RAW Lounge — Restaurant in Nerja

I don't understand why people are so enthusiastic about this restaurant on Tripadvisor. The food quality is barely better than a frozen pizza take-away or a bowl of french fries. The salmon tartar has very little salmon in it, while the main ingredients are tomato and onion. The main plates come with vegetables unfrozen from a supermarket bag (that's how they taste, and that's how they look). I went to this place because it scored at the top of the Tripadvisor list at the time. I live around Nerja already for 8 years, and I tried about 100 restaurants in Nerja. This one rates far below the top 50 when it comes to food quality. I suppose the rating is so high because they have the tripadvisor QR code on the menu, and lots of people who come to this place have very low expectations when it comes to food. It has a nice view on the beach, and a very convenient location for a quick lunch when you are on the beach.

This restaurant also expanded their seating onto the terrace of the real-estate office next door. So in the evening you sit on cheap plastic seats with a flashing ATM machine next to you, built into a shiny wall of real-estate advertisements. It's great if you were on the beach and just want a simple place to eat. But that's it.

There are several other places on the same street that serve better food at a similar price point, and there are lots of other restaurants in Nerja that have far better food even though they score lower on Tripadvisor. Some of my personal favourites are Naturale (real organic fresh food), or Fusion by Sylvio (upscale dining).

Finally I don't get the name 'Raw', because there is almost nothing raw on the menu. I associate raw food with organic healthy food, while most items on the menu here are processed food with unhealthy sauces.

The worst about all this is that I tried to post my review on Tripadvisor three times, and it got deleted three times. It was impossible for me to post a bad review on Tripadvisor for this restaurant, so no wonder it scores so high in...

Verdict: If you enjoy being ignored, silenced, and mildly bullied by someone who seems deeply offended that you’re in his restaurant, then congratulations — this is your place. Otherwise: don’t be fooled by the 4.8. It’s a trap.

Welcome to the RAW Lounge: Where Service Comes with a Side of Contempt

We came here lured by the glowing 4.8 stars on Google. What could possibly go wrong? Well… everything except the chicken.

We arrived at 17:30. Google said “open all day,” but the place was emptier than a diet plate. We stood at the entrance like polite humans — mistake. The white-haired, balding waiter was busy showing chairs more love than customers. After asking for a table (6 people, yes we want to eat, revolutionary concept), he disappeared again — maybe to meditate, maybe to Google “how to look busy while ignoring guests.” Eventually, he waved vaguely at a table like a king granting mercy.

Food? Surprisingly decent. Pricey but edible. But service? Ah yes, a masterclass in passive-aggressive silence. Dishes came at different times so we could enjoy the full fine-dining experience — watching others eat.

Asking for the bill triggered a magic trick: the bill appeared fast — impressive — but before we even had time to say “we’d like to pay by card,” the waiter had already bolted out of the restaurant like it was a fire drill. He then conveniently lingered outside near the neighboring place, clearly hoping we’d get tired of waiting, pay in cash, and leave the change as a tip. Spoiler: we didn’t.

Kids’ menu came with ice cream. But apparently, you need to be psychic to receive it. After asking, we got a charming “Fresa o vanilla?” barked at us like we’d just asked for his PIN code.

⭐ Atmosphere: 1 star (if you like being treated like an inconvenience) ⭐ Service: 0.5 star (rounded up out of pity) ⭐ Food: 4 stars — Pollo trufado: 5 stars — Jarrete de cordero: 4 stars — Carrillera frambuesa: 5 stars — End Thai: 3 stars —...

Amazing food! A truly wonderful experience!

From the moment we walked in there was just something about the Raw Lounge... the decor, the waiters, it just had this vibe about it, but no hustle and bustle of other places. We were lucky as we didn't book and just took a chance, thankfully a nice spot near the bar was available.

As for the food, the OH had cod tacos to start and I had the special of monkfish croquettes with prawn tartar. Just wow, the taste was an explosion that just hit the palette perfectly and enticed you to take another bite, before you knew it, the dish was gone.

For the main, the OH had the seabass that was bursting with orange, white, and green, the taste was of garlic, cream, and the amount was a perfect balance of quality over quantity.

I had the special of pork knuckle on a bed of mashed potato with triangular pieces of pork scratching that were crispy yet melted in the mouth. The gravy was rich but didn't flood the plate, and the veg was just perfectly cooked a la dente.

The pudding, there was a cheesecake, that was so good, I forgot to take a picture.

Seriously, this place did not...