Top Bars in Spain: 30 editor-picked rooms

30 bars worth the trip across Spain, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Spain guides.

Sips ★ 4.8 · Barcelona

eixample · Carrer de Muntaner 108, 08036 Barcelona

Sips in Barcelona's Eixample is Marc Alvarez and Simone Caporale's Worlds 50 Best No. 1 cocktail bar (2023): a glass cube on Muntaner, tasting-menu drinks.

Tip: Reservations book 6 weeks ahead. The 8-course cocktail tasting at 110 euros is the order.

Bar Garlochi ★ 4.8 · Seville

Calle Boteros 26, 41004 Sevilla

Bar Garlochi on Calle Boteros in Seville is the kitsch-religious dive bar that Miguel Fragoso opened on June 15, 1978, with church incense, religious statues.

Tip: Open daily 21:00-03:00. Cash only. The Sangre de Cristo is the house drink; the place fills with locals after midnight.

Paradiso ★ 4.7 · Barcelona

born · Carrer de Rera Palau 4, 08003 Barcelona

Paradiso in Barcelona's Born is the speakeasy through-a-pastrami-shop on Rera Palau: Worlds 50 Best No. 1 in 2022, now book months ahead for cocktail theatre.

Tip: Reservations via Instagram or Resy open 4 weeks ahead. No walk-ins; the queue at the door is for the dispatchers.

Ganbara (counter) ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián

San Jeronimo Kalea 21, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian

Ganbara's ground-floor counter on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town pours Txakoli alongside the autumn setas pintxo and the spider-crab plate.

Tip: October to December for peak mushroom season; the counter is busy from 13:00.

La Cuchara de San Telmo (counter) ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián

Calle 31 de Agosto 28, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian

La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian, open since 1999, pairs the made-to-order pintxos with a Rioja-leaning by-the-glass list.

Tip: The carrillera with a Rioja red is the canonical Cuchara order. Queue early.

La Terraza del EME ★ 4.7 · Seville

Calle Alemanes 27, 41004 Sevilla

La Terraza del EME atop the EME Catedral Hotel in Seville is the city's headline rooftop bar, with the closest cocktail-side view of the Giralda.

Tip: Open daily 11:00-01:30. Reserve a table at the Argote Alto level for the best Cathedral view; cocktails run 15 euros.

Two Schmucks ★ 4.6 · Barcelona

raval · Carrer de Joaquin Costa 52, 08001 Barcelona

Two Schmucks in Barcelona's Raval is the Pavel Davydov and Moe Aljaff dive-cocktail bar: low-light, loud music, pickle martinis and a Worlds 50 Best top-10.

Tip: Walk-up only; queue starts at 22:00. The pickle martini is the order; cash easier than card.

Dry Martini ★ 4.6 · Barcelona

eixample · Carrer d'Aribau 162, 08036 Barcelona

Dry Martini in Barcelona's Eixample has poured the city's reference martini since 1978: a polished wood bar, white-jacketed bartenders and the silver-counter.

Tip: Open daily 13:00-02:30. The martini at the bar is the only order; cocktails-on-the-rocks at the table.

Gure Toki ★ 4.6 · Bilbao

Plaza Nueva 12, 48005 Bilbao

Gure Toki on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao won the Euskal Herria pintxo championship 2016 with Idiazabal cheese soup, oxtail croquettes and cheesecake.

Bodegas Castaneda ★ 4.6 · Granada

centro-sagrario · Calle Almireceros 1, 18010 Granada

Bodegas Castaneda in Granada is the 1953 Calle Almireceros taberna, defining the citys free-tapa tradition with house vermut and Alpujarran cured meats.

Tip: Stand at the marble bar for the free tapas; sit at a table and the menu shifts to a la carte.

Salmon Guru ★ 4.6 · Madrid

las-letras · Calle Echegaray 21, 28014 Madrid

Salmon Guru on Calle Echegaray in Madrid is Diego Cabrera's neon-lit cocktail room (2017), the World's 50 Best Bars regular with tiki-style drinks.

Tip: Closed Mondays. Book the back-room tasting flight (4 cocktails for 40 euros) three days ahead; bar takes walk-ins.

Borda Berri ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián

Fermin Calbeton Kalea 12, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian

Borda Berri on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks hot made-to-order pintxos off a tight blackboard menu, with a Txakoli pour and a single house red.

Tip: No counter display; read the blackboard. Closed Sundays Standing room when busy.

T de Triana ★ 4.6 · Seville

Calle Betis 20, 41010 Sevilla

T de Triana on Calle Betis in Seville's Triana is the Andalusian tavern hosting the Flamenco Esencia troupe under Maria La Serrana, with a 34-seat.

Tip: Open daily 20:00-02:00. Arrive 30 minutes before the show to get a seat; the flamenco-with-tapas format includes an explanatory English set on selected nights.

Lo Nuestro ★ 4.6 · Seville

Calle Betis 31, 41010 Sevilla

Lo Nuestro on Calle Betis in Seville's Triana is the live-flamenco-and-sevillanas bar along the river-side row, a less formal Triana flamenco room than Casa.

Tip: Open Thu-Sun from 22:00-04:00. Free entry; arrive by 23:30 for a seat at the bar.

