If you’re looking for a spot to have a nice, relaxed drink in Setubal, you have a lot of options. There are great bars across the city where you can have a glass of wine, a classic cocktail or a customized one, a cheap beer or an expensive one, and much more. To start with, here are my 12 recommendations for bars in Setubal.
Desassossego
Location: Tv. Anunciada 20
What’s on the drinks menu? Everything you could want. There is beer on tap, shots, wine, sangria, cocktails, soda.
Is there food? Yes, they serve simple bar snacks.
Cost: $
Desassossego — or just Desa, as it is known to locals — is a Setúbal institution but it is also quite a dive bar. There is an indoor space with a small upstairs. And since indoor smoking was banned at the beginning of 2023, this space has become much more appealing to be in. Downstairs there is a darts board and a few tables. Upstairs you’ll find a bit more seating along with plastic tables and chairs outside. But, most people you will find just stand around on the patio/curb out front.
Earlier in the evening and during the week you’ll find that Desa is fairly quiet and you can happily just sit down with a cheap drink, but come late night weekends — usually around and after 2:00 AM, it can get very busy. Sometimes these late hours can draw a certain crowd, and fights are not unheard of. That being said, I personally feel very comfortable at Desa as I know the bartenders personally and trust everyone there to keep things under control even when fights do happen.
By the way, if the toilets don’t have paper, just ask, there are usually rolls available behind the bar.
Machadas
Location: Largo do Dr. Francisco Soveral n5 e 3
What’s on the drinks menu? All the classics. Wine, beer, shots, cocktails, soft drinks, sangria.
Is there food? Yes, they recently redid their food menu and now serve some nice main dishes though the menu is not extensive.
Cost: $$
Machadas is centrally located on a square it shares with several other bars and restaurants. It is immensely popular throughout the weekdays and weekends and draws many regulars from the local crowd. The staff is friendly, reliable, and most speak a good level of English.
They recently redid their dining area and kitchen along with the associated menu. So while the bar to the right and the outside seating area have remained the same, the restaurant to the left is brand new (as of early 2024). There is a good number of tables inside for a simple dinner.
On the weekends this turns into a buzzing watering hole. You can sometimes find DJs set up in the square. And people fill the space around the large tree in the middle. During this time it might be difficult to find anywhere to sit, but you can go up to the bar, order your drink, and bring it out to stand around with the locals, or sit around the tree. Lines can get long so be prepared to wait a bit.
There are two bathrooms here, one on the bar side and a second on the restaurant side.
La Boheme
Location: R. Pereira Cão 11
What’s on the drinks menu? The usual like beer, wine, shots, but also very fun, creative cocktails like hot teas mixed with warm liquors.
Is there food? Yes, a very small selection
Cost: $$
Local legend says that once upon a time Johnny Depp was in town and tried to come here, but he was so drunk that they turned him away at the door. Now, is this story true? I do not know for certain one way or the other, but one thing I can tell you is that I have never seen anyone at the door allowing or denying entry. So do with that information what you will.
Whether or not Johnny Depp did grace the threshold here, it is an amazing bar. Seating is primarily inside, though it will spill out the door on a busy weekend night. And in warm weather there is a small folding table or two set up in the tiny alleyway. The decor is maximalist, the lighting is dim. This is the perfect spot for, say, a third date.
The man who owns and runs the bar is just about always tending the bar. He is kind and warm and speaks a good level of English but will also help you practice your Portuguese. I highly recommend trying one of the cocktails, they are different to the standard mixes you’ll find elsewhere and for what they are they are very reasonably priced.
Rockalot Praia
Location: Av. José Mourinho
What’s on the drinks menu? A full bar of wines, beers, cocktails, along with sodas, fresh juices, and smoothies.
Is there food? Yes, there is an extensive menu and the food is good though it is somewhat overpriced compared to similar offerings in Setúbal.
Cost: $$$$
Rockalot has a prime location, right on the first beach accessible from downtown Setúbal. If you want to have a drink by the water, this is the place to go. There is plenty of outdoor seating but even with what’s available you might encounter sunny weekend days when there’s nothing open.
There is no table service, so go up to the bar and order. Though if you get food it will be brought to your table by a staff member.
The food is definitely not bad, but as I mentioned it is overpriced — or you could say it is priced to match the location. Personally, I’d highly recommend Rockalot for an afternoon drink but not for a full meal.
