This follows on from my Barcelona bars guide, this time in Sant Antoni and the Esquerra de l'Eixample, the left half of the big grid district where bars hide on the ground floors of residential blocks. The legendary Dry Martini, a vermouth bar, a craft beer bar with 30 taps, a vinyl bar and a plain neighbourhood bodega. The places come from my list of saved spots, and the descriptions are put together from Google Maps reviews; I'll add my own notes as I visit.
Prices are Google's average spend per person, valid as of 30 September 2026. Rate: 1 € ≈ $1.13.
In short
- Classic cocktails: Dry Martini, a city legend.
- Signature cocktails: Cristis in Sant Antoni.
- Vermouth: Morro Fi, where you can take a bottle home.
- Beer and wine: BierCaB (30 taps) and natural wine at Pepa Bar a Vins.
- Vinyl: Curtis Audiophile Cafe, with DJs and a record shop.
Sant Antoni
Bar Bodega Gol
Sant Antoni · neighbourhood bodega · 20–30 € (≈$23–34) · Wed 9:00–17:00, Thu–Sat 9:30–23:30, Sun 9:30–17:00, closed Mon–Tue
Google Maps · Instagram · Carrer del Parlament, 10
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 885): a very local bar with traditional tapas near Paral·lel. Reviewers suggest ordering one of every gilda and banderilla, plus the smoked sardines, squid with onions, cap i pota and bacalao a la llauna. Portions are big, prices are kind, there's vermouth, wine and good beer, and lunch here easily stretches into the evening.
Cristis
Sant Antoni · cocktail bar · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · Tue–Wed 18:00–0:00, Thu to 1:30, Fri to 2:00, Sat to 2:30, Sun 18:30–23:30, closed Mon
Google Maps · website · Carrer del Parlament, 36
According to Google Maps reviews (4.7 from 283): a new, cosy cocktail bar with a Wes Anderson-style interior. The menu is short and curated: reviewers praise the sweet and smoky Furor Mexicano and the dessert-like Chufita, and there are alcohol-free options too. The music isn't loud and the lights aren't too dim, so it's easy to talk; the multilingual bartender walks you through each drink.
Perros Mediterráneos
Sant Antoni · cocktails & natural wine · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · Tue–Wed 17:00–1:00, Thu to 2:00, Fri–Sat to 3:00, Sun 17:00–0:00, closed Mon
Google Maps · website · Carrer del Comte Borrell, 8
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 716): a laid-back bar with a good-looking interior, art and music, for drinks before or after dinner. Good cocktails, a selection of natural wines and a cheese board; ask what's available off the menu. The downsides: the pastrami sandwich can be stingy for 11 €, and the service is uneven.
Esquerra de l'Eixample
Morro Fi
Esquerra de l'Eixample · vermouth bar · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · Mon–Thu 12:00–16:00 and 18:00–23:00, Fri–Sun 12:00–23:00
Google Maps · website · Carrer del Consell de Cent, 171
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 1,400+): a much-loved vermouth bar with a quirky interior in a quiet residential part of Eixample. House vermouth, thick-cut crisps and olives, and you can buy a bottle of the vermouth to take home for around 12 €. There's hardly any seating and it's always packed, so many people take their glass to the benches nearby.
Bar Malasang
Esquerra de l'Eixample · café-bar with a terrace · 20–30 € (≈$23–34) · Tue–Thu 9:00–0:00, Fri to 1:30, Sat 11:00–1:00, closed Sun–Mon
Google Maps · website · Carrer del Comte Borrell, 148
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 1,900+): a hip bar with a terrace, serving breakfast and coffee in the morning and beer and cava with tapas later on. Reviewers praise the coffee, the carrot cake and the friendly staff. The downsides: the dishes are uneven (one guest was very unhappy with the octopus), service can be slow and the toilets need attention.
Candy Darling
Esquerra de l'Eixample · LGBTQ+ bar · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · daily 19:00–2:30, Fri–Sat to 3:00
Google Maps · Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 586
According to Google Maps reviews (4.5 from 1,300+): a gay bar with a rough-edged interior and a very mixed crowd of all ages. Cocktails and shots at good prices, theme nights and shows (flamenco, for one); late in the evening there's a long queue, so come early. The downsides: lots of people vape inside, and the bartenders aren't always in a hurry to serve you.
Pepa Bar a Vins
Esquerra de l'Eixample · wine bar · 20–60 € (≈$23–68) · Tue–Fri 18:30–0:00, Sat 13:30–0:00, closed Sun–Mon
Google Maps · booking · Carrer d'Aribau, 41
According to Google Maps reviews (4.5 from 1,000+): a wine bar with a strong natural wine list and a short menu of hearty dishes with unexpected combinations. Reviewers love the carrots, the oxtail croquetas and the squid with sobrassada, and the staff for spot-on wine-by-the-glass suggestions. Book a table in advance.
BierCaB
Esquerra de l'Eixample · craft beer bar · 20–30 € (≈$23–34) · Tue–Sat 14:00–0:00, closed Sun–Mon
Google Maps · website · Carrer de Muntaner, 55
According to Google Maps reviews (4.6 from 4,300+): for many, the best craft beer bar in the city, with 30 taps of local and international beer and a line-up that keeps changing. A big room full of wood, with tapas and comfort food: reviewers mention the grilled squid from the weekly specials and the nachos. The owner and bar staff get special praise for a warm welcome in good English.
Curtis Audiophile Cafe & Record Store
Esquerra de l'Eixample · vinyl bar · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · Tue–Thu and Sun 19:00–1:00, Fri–Sat to 3:00, closed Mon
Google Maps · website · Carrer de Mallorca, 196
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 1,000+): an audiophile bar and record shop where DJs play vinyl and the sound is loud and clean in every corner. The crowd is a mix of locals and visitors, and it's full at weekends. The staff are praised for discreetly looking out for guests. The downsides: drinks are on the pricey side, and one guest complained about staff pushing their politics.
Dry Martini
Esquerra de l'Eixample · cocktail bar · 10–30 € (≈$11–34) · Mon–Thu 13:00–2:30, Fri–Sat to 3:00, Sun 15:00–1:00
Google Maps · website · Carrer d'Aribau, 162
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 3,300+): a Barcelona legend, a classic, elegant bar where a counter shows more than a million martinis served. The menu revolves around the martini and its variations; besides the dry martini itself, many recommend the Wasabi Mule. The downsides: service is slow at peak times, and water isn't free.
Bar El Velódromo
Esquerra de l'Eixample · bar-restaurant · 20–30 € (≈$23–34) · daily 7:30–1:00, Fri–Sat to 2:00
Google Maps · website · Carrer de Muntaner, 213
According to Google Maps reviews (4.0 from 7,400+): a big historic bar just off Diagonal, owned by the Moritz brewery, open from breakfast until late and with billiards. Reviewers suggest starting with a caña of Moritz and bravas, then croquetas, calamari rings, cava sangria and the sandwich from a collaboration with New York's Katz's Deli. It's very crowded in the evenings, and ordering can take a while.
One last thing
Many bars here take Sunday and Monday off: BierCaB, Pepa and Bar Malasang are closed on both days, and Bar Bodega Gol on Monday and Tuesday. On those days the safest bets are Dry Martini, Morro Fi and Bar El Velódromo, which are open every day.
More on Barcelona: Dreta de l'Eixample and Fort Pienc bars.