Bar Pastís on Carrer de Santa Mònica in Raval has run since 1947 as a tiny French-music shrine, with walls covered in Édith Piaf posters, French chanson on the speakers and pastís as the house pour.
Tip: Live music Sun to Thu around 23:00 in a super-small format. The room seats maybe 20; arrive early or stand at the door.
Address: Carrer de Santa Mònica 4, 08001 Barcelona
Boadas on Carrer dels Tallers off La Rambla has run since 1933 as Spain's oldest cocktail bar, founded by Cuban-born Catalan Miguel Boadas who learned the trade at Hemingway's Floridita in Havana.
Tip: Standing room mostly; the bow-tied bartenders throw cocktails behind the small bar. No menu, just ask for what you want.
Tinta Roja on Carrer de la Creu dels Molers in Poble Sec is the Argentine cabaret-themed bar-teatro founded in 1998, with red velvet drapes, antique furniture and tango shows Thursday to Sunday.
Tip: Concerts and dance performances Thu to Sun nights in the back Gardel room. Wednesday evenings run an open tango class; arrive 21:00 for the warm-up.
Boadas on Carrer dels Tallers off La Rambla has run since 1933 as Spain's oldest cocktail bar, founded by Cuban-born Catalan Miguel Boadas who learned the trade at Hemingway's Floridita in Havana.
Tip: Standing room mostly; the bow-tied bartenders throw cocktails behind the small bar. No menu, just ask for what you want.
Ocaña on Plaça Reial is the cafe-bar-club complex that occupies a corner of the square, with a street-terrace cafe, the Apotheke basement cocktail bar and a small late-night club running together.
Tip: Apotheke downstairs is the cocktail room and runs DJ sets late; the terrace is the easy afternoon drink with the Plaça Reial in view.
Sor Rita on Carrer de la Mercè in the Gothic Quarter is the Almodóvar-styled queer-friendly bar with leopard-print wallpaper, high heels nailed to the ceiling and a different themed event every night of the week.
Tip: Monday cocktails and tarot, Tuesday open buffet for 6 euros, Thursday free karaoke with a dressing-up box. Walk-in; gets packed late.
Razzmatazz occupies a former industrial complex in Poblenou and runs five themed rooms across two weekend nights: RazzClub indie, Fuego urban, Human techno, Torax house and the rotating Pop Bar.
Tip: Doors at 01:00 Friday and Saturday; the five rooms share one wristband. Marina L1 or Bogatell L4 are the metro stops; queues are shorter at the Carrer de Pamplona 88 entrance for rooms 2 and 3.
Sala Apolo is the 1940s theatre on Carrer Nou de la Rambla in Poble Sec that runs Barcelona's longest-standing club nights, including the indie-rock Nasty Mondays running every Monday since 2004.
Tip: Nasty Mondays runs 00:30 to 05:00 every Monday with indie, rock and 80s pop. The smaller La 2 venue downstairs runs parallel programming on the same nights.