Between rock, chicken wings and sports, Crow's Bar has reborn in Cascais

Looking for somewhere you can drink a cold beer while listening to Interpol or The Strokes and watching NBA highlights, the Super Bowl or a football match? It is a very specific request, but if you are in central Cascais, we have a suggestion. Crow’s Bar reopened at the beginning of February with a new lease of life, but the same address and the same loyal clientele.

The venue had already been around for more than xx years and, as chef Henrique Rosa explains, “it was a bar much loved by locals”. At a time when “Cascais nightlife has slowed down a lot in recent years”, it stood out for staying open later and for being a meeting point for both locals and foreigners.

Still, the team felt it was time to step in, transforming it from a rock bar into a sports bar. The change follows the opening of Bodega Brava, a project by partners João Vital, Cláudio Cartaxo and Henrique Rosa himself. The physical proximity – they are about a two-minute walk from each other – and their business alignment led them to move forward. The intention was clear from the outset: keep the spirit and long-time customers, while attracting new ones. Without touching the prices. 

The concept has also been refined. The former darker, heavy metal-oriented atmosphere has given way to a lighter music & sports bar. Music remains central, but “we play rock from the 1940s to the present day, from Elvis Presley to Linkin Park.” The décor is now “cleaner and more comfortable”.

The sporting focus is evident: there are five televisions and the tables are arranged to create a “stadium effect”, ensuring that “no one’s view is blocked”. “The idea is to be busy every week with some sport on,” from the Six Nations Championship to American college basketball, from baseball to any sport a customer requests — “we’ll find a way to show everything, even water polo,” the chef says with a laugh.

If cocktails remain important – “they have always been the face of this house” – the big novelty is the food. “What we were missing was a food offering that matched the level of the drinks we sell.” The result is a menu inspired by American culture classics, with snacks ranging from salted peanuts (€2) to nachos with guacamole (€12) and, of course, chicken wings with BBQ sauce (9 for €13 and 18 for €22).

If you are after something more substantial, you can try the philly cheesesteak (€15), approved by us, the 200-gram Angus cheeseburger (€12), or the low-temperature BBQ ribs (€15). Soon, a pastrami sandwich – with meat cured in-house – will also join the menu. “It’s not quite where we want it yet, but we’ll get there.”

Future plans include live music and possibly stand-up comedy. For now, you can walk in, order a cold one, enjoy your favourite sport and tuck into a meal your GP would probably disapprove of. Is there anything better?

Travessa da Misericórdia, 1 (Cascais). Mon–Sun 3pm–1.30am