Where to go out dancing in Madrid
What to order, where to go and the little things worth knowing.
- 01
Teatro Eslava
The former Joy Eslava is now Teatro Eslava: a historic theatre with concerts and ticketed club nights.
OrderA cerveza at the bar between the concert and the dance floor.
- 02
Sala El Sol
A live-music room off Gran Vía since 1979, with gigs and late club sessions on the same calendar.
OrderA cerveza or a copa at the bar during the gig or club session.
- 03
Medias Puri
Underground club beneath the Nuevo Apolo theatre: three rooms, drag, cabaret and chaos until dawn.
OrderA cerveza at the bar, then a place with a view of the performers on a show night.
- 04
Teatro Kapital
A multi-floor nightclub in a former theatre by Atocha, with different rooms and a dress-conscious door.
OrderA cerveza at the bar, then explore the different dance floors.
- 05
Café Central Ateneo
Madrid jazz institution since 1982, now playing at the Ateneo after its 2026 move.
OrderA Gin Fizz or a classic daiquiri while you listen to the set.
- 06
El Penta
La Movida-era rock bar where Malasaña still ends its night: cheap copas, a tiny floor, great songs.
OrderA cubata, with Spanish pop and rock on the sound system.
- 07
Siroco
Concerts and club nights near Conde Duque since 1989, with a basement dance floor and changing line-ups.
OrderA beer at the bar; check whether your event ticket includes a drink.
- 08
Café Ziryab
A 50-seat flamenco tablao in Acacias where cold tapas accompany a very close view of the stage.
OrderTabla mixta de quesos y embutidos ibéricos, gazpacho and a copa de manzanilla Barbadillo.
- 09
Tempo Audiophile Club
Cocktails and careful listening upstairs, live music and DJs downstairs: choose your floor before settling in.
OrderAurora Boreal or Piel Canela, two house cocktails.
- 10
Café La Palma
Madrid's long-running indie concert room: gigs in the back, then DJs until 5 or 6am from Thursday to Saturday.
OrderMojito La Palma with tequila, or Red Alacrán with mezcal and red berries.
- 11
Los Gabrieles
A tiled 1907 tavern, revived in 2026, where a minutejo is reason enough to stop at the bar.
OrderMinutejo de oreja, bocatín de calamares 2.0 and pepito de buey madurado.
- 12
Tablao Flamenco 1911
Flamenco in the tiled former Villa Rosa, founded in 1911, with four evening shows and a drink included.
OrderJamón ibérico de bellota, queso manchego curado and tinto de verano.
- 13
La Giralda
An Andalusian bar for crisp fish, tortillitas and the occasional Friday that turns into flamenco.
OrderTortillitas de camarones, pescadito frito Giralda and salmorejo cordobés.
- 14
Taberna Los Gallos
An entire house off Jorge Juan for terrace lunches that can acquire a very late second act.
OrderChanquetes con huevo y pimientos asados, ensaladilla rusa delux and queso majorero con miel de palma.
- 15
Bodegas Lo Máximo
Boleros, vermut and a neighbourhood crowd give this old bodega plenty of reasons to stay another round.
OrderChile con carne and vermut; on Sunday, paella de pollo y verduras.
- 16
Cardamomo
A small tablao with a changing weekly cast: come for an hour of flamenco, with tapas at your table.
OrderJamón ibérico de bellota, tortilla española con cebolla and queso manchego curado in the Show + Tapas menu.
- 17
Taberna Griega
Moussaka, shared dips and sirtaki: a Greek dinner that can get considerably louder than you planned.
OrderMusaka, tzatziki and souvlaki; a good spread for a table that likes passing plates around.
- 18
El Café de la Ópera
A hotel café opposite the Real where piano jazz turns an early evening snack into a plan.
OrderPalomitas de alcachofa con caramelo salado and ensaladilla Ópera con encurtidos.
- 19
La Carmela
A busy Victoria tavern for torreznos and oxtail, with a flamenco plan waiting downstairs.
OrderTorreznos con mojo verde, croquetas de rabo de toro and callos a la madrileña.
- 20
La Fontana de Oro
An exuberantly decorated Irish pub where live bands, football and very late nights meet beside Sol.
OrderA pinta de Guinness and alitas de pollo con patatas fritas.
- 21
La Negra Tomasa
Cuban cooking and live salsa turn a dinner just behind Sol into a considerably longer evening.
OrderRopa vieja tradicional, lechón asado and a mojito.
- 22
The Irish Rover
A huge Irish pub for Guinness, live bands and the useful ability to feed you after a late finish.
OrderSalchichas irlandesas con patatas, alitas con salsa Irish Rover and a pinta de Guinness.
- 23
Sala Olvido
Usera's gig and club venue: pop-rock bands at weekends, bachata classes midweek.
OrderCerveza or refresco: both are listed as the drink included with concert admission.
- 24
El Despertar
A jazz café that has kept Lavapiés listening since 1981, with cocktails worth staying for after the set.
OrderEl Padrino, with amaretto and Jameson, or the alcohol-free limonada El Despertar.
- 25
Florida Park
Dinner at El Pabellón, then dancing at Florida Park: Retiro has a nightlife of its own.
OrderAt El Pabellón: croquetas de choco, ensaladilla rusa ahumada con huevo y atún rojo, and a Negroni Florida.
- 26
La Coquette
A brick cellar near Ópera where the blues keeps going after your dinner plans have finally finished.
OrderA Martini or a tinto de Ribera del Duero; your drink helps pay for the blues.
- 27
Alabanda
Live blues and Brazilian cooking share this Lavapiés tavern, with the music room behind the bar.
OrderCoxinha de pollo, lasaña de bacalao con verduras and vermut Bendito de grifo.
- 28
El Camoatí
An Argentine bistro where live bandoneón, milanesa and a Fernandito make a fine excuse to linger.
OrderEmpanada fugazzeta, milanesa napolitana and a Fernandito.
- 29
Café Berlín
A serious live-music room near Ópera that hands the night over to DJs after the concerts.
Order1906 Black Coupage or a Negroni.
- 30
Moby Dick
Gigs and late rock nights off Avenida de Brasil, with a burger menu worth arriving hungry for.
OrderMoby Burger, bocata Madrid de rejos and tequeños de maíz y gouda.
- 31
Areia
Hortaleza's tropical cocktail den, where a quesadilla can turn into a late DJ night.
OrderCytrus Punk, Coco Morado and quesadilla de ropa vieja.
- 32
Calle 365
A Puerto Rico-themed cocktail party on Echegaray, built for a group that wants a loud night.
OrderBenito hijo de Benito, El Jíbaro and the tripleta La Mancha de Plátano.
- 33
The Irish Corner
A sprawling Irish pub on Arturo Soria, with gigs, Guinness and a surprisingly Madrid-minded bocata.
OrderIrish Corner Burger, bocata Irish Madrid and a pinta de Guinness.
- 34
Collin's
Irish folk sessions on Sagasta, with O'Hara's on tap and tortilla to keep the pints company.
OrderO'Hara's Irish Red, tortilla de patatas and rosca de jamón y queso.
- 35
Triskel
Irish pints upstairs and live music in La Caverna below, right in the middle of Malasaña.
OrderGuinness, Kilkenny or sidra Strongbow.
- 36
Casa Amante
Velvet, sour cocktails and house DJs on Calle de Santiago, for nights that have no intention of ending early.
OrderAmaretto sour and pisco sour.