Best Cocktail Bars in Madrid

Consistently ranked among Europe's 50 best bars. Diego Cabrera's maximalist cocktail bar on Echegaray — theatrical drinks, technical precision, and a room like no other in Madrid. Walk-in only.

Open since 1931. Hemingway drank here. The Rationalist interior is largely original and the cocktail list runs to 80 drinks. The essential first cocktail stop on any serious Madrid bar tour.

Family-run since 1992 with a quietly legendary status. The bar seats 12, the service is impeccable, and the classic cocktails are textbook. Book 10 days ahead.

Named for the year the building was constructed. The cocktail trolley comes to you. Outstanding Spanish spirits programme alongside the classics.

The 1921 institution whose name stopped being a joke about a decade after opening. Red leather, 80 cocktails, and a complete absence of background music.

House-macerated spirits made on the premises. The pricing undercuts every equivalent bar in Madrid. A genuine neighbourhood gem that earns its word of mouth.

A Cortes room a short walk from Plaza de Santa Ana, anchored by the house Spazio Negroni. Book ahead on weekends; early evening walk-ins usually find a seat.

Unmarked door, marble bar, excellent vermouth and amaro programme. The Salamanca crowd treats this as their private club.

Art deco interior, 60-strong cocktail list, and a kitchen that serves sharing plates until 1am. The ceviche pairs surprisingly well with the house negroni.

Wine bar downstairs, cocktail bar upstairs, and a basement that opens on weekends. One of the most thoughtfully designed spaces in Madrid.

Open since 2010 in a former Malasaña brothel at Calle de la Ballesta 6, Santamaría pours faultless classics under low red light. Order a Negroni at the handmade leather bar and stay past midnight.

Low lighting, strong cocktails, no attitude. The bartenders know what they are doing. One of the best value cocktail bars in the city.

Nautical theme done with restraint. Rum programme is especially strong. The daiquiri variations are listed by their base rum category.

Brasserie upstairs, serious cocktail bar downstairs. The French influence comes through in the Chartreuse selection.

Genever-focused cocktail bar with a 40-page gin and genever menu. The staff have tasting notes for everything.