El Ancla — Restaurant in Benalmádena

El Ancla is one of those beachfront restaurants that feels like it’s part of the coastline itself. Nestled among a row of similar fish restaurants right down by the sand in Benalmádena, it might be easy to overlook – but you absolutely shouldn’t.

There’s a genuine, local feel to the place. It’s relaxed, unpretentious, and thankfully far from the over-polished tourist traps you sometimes find along the coast. The atmosphere is cozy, the service is quick and friendly, and despite the busy surroundings, the staff manage to stay attentive and welcoming.

El Ancla offers a solid menu with both fresh seafood and hearty meat dishes. But let’s be honest – if you’re dining just meters from the sea, it’s the fish you’re here for. And rightly so.

We ordered pil-pil prawns, garlic prawns, mussels, and deep-fried fish with aioli – all made from fresh, quality ingredients and cooked simply but well. The prawns arrived sizzling in garlic oil, just as they should, and the fish was crisp on the outside, soft and juicy inside.

We paired the food with a bottle of white wine, which turned out to be both surprisingly affordable and impressively good – a great match for the meal.

If there’s one small thing to mention, it’s that the side dishes were a bit minimal. A bit more variety or finesse would’ve been nice. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s a minor detail.

El Ancla is a great find for anyone who loves honest, no-nonsense seafood in a setting that feels real. It’s lively, local, and well worth a visit – especially if you want your fish served fresh, with the sea breeze in your hair and sand...

We decided to book following the very positive reviews we had read. We emailed to book our table on Friday but had no response after 24 hours. I decided to walk to the restaurant to book for the Sunday night. Very friendly and attentive staff took my booking. We arrived tonight (Sunday) for our meal. They knew who we were instantly which was very reassuring and personable. I ordered the barbecue sardines for starters something I've always wanted and they were exceptional. My wife ordered a scallop gratin, this was very disappointing in regards to the quantity of scallops. The presentation and flavor was very nice however the dish had one small scallop. For 9 Euros this was extremely disappointing. For my main course I had a mixed paella. It was good quantity and tasty but unfortunately slightly burnt on the bottom. My wife had seabass for her main, it was OK. The house red wine I had was very nice and the white wine my wife had was also very nice. We asked for the bill at the end, I felt I had to mention the scallop starter and the lack of quantity. At the time I didn't want to mention the slightly dry paella as I didn't want to make too much of a fuss. The response we got was disappointing, they referred to the menu which did say 'scallop' rather than scallops, they said it's about quality rather than quantity as the scallop was specially sourced. Now for those who dont know how big a scallop is, the size is a little bit bigger than a 50 pence piece. So overall not a significantly bad experience but not the best. Perhaps other restaurants are worth a look. Also the gents toilets...

Unfortunately, I was very upset yesterday when I came to this place for lunch. I wanted a coffee and tiramisu. They didn't ask me whether I wanted a full meal or just coffee, and they sat me at a table for two. In the end, they brought me coffee and the bill right away, saying that they wouldn't serve me anymore because I only ordered coffee, and they didn't have tiramisu. They only had coffee. It was very unpleasant when I couldn't order another coffee; they said no! No one asked if I wanted a full meal; they sat me down and were rude! The service left much to be desired. I live in Benalmadana and I go to La Sirena all the time. The service there is truly excellent for everyone. I don't recommend ruining your mood and going to this place. Very rude service. Ruined my mood. I'm contacting the manager and asking him to sort this out! Why do the staff behave this way towards...