The Best Low-budget Local Bars in Barcelona

The word ‘dive bar’ springs to mind when thinking of this unfussy locale situated just round the corner from the Portal de l’Angel, Barcelona’s busy high street. A few faded posters stick to the wall behind the old marble-top bar where you’ll see little more than beer and the odd carajillo – coffee with a dash of booze – pass through the hands of the barman. Don’t expect a gushing welcome or any pomp but if you’re looking for a quiet spot to read a book or catch up with a friend, then El Pinar manages to be oddly appealing in its simplicity.

Bros Bar is tucked away on a bustling but charming square located a stone’s throw from La Rambla in El Raval. The bar boasts about three bar stools and a handful of tables on the shady outdoor terrace overlooking the square. Open from morning until late at night, Bros Bar is the perfect place to find some respite from the crowds and grab a beer in the afternoon. In the evenings the atmosphere picks up a little and it’s a popular spot for a cheap and cheerful cocktail or nightcap on the way home.

Located in the backstreets of Poble Sec, Sofrito is a fun locals’ bar offering South American inspired tapas and a selection of craft beers, local wines and cocktails at affordable prices. Open only in the evenings, there are regular live music performances at the weekends with Latin, reggae, hip-hop and more, as well as DJ sets. Bottles of local craft beer start from just €3.60 and there’s a selection of exotic and classic cocktails from just €5. This is a funky place for a night out, away from the typical tourist trail and in one of Barcelona’s most up and coming neighbourhoods.

There’s a persistent rumour in Barcelona that Mariatchi is run by the French/Spanish ska artist Manu Chao and indeed the atmosphere is very much in keeping with the musician’s free spirit. The bar’s tagline is ‘bad parties, worse hangovers’ and back in the day when it was one of the city’s first clandestine bars it wasn’t uncommon for local musicians to turn up for an impromptu jam session. These days the place is a lot more tame but is still good fun and something of its original spirit still lives on.

Located on a side street in El Raval, not far from Joaquin Costa, Bar Resolis is a reliably affordable bar with a surprisingly good food offering as well. The bar’s exterior and interior seem to have hardly changed since days gone by and the marble-top tables add to the feeling you could be in a turn-of-the-century café – except for the music. The tapas are all homemade and tend to differ from your usual Spanish dishes but you’re just as welcome to spend all evening nursing a bottle of house wine – the friendly staff won’t bat an eyelid.

Open only in the evenings, Bar Olimpic is one of the places that make Joaquin Costa street’s nightlife as notoriously good fun as it is. A small bar with a retro feel to it – only added to by the projections of 90s video games on the back wall – the service is friendly, the drinks are cheap and the atmosphere is generally buzzing. A bottle of Moritz beer will cost you from as little as €1.50 and a mojito or frozen margarita – we said it was retro – will set you back just €3.50. Dangerously affordable.

Named after the Parisian metro station, this brightly coloured Gràcia bar makes for a fun night out in one of the city’s most popular neighbourhoods. The cozy locale soon fills up at weekends when locals come here for reasonably priced cocktails and upbeat music. There’s a selection of equally affordable snacks and warm sandwiches starting from €5. Watch out for live music and themed events at the weekends, the bar staff love to dress up here.