Barcelona's Independent Review Website

Petit Apolo
Click here to view map Handily located next to its nightclub namesake, Petit Apolo is much more than your average Catalan cerveseria. Sure it sells tasty bocadillos and unremarkable tapas and yes it is just on the side of being a little bit too bright but where else can you be your own barman for the night and compete with random strangers in an endless hedonistic drinking game? It’s true it may not be the most stylish bar in Barca, there may be no funky light features or cool music playing – though at the very least the red brick interior is a hell of a lot smarter and cleaner than most local style bars – but Petit Apolo has something much more remarkable; an abundance of fun. You sit at one of ten fixed wooden benches each with its own Estrella Damm serving beer tap from which you can take your fill for the evening. The amount you are drinking is displayed on several LCD screens located around the room so that you can watch how your table is faring against the competition. To really give yourself an advantage in the melee turn up with plenty of friends and claim the large table by the bar, it’s incredible the ego boost you can get just from winning an unfair competition. It is especially fun when another table eyes you as a threat and you suddenly find yourself competing in a two way drink off for the evening’s crown. Of course if you ignore the screens the competition is irrelevant and you can enjoy the simple novelty of pouring your own beers and not having to wait around for those inevitably slow Spanish waiters. A couple of tips: Don’t overdo it, regardless of just how close you are to winning. A friend of mine got so caught up in the pursuit of the title, that she regurgitated the half pint she had just drunk – sure-fire disqualification in my book. Also, to avoid to much froth on your beer – perhaps stating the obvious – hold the glass at an angle and, most importantly, open the tap a full ninety degrees. A great atmosphere, excellent (self)-service and endless enjoyment. Cheers.

Address:

Carrer de Vilà i Vilà, 62 08004

Area:

Raval

Nearest Metro:

Parallel

Bar type:

General
Pub
Tapas

Opening times:

Happy hour:

Drink prices:

Beer: €6 per litre
Wine: €1.10

Food served:

Yes

Music played: