Short answer: Chiringuito Pirata is a simple beach bar beside La Tejita, on the wilder El Médano side of south Tenerife. Go for a slow drink, a casual bite and the last light turning Montaña Roja red; skip it if you need a polished dinner, guaranteed shelter, easy pram access or a late-night transport plan.
Everyone likes a sunset. On Tenerife, the habit of stopping for it feels especially sensible after a windy beach day.
One of my favourite versions is Chiringuito Pirata at La Tejita. It is not a glamorous rooftop or a secret nightclub. It is a beach bar at the edge of open sand, with Montaña Roja doing most of the decoration.
What Chiringuito Pirata Is Actually Like
A chiringuito is the Spanish beach-bar idea: outdoor tables, simple food and drinks, sea air, people talking for longer than they planned. Pirata is on Paseo Sotavento beside Playa de La Tejita, not in the centre of El Médano.
That difference matters. El Médano town has promenade energy and cafés. Pirata is for the beach-to-evening pause, with wind, sand and a much less managed coastline still present around you.
Local verdict: come here when the point is the coast itself, not a perfect dinner reservation. The view and mood are the reason; the bar is the comfortable excuse to stay for them.
Free Tenerife map
Keep the El Médano coast in one easy cluster
Use my free Tenerife map to group El Médano, La Tejita, Montaña Roja and Los Abrigos without turning a sunset into a cross-island logistics project.
The place works best for couples, friends and solo travellers who enjoy a beach evening without needing it to become an event. It can work with children too, if your children are happy with wind, sand and a short, unhurried visit rather than a playground-style beach plan.
Photographers and wind-sport watchers usually get the point quickly. If you are looking for silence, smooth water or a white-tablecloth meal, choose a different plan.
Watch the short La Tejita sunset video first, then use the photos below as the real walk: sand, wind, a drink, and the colour changing around Montaña Roja.
The Sunset: What You Should Expect
Do not come expecting a guaranteed postcard sun dropping neatly into the Atlantic. The better show here is often the last light and its reflection on Montaña Roja, which can look properly red for a few minutes when the sky agrees.
Wind, cloud, haze and the season decide the rest. In summer, sunset is late enough that the listed closing time can make the evening feel tight; in winter, the light goes earlier and the coast can feel cool surprisingly fast.
Plan like this: arrive 45 to 60 minutes before sunset, give yourself time for the sandy approach, and check the day’s wind, beach forecast and actual sunset time before you leave your base.
For the simple version, have a drink, walk a little, then sit down before the light changes. For a fuller south-coast day, pair it with the practical choices in my El Médano guide; do not try to turn it into the whole town, a full Montaña Roja hike and a late dinner in one rushed afternoon.
Wind, Food, Service And The Honest Mood
This is an exposed coast. On a kind evening, that breeze makes the bar feel fresh. On a strong trade-wind day, it can put sand in your shoes, your drink and your patience.
Pirata is a casual tapas-and-drinks stop, not a formal restaurant. I would use it for a relaxed beach meal or a drink with the view, not for a big occasion where every detail has to behave.
Current listings show Tuesday to Saturday service from 11am, usually until around 9:30pm, with a later Saturday finish and Sunday/Monday closure. Beach-bar hours can move with season and weather, so check the bar’s current Instagram or call before building your evening around it.
I could not find a dependable advance-booking policy, so do not assume a table is waiting at sunset. Current listings indicate contactless payment, but I would still carry a physical card or a little cash rather than test the beach-bar universe at the worst moment.
Local detail: if it is busy, that does not mean the place has become a nightclub. It usually means you have found the same simple timing that locals and visitors like: wind easing, light softening, nobody in a hurry.
Getting There And Getting Back
The old easy direction still works in spirit: come along the El Médano–Los Abrigos side of La Tejita, then head towards the sea. The important update is that this is protected coast, so do not drive over sand or improvise a parking space near the beach.
| How you arrive | What is realistic | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Car | Use the marked La Tejita roadside parking areas, then walk in. | The final approach is sand and open ground, not a door-to-door promenade. |
| From El Médano on foot | Lovely if you are happy with a beach walk and daylight. | Save energy for the return; do not discover the distance after dark. |
| Bus | TITSA route 470 serves the El Médano–La Tejita–Los Abrigos corridor. | Check the exact stop and last usable return for your date, then keep a taxi fallback. |
| Taxi | The easiest no-car evening answer from El Médano or nearby. | Arrange the return before the coast becomes quiet and your phone battery becomes dramatic. |
The official La Tejita guidance puts the beach parking by the road and describes a short walk to the beach. That is good news for most able walkers; it is not an accessibility promise.
Map note: this coast looks very close on a map. After sunset, wind, sand, dark paths and a missing bus make it feel bigger. Decide the return before your first drink, not after the last photo.
Families, Swimming, Dogs And Accessibility
For a family, this is better as a short early-evening stop than a promise of effortless beach swimming. The sand, exposure and wind can be fun for older children and tiring for toddlers. A pram or wheelchair is not the easy version of this plan.
La Tejita is beautiful but open. Treat flags, lifeguard advice, waves and wind as the answer for swimming that day; do not let a calm-looking photograph make the decision for you.
Do not assume a dog policy either. Ask the bar directly and follow the signs and beach rules you find on the day.
Safety rule: use the established paths and car parks, stay off fragile dunes and do not turn the rocky edge of Montaña Roja into a shortcut after dark. A sunset bar is never a reason to gamble with tide, footing or the sea.
When To Skip Pirata Instead
Skip it when the wind is making the beach unpleasant, the bar is closed, you need a guaranteed reservation, or your group needs an easy after-dark route without a car. That is not failure. Tenerife rewards people who change the plan before the plan becomes annoying.
For a more organised south-coast evening, compare Los Cristianos or Playa de las Américas. For an active daytime version of this coast, use my El Médano kitesurfing guide; it covers a different decision entirely.
If you are still choosing the whole holiday rather than one sunset, start with things to do in Tenerife or the wider South Tenerife guide. Save Teide National Park for another properly planned day; beach sunset, volcano road and late dinner are a heroic itinerary in the least useful sense.
A Final Walk After Sunset
After the bar, continue only as far as your light, shoes and return plan allow. The post-sunset sky is often the best part of this coast, and a slow walk back is better than racing to a car park with no idea where the path went.
Take your rubbish with you, leave the dunes alone, and let Montaña Roja say good night in its own time.
Final verdict: Chiringuito Pirata is worth the detour when you want La Tejita to feel like an evening, not just a beach pin. Keep your expectations simple, respect the wind and reserve, and it can be one of the south coast’s genuinely lovely pauses.
Chiringuito Pirata And La Tejita FAQ
These are the questions that change the plan most often.
Is Chiringuito Pirata open?
It appears to be operating, but beach-bar opening days and hours can change. Check the bar’s current channel or call before you travel specifically for sunset.
Do I need a car for Chiringuito Pirata?
A car is the easiest evening answer, especially if you are staying outside El Médano. You can walk or use route 470 around the El Médano–La Tejita–Los Abrigos corridor, but check the exact last usable return and keep a taxi backup.
Is Chiringuito Pirata good for families?
It can be a pleasant short stop for families who are comfortable with sand, wind and a relaxed beach setting. It is less suitable when you need a calm swimming promise, a playground, shade or easy pram access.
Can you swim at La Tejita after visiting the bar?
Only if the sea conditions, flags and lifeguard guidance make it sensible that day. La Tejita is an exposed beach; treat swimming as a current decision, not as an automatic part of a sunset visit.
