Pedro Chicote opened this bar on Gran Via in 1931 and served cocktails to Ava Gardner, Hemingway, Sinatra, and Sophia Loren across four decades. The Art Deco interior — curved bar, geometric mirrors, polished wood, flattering light — survives in a state of preservation that feels less like restoration than like the room simply refused to age. Chicote himself wrote Spain's first cocktail manual and trained bartenders who defined the profession here. The drinks honour that legacy: classical builds served with the formality the room demands. Not the most innovative bar in Madrid, but the most important one.
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A Dry Martini — the drink Chicote built his reputation on, served in a room designed to elevate it. A Gimlet or a Sidecar for the classical programme. The list honours Pedro Chicote's original recipes; order one for historical continuity. Dress to match the room.
Early evening from 8pm when the Art Deco interior catches the lighting at its most flattering. Later the crowd grows and the volume rises. A prime Gran Via location makes it an anchor for any evening in central Madrid.
Gran Via 12. Gran Via metro. Cocktails EUR 14-18. Walk-in; the room is larger than most Madrid cocktail bars. Smart casual — the Art Deco setting demands a minimum of effort. Pedro Chicote's cocktail manual is the founding text of Spanish mixology. Cards accepted.