Ideal Cocktail Bar

Address: Carrer Aribau 89, (at Carrer de Mallorca), Barcelona, Catalonia, 08036, Spain
Tel: +34 93 453 1028
Website: view Ideal Cocktail Bar’s website
Door: Open door
Style: Lounge bar
Food: Bar Snacks
Established: 1931

Review

This classic cocktail bar opened in 1931 and apart from the tall modern refrigerator holding 74 different gins and vodkas. Little has changed in this classically furnished museum piece of a bar.

Antonio Gotarda, grandfather of current owner, José María Gotarda, founded Ideal taking his inspiration for its design from the best bars in London to this day it remains very English in style, with mahogany panelling and red upholstered armchairs. Look closely and you will see the many original paintings hanging on the wall are not only by renowned artists, but also depict the bar itself.

Ideal has a piper for its logo, fitting as its shelves boast over sixty different malt whiskies, plus an excellent array of premium rums, cognacs and vodkas.

Ideal is down the road from Dry Martini and has a similar reassuringly 'lost in time' feel with José resplendent in a white jacket. It is considerably smaller and lacks the pizazz of its better known rival but the cocktails and service are every bit as good.