Club Soda

Walking down Passeig de Joan de Borbó is usually an exercise in dodging laminated menus and avoiding the siren song of frozen, neon-yellow paella. It’s a gauntlet of tourist traps designed to separate you from your Euros as quickly as possible. But then there’s Club Soda. It sits at the far end of the strip, near the water, looking like a neon-lit fever dream that wandered off a movie set and decided to start serving drinks. It doesn’t pretend to be a traditional Catalan bodega, and thank God for that. We have enough of those. What Club Soda is, is a high-energy, unapologetic cocktail bar and kitchen that understands exactly what it is: a place to lose track of time while the Mediterranean sun dips below the horizon.

The first thing that hits you isn't the smell of salt air—it’s the bass. This place lives and breathes music. Whether it’s a DJ spinning deep house or a curated playlist that makes you want to order a second round before you’ve finished the first, the vibe is curated with surgical precision. The interior is a mix of industrial grit and sleek, modern finishes, bathed in the kind of low, moody lighting that makes everyone look ten percent more interesting. It’s the kind of room where you expect to see a deal being made or a romance being sparked over a glass of something expensive and cold.

Let’s talk about the food, because in a place this 'cool,' the kitchen is often an afterthought. Not here. They’ve leaned into a global street food menu that actually works. The nachos—a dish usually reserved for sports bars and bad decisions—are a legitimate highlight here, piled high and treated with more respect than they probably deserve. Then there are the bao buns and tacos, the kind of fusion finger food that’s designed to be eaten with one hand while the other holds a cocktail. Is it 'authentic' to Barcelona? No. Is it delicious when you’re three drinks deep and the music is peaking? Absolutely. The kitchen isn't trying to reinvent the wheel; they’re just making sure the wheel is well-greased and tastes like lime and chili.

The cocktail program is where the 'Soda' in the name really earns its keep. These aren't your standard beach-side mojitos made with bottom-shelf rum and wilted mint. These are balanced, thoughtful drinks. They take their spirits seriously, and the bartenders know how to handle a shaker. Whether you’re going for one of their signature house creations or a classic twist, the quality is a sharp departure from the sugary sludge being served five doors down. It’s a place for people who actually like the taste of gin, mezcal, and vermouth.

Is it perfect? Of course not. The service can be 'Barceloneta-paced'—which is to say, they’ll get to you when they get to you, especially when the room is packed and the DJ is hitting their stride. It can get loud, and if you’re looking for a quiet spot to read a book, you’ve made a terrible mistake. But if you want to feel the pulse of the city’s modern, international side—the side that isn't obsessed with the 19th century—this is where you land. It’s a slice of the new Barcelona: global, loud, stylish, and just a little bit dangerous for your liver. It’s a reminder that even in the most tourist-heavy parts of town, you can still find a corner that feels like it belongs to the people who actually live here and like to party.