a generation of passionate sommeliers who are focused on natural wines, producer relationships, and education rather than performance. The hidden gems are scattered across La Latina and Malasaña, requiring some navigation to find but absolutely worth the effort.
05
El Imparcial
La Latina$$Wine Bar / Cultural
El Imparcial occupies a beautiful building in La Latina and operates as a serious wine bar with natural wine focus. The list is curated carefully, the staff actually knows the producers, and the whole operation prioritizes education over flash. The space is beautiful enough to justify the visit alone, and the wine is genuinely excellent. This is where Madrid's wine professionals go to drink.
Order: Ask what they're currently excited about — the staff will steer you right.
06
Bodega de los Secretos
La Latina$$Hidden Gem / Cave Bar
Housed in a 17th century wine cellar beneath La Latina's streets, Bodega de los Secretos is genuinely atmospheric. The stone walls are original, the wine selection is focused on Spanish producers, and the entire experience feels like a secret that you've been granted access to. The bar is small, the crowd is mostly informed visitors and locals, and the setting alone makes this worth the effort to find.
Order: A glass of Rioja or whatever the current Spanish wine selection features.
07
1862 Dry Bar
Chueca$$$Speakeasy / Gin
1862 Dry Bar operates with an exceptional gin program in an intimate speakeasy-style room. The bartenders understand spirits at an expert level, and the cocktail list is organized by gin producers rather than drink types. The room is small, the crowd is serious about what they're drinking, and the level of expertise here is remarkable. This is gin culture at its most rigorous.
Order: Ask for a gin-forward cocktail — the bartender will choose the spirit and build around it.
Weekly editorial
The bars worth going to, weekly.
One email per week. The bars our editors are recommending right now, across 60 cities worldwide.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Madrid's Best Traditional and Neighbourhood Bars
Madrid's oldest bars represent a different kind of drinking culture — one focused on consistency, regulars, and the genuine history embedded in the spaces. These are bars that have existed in the same form for decades, serving the same purposes they always have.
08
Bodegas Rosell
Acacias$Old Madrid / Traditional Wine
Bodegas Rosell operates as standing-room-only traditional vermouth bar, unchanged since 1920. The floors are tiled, the bar is packed shoulder-to-shoulder with regulars, and nobody sits down. The vermouth is excellent, the jamón is authentic, and the atmosphere is utterly genuine. This is how Madrid drank for decades, and how it still does if you know where to look.
Order: A glass of vermouth and a tapa of jamón ibérico.
09
El Parnasillo
Malasaña$$Literary / Historic
Operating as a 19th century café-bar in Malasaña, El Parnasillo has hosted writers and artists for generations. The room is beautiful in a faded kind of way, the atmosphere is genuinely bohemian, and the crowd is mix of regulars and visitors interested in Madrid's cultural history. The bar serves good drinks, but the space itself is the real attraction here.
Order: A coffee during the day or a wine in the evening.
Madrid hidden gem bars
Our guide to the bars in Madrid that don't appear on the tourist trail — neighbourhood spots, wine cellars, and places worth seeking out.
La Venencia operates with a no-phones, cash-only policy, and the best sherry selection in Madrid. The bar is tiny, the crowd is regulars and serious sherry drinkers, and the entire operation exists without compromise. The interior is packed with bottles and memorabilia, the bartender ignores distractions, and the sherry is authentic. This is where Madrid's sherry culture lives.
Order: An amontillado or fino — ask the bartender for the current recommendation.
Our Verdict on Madrid
Madrid's bar scene operates on multiple levels simultaneously. Salmon Guru and Museo Chicote represent the ambitious and the institutional, while Bodegas Rosell and La Venencia represent the authentic and unchanging. The best approach is to experience all of it — start with cocktails at Salmon Guru or Bar Cock, move to wine in La Latina, and finish with vermouth in Acacias or sherry in Huertas.
The city has genuinely earned its position as Spain's premier bar destination. The combination of historical institutions, contemporary ambition, and traditional neighbourhood culture is exactly what makes Madrid worth visiting for serious drinking.
Madrid cocktail bars guide
The best cocktail bars and creative drinking spaces in Madrid — from Salmon Guru to intimate gin bars.
