Here I Want to See You

Here I Want to See You is a beach bar founded in 1977 by José and his wife Emilia. In their first hut, they served ice-cold beer and a delicious Spanish omelette. In 1979, a stone beach bar was built, which in 1984 finally moved to its current location. Continuing the family tradition, today their children offer everything customers expect from a beach bar on Marbella’s most beautiful beach.

One of the sons, Daniel Cortés Pérez, tells us more about the venue’s history:
“Here I Want to See You was founded by my parents, José and Emilia. They began this wonderful story in 1977, the year they decided to set up their first reed hut. There they only served potato omelettes, chopped tomato salad, and sardine espetos. The tables were beer barrels and the chairs were Coca-Cola crates. Being able to open every day was a challenge, because supplies didn’t reach the beach bar, and they had to go to the N-340 to pick up the beer, spirits, etc. Over time, the area prospered to what it is today. We are in the same place, but this is already the third beach bar. Today my siblings and I run it. We have worked in the family business since we were little, and we still all work together, each with different roles, all to keep the business going for another 44 years”.

Today, the restaurant is built around locally sourced, zero-kilometre products, seasonal fish and vegetables from the area, as they consider them the best option so that their customers and friends can enjoy the finest traditional Mediterranean cuisine. All of this is paired with an ideal cocktail offering to complement seaside, beach-style cooking, using zero-kilometre produce with influences from fortified wines and tropical flavours.

“We are in a unique setting on the Costa del Sol. There are very few beach bars located on a small stretch of natural beach between two dunes. The design of our venue reflects the fresh, daily cuisine that defines us”.

It is very difficult to choose a signature cocktail from such a wide selection. Notably, they offer five different types of sangria, and as Daniel tells us, “the after-meal favourite is Davy Jones’ Locker, inspired by our seafaring tradition and our way of seeing cocktails on the beach”.

The first “Here I Want to See You” menu was created by Daniel in 2007, and it was a menu of six frozen cocktails.

“The current menu is divided into moments: aperitifs, after-dinner drinks, and in summer nights, Tiki cocktails… In short, around 32+12. Recommendations depend on the time of day and the customer’s tastes. If the customer likes bitter flavours and wants an aperitif, we recommend a Boulevardier, Negroni, etc. If it is after dinner and they want an aperitif, a Fizz or a Cooler, and if they want something exotic, we directly offer Tiki or signature cocktails”.

A venue you should not miss if you go to Marbella, to enjoy its privileged location, its delicious dishes and, of course, its cocktail menu, all paired with outstanding customer service.