Look out for occasional events here such as the big White Party early each summer. And on summer, weekend afternoons you can often find DJs here. While that seems like it could be fun, I find it often just doesn’t fit the vibe of the freshly off the beach afternoon crowd — lots of families. For me all it does is adds noise and eliminates the table options closest to the DJ booth.
Casa da Cultura
Location: R. Detrás da Guarda 28
What’s on the drinks menu? Lots of drinks like wine, beer, cocktails, as well as soft drinks, tea, and coffee.
Is there food? Yes, there are tostas (toasted sandwiches) throughout the day, and in the evenings other offerings like cheese plates are available.
Cost: $$
Casa da Cultura has an amazing back patio area which is totally hidden away. You wouldn’t even know it exists until you actually go in. It is overflowing with greenery and is a really lovely, quiet, secluded space. There is plenty of seating out here including some comfortable chairs and a big couch. There are also a few more tables inside by the bar area.
There is free wifi available here, so during the day when it’s less busy it’s a good place to bring your laptop and set up for a few hours of work. Though, of course, you should order as you work so you’re not simply using the space for free.
The front part of the building is a gallery space with revolving exhibits. There is an information desk in the gallery space, if you walk through the front just head past it to the right and straight back to get to the bar, there is also a side door that leads directly to the back.
There are also events held by Casa da Cultura — primarily concerts — sometimes upstairs and sometimes, especially in the summer, outside on a temporary stage put up specifically for these events.
Old Pub
Location: Av. José Mourinho 32
What’s on the drinks menu? All of the usuals, cocktails, beer, wine, shots, etc.
Is there food? Yes, some small bites and bar food
Cost: $$
Old Pub is newly back on the scene in Setubal. It is a big space right by the water. The highlight in my opinion is the patio space on the top floor which has a nice view across the river to Troia. That particular space is tiny though with just about 3 – 4 tables.
Inside you’ll find a great deal more space and seating. There is also a pool table, some big screen TVs which show sports games, and fairly often there are live music shows.
Again, this is a spot that gets quite busy later into the evening on the weekends but is calmer during the day and into the afternoons. While you can get a casual drink here, it does turn into a bit more of a club at some points.
One thing to know is that this establishment runs a very uncomfortable but extremely common entrance scheme. They give you a ticket which will get filled out each time you order a drink. There is a minimum spend on that ticket, and you pay for everything you bought before leaving (or the minimum if you didn’t hit it). But the thing to be incredibly cautious of is that if you were to lose that card they will try to charge you a flat fee of €250.
Crazy Dolphin Pub
Location: Av. 5 de Outubro 188
What’s on the drinks menu? Everything you could want, from beer to wine, sangria, shots, and cocktails plus soft drinks.
Is there food? Yes, there is a small menu of bar food
Cost: $
Crazy Dolphin is the official Erasmus bar in Setubal so you will find a consistently younger crowd here. Weekend nights are very collegesque — there are sticky floors, less than immaculate bathrooms, and a lot of drunk, sweaty bodies. Shots are €1 so you can imagine where that takes things.
That being said, before that crowd rolls in things are a lot calmer. The bar tenders, servers, and staff are very nice and all speak a high level of English so you should have no issues communicating.
There are a few long tables in the back patio and a good bit of seating inside as well. You can usually find seating on the patio even when the space is really busy, but inside on a weekend you’re looking at standing room only.
Crazy Dolphin does quite a lot of events like themed nights, live music, DJs, games nights, and more. Every Wednesday is also karaoke night. This consistently draws a big crowd so you’ll be lucky if you can get them to play your song.
Code ‘ Bar
Location: R. do Barão do Rio Zezere 8 10
What’s on the drinks menu? While there are basics like beer and wine, I think this is one of the best spots on list this for a good cocktail.
Is there food? Yes, small dishes such as a meat and cheese platter.
Cost: $$$
Code ‘ Bar does an excellent margarita. And generally, it is a good spot for classic cocktails. Of course you also have a nice selection of wines and beers and your other regular dependable choices.
There are a few places to sit in the interior, but there are more options on the lovely patio space and even a few more spots just outside of that on the cobblestoned alley. I have generally only been here in the earlier evening or during a weekday so I’ve never seen it very busy and have never had an issue getting a seat.
