Is it possible to do a review on a bar? I’m not sure what to call it really but today I’m going to be talking about my new favourite hangout St Julians Aquatic Sports Club/Giuseppe’s Lido. From the sign, you’d never know this was a restaurant/bar hybrid. Just sounds like a sports club! It was only when some friends and I were in the bar next to it (Cafe 516) and we saw the chairs out and people drinking that we realised. Even then, from the sign we imagined you’d have to be a member or something.

But this was not the case- everyone is welcome! We were intrigued as it’s literally the perfect setting and decided to take a nosey on over. The steps are large and carpeted in green, and there is the bar to your right and the restaurant to your left.

It’s situated next to/under Cafe 516 which is in St Julians but not near the infamous Paceville area. It looks really new and quite posh, with white wicker chairs with thick orange cusions. The bar area looks more like a lounge, right on the seafront with glorious views of the Cavalieri Hotel and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Balluta Church in Sliema.

Along with the pretty LED lights along the railing, they also have citronella candles to ward of the pesky mozzies too- these are much appreciated as most nights out you get eaten alive!

We haven’t yet tried out the restaurant side but I’ll be sure to do an updated review when we do! But the bar side is literally one of my favourite places to chill out now. There is a large bar, they do table service, there is a DJ/Live Band area and the place is lit with a beautiful pinky/purple glow in the evenings.

We’ve always found the staff friendly and attentive (which can be somewhat of a rarity in Malta!) and the prices are pretty much unbeatable. The local Maltese beer is called Cisk and they’ve recently released a Cisk Chill version which has a hint of lime, and most bars aren’t stocking this yet, but we managed to get one here. We had a Cisk and an Archers & Lemonade and it came to €4! My spirit mixer was just €2! Drinking is cheaper in Malta than the UK but not considerably so this price really impressed me!

They do a wide range of drinks though, wines, spirits, beers, shooters, trays of shots and cocktails. I took a quick pic of the cocktail menu, it’s not extensive but covers the basics. The cocktails are between €5-€6 depending on what you want which is pretty standard.

The atmosphere is always really good, a very relaxed vibe. It never seems to get too busy which I can’t understand but also really like! The music is not intrusive, whether its live or a DJ it’s more background music than the main feature as it would be in a club.

I would really recommend this bar to absolutely anyone. It’s perfect for those who are not really into the crazy clubbing of Paceville but also ideal as a starter bar for those heading on to the rowdier area later on in the evening. Really fun, chilled out atmosphere, friendly staff, comfortable and beautiful surroundings and great prices. What’s not to love?

And for those looking for something even more chilled…

There is also a shisha bar around the back! It’s in the same vicinity and you have to walk through the bar to get to it but I’m not sure if it’s anything to do with Giuseppe’s although you can take your drinks through. You can sometimes get a whiff of the shisha from the bar but only a faint fruity scent. The shisha bar itself is quite nice. They have some colourful rugs and cushions situated on a small embankment over the sea. It’s €10 per pipe, you could get up to about 5 people around one pipe and they do all sorts of flavours.

Has anyone else been to the bar or the shisha place? How did you find it? Will anyone be paying Giuseppe’s a visit now?