Bar Imperi
Ciutadella
Bar in Ciutadella, Spain
Book with PearlThe Read
Price
$10–20per person
Why go
Bar Imperi holds one of the best terrace positions in Ciutadella: Plaça des Born, right in front of the old town's centrepiece square. Easy walk-in access makes it a reliable stop for early evening drinks. If you've been once, go back for the pre-sunset window and actually order the food this time. See our <a href="https://joinpearl.co/bars/ciutadella">full Ciutadella bars guide</a> for alternatives.
About Bar Imperi
The Verdict
Pricing details for Bar Imperi aren't publicly confirmed, but its position on Plaça des Born, Ciutadella's most architecturally striking square, means you're paying for one of the leading seats in the Balearics. If you've already visited once and are deciding whether to return, the answer is yes, specifically for the outdoor terrace and the aperitivo window in the early evening. For a deeper run through Ciutadella's bar scene, see our full Ciutadella bars guide.
What You're Booking
Bar Imperi sits at Plaça des Born, 5, the old town square flanked by the neoclassical Ajuntament building and the obelisk commemorating Ciutadella's resistance in 1558. That address is doing real work here. The visual reward is immediate: the square opens up in front of the terrace in a way that most Menorcan bars simply cannot replicate. If you're returning after a first visit, you already know this. What to do differently this time: arrive before sunset when the stone facades catch the light and the square hasn't yet filled with peak-season foot traffic.
On food, the honest position is that verifiable menu data isn't available. What the address and format of a Born-facing bar suggest is a selection calibrated to drinks, bar snacks and light plates rather than a full kitchen. If you came the first time and skipped the food, that's the thing to test on a second visit. Bars in this category on Spanish plazas often have ensaladillas, charcuterie boards, and local cheese that are worth ordering seriously. Whether Bar Imperi delivers on that is something confirmed visitors are better placed to answer than a database record. Check La Margarete if you want a bar in Ciutadella where the food programme is more documented.
Booking is easy, no reservation system is required for a plaza bar of this format, and walk-in access is standard. The harder variable is timing: high season in Ciutadella (late June through August) fills every terrace on Plaça des Born. Arrive before 7 PM if you want a table with a clear sightline to the square. For broader context on where to eat and stay around your visit, see our Ciutadella restaurants guide and our Ciutadella hotels guide.
Bar Imperi has operated long enough to be a fixture on the Born rather than a recent arrival, that longevity on one of Spain's most competitive tourist squares is a signal worth noting. For other strong Balearic bar options, Burgundi in Palma de Mallorca and Echezo in Ibiza are worth comparing if your itinerary spans the islands.
Know Before You Go
- Address: Plaça des Born, 5, Ciutadella, Menorca
- Booking: Walk-in, no reservation required
- Booking difficulty: Easy
- Leading timing: Early evening before sunset; avoid peak summer afternoons if you want a terrace table
- Seating: Outdoor terrace on the square; indoor details not confirmed
- Price range: Not publicly confirmed, expect plaza-bar pricing consistent with Ciutadella's tourist centre
- More Balearic bars: Echezo, Ibiza | Burgundi, Palma
- Explore more: Ciutadella wineries | Ciutadella experiences
Planning details
- Location
- Plaça des Born, 5, 07760 Ciutadella, Illes Balears, Spain
- Phone
- +34 971 38 00 01
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Bar Imperi occupies a commanding corner of Plaça des Born and reads like an extension of the square's civic gravity. Set within seventeenth-century architecture, the bar favors a measured, serious approach to drinking rather than tourist spectacle. The room privileges spirits and classic service over flash; its personality emerges from context as much as from cocktail technique. Expect an old-world backbone: the sort of place where the back bar reflects history and stewardship, and where conversation and careful pouring take precedence over volume and trendiness.
Best For
Bar Imperi is best for people who come for thoughtful drinks and a sense of place. It suits locals and visitors who prefer an intentionally curated back bar to high-volume, tourist-oriented spots. Evenings are the natural fit: this is a setting for after-work drinks, quiet get-togethers, and date nights that favor conversation and craftsmanship. The emphasis on gin-tonics and rare bottles means the bar attracts guests who want to linger and learn rather than rush through a set menu of tourist classics.
Ordering Tips
Order with the bar's context in mind: start by asking the bartender about their spirits and any standout gin-tonic preparations, as that tradition remains central. If you prefer something rare, inquire about bottles that reflect the bar's deeper collecting and sourcing. Avoid treating it like a high-volume tourist stop; engage the staff about recommendations and let them guide you to nuanced pours. The approach here rewards curiosity and a willingness to trade speed for quality.
