– Hey! What should we do tonight?

– Let’s go for a pastrami sandwich!

Sorry, say what? Pastrami? That doesn’t sound really exciting for a Saturday night, does it ? Well, it depends. If you were in Barcelona and someone suggested this rather curious idea for a night out, I’d say: SAY YES!

In the festive El Born district, a bar has recently opened, hidden behind the back wall of a pastrami sandwich bar. Three hints give out its existence (well, besides the address on its Facebook page and shared at the end of this post): the signage above the entrance to Pastrami bar, the loud music you can hear upon entering and, finally, the small opening in the back wall through which you can see the bartenders at work.

Unless you arrive early, you’ll probably have to wait to gain entry into Paradise Paradiso. In that case, grab a stool and indulge in a last sin, i.e. gluttony, by having a pastrami or duck fillet sandwich.

Once you turn comes to enter the bar, the fridge’s door will open. Yes, the fridge’s door, you’ve read correctly. Step inside and revel in the change of scenery!

The bar is divided into three spaces. You can either sit at the bar and admire the wooden bar and the bartenders at work, stand in the middle “room” – eventually sitting on a mechanical bull – or get a table in the back.

Nicely settled? Now it’s time to order your drink! Paradiso offers an extensive choice of cocktails, wine and spirits. The recipes are original and so is the glassware! The stars beneath the glass images indicate the strength of the drink.

On the night I went, the music playing was a good mix of EDM, ideal to get those feet moving!

Last mystery of the evening: a large group of people suddenly disappeared inside the seemingly dysfunctional employee bathroom…Upon inspection, where the soap dispenser should be, there is an electronic lock instead. A secret room inside a secret bar? Yup! You can hire it for private parties. Unfortunately my friends and I couldn’t crash the party that night to have a peek at the hidden room. Maybe we’ll be more lucky on a next visit!