El Imperfecto

A cute little spot that advertises 5€ mojitos!
My friend and I stopped in on a Tuesday night. It wasn't busy at all. We got seats at the bar right away. We just wanted to try a mojito. The bartender made them for us quickly. They were good, but not the best I've ever had. Oh well!
I would stop by again if I was in the area!
(I went here ~pre-quarantine~ so I'm not sure if this will apply after.)

El Imperfecto's mojito has apparently won accolades as the best in Madrid. Never one to accept someone else's word for it, I had to give it a try.

The good news is, this was in fact an excellent mojito! Please note the bar offers two different mojitos. The one simply called "mojito" is a traditional version of the drink, and while it is good, it is not as good as "El Mojito Imperfecto." El Mojito Imperfecto is made with rum añejo (dark) and brown sugar instead of light rum and white sugar. As a result it has a delicious, rich, sweet taste. I will definitely experiment with different rums and sweeteners at home after tasting this drink.

I also liked the laid back atmosphere and eclectic decor at El Imperfecto. The small bar is festooned with vintage posters and photographs, models and toys, and fun strings of lights. When I went, they also played classic rock albums (The Doors one night). If you're lucky enough to get one of the three outdoor seats in the courtyard, there is live music outdoors in that area and good people watching.

My only criticism of El Imperfecto is that they don't offer any bar munchies beyond complimentary rice chips or popcorn. With such potent drinks, it would be nice to have a little food at hand.

This place is seriously legit. Locals only bar I wouldn't have found without someone who lived here.

Watch out for the "gringo tax!" Prices go up if you pull out a camera.

Very nice and original café, with a pretty good selection of cocktails, shakes and speciality coffees and teas. I came here in the late afternoon, which in Madrid means around 6.30pm. It's the first café/bar I visit in Barrio de las Letras and it's been very promising as starter of my life in Madrid. The decor is quite charming, staff seemed quite nice and I'm sure it's must be full of life in the evenings. I tried the Hierbabuena tea (green tea with plenty of brown sugar and spearmint leaves), a bit unfortunate and precipitated choice because I didn't like it too much. It was my fault and I can tell that the drink was very well made. I'll definitely come back and have a try at one of their non-alcoholic cocktails or coffees. UPDATE:
I came back and had their mojito imperfecto, soooo good!! My boyfriend had mojito chiuaua, a mojito made with tequila instead of rum, and super tasty as well. I'll keep coming back!

This place is a mix of magic and mayhem and it's absolutely one of my favorite places in Madrid. The lights and the music compliment the weird decorations in a way that makes all of the randomness have purpose. Such a great little hole in the wall! Drinks are great too! I like the sangria but I ask for no sugar. All in all...AMAZING!

What a sweet little spot.

Completely inconspicuous from the outside, entering El Imperfecto is like being smacked in the face with a cross between Las Vegas and Lapland, on acid. You are hit with colour, textures and random objects galore.

For example, I can recount chandeliers, action men, globes of the world, movie posters, furry walls, up-lighting, down-lighting, across-lighting, all around crazy lighting.

The place was pretty jammed when we arrived, so we stood at the bar waiting for some room to come up, which it readily did. I got to sit in the window seat underneath the birdcage and fairy lights - quite the treat.

I have to say I really enjoyed this place. It gives off a feeling of having found something secret and clandestine, without being pretentious or uncomfortable.

Re. the mojitos - not so sure. A tad too sugary for me, but nice generous measures, so I won't complain too much!

Bar prices are great as well, but then they are in most places in Madrid.

I wouldn't say service was the friendliest, but, again, that doesn't seem to be a priority in Madrid.

Either way, go, see, do, drink!

Cute creative tea/cocktail bar. Great vibe to walk in and have a drink. Service was welcoming & the music along with the decor was retro. They have yummy muffins which the drizzle with chocolate & whip cream! I tried the yogurt muffin which was delicious & not overly sweet.

A funky place for cheap wine and beer, though they are more focused on cocktails. It reminded me of some Philadelphia bars.

The James Dean poster that women had left their lipstick kisses on was funny. Staff was very friendly, and apologetic as they attempted to move through the crowded room to get people their drinks. I could see myself spending a lot of time in a bar like this.

Had my Madrileño friend not opened the door to this well-camouflaged bar, I might never have noticed it. Inside is a grungy, "punk" -- that is, James Dean posters and something sounding like Green Day playing over the speakers, and hip lounge, decorated with bright Christmas lights everywhere.

Drinks wise, not bad. Having tried their sangria, tinto de verano, and their "Mojito Imperfecto," made with brown sugar, I have to say that while the flavors were all there, the drinks were a bit on the sweet side.

Service was fast, bathrooms were clean. Overall, not a bad place to begin the night (before proceeding to Dubliners down by Puerta del Sol, of course).

This place is amazing, like walking into an I Spy book. The drinks are pretty inexpensive and the bartenders are so friendly. 100% Recommend.