Venue details
Ambiance
Cave-like interior with antique stone arches creating an intimate historic vibe; sunny terrace tables for people-watching.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Format
View
Accessibility
At the Bar
- Bar Category
- Pub
- Late Night
- Open Until 2am
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- Plaça des Born, 5, 07760 Ciutadella, Illes Balears, Spain
Planning details
Location
Plaça des Born, 5, 07760 Ciutadella, Illes Balears, Spain · Directions
Also consider
Also Consider
- Angelita: Notable alternative
- Boadas: Notable alternative
- Dr. Stravinsky: Notable alternative
- Dry Martini: Notable alternative
- Mutis: Notable alternative
Bar context
How It Compares
Compared to the Barcelona and Madrid bars Pearl tracks, Bar Imperi is operating in a different format entirely. Angelita and Dry Martini are serious cocktail destinations with documented programmes and reservation cultures. Bar Imperi is a plaza bar on a historic square: you're not booking it for cocktail craft, you're booking it for location and atmosphere. Those are different decisions, and Bar Imperi wins clearly on setting. If you want a crafted drink experience on the islands rather than a terrace moment, that's a different brief.
Boadas and Dr. Stravinsky have the kind of documented cocktail pedigree that justifies seeking them out specifically. Bar Imperi's case rests on geography: Plaça des Born is one of the most visually rewarding squares in the Balearics, and a table there at dusk is worth the stop regardless of what's in your glass. Mutis offers a comparison point for a bar where the programme itself is the draw. If you're in Ciutadella and the question is simply where to have a drink before dinner, Bar Imperi's location makes it the default answer. If the drink itself is the point, look further. For the broader picture, Moonlight Experimental Bar in Zaragoza and Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu show what a destination cocktail bar looks like at a higher specification. Also consider Angelita in Madrid and Boadas in Barcelona if your trip extends to the mainland.
Explore Ciutadella
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Bar Imperi guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Bar Imperi
| Venue | Booking Difficulty | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Bar Imperi | Easy | No published awards |
| Angelita | Unknown | No published awards |
| Boadas | Unknown | 2026 Europe's 50 Best Bars · #36The 50 Best Bars 2026 — 51–100 · #522026 Falstaff Bar GuideTop 500 Bars 2025 · #542025 World's 50 Best Bars · #852011 World's 50 Best Bars · #37 |
| Dr. Stravinsky | Unknown | No published awards |
| Dry Martini | Unknown | No published awards |
| Mutis | Unknown | No published awards |
How Bar Imperi stacks up against the competition.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bar Imperi good for a date?
Yes, for a specific type of date. The address, Plaça des Born, 5, puts you on Ciutadella's most architecturally impressive square, with the neoclassical Ajuntament as the backdrop. That setting does a lot of the work. Go in the evening when the square quiets down and the lighting shifts. It's a better opener or closer than a full dinner venue.
Is the food good at Bar Imperi?
Its draw is the location on Plaça des Born: come for drinks and the square, not a kitchen-first experience. If food is the priority, Ciutadella's old town has dedicated restaurant options closer to the port.
What's the crowd like at Bar Imperi?
Plaça des Born is Ciutadella's civic centre, so the crowd at Bar Imperi reflects that mix: locals crossing the square, tourists doing the old town loop, and people stopping before or after dinner. Expect it to get busier in the evening during summer. It's not a late-night scene bar: the square itself sets the pace.
Does Bar Imperi have outdoor seating?
Given its position at Plaça des Born, 5, directly on the square, outdoor terrace seating is the main reason to come. Sitting inside would miss the point entirely. Arrive early in peak season to secure a table on the square rather than one pushed back near the entrance.
What's the signature drink at Bar Imperi?
In the Balearic Islands context, gin-and-tonic culture runs deep on Menorca: Xoriguer gin, produced locally on the island, is a reasonable default order at any Ciutadella bar. Whether Bar Imperi stocks it specifically isn't documented.
Does Bar Imperi have happy hour deals?
No pricing or promotions are confirmed for Bar Imperi. Bars on prominent town squares in Spanish cities tend to be priced for the location rather than for deals: the terrace on Plaça des Born carries a premium by default. Treat that as the honest baseline rather than looking for discount windows.
Is Bar Imperi good for groups?
Plaça des Born is one of the few squares in Ciutadella's old town with enough open space to accommodate groups without feeling cramped. Bar Imperi's terrace position makes it a practical gathering point before a night out. For large groups wanting reserved seating, terrace tables on busy squares fill on a first-come basis.
