Opium Mar. Opium is located on Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta and one of my favorite places to go out at night. One of the downsides is that Opium is ´promoted´on Thursdays and I am usually traveling Thursdays, however, when I do get to go to Opium, I always have the best time. In fact, I was able to celebrate my 21st birthday at Opium with all of my friends and even my mom came for a little bit too! Opium has a great dance floor and are always having DJ´s performing. The music is great and one can easily stay at Opium until 7am. What is nice about Opium, is if you need a little break from dancing, there is a lounge outside that allows you to sit and regain your strength for the next round of dancing. During the day, you can enjoy lunch outside and while I have not eaten lunch there, I have had friends who did and enjoyed their meals.
Chupitos. Chupitos has two locations in Barcelona, one by the port and the other on Calle Aribau. Chupitos is very small inside, but a fun place to take people who are visiting or just a fun place to go before the clubs. Chupitos means shots, and there are over 100 shots in the bar. Word of advice, do not order the Monica Lewinsky shot! But, do order the Boy Scout shot. You roast a marshmellow over the flames on the bar and then take the shot. A lot of the shots are very sweet, so choose your shots wisely. The Bob Marley shot is good too and it looks cool! Look at the pictures!
Drinks at Bankers Bar at the Mandarin Oriental. My mom and grandma stayed at the Mandarin Oriental when they visited and before dinner we would get drinks at the Bankers Bar in the Mandarin Oriental hotel. The Bankers Bar is stylish and trendy with its walls and ceilings being covered by old bankers vault drawers. The space was a bank in the 20th century, which is why the room is decorated with security boxes in a steel construction. The decor of the bar is fabulous and the selection of drinks is great for a pre-drink before dinner. The menu also allows you to pick a variety a little bite size portions before dinner. If you are looking for a stylish, seen and be seen spot, try the Bankers Bar.
*image taken from Google Images
Agua. If you are here in the summer time and are looking for a restaurant by the water, then I would suggest Agua. Agua is located right near CDLC, Opium, Shoko on Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta. What is nice about Agua is you can sit outside by the beach or inside. It is owned by Grupo Tragaluz who owns Bar Lobo, Mordisco, CDLC, and many more restaurants. Agua has similar tapa size portions to Bar Lobo & Mordisco as starters, but great main courses. I particular like their vegetables with wild rice and their rocket salad with paramesean and balsamic is great too. It is good for lunch outside or dinner even if it is a bit cooler. I think that if you are here when it is warm out, then it would be nice to sit outside and enjoy the view.
*image taken from google images
Nuba. Nuba is a new restaurant located on Calle Doctor Fleming in the Sant Gervasi neighborhood. I got this recomendation from the Mandarin Oriental when my mom was here. We asked for a new, trendy restaurant, and that is what we got. Besides the food being good, the atmosphere in the restaurant is beautiful. A little bit dark, with beautiful lights and designs, Nuba is great. The walk up to the restaurant, in the hidden area, leaves you thinking what am I walking into...but once you walk in, you feel like you could be walking into a restaurant in Paris or New York City. The restaurant also poses as a nightclub. The food is great and my suggestions are the avocado and artichoke salad and then the chicken paillard. If you like seafood, then the lobster risotto is great or the manchego risotto is a fancy version of mac&cheese. Do not forget about ordering a drink at the restaurant, as their bar is beautifully located in the front as you walk into the restaurant. Definitely a pricey restaurant, so take your parents when they visit!
*Nuba image taken from google.com
Bo de B. If you have any guide to Barcelona from an American, Bo de B will 100% be on that guide, so I thought, why not add it to mine too. Bo de B is located on Calle Fusteria, 14 and literally a hole in the wall. It is a little lunch spot, but definitely come with a big appetite. This hole-in-the-wall offers fresh sandwiches with a selection of sauces. The secret to its success is in its sauce, so make sure to get all of the sauces, and then ask for balsamic glaze on top. They know you are American when you ask for the balsamic glaze on top. My favorite is the salad plate with feta cheese and then all of the dressings. If you are with people, definitely order the patatas bravas as they are hot potatoes with all of the dressings. What is nice about Bo de B is they allow you to take out or eat at one of the three tables in the whole restaurant. One thing to note, the restaurant opens at 1 and closes late afternoon. No matter what time of the day you go, there will always be a line around the corner. So be patient, and please wait because it is definitely worth it.
Restaurante 7 Portes. If your parents are in town and you want paella, then I do not know what else I would suggest. 7 Portes is located on Passeig d'Isabel II, 14 and right near the port. 7 Portes got its start in 1836, when Josep Xifre i Cases built the restaurant. It had seven doors that was opened to the public and a special eigth door for staff. For more than 170 years, 7 Portes has been a staple in Catalan culture. In the 1920´s, the spot was famous for journalists, politicians, and artists and you could spot anyone there. The appetizers are great, especially if you enjoy seafood. For dinner, I suggest any of the paella´s. Be careful, the paellas are huge and two people can definitely split one order.
*image taken from Google Images
