The Room Madrid in Salamanca is the speakeasy-style cocktail bar by chef Paco Perez since 2019, in a hidden basement behind a hotel reception, with a 40-cover bar and signature mezcal-led carte.
Food program: Small plates
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. Entry through the Hotel Aranda; reservation recommended for weekend evenings.
Address: Calle Conde de Aranda 7, 28001 Madrid
Casa Camacho in Madrid's Malasana has poured the yayo (vermut with gin and seltzer, served from height) since 1928. The room runs on cash, formica tables and standing-room only, untouched since the 1960s.
Signature drink: Yayo (vermut, gin, sifon)
Food: Bocadillos, tortilla
Tip: Cash only. Closed Sundays. The yayo is 3 euros, the boquerones 3, the bocadillo de calamares 4.50; nothing else on offer.
El Imperial near Gran Via in Madrid is the cocktail bar by Diego Cabrera's team since 2012, with the Crystal Negroni (clarified Negroni) and the modern cocktail-tasting carte that won World's 50 Best 2018.
Signature drink: Crystal Negroni
Food: Small plates
Tip: Walk-in. The room is small (40 seats); booking recommended for weekend evenings. Crystal Negroni runs 14 euros.
Boadas Madrid is the 2021 outpost of the 1933 Barcelona original, with the throw-cocktail technique (drinks thrown between shakers in a long arc) and the canonical classic Spanish cocktail carte.
Signature drink: Boadas (rum, kummel, gin, mint)
Food: Snacks
Tip: Walk-in. The bar seats 30; the throw-cocktail show happens behind the bar. Closed Sundays.
30 y Tantos on Calle Ponzano in Madrid's Chamberi is the wine-and-cocktail bar since 2018, with a focused vermut carte, by-the-glass natural wines and a tapas pizarra running daily.
Signature drink: Vermut house cocktail
Food: Tapas
Tip: Walk-in. The terrace on Ponzano seats 12; the inside bar is open until 02:00 weekends.
La Tape on Calle San Bernardo in Madrid is the wine-bar-and-tapas room since 2015, with 80 by-the-glass references, a focused daily-changing tapas pizarra and a small terrace on the corner.
Signature drink: By-the-glass wines
Food: Tapas, small plates
Tip: Walk-in. Closed Sundays. The corner terrace seats 14; the inside bar is the standing-room scene.
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, custom glassware and a tasting-flight menu.
Signature drink: Tikki-style cocktails by Diego Cabrera
Food: Small plates
Tip: Closed Mondays. Book the back-room tasting flight (4 cocktails for 40 euros) three days ahead; bar takes walk-ins.
