Baos

Baos is a cocktail bar on the Little Venice waterfront in Mykonos Town, sitting at the edge of the Aegean where the old sea-captains' houses rise directly from the water. The bar takes its name and concept from a local historical figure — Pirate George Bao, a Mykonian who, during the 1770 revolution, used a nearby islet as a base from which he raided Ottoman ships and defended the island. That backstory gives the place a distinct identity among the dozens of bars in Mykonos Town.

Operated by the Semeli Group, Baos positions itself as a serious cocktail destination rather than a generic beach bar. The focus is on the drinks menu, the music, and the view — particularly during the early evening hours when the sun drops toward the horizon and the light turns the water orange and copper. The bar is open every day from 10:00 AM through 4:00 AM, which makes it one of the longer-hours options in the area.

With a 4.3 rating across 639 Google reviews, it has built a consistent following among both visitors who return to Mykonos regularly and travelers discovering Little Venice for the first time. Bookings can be made through the website at baosmykonos.com or by calling directly.

What to Expect

Baos sits on Lamprou Katsoni street in Little Venice, the row of buildings that lines the western edge of Mykonos Town. From most seating positions you are looking directly at the open Aegean, with the windmills of Kato Myli visible to your right on the hillside above. The location is one of the most genuinely scenic spots in Mykonos Town — not because of any design intervention, but because the geography puts you at sea level with an unobstructed western horizon.

The bar's identity draws on a pirate theme — the name, the branding, and the cocktail menu all nod to Pirate Bao and the spirit of a rebellious, unconventional operation. In practice, this translates into a cocktail list built around bolder flavors and combinations rather than straightforward classics, though the bar serves the full range you'd expect at a Cycladic cocktail destination. There is also a food menu, which the website references alongside the drinks offerings.

The music program is a key part of the experience. The bar plays an international selection with energy calibrated to the time of day — lower-key in the afternoon, more assertive as the evening builds toward midnight and beyond. The space handles the transition from afternoon drinks to late-night bar without a hard reset, which suits the Mykonos crowd that tends to move through several venues in a single evening.

The venue is compact in the Little Venice style, meaning crowd density increases significantly after 7:00 PM. Booking ahead is advisable if you want a specific table with a direct sea view.

How to Get There

Baos is located at Lamprou Katsoni 1, in the Little Venice district of Mykonos Town. On foot from the main harbor, walk along the waterfront past the old port and the taxi square, then continue west along the water toward the windmills. Little Venice is the stretch of buildings directly before the windmill hill — Baos is on that waterfront row. The walk from the central harbor takes approximately eight to twelve minutes.

From the new port at Tourlos, taxis run directly to Mykonos Town. The KTEL bus also connects the new port and the airport with the town's main bus station at Fabrika Square, from which Little Venice is a five-minute walk southwest.

Parking in Mykonos Town is extremely limited, and the streets around Little Venice are pedestrianized or too narrow for easy vehicle access. Most visitors arrive on foot, by taxi, or by the small local taxis that circulate around town. Driving directly to the bar is not practical.

Best Time to Visit

Baos is designed around the sundowner window — roughly 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM — when the sun is low enough to produce dramatic light over the Aegean but the evening crowd has not yet peaked. This is the time of day the bar explicitly calls out on its own website, and it is the window that best justifies the Little Venice location.

For the clearest sunset views, visit between late May and late September, when the sun sets far enough to the northwest to align with the open sea view. In shoulder season — April, May, and October — the bar is open but the evening crowd is thinner, which means easier access to prime waterfront seats.

July and August are the peak months on Mykonos, and Little Venice bars fill quickly after 6:00 PM. If you want a waterfront seat during high summer, arrive before 5:30 PM or book in advance. Mid-morning and early afternoon visits are quieter and practical if you want drinks without the crowd.

The Meltemi wind, which blows from the north in July and August, can be strong at the Little Venice waterfront — the buildings offer partial shelter depending on the wind direction, but it is worth knowing that this is one of the more exposed spots in town.

Tips for Visiting

• Book a waterfront table in advance during July and August. Walk-in availability for the best-positioned seats is limited after 6:00 PM on most summer evenings. Use the booking form on baosmykonos.com or call +30 694 619 4888.
• Arrive during the afternoon for a quieter experience. The bar opens at 10:00 AM and stays relatively calm until mid-afternoon — a good window if you want to sit at the water's edge without a crowd.
• The bar stays open until 4:00 AM every night. If you plan a long evening across multiple venues, Baos can function as both an early sundowner stop and a late-night return.
• Wear a layer in spring and autumn. Even in May and October, the westerly position on the waterfront catches more wind than the sheltered alleys of Mykonos Town. An extra layer keeps the evening comfortable.
• Explore Little Venice on foot before or after. The stretch of buildings along the waterfront includes several other bars and cafes within a two-minute walk, and the windmills at Kato Myli are a three-minute walk uphill to the north.
• The pirate theme is more than decoration. George Bao was a real historical figure significant to Mykonians — asking staff about the story is a reasonable conversation starter that most regulars can speak to.
• Check the Instagram account (@baosmykonos) for event nights. The bar occasionally hosts DJ nights and special programming; the social channels are the most current source for that information.

What to Order

Baos leads with its cocktail menu, which the bar describes as daring rather than conventional. The drinks lean toward bold combinations — expect twists on recognized cocktail formats rather than straightforward replications of standard recipes. The menu is shaped by the pirate-and-adventure concept, which in practice means the bar skews away from the overly safe and sweet.

Beyond cocktails, the bar also carries a food menu. The website references food offerings alongside drinks, though specific dishes are not detailed in available sources. Given the Little Venice setting and the long operating hours — from mid-morning through 4:00 AM — the food component appears oriented toward snacks and lighter bites rather than a full dining experience.

For sunset timing specifically, a cocktail ordered between 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM in summer will coincide with the strongest light. If you are there primarily for the view, it is worth ordering something you can hold and carry toward the water rather than a multi-course situation that anchors you to a table.