I find that this bar is a little more upscale than many other casual drinking options in Setúbal, which I don’t think is a bad thing at all. It does a really nice job with presentation and vibe without being pretentious or unwelcoming.
The location is on a side street just off of Luisa Todi, so you’ll find that it’s easy to access but quieter than being on the main street.
Skál
Location: Estr. de Palmela 99 & Av. Luísa Todi 357
What’s on the drinks menu? This is primarily a craft beer place so the beer list is extensive, however you can also get cocktails and wines
Is there food? Yes, there is a decent menu including sharing plates, wings, burgers, and more.
Cost: $$
Skál is slightly away from the center of town, but it is the place to go for two primary reasons. One, if you are a beer lover and want more than the classic Sagres and Super Bock that you get at most of the other bars in town. Or, if you want to watch a sports game live on TV.
This is a decently sized bar with a good amount of seating both inside and out. If you are going for any major sporting events, especially football, plan to arrive on the early side to get yourself a spot to sit. Skál will typically show any games Portugal is involved in along with major European or British championship games.
Outside of game times, Skál is dependably busy but you likely won’t struggle to find a table. There is a huge list of beers on tap and more in cans and bottles. I would also say that the food here is pretty decent. It’s still a bar, so it’s bar food quality, but I would happily have a bowl of their chicken wings any day.
Capt. Tap
Location: R. António Maria Eusébio 83
What’s on the drinks menu? This is another craft beer place and for a while you could only get beer and a few select cans of cider, but they’ve more recently added a few wine options to the menu.
Is there food? Yes, there are a few small plates and snack options
Cost: $$$
Capt. Tap is a craft beer bar in a quiet alley, just out of the way, in central Setubal. It is a small, long bar and in my opinion it lacks good or enough seating options. The main appeal here is, of course, the beer list. If you are a beer lover you’re likely to be pleased with it. There is an extensive selection on tap and even more available in cans and bottles in the fridge. If you’re not a beer lover the selection here is definitely limited. You’re probably going to have to be ok with a cider or a soft drink.
The beers are from around Europe but there is a good focus on promoting local Portuguese beers.
The bar is run by a young Russian couple who are very kind, friendly, and speak good English.
They also sometimes put on events like quiz nights. The best way to see what they are up to is to follow their page on Instagram.
Bardo
Location: Beco do Carmo 1
What’s on the drinks menu? There is a lot of what you would expect — beer, wine, spirts. They do some specialty cocktails and another specialty is their mead. There is no tequila.
Is there food? Yes, there is an extensive food menu which is suitable for a good, hearty, sitdown dinner.
Cost: $$
Bardo is a medieval themed bar. But that really just means it has a big wooden door, long wooden tables, serves it drinks in wooden goblets, has mead (hidromel) on tap, and does full moon celebrations. OK, I guess that’s a lot!
This could definitely be considered more of a tavern than a bar. It has a spacious inside with a lot of seating. The interior is always warm and toasty — warm enough to lull you right to sleep after a big plate of meat. In addition to the inside seating there are a number of picnic tables out front as well. But, like many other bars, people end up just standing around in front of the door and throughout the alleyway.
The main food dishes are served until 11:00 PM, and you can get other small plates until 1:00 AM. This includes a lot of Portuguese classics like linguica and choco (cuttlefish) as well as a good bit of steak and meat options.
The staff are friendly and the drinks are reasonably priced. Bardo is another popular local boys’ spot.
Sports Café
Location: R. Oliveira Martins nº7
What’s on the drinks menu? Basically anything you could want. Beer, wine, cocktails, soft drinks, juices, tea, and coffee to start.
Is there food? Yes, there is a decent food menu with things like sandwiches, pizzas, and choco.
Cost: $
This is a really spacious bar which is always showing just about any sports game you could imagine. There are TVs all throughout the interior and in the back courtyard. If you’re in town for any major sporting event, this is one of the best spots to watch it in Setubal. For example, I watched a number of the world cup games here, including the final.
As well as being good for sports, there are a number of pool and snooker tables in the back. These are first come, first serve, and if no one is using them, just ask for the balls from the staff members at the bar.
The staff are friendly, but service can be slow when the place is busy for sports games. If you do want to go for any major sporting event, make sure to book a table in advance, they will be full otherwise. You might also struggle without any Portuguese as some of the staff members do not speak English.
