Madrid has a buzzing nightlife and is jam packed with bars, clubs and cafes that will definitely give you some nights to remember! Here’s a quick guide to some of the trendiest bars that we’ve found in the Spanish capital for you to discover during your time studying Spanish in Madrid.
1. Alboroto Experience
Located beside Plaza de España, this restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating, the food is delicious, the vibes are great, but for us, the best part has to be the cocktails. The cocktails are served in a super creative way, like in miniature bathtubs, science beakers, Chinese noodle boxes, flowerpots, and treasure chests, to name just a few. This is a great place to have a drink after a day’s studying! We recommend the last breath in earth and the candy flip cocktails!
- Closest Metro: Plaza de España
- Address: C. de la Princesa, 3, 28008 Madrid
2. 金马KTV
Are you a big fan of Karaoke? Maybe after a few too many drinks, you need an outlet for your rendition of ‘Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer’. Well, this bar is definitely what you’re looking for. What makes this karaoke bar different from the rest is that you can rent private booths with screens and microphones. They offer different sized rooms depending on the number of people and they also offer packages that include food and alcohol for a certain amount of hours.
For example, for six people, five hours, two bottles of alcohol and food included it comes to €35.00 each. A pretty good deal to enjoy own a karaoke session, food, and drinks with your friends in your own area! This Karaoke bar is located at Calle de Dolores Barranco, 50, 28026, Madrid, and is open 7 days a week from 5 pm to 11 pm.
- Closest Metro: Usera
- Address: C. de Dolores Barranco, 50, 28026 Madrid
3. Guru Lab
A famous cocktail bar in Madrid known for their amazing boozy concoctions called the Salmon Guru now has a new sister bar called the Guru Lab. What’s cool about this bar? Well, head to the Salmon Guru and ask for the secret code to get in! There’s also no menu… you simply walk up to the barman, tell them what you like and they’ll probably hand you one of the best cocktails you’ve ever had. The cocktails are priced at €12 each and the experience that comes with it is well worth it. We recommend saving this one for special occasions.
- Closest Metro: Sol
- Address: Calle de Echegaray, 14, 28014 Madrid
4. Sala X
It used to be an adult cinema that was transformed into one of Madrid’s most trendy bars. Sala X stands out with its modern industrial feel and has classic movies projected onto a giant screen while you sip on your drink. You can get food here, although the menu isn’t very big but there is an option for vegans! Some of the movies that are played at Sala X, include, ‘American Psycho’, ‘Stand By Me’, ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, ‘Kill Bill’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’. If you want to visit this bar to catch a movie you can book tickets online. The tickets cost €6.90 and make for a great Sunday evening plan with some friends.
- Closest Metro: Tirso de Molina
- Address: C. del Duque de Alba, 4, 28012 Madrid
5. Next Level Arcade Bar
Next Level Arcade Bar is located in the centre of Madrid and is a bar that also has lots of different old school arcade machines. The bar has a very edgy urban vibe and the walls are covered with graffiti. This bar is great to head to with friends on a Saturday evening for some drinks before a night out on the town. The bar is located at Plaza Sta. María Soledad Torres Acosta, 1, 28004 Madrid and is open Tuesday to Sunday.
- Closest Metro: Callao
- Address: C. de Tudescos, 4, bajo, 28004 Madrid
6. El café sin Nombre
El café sin Nombre is a small cafe based in Malasaña. It’s a great place to catch up with some friends for some food and drinks. El café sin Nombre offers everything from sweet treats, like carrot cake and muffins to traditional tapas like patatas bravas. Being a café they also have a variety of smoothies, teas and hot chocolates but they also serve some great cocktails for €7.00 which is why we thought this was an important one to add to the list!
- Closest Metro: Plaza de España
- Address: C. del Conde Duque, 10, 28015 Madrid
7. Cazador
Cazador is a trendy, laid back bar located in the centre of Madrid in Malasaña. It is just a 2-minute walk from the metro stop Noviciado. This bar is a great place for lunch and has great value drinks too, a jarra will only set you back €2.50! This is also an LGBTQIA+ friendly bar which makes it a great place to meet with friends as it has a very chilled out and relaxed vibe. Also… €6.00 for G&Ts with Beefeater? Yes, please!
- Closest Metro: Noviciado
- Address: Cl. de las Pozas, 7, 28004 Madrid
8. El Idea Bar
El Idea Bar is located in Calle de la Estrella in the centre of Madrid and is a great place to let your hair down any day of the week and they make it easy to do this with their range of cocktails (Mojitos, Bloody Mary’s, Tequila Sunrise’ and of course the classic Margarita) and there’s even bingo at 8pm every Tuesday! We also have to give extra points to the bar’s interior, which has taken inspiration from the 60s and 70s.
- Closest Metro: Santa Domingo
- Address: C. de la Estrella, 3, 28004 Madrid
9. 1862DryBar
If you’re on the hunt for great cocktails then look no further. The 1862DryBar is located in the lively neighbourhood of Malasaña has been a firm favourite of ours for a very long time! Their signature cocktails start at €9.00 and although it is a little more expensive than some places (like Cazador for example) you are paying for quality and presentation for sure! The 1862DryBar makes a great place to meet up with a friend for a drink on a weekend afternoon or even a date if you’re looking to impress.
- Closest Metro: Noviciado
- Address: C. del Pez, 27, 28004 Madrid
10. La Carbonera
Are you looking for an intimate cheese and wine bar makes for a cozy place to catch up with some friends or work colleagues after a long day at work? La Carbonera is a bar that features mainly only Spanish wine and has a huge variety of cheeses. Don’t worry if cheese isn’t your thing though, as they also offer delicious homemade desserts and, of course, it has a killer cheesecake!
- Closest Metro: Noviciado
- Address: C. de Bernardo López García, 11, 28015 Madrid
This guide is only the tip of the iceberg of the amazing places you can go to in Madrid so have fun discovering these places and the many more on offer!
Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram for future blogs and let us know where your favourite trendy bar in Madrid is. Are you considering moving to the lively capital city that is Madrid but you need to improve your Spanish? Don’t worry we got you!
We offer a wide range of Spanish classes from individual to group and even online. We have something to cater for you and learning with us our native teachers will have you speaking and sounding like a Madrileño in no time.
