Sara In-Madrid

New spot to hear the latest Brit pop and party til the sun comes up. It's inside Sala Bogui in Chueca, and the crowd is hip without being pretentious.

etiquetas: chueca , copas , dancing , drinks , nightlife

Croquettes and Celebrities

Javier Bardem, Hollywood's latest It Boy, comes from a very talented family of directors, producers, artists and actors. But what they should be most famous for are their croquettes. That's right, La Bardemcilla, owned by the venerable family, cooks some of the best melt-in-your-mouth, falling-apart-at-the-touch croquettes in Madrid. Aptly named "Jamón, Jamón," a plateful of these will cheer you up on the coldest of Madrid winter days. The cozy place also offers delicious entrees such as Huevos de Oro, scrambled eggs with chorizo and potatoes, and Entre Las Piernas, scrambled eggs with morcilla. The grilled vegetable plate is also scrumptious. On a weekend night, it's best to call ahead for a reservation. The menu del día is a cheaper alternative to enjoy some of their house specialities. Make sure to bring your camera, it's a great place for celebrity spotting!

etiquetas: chueca , croquettes , dinner , menu , restaurant , tapas

Mojitos and Music

You’ll have to fight for them, but if you manage to get one of the sofa-beds that are dotted around Areia, chances are you won’t leave until they’re throwing you out. The best chill-out bar in the city. The bartenders mix a mean mojito, and the DJs play an ecletic mix of sounds to keep you nodding your head all night.

etiquetas: chueca , copas , music , nightlife

Cool sex shop

This is not your ordinary sex shop, with videos and sketchy lighting. This is a high-quality, expensive store to satisfy your every fetish. The shop is divided into two parts, the front shop where all the leatherwear is displayed -- harnesses, thongs, chaps, waistcoats, basques, strait-jackets and masks. There's also lube, gloves, nipple clamps, cock-cylinders, cock rings, handcuffs, whips, suspension wear, dilators, electric cock straps and some rubber pantsleather, rubber, S&M, skin, army and industrial paraphernalia for your viewing and using pleasure. It's cool to go in and look at the quality of the items, I only giggled a few times but immediately put on a straight face so as not to insult Jose, the really cool and chatty owner.

etiquetas: chueca , sex , shops , stores

Not the cheapest bar in town, but certainly less costly than the others in the neighbourhood. Bottled spirits are the real deal, the vibe is urban chic and the surroundings are relaxed, with candlelight and low-fi tunes instead of the often too-cool-for-school pretensions of the barrio at large.

etiquetas: chueca , copas , nightlife

Stock up on Mexican food

For those who think Madrid's fare just isn't spicy enough, stop by this hole-in-the-wall store in Chueca to make your mouth burn. Buy your Mexican speciality salsas to go with your dried chilli peppers. And don’t forget everyone’s favourite beer, known as Coronita in Spain, Corona everywhere else.

etiquetas: chueca , food , mexican , shopping , stores

Great funky house from the Ohm djs, and a fun crowd on the dancefloor. Apparently people have heard about Ohm, and what once was a gay night has been invaded by the heteros.

etiquetas: chueca , copas , dance , music , nightlife

Coffee, DVDs and more

At first, Diurno’s huge windows and white-wall space look far too minimal to promise an interesting café, but the faithful clientele give the place a great, laid-back vibe. There are two areas dedicated to films: the more commercial flicks and new releases on the right as you enter, and a room at the back showcasing the more artsy works of Robert Altman, Woody Allen, Pedro Almodóvar . . . and that’s just a sample of the “A” section. Stick around for an espresso or choose from a great selection of homemade salads and pastas available for take-away.

etiquetas: cafe , chueca , dvds , films , food

DVD Rentals

The reigning maestro of all budding art-house DVD clubs. Its founding store on calle Hortaleza has only been going for three years, but it was the first of its kind and has set the standard in the city. The Malasaña mainstay and its sister store in Ópera serve as off-campus libraries for all Madrid’s film students. Sections are not labelled, but placed below film stills that denote their category. New releases are scattered among the classics and more obscure titles. To join, you must buy a 10-, 25- or 50-film voucher, which you can make go further if you take advantage of their two-for-one offer on selected titles available on Mondays and Tuesdays.

etiquetas: chueca , dvds , films , malasaña , movies

Mmm free food

If you can elbow your way through the crowds to the bar, you’ll find beer or cider for €1.50, immediately followed by a plate of hot tapas: croquettes, patatas bravas and tostadas galore. Amazingly, the bar staff never repeat the dishes that accompany each round.

etiquetas: cheap , chueca , food , nightlife , tapas