The grubby upstairs bar is a hit with cocky latino rent boys and their older prospective patrons and plays host to some of the best cabaret shows in town....
C/Libertad 34Known as Jazzanova until recently, Castellana 8 remains a supremely smooth bar-restaurant-club, its black walls softened by clever uplighting, orange velvet...
Paseo de la Castellana 8The flyers let you know what you're in for - an elegant figure reclines against a backdrop of flock wallpaper in a juxtaposition of the übertrendy and the...
C/Ballesta 7
Epitomising Lavapiés - a bohemian, cool and laidback hangout for those who like the tempo of their evening to be energetic but not too frenetic. The bare...
C/Lavapiés 37Spacious, friendly and soothingly decorated, this is an oasis of calm in the desert storm of Madrid's nightlife. With a café-style air, the easygoing crowd...
C/Minas 1
To call this music joint and club 'no-frills' is an understatement - as its faded yellow walls and middle-aged bar staff attest. However, as anyone knows,...
C/Jardines 3An unprepossessing and easily missed little hideaway, Kappa is amiable and intimate and, despite its complete lack of decor, somehow cosy. This chameleon of...
C/Olmo 26
Now with a sister bar in C/Hortaleza, La Lupe is a microcosm of everything that makes Madrid the city it is. The signs on the walls say it all, from the...
C/Torrecilla del Leal 12
You might not know the place's name, but if you've been in Madrid a while, you're sure to have been here at least once. Lounge on full-length floor cushions...
C/Olmo 31
A cool, happening place in which to see and be seen, with a contemporary, minimalist interior, lit up with megascreens showing the latest dance music...
C/Barquillo 8The decor at Olivia is nothing to write home about but this small and chatty den is chock-a-block with lipstick lesbians. Members of staff are approachable...
C/San Bartolomé 16
Catering for the overflow from nearby Why Not?, this big, brash, fun discobar gets packed with a young, mixed crowd who dance the night away to an eclectic...
C/Barbieri 7Smoke? More like the whiff of diesel. This is not one for the lipstick lesbian. Nonetheless, it's a really friendly, relaxed crowd, amid the faded glamour...
C/San Bartolomé 11A very cool little lounge that's perfect for a mid-week drink or as a stop on your weekend tour of the town. Very much part of the hip scene around...
C/Hortaleza 96The sister venue of El No.1. Pay careful attention to the names: if you visit them in that suggested order, you'll find yourself nicely warmed up and all...
C/Pez 16