The bar that has not changed
Casa Enrique sits on Acera del Darro, the road that runs along the south side of the Genil river in Centro. The street is not the first place visitors find, which is part of the reason the bar has kept its character. It is one of the oldest bars in Granada, and the interior makes that plain without trying: hanging jamón legs, tiled walls, and a marble bar counter worn smooth from generations of use.
The place is also known locally as El Elefante, a nickname that has stuck alongside the official name for as long as anyone can remember. Ask either at the door and you will find it.
Why the age matters
Old bars in Granada get old because locals keep coming back. That is the whole of it. Casa Enrique has not been preserved for tourism; it has continued because the neighbourhood around Acera del Darro and the university quarter to the south have kept it full. The clientele skews toward people who have been coming here for years rather than people who found it on a list.
In Granada, every drink order comes with a free tapa. At Casa Enrique the kitchen knows what it is doing with jamón: properly thin slices, served at room temperature, with no garnish to distract from it. The croquetas are the old-school variety: béchamel-rich, with a thin crust, and they arrive hot. The tapa rotation includes aceitunas aliñadas (seasoned olives with herbs and garlic), which the bar does better than most.
The room
The bar is mid-sized by Granada standards. Seating is available at most hours, though evenings fill quickly. The décor is the main thing: tiles up to chest height, dark wood shelving behind the bar, a ceiling that carries the faint colour of a room that has had a lot of cigarette smoke in it over the years (though the bar is now smoke-free). None of it was installed for effect. All of it is the original.
Prices are mid-range for Granada: around €3–5 per drink with a tapa. The jamón ración, if you order it separately, is worth the extra.
Getting there
Acera del Darro runs east from Puerta Real. From the Granada Cathedral, walk south to Puerta Real and then turn east along the river road. Casa Enrique is on the left as you walk. The bar is about five minutes from the cathedral on foot and about twelve from Calle Navas. For a longer bar crawl, Acera del Darro connects toward the Realejo neighbourhood, where Taberna Malvasía offers a different but complementary experience.