Bar El Globo ★ 4.5 · Bilbao

Calle Diputacion 8, 48008 Bilbao

Bar El Globo on Calle Diputacion in Bilbao since 1997 anchors the Indautxu pintxo crawl with the canonical txangurro (spider crab) gratin counter.

La Vina del Ensanche ★ 4.5 · Bilbao

Calle Diputacion 10, 48008 Bilbao

La Vina del Ensanche on Diputacion in Bilbao since 1927 runs three rooms under the third family generation, Joselito Iberian ham the house pintxo.

Cork ★ 4.5 · Bilbao

Calle Licenciado Poza 45, 48011 Bilbao

Cork on Licenciado Pozas in Bilbao, run by sommelier Jonathan Hernando since 2014, pours 80 wines by the glass with a natural and low-intervention focus.

1862 Dry Bar ★ 4.5 · Madrid

malasana · Calle del Pez 27, 28004 Madrid

1862 Dry Bar on Calle del Pez in Madrid's Malasana is the speakeasy-style cocktail room since 2014, named for Jerry Thomas's 1862 bartender's guide.

Tip: Walk-in but the room is small (35 seats). Closed Sundays. The classic Sazerac (14 euros) is the headline order.

Azotea del Circulo Bellas Artes ★ 4.5 · Madrid

centro · Calle de Alcala 42, 28014 Madrid

Azotea del Circulo on Calle de Alcala in Madrid's Centro is the rooftop of the 1926 Circulo de Bellas Artes art club, with 360-degree views over Gran Via.

Tip: Entry fee 5 euros. Open daily 11:00-02:00. The sunset slot (19:30) is the busiest; book on Tickets.com to skip the queue.

Casa Urola (downstairs counter) ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián

Fermin Calbeton Kalea 20, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian

Casa Urola's downstairs counter on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town is the entry-level Basque pintxo bar with the city's deepest Txakoli pour.

Tip: Stand at the counter for pintxos; upstairs takes reservations for full sit-down.

Bar Tamboril ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián

Arrandegi Kalea 2, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian

Bar Tamboril on Arrandegi next to Plaza de la Constitucion in San Sebastian's Old Town, run by the same family as Ganbara, keeps the mushroom-in-olive-oil.

Tip: Listed in the Michelin Guide as a Bib-recognised pintxo room. Counter standing only.

La Vina (counter bar) ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián

Calle 31 de Agosto 3, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian

La Vina's front counter on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian pours sherry and Pedro Ximenez alongside the burnt cheesecake wedge, the canonical pairing.

Tip: Closed Mondays. The wedge plus PX is the proper Old Town stop.

Bar Txepetxa ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián

Pescaderia Kalea 5, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian

Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian, since 1972, pours Txakoli alongside the vinegar-cured anchovy pintxos for which the city queues.

Tip: Two anchoas with a glass of Txakoli; closed Mondays.

Bar Alfalfa ★ 4.5 · Seville

Calle Candilejo 1, 41004 Sevilla

Bar Alfalfa on Calle Candilejo in Seville's Alfalfa is the standing-room tapas counter doubling as an evening drinking bar after 22:00, with house tintos.

Tip: Standing-only; arrive after 22:00 to find a spot. Cash and card accepted; the bar pours about 12 wines on rotation.

Boadas ★ 4.4 · Barcelona

raval · Carrer dels Tallers 1, 08001 Barcelona

Boadas in Barcelona's Raval, off the Rambla, has poured cocktails since 1933 in a triangular Art Deco bar: Miguel Boadas trained at La Floridita in Havana.

Tip: Open Mon-Sat 12:00-02:00. Closed Sunday. The Daiquiri is the canonical order; counter only.

Solange Cocktails & Luxury Spirits ★ 4.4 · Barcelona

eixample · Carrer d'Aribau 143, 08036 Barcelona

Solange in Barcelona's Eixample is the James-Bond-themed cocktail bar with a deep luxury-spirits cellar: high-quality classics and a list of signature.

Tip: Open daily 18:00-02:00. Book ahead Fri-Sat; walk-ups easier Tue-Thu.

Dr Stravinsky ★ 4.4 · Barcelona

born · Carrer dels Mirallers 5, 08003 Barcelona

Dr Stravinsky in Barcelona's Born is the apothecary-themed cocktail bar with its own bitters lab in the back: 30+ house bitters and a quiet basement room.

Tip: Open Tue-Sun 19:00-02:00. Closed Monday. Reserve the basement table.

Bobby's Free ★ 4.4 · Barcelona

eixample · Carrer de Pau Claris 85, 08010 Barcelona

Bobby's Free on Carrer de Pau Claris in Eixample is the password-required speakeasy behind a working barbershop: low-light, jazz, classic drinks.

Tip: Open Tue-Sun 19:30-02:30. Closed Monday. Password sent on Instagram after booking.

Victor Montes ★ 4.4 · Bilbao

Plaza Nueva 8, 48005 Bilbao

Victor Montes on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao keeps the spirit of the 1849 grocery, with grilled mushrooms with foie, charcuterie and a deep wine cellar.

Sorginzulo ★ 4.4 · Bilbao