Chambao Marbella – Review

On Marbella’s Golden Mile, beyond the big-name, pulsating party clubs, one discovers Chambao Marbella, a contemporary Andalusian beach club with a distinctive elegance, built around tempting food, beautiful design and great music. This is an intimate, boutique beach and pool club destination, the new requisite Golden Mile experience when visiting Marbella. Choose a sunbed on the beach with the Mediterranean sea at your feet, or relax around the pool, listening to the DJs. The rhythm of the day is easy and relaxed, moving from leisurely family lunches to long afternoons, before aperitifs and golden hour cocktails and dinners under the stars.

This was our second visit. Before was for a lunch of fresh fish in the dappled shade of the pergola. This time, for dinner, arriving just as the parasols and pergolas cast long shadows across the tables. The open thatched pavilion offers shaded seating or choose a table overlooking the sea or by the pool. A laid-back DJ set gradually gave way to the rich sounds of a live Cuban band. By the time the desserts were arriving, the singer was dancing a few salsa steps with the more extroverted guests. Here, the evening gently evolves from sundown to dining, creating a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere.

The menu is confident in its Andalusian roots. We started with tortillitas de camarón, those crisp, lacy shrimp fritters made with chickpea flour, which taste unmistakably of the south. A white shrimp and avocado salad followed, paired with a plate of puntillitas, baby squid fried to golden precision in the classic Málaga style. The kitchen’s fritura section is full of Andalusian favourites, from red mullet to boquerones, all served simply and at their freshest. You can select you fish type from the display fisherman’s basket, and have it prepared just the way you like it.

We also noticed on the menu the larger sharing dishes, like the new orzo with carabineros, served straight from the pan, and the calamarata frutti di mare, thick ribbons of pasta with shellfish.

A Chambao sorbet, served in a slice of lemon, helped reset the plate before the main courses. From the grill, we ordered beef tenderloin cooked to order, together with the marinated baby chicken, generous, juicy and full of flavour.

Desserts were equally tempting. A cool, creamy mousse de chocolate and an arroz con leche, served with a caramelised crust.

By now, the lights shaded by esparto lamps were glowing softly, swaying from the pergolas, while lanterns around the pool began to flicker. Bougainvillaea twisted through the pergolas, offering private corners and larger alcoves for groups who wanted both atmosphere and quiet. Families, couples, groups of friends,  they’d all found their place here, in the friendly, laid-back style of this beachside retreat.

Chambao is about the details, from the tempo of the service, the warmth of the welcome. The setting is understated but considered. Tables are set with a potted herb or maybe miniature chilli. Playful and relaxed.

Chambao takes its name from the traditional improvised beach shelters where people come together for good food, conversation and spontaneous moments. That spirit lives on here, shaped into something modern.

Whether you’re discovering Marbella or calling the coast home, Chambao offers something special ,a place to linger from midday to beyond midnight, with fresh seafood, thoughtful dishes, and an atmosphere that gently builds with the day.