El Pajar is a small fishing village in the south-west of Gran Canaria near to Arguineguin, past the banana plantation and close to the roundabout that leads to Cercados de Espino and the mountain route.
I'd lost count the amount of times that people had told me to go to seafood restaurant Bar Playa El Boya, last time I visited, the queue to get a table in the restaurant was crazy, but here's a tip, it's worth the wait so don't be discouraged. A full restaurant of people can't be wrong and I've dined there countless times since.
The first time I visited El Pajar, I took a walk round the small beach and houses. It's a small but lively village. The beach was full and people were relaxing on boats and paddling kayaks. The weather was also fantastic today for a March afternoon.
There is a small church at the top of the slope, which is built into a cave and looks out towards the ocean, beach and nearby cement factory.
Bar Playa El Boya is always bustling, so don't be discouraged by the digital ticket system to get a table, you can have a drink whilst you wait and the staff are as friendly as family, and efficient.
Let's get onto the food shall we? Basically if you want the best Canarian fish dishes, this is the place. My family and I ordered the tuna salad, pulpo a la vinagreta (Octopus in Vinaigrette), fresh sardines, papas con mojo (wrinkled potatoes in mojo sauce) and goat's cheese.
I wish we could have ordered more, but we did see that the Chocos (fried giant squid) were very popular with the nearby table, so I ordered them the next time I visited and wasn't disappointed. All the food was tasty, the octopus went down a treat, it was delicious. Another time we tried the triggerfish, which while looking slightly intimidating was very tasty!
The staff work really hard at El Boya, but also have a smile on their face. I felt more like I was at someone's house having dinner than at a restaurant and right on the beach too. With a bottle of red house wine and large water the whole meal was under 30€ for 4 people. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but don't take my word for it, try it out for yourself! El Boya have quite the history and have been open since 1952, so they certainly have a good reputation.
Opening Hours:
Monday to Wednesday: 08:00 – 23:00
Closed Thursdays
Friday + Saturday: 08:00 – 00:00
Sunday: 08:00 – 18:00
(Bar Playa usually close for holidays during September)
Address:
Calle Santa Águeda, 32
Arguineguín, Gran Canaria, Spain
Contact and reservations:
(+34) 928 73 53 14
Facebook: Bar Playa “El Boya”
Website: http://www.barplaya.com/
Have you visited El Pajar in Gran Canaria? Did you eat at Bar Playa El Boya?