Bar Rufián, Barcelona

About Bar Rufián

Bar Rufián sits on Carrer Nou de la Rambla in Poble-sec, near the Paral·lel clubs, and it's a neighborhood bar that became a queer-friendly fixture under its current owners — high ceilings, reclaimed furniture, house-brewed beers (the black-and-tan "Rufián," the roasty "Surrealista") and tapas, with a rainbow sticker on the door. It runs drag bingo nights and hosts pre-parties before queer events down the street at Apolo and Plataforma. This is the alternative, low-glamour end of the scene: electronic-leaning music, an arty mixed crowd, no dress code and no pretension. Worth the walk from Gayxample if you'd rather drink somewhere with character than somewhere with a drag stage, and a natural warm-up before a club night on Paral·lel.