El Anciano Rey de los Vinos on Calle de Bailen by the Almudena Cathedral was founded in 1909 by Luis Moron, with the red facade and bright tile front of the traditional Madrid taberna and a Madrid-de-los-Austrias wine list.
Tip: Vermut and house-pour wines at the marble counter; the typical-taberna front is one of the city's prettiest. Closed Sunday lunchtime; opens 10:00 most days.
Address: Calle de Bailen 19, 28013 Madrid
Joy Eslava on Calle del Arenal a few minutes from Puerta del Sol is one of Spain's oldest discos, in the converted 1871 Teatro Eslava theatre with balconies, programming nightly sessions 365 days a year.
Tip: Doors most nights at 00:00 to 06:00; the room fills after 02:00. The venue keeps its theatre tiers, so the upper balconies are quieter than the main floor.
Lolina Vintage Cafe on Calle del Espiritu Santo in Malasana mimics a 1950s to 1970s living room with patterned wallpaper, vintage lamps and escay furniture, serving brunch by day and 60s-music parties by night.
Tip: Brunch served daily; Thursday to Saturday the downstairs lounge runs 60s music parties. Walk-in, the room is small at peak.
Tupperware on Corredera Alta de San Pablo in Malasana is the throwback cocktail bar with 1980s decor and a Mauro Entrialgo back-wall mural of the Malasana indie and rock scene, the canon Malasana late-night.
Tip: Two floors with seating upstairs; the room peaks 01:00 to 03:00 weekends. The mural and the kitschy decor are the photo seats.
El Pez Gato on Calle del Pez in Malasana is the live-music bar near San Bernardo programming concerts, cultural events and karaoke in the heart of the Malasana late-night strip.
Tip: Concerts most weekend nights; karaoke session midweek. Tribunal L1 L10 or Noviciado L2 are the nearest metros; the room is small, arrive early for the gig.
Teatro Barceló sits on Calle de Barceló in Madrid near Tribunal, in the former Barceló theatre that ran as Pacha during the 1980s movida, programming house, dance, R&B and Latin across three floors.
Tip: Doors at 00:00 most nights; the Barceló Mondays indie session and Aquellos Anos Locos throwback nights are the long-running fixtures. Tribunal L1 L10 is two blocks.
Mondo Disko has been the techno and house residency inside the Sala But complex on Calle de Barceló in Tribunal since 1999, booking international electronic DJs every Thursday and Saturday night.
Tip: Open Thursday, Saturday and holiday eves from 00:00; arrive after 02:00 for the peak set. Same building as Teatro Barceló; check the door which session is running.
Joy Eslava on Calle del Arenal a few minutes from Puerta del Sol is one of Spain's oldest discos, in the converted 1871 Teatro Eslava theatre with balconies, programming nightly sessions 365 days a year.
Tip: Doors most nights at 00:00 to 06:00; the room fills after 02:00. The venue keeps its theatre tiers, so the upper balconies are quieter than the main floor.