Retro, Corralejo | American Food And Live Entertainment In Fuerteventura For The Music Lovers

I don’t know about you, but when I’m on holiday I always find myself drawn towards the restaurants that offer live music as part of their entertainment. Growing up next to a pub it was quite a regular thing for me, so as soon as I see a live band I’m settled for the night!

The Vibe

Retro is situated at the top of the main strip, meaning that it’s slightly quieter than further down (until the music comes on, that is). It’s nice and open with a good outdoor seating area, making it a good location for all times of day. 

What I love most about Retro is the décor – the walls are absolutely covered with various paraphernalia from the previous music eras such as guitars, signs, and photos of musicians. The tables are great as well, with each one featuring a famous musician (my favourite being the Jimi Hendrix table, of course, but you’ll also find Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, and many others).

The Food

I’d actually visited Retro before with Paul during our first trip to Fuerteventura as a couple, although we don’t have the photos anymore. Paul has a pizza loaded with meat and I went for a chicken Caesar salad – we enjoyed the food however the presentation was slightly strange as they served my salad in what looked like a salad serving bowl! I’m not sure whether they still do this, but I must admit it did make the meal feel slightly unfinished.

This time around we went for something slightly different, opting for something lighter as it was our last month and we’d definitely eaten more food than we’d needed over the course of the week! Paul just went for a bowl of cheesy chips – not exactly Spanish, but as good as you’d find them back in the UK, and I chose a simple margherita pizza which ended up much more filling than I thought it would be.

The pizza was good and I particularly liked the herb flavouring across the top, however I wouldn’t say it wowed me with either flavour or presentation compared to the other pizzas we’d eaten at different Corralejo-based restaurants. It was very good value though, with cheaper prices than many other places.

Retro has a very good selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, with a whole variety of different coloured bottles visible from the tables. We went for a classic bottle of Tropical each, my favourite beer on the island, and of course got shots of complimentary honey rum at the end which was a nice but strong variety (I forget the name).

The Extras

The obvious extra at Retro is the music which is the main reason people go there. There’s a stage opposite the bar which is visible both from the inside and outside seating areas and the restaurant has regular performers that stick to the same night each week, which makes it easy to plan your visit to see a particular band or singer. Performances have been mixed in our experience – we’ve seen and heard some absolutely fantastic musicians play there in the past, however the singer at this particular visit was not to our tastes. It’s always worth checking out the musicians beforehand on Facebook or YouTube so you can get a good idea of whether they are the entertainment for you.

Final Thoughts

I can’t say that Retro is the best place on the island for food because the restaurants on the island serving local Canarian cuisine will always be better than American-style food in my eyes. However, it’s a great place to go if you fancy something a little less Spanish for one night, and of course excellent for the big music lovers out there.

Is live music something you look for when choosing a place to eat? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like and pin!

You can read some of my other Fuerteventura restaurant reviews here:
El Pescador | Cordon Blue | La Casita