My friends and I always discuss about the feasibility of this place…read more So this is how it works: 1. Wait for a while (there's always people) making a line surrounded by loud and already-drunk people. 2. Order a drink for 2,5€ (beer is what everybody drinks, but you can also have tinto, or any soft drink) and take it with you where your friends are. 3. Go back to the bar and take some tapas the waiter has prepared for you. It's great that tapas are "for free". Even though the drink is expensive, you will always have huge plates of whatever they have. They always give you "Bravas" (and they are great) but also "croquetas" or sandwiches. The good thing about this place is that you can have an extremely cheap dinner. Bad things? It's always crowded and hard to find a place to seat, you can't chose what you're have for eating (and healthiness is not their thing), and waits take too long. However I've already been there 2 times during the past week!

I had heard about Sierra from a few friends and seeing as it was in my neighborhood I decided to…read morepay it a visit asap. I knew what to expect. Your typical El Tigre type of bar heavy on the tapas but a slightly more expensive drink. Did I leave disappointed? Course not. If you're a food snob or in search of the chic dining experience, this is not your place. When you come here you're looking to eat, really eat. Get in line and order any standard drink, Even non-alcoholic, and be prepared to receive a substantial portion of tapas. Tapas include bravas, chicken wings, croquetas, and grilled cheese sandwiches. This isn't gourmet. What it is is a humble, cozy bar frequented by everything from universitarios to older couples. Come ready to eat and try not to overindulge. It happens. ¡Aproveche!

We had a fun evening out at Madrid's La Coquette Blues Bar…read more Got there at around 7:30 pm - doors open at 8, and a line forms outside the relatively small place, so that timing was perfect. Settled into the very cool cavern-like subterranean space with rough stone walls, vintage blues show posters and a terrific Chicago blues soundtrack. A waiter who spoke English took drink orders, and everybody got bowls of sunflower seeds in the shell. It got crowded, but not ridiculously so, because they limit admission, letting a few new people in when others leave. They feature a rotating roster of blues bands who each do a three-night run. Check out their web site (it's their Facebook page) for who's playing. As usual when I see a music listing somewhere, I looked the group up on YouTube, to check out what they actually sound like. The combo we caught - The Maria Avilas Quartet - came on at 9 pm. It was a good-time Chicago-style blues band with guitar, standup bass, drums and a female singer, and we stayed for most of the second set as well. The crowd was really upbeat and friendly, and the beer was cold. Later in the evening, the waiter offered selected people (lucky us!) free mini-shots. Bottom line: we really enjoyed the place, and highly recommend it for a fun evening out.

Good, divey Blues Bar (live band) we found and jumped into after dinner. Got there around 11'ish…read more Had some beers, drinks, and listened to the live Blues Band which was pretty good. Good selection of beers and liquor... the bartender makes a very good Mojito (almost every table had one). Generous pours on all drinks. Decent beer selection. Seating is a little tight but it's not a big place. Looks like an old bomb shelter (cool look).

One of my favorite places in town. Pop in, have a Yayo, and some wonderful tapas. Be sure to read…read morethrough the signs on the walls while having a drink.

Hipsters, I call ye forth to come patronize this hipster mecca. Are you a hipster? You like ratty,…read morecut-off jean shorts? You like ironic tattoos, empty glasses frames and bikes a little too much? Got a girlfriend in a t-shirt with its sleeves cut off and half her head shaved? Pitchfork not fresh enough so you turned to the Hype Machine? Your people have commandeered Casa Camacho. Went in there on a Saturday night, was shown this place by a friend, and it was wall-to-wall hipsters. Amazing, like they were exhibited in all their glory in their natural habitat. Casa Camacho is indeed a dive I'd fondly refer to as a "s**thole", at least on Saturday night past midnight. It's got a long, narrow foyer where all the patrons stand, lean and drink. A long, dingy bar bisects the area and the candy-striped bartenders race back and forth on a platform, pulling Mahou into little glasses. The specialty of the house is the Yayo, which I had to explain to my Spanish friends is a Cuban slang for "cocaine". The drink is half vermuth and half gin, and goes for like 1.50. My instinct is to be snarky about it, but it's actually kind of tasty. Hipsters, I liked this place. I'll go back. You, however, will LOVE this place. It will jibe with your aesthetic and social sensibilities. Oh, and a tidbit of history while you're thinking of further gentrifying Madrid's old red-light district: there's a certificate on the wall in this place, tar-stained as the cornices, that says Casa Camacho was recognized as "classic Madrileño"...in 1974. Like you and your friends, it doesn't get much more original than this.

Great espresso martini. Cute little gem that opened up at 4pm. Down stairs feels more like a…read morespeakeasy

Based on a little pre-trip research, 1862 Dry Bar was on my must-do list for a recent business trip…read moreto Madrid. I visited on a rainy Thursday night so there wasn't a large crowd and I grabbed an open seat at the end of the bar. A friendly gentleman gave me a menu and asked what I was interested in. When I mentioned the Old Fashioned, he advised that it was an Amaro-based version without the usual bourbon/whiskey spirit. I noticed a Brooklyn and commented that I sometimes made those at home. Very politely he noted that if I was making them in the US, it wasn't with Amer Picon, which isn't available in the US. He's right. So an actual, real Brooklyn it would be! I thoroughly enjoyed the Brooklyn. I also enjoyed some brief conversation with the bartender who was very good. The kind who uses the spoon or straw to taste each drink to ensure it was made properly. As I was paying my bill and mentioning to the gentleman who initially greeted me that I wanted to bring my business partners here later in the week, he wrote his phone number on a business card and told me to call him in advance as the bar got very busy when it wasn't raining. Turns out, this friendly man is Alberto the owner! Guess I didn't do quite as much research as I could have! I regret we weren't able to make a second visit to 1862 Dry Bar on this particular trip, but it is going to be my first stop next time I'm back in Madrid. Great vibe, excellent staff and a classy and friendly owner.