Are you looking for the best bars to go to as a student in Barcelona? We’ve compiled a running list of the best student bars in the city.
While we would love for you to come to CocoVail all day, every day, it is important to check out various places while you are here. There are many different atmospheres, environments, and general vibes to experience all over the city. To put things into perspective, there are over 8,000 restaurants in Barcelona and probably well over 15,000 bars in the city. You won’t have time to check out all of these places, so we’ve made it easy for you to pick a few places to check out during your time here.
The nice thing is that the bars we’ve selected are relatively close to one another. You could even do a mini-bar crawl of these bars one day / night. We obviously put ourselves on the list, but these other spots are great. We’ve had the chance to check them out over the years and recommend them.
Without further intro, here’s our list of the 6 best student bars in Barcelona.
McCarthy’s Bar
Location:C/ Via Laietana, 44, 08003 Barcelona
McCarthy’s is a very traditional Irish bar that is definitely the craic! They have drink specials that are more ideal for your wallet than your liver. All jokes aside, it is a great place to go with a wonderful cast of characters that will welcome you any time you are there. Check it out sometime, 100%.
According to Google:McCarthy’s Bar is a “popular Irish pub for mojitos, beers & bar food, as well as televised soccer matches.”
Dow Jones Bar
Location:C/ del Bruc, 97, 08009 Barcelona
Dow Jones Bar is a classic bar in Barcelona. They have a fun gamification element to their establishment with the active “stock market” for drink prices. Basically, the more a particular drink is ordered, the more it costs, as demand drives the value. Every once in a while the stock market crashes, and prices drop tremendously. That’s your time to hustle for a drink, but be quick, as people are eager to take advantage of the deals.
According to Google:Dow Jones Bar is a “quirky bar serving cocktails & pizza, with fluctuating prices based on supply & demand.”
The George Payne Irish Pub
Location:Pl d’Urquinaona, 5, 08010 Barcelona
The George Payne is a massive bar in Plaça Urquinaona (one block away from Plaça Catalunya). They have events during the week that vary, and they also show many sports matches throughout the year. When we went they had a “blackout tray” that is basically an array of different shots, cocktails, etc to do precisely what the tray is called. It’s certainly a place to check out and go with a group, as they have a lot of space and bars to place your orders and have a great time.
According to their website:The George Payne is a “huge sports bar & party bar! The home of fun in Barcelona!”
Belushi’s Barcelona
Location:C/ de Bergara, 3, 08002 Barcelona
Belushi’s Barcelona is right off of Plaça Catalunya, so it couldn’t be more centric. It also has a big venue with a few bars to place your orders. They have several drink deals throughout the week, and they show sports year round. More specifically, they put on big games on a massive projector, so you can’t miss a beat. When we visited there were even people playing beer pong, which may be the case when you go by to check it out.
According to Google:Belushi’s Barcelona is an “informal chain bar with TV sport and live entertainment, plus a burger menu and global comfort food.”
Nevermind
Location:C/ dels Tallers, 68, 08001 Barcelona
Of the bars on this list, Nevermind may be the most unique. It is literally a skate park. Well, they have one area that is skater-friendly, but the decor is all over the place and very true to the grunge / skater style. This bar is very close to Plaça Catalunya as well, but heading more into the Raval neighborhood. This is a great bar to go to for a quick pre-game prior to going out for a night on the town, or a night cap. It’s definitely worth going to at least once just to absorb the overall feel.
According to their Facebook:Nevermind Bar is “grunge music, skateboards, videos, shooters, frosty beer and good vibes. Come As You Are. Nevermind.”
L’Ovella Negra Ramblas
Location:C/ de les Sitges, 5, 08001 Barcelona
The last of the bars not named CocoVail on this list is L’Ovella Negra. We are not entirely sure about this, but it may be the oldest bar on the list, and possible among the older bars in the city. It’s an old-school tavern with big, communal tables. They have popcorn, they have classical tapas, big beers to share, etc. It’s a great place to go with a group and also very close to Plaça Catalunya. We highly recommend going here, and going a bit earlier, as a line tends to form later in the evening.
According to Google:L’Ovella Negra is an “unfussy, long-standing gathering place dishing up bar bites & drinks in a rollicking atmosphere.”
CocoVail
Location:C/ d’Aragó, 284, 08009 Barcelona
Last, but not least, we are going to mention ourselves. We not only show college sports throughout the year, but we also have a nice deal on Tuesday evenings for College Tuesday. You can get 2 euro shots, 4 euro mixed drinks, or 11 euro pitchers of lager or sangria from 11 pm to 2 am. We also have huge, communal tables to be with a big group and have a selection of board games to play while you are enjoying food and beverages here.
According to Google:CocoVail is a “lively warehouse-style bar offering chicken wings, burgers & happy hour specials, plus board games.”
We know you have a lot of choices around the city to choose from, and we strongly recommend going to different spots to check out the atmosphere and style of each place. There are surely a few places that will be right up your alley and you’ll be sure to have a great time with your friends.
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