Bar Cock

The 24 Best Things to Do in Madrid, Spain

"A storied cocktail bar in operation since 1921, characterized by low‑lit wood‑paneled interiors and classic service; it remained open through the Civil War and has hosted cultural figures from Francis Bacon to Pedro Almodóvar—an institution for a perfectly crafted G&T in a historic setting." - Siobhan Reid Siobhan Reid Siobhan Reid is an NYC-based writer, editor, and copywriter. She is currently the editor-in-residence at The Vintner Project and was previously an editor at Travel + Leisure, covering culture, design, style, and wellness. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

"Opened in 1921 (and astonishingly, consistently open throughout the Civil War), Bar Cock is one of the oldest in the city. In the '70s, it was famously a hangout for Madrid's creatives, and today, if you can get past the name, it's a perfectly cozy place to tuck into a gin cocktail surrounded by dim lighting and a generally chill vibe. It never gets too rowdy here, making it the ideal meeting spot for old friends and for having the kind of mellow conversation you can enjoy without yelling."

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"Forget pyrotechnics, dry ice, and other newfangled cocktail trends—the old-timers behind this bar probably don't know what "mixology" means, even if it's their full-time job. But madre mía, they sure know how to make a mean martini. (After all, this iconic coctelería, opened in 1921, has shaken martinis and stirred old-fashioneds for the likes of Frank Sinatra and Pedro Almodóvar.) Order any of the classics, like gimlets, margaritas, Spanish-style gin and tonics, and you can't go wrong." - Benjamin Kemper