Betty Ford's Bar / Burger Joint

El Raval, Barcelona –

Burgers and booze unite at Betty Ford’s, a popular late-night haunt named for a former First Lady who – let’s face it – knew a thing or two about tying one on.

Ms. Ford was instrumental in launching the famous treatment centers that bear her name, an irony not missed by the regular crowd of hip twenty-somethings who consider the tiny joint a retreat for tasty cocktails.

Owned by an Australian, the venue attracts its share of rowdy Aussies looking to sling Cooper’s AIe as they barhop down Joaquín Costa, but tatted art students, plaid-clad designers, and local skateboarders usually dominate the evening’s roll call.

A soundtrack of funky soul takes a backseat to conversation as patrons pack in at small mismatched tables and the handful of larger benches to sip daiquiris and other powerful fruity mixes. And if conversation ever gets stunted, a kitschy surf mural and scattered vintage art including a painting of a hotel tryst involving the maid and an electric shaver make for inspiring fodder as guests wait for their plates.

Six burgers keep appetites in check, from the bare-bones Classic to the blue cheese-laden Galaxy, so groups of creative friends can settle in on overstuffed armchairs and stuff their faces as vintage films and surf videos project against the wall.

It’s not unusual for the kitchen to run empty on a busy weekend night, but with its festive yet relaxed vibe and tidy selection of drinks, Betty Ford’s can be everyone’s BFF for at least one round.