Madrid
Madrid's most photographed drinks aren't on any menu — they're in the rooms with the right windows. The bars with a view on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip — the central districts all show up — and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason. We have visited every one.
CENTRO · $$$ · ROOFTOP BARS
Azotea del Circulo de Bellas Artes draws a steady local crowd in Centro. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
CORTES · $$$ · ROOFTOP BARS
Radio Rooftop ME Madrid draws a steady local crowd in Cortes. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
CENTRO · $$$ · ROOFTOP BARS
Tartan Roof draws a steady local crowd in Centro. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
CENTRO · $$ · ROOFTOP BARS
The Hat Rooftop draws a steady local crowd in Centro. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
SALAMANCA · $$$ · ROOFTOP BARS
The Roof at Puerta America draws a steady local crowd in Salamanca. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
THE CENTRE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
1862 by Night is the upstairs late-night room of 1862 Dry Bar — opened in 2017 with a separate cocktail program built around late-night classics. Open until 4am. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
THE CENTRE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
1862 Dry Bar opened in Malasaña and is committed to classical cocktail discipline. The bar is named for an 1862 cocktail manual and the programme follows pre-pr. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
THE CENTRE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Angelita is Chueca's most precise natural wine and cocktail bar — opened in 2018 by former Salmon Guru bartenders. The 36-seat room is candlelit with leather ba. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
CENTRO · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Bodegas Ricla draws a steady local crowd in Centro. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
LAVAPIES · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Bodegas Rosell draws a steady local crowd in Lavapies. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Madrid or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten bars with a view that any serious drinker in Madrid would tell you to put on the list.
Azotea del Circulo de Bellas Artes draws a steady local crowd in Centro. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
Radio Rooftop ME Madrid draws a steady local crowd in Cortes. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Madrid? See our guide to the best bars with a view worldwide, or compare bars with a view city by city.