Barcelona has gained a new address where Japanese bar culture meets Mediterranean energy. It is called Mugi, the cocktail bar recently opened by Lorenzo Cisi and Ibrahima Guenne, and it channels the atmosphere of a classic izakaya while embracing the cosmopolitan spirit of the Catalan capital.
Named after the Japanese word for grain—specifically wheat and barley—Mugi revolves around a focused drink program built on highballs, sake, shōchū and a concise selection of agave spirits, paired with a menu of Japanese tapas designed to complement the cocktails.
An Izakaya Spirit in Barcelona
“We wanted to create a bar that captured the spirit of an izakaya,” says Ibrahima Guenne, “a place where authentic Japanese ingredients meet our personal approach and our experience behind the bar.” The layout reflects that philosophy. At the center of the room runs a long wooden counter designed to encourage conversation between guests and bartenders, a format deeply rooted in Japanese bar culture.
Traditionally, an izakaya is an informal gathering place—something akin to a British pub—where friends or colleagues meet after work to share food and drinks. Mugi borrows that convivial spirit and translates it into a contemporary cocktail bar setting in Barcelona.
A Mugi Drink List Built Around Highballs
The bar’s menu naturally revolves around highballs, the refreshing long drinks that have become one of the signatures of Japanese cocktail culture. Alongside them sits a selection of cocktails built with sake and shōchū, two staples of Japan’s drinking traditions and spirits that also appear in an extensive bottle list behind the bar.
Yet Mugi does not limit itself to Japan. Cisi and Guenne wanted the bar to retain a Latin dimension as well, which explains the presence of cocktails featuring tequila and mezcal. The kitchen follows the same logic: Japanese tapas and small plates designed to pair naturally with the drinks and highlight their flavors.
Mugi a Listening Bar Atmosphere
Mugi’s interior is conceived as a space for lingering. Warm lighting, textured fabrics and materials such as wood, brass and metal shape an atmosphere that feels intimate without being formal.
One corner of the bar is dedicated to vinyl listening, another clear nod to Japanese bar culture. Listening bars first appeared in Japan in the 1920s, places where music—played on carefully curated sound systems—became as central to the experience as the drinks themselves.
A Place for the Community
“We imagined Mugi as a place that welcomes everyone,” says Cisi. “Locals, cocktail lovers and people from the industry. Our hope is that it becomes a meeting point for the community—a place where you can relax, have fun, take a break and enjoy a premium experience while still feeling at home.”
The bar sits at 152 Carrer de Muntaner, in Barcelona’s central Eixample district, and opens at 5 p.m., earlier than many cocktail bars in the city—another subtle nod to Japanese drinking habits.
Images courtesy of Mugi
