It looks like a crappy bar at first sight and it has very few tables but oh sweet Lord!! Try the garlicky boletus topped with a fried egg. They have a short list of wines but well selected. They have all varieties of mushrooms, wild fungus and amazing steak from the north part of Spain (Galicia). Many of the wild fungus are picked by the owners at weekends in Madrid’s surrounding mountains.

They don’t have deserts but you will be so full from the main courses that you will forget about them!

It is worth to eat there but after the diner wash all your clothes and yourself too because you will smell as if you have been cooked too!!

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Cisne Azul | Restaurants (Muchrooms) | Meal € 35.00
Calle de Gravina, 19 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915213799
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 16:00 & 20:00 – 00:30

It is just a great place where you can find different kind of people. Actually it is quite eclectic, great for weekends; you can spend hours in the terrace (even in winter!) reading the newspaper enjoying breakfast if you consider breakfast as Spaniards do (usually coffee or tea with whatever “tapa” you can find) until late in the afternoon if you find a table because it is usually quite crowded!

There are concerts the last Thursdays of every month and DJ’s sessions the first Sundays of the month. Sometimes there are photo exhibits as well as paintings exhibits. The food is good and drinks are good and the cocktails are great. You can have the typical “pomada” of the Balearic Islands (popular drink made out of gin and lemon), but also “mojito” or caipirinha.

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Café Mahón | Bars, Music, Snacks | Meal € 15.00
Plaza Dos de Mayo, 4 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915324756
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 01:30, Fri – Sun 12:00 – 03:00

Just the place to go to have great cocktails and cool music! You can find many different types of people, from Cirque du Soleil actors to writers.

You can grab a bite while listening how the DJ Jaimote puts a record on… The “croquetas” are really yummy, you can have meals or grab a bite if you want.

The place is great to have an after work or after dinner drink, especially a mojito or a glass of champagne, and to enjoy a relaxing conversation with good music.

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La Turba | Bars, Music, Snacks | Menu € 14.00
C/ del Conde de Xiquena, 3 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915221813
Mon – Fri 13:00 – 02:00, Sat 19:00 – 02:30

Chocolate lovers will have a place to go to have the Spanish hot chocolate, much thicker than in other countries…but so tasty!

The establishment uses only the finest cacao available, a mind-boggling selection of sweetmeats is categorized into “collections”: “flowers and herbs,” “liquors and digestives,” “gastronomic innovations,” and “spices of the Americas” to name just a few.

Aside from the coffee you have a store that sells all kinds of products made out of the best chocolate you can find… People who suffer from diabetes can also enjoy some sugar-free products as well. They have new varieties of chocolates which have weird flavours!

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Cacao Sampaka | Coffee & tea | Hot chocolate € 4.00
C/ Orellana, 4 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34913195840
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 14:00 & 15:30 – 21:00

The city of Madrid has lots of stores and places to shop but this sweet independent one in particular is simply great, you can find clothes for men and women from a whole range of designers at an affordable price personally selected by the owners who are charming.

Immediately when you walk into the store you notice all of the fine details that make Bunkha a great spot. The sense of style of the owners is obviously fantastic and you feel they cherish their store. Attention to the atmosphere is rendered with care. Working your way through clothes and accessories can easily become a pleasant experience.

You will find groovy garments with personality. It is a delightful mix of cutting edge clothing, shoes and jewelery from worldwide brands at the crossroads of Plaza de San Ildefonso and Fuencarral in a little but very cute street. It’s worth more than a visit indeed!!

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Bunkha | Shopping | Dress € 170
Santa Bárbara 6 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915220950
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 15:00 & 17:00 – 21:00

We though it was never going to open again, but it finally did in the center of Chueca…..the “Mercado de San Antón” where you can shop for groceries get a bite to eat too. It is similar to the one in San Miguel Square (check the Mercado San Miguel article) but with a terrace and free parking!!

On the first floor you can buy organic food and various groceries (the burgers from Nostra are spectacular!), whereas the second and third ones are reserved to eat and grab a bite. It is nice to see they have taken sustainability seriously during the renovation, by adding solar panels.

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San Anton Market | Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants
Augusto Figueroa 24 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34913300299
10:00 – 00:00 daily

Breakfasts, meals, snacks, dinner, dance…… you can almost spend the day at Lolina’s….just in front of Home Burger (check the Home Burger Bar article).

The place has WIFI and you can spend hours surfing the net with a great cup of a wide variety of teas and an AMAZING cheesecake…. You are allowed to take your dog, which is not very common in Madrid (the city is not very dog friendly!). The place is decorated with vintage furniture and it is very cosy. You have also WIFI.

Downstairs you can celebrate the “guateques” (common Spanish word for a 60s and 70s party). 

The place has become quite popular and is packed on weekends.

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Lolina | Bars, Music | Breakfast € 4.00
C/ Espíritu Santo, 9 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34667201169
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 01:00, Sat 10:00 – 02:00

Even though I am not very fan of take away shops, I have to recognize that I love this place! It’s a piece of Mexico in Madrid. You can choose among their chicken wings, nuggets or guacamole with jalapenos. There are delicious burritos and tacos for just 1,50 euros each. Really cheap!

The place is very small but it is quite tempting if you are wondering around and start being hungry. Do not miss it!

Take Mexico home and keep enjoying Madrid!

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La rancherita | Snacks | Burrito & drink € 5.00
Calle Hortaleza, 47 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34649494564
Mon – Wed 12:30 – 01:00, Thu – Sun 12:30 – 02:00

This historical place, founded in 1917, is one of the most traditional bars in the city. Their specialties go from pickled anchovies to any type of preserved food; vinegars and delicious tapas. You can also try the best handmade vermut from Reus, the genuine specialty of the bar.

Antigua Casa Ángel Sierra is located in the heart of the gay neighborhood, just in the main square, so it is impossible to miss it.

Most probably, when you get there, there will be a lot of people standing outside. It is part of the tradition. The bar is so small that people prefer to stand in the pavement with their drinks and food over a chat.

At the beginning it could be a little shocking, as you would think this is the entrance of a concert or that something big is going on. I am just warning you!!

There are no seats available but I think this is part of the beauty of the venue. So get ready for tasting new flavours and traditional specialties for a good price.

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Antigua Casa Ángel Sierra | Bars | Double beer € 1.90
Gravina 11 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915310126
12:30 – 01:00 daily

More than just a cafe, this old staple of Madrid is a music and poetry venue. Almost every famous songwriter, musician, and poet has passed through this decadent and charming hangout.

It´s actually one of my favourites because every time I go, it reminds me all its history. The building started as a cow house, then it changed into a wine house and used to be the place where Journalists and writers gathered.

From 1975, it is a cafe. It has an “L” shape so when you first enter there´s a bar and, if you walk further, you´ll find a small stage for the shows. On this stage there is still a real “pianola” dated from the beginning of the last century. And it works!

Most of the very popular Spanish singer-songwriters as Pedro Guerra, Rosana, Tontxu or Kiko Tovar started here. Nowadays, it´s a very well known cafe in Spain and Latin America. Not only that: right now you can enjoy storytelling for adults, photography and painting exhibitions or poetry reading, as the selection varies depending on the day. Its owner, Ricardo del Olmo, is promoting new talents and wants to consider this place as a cultural reference. I think he´s doing a great job!

Café Libertad 8 is located close to a lot of bars, in the Chueca district, so it could be the beginning of a long night out in the city! Enjoy!

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Libertad 8 | Art & culture, Bars, Music
C/ Libertad 8 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915321150
Mon – Fri 17:00 – 02:30, Sat 18:00 – 03:00, Sun 15:00 – 00:30