Captain's

Captain's occupies a spot on the Paralia — the seafront promenade of Naxos Town (Chora) — putting it within easy walking distance of the port, the old town, and the causeway that leads out to the Portara. The nautical theme fits the setting: this stretch of the waterfront is where fishing boats, ferries, and day-trip vessels come and go throughout the day.

The hours tell you a lot about the place. Captain's opens at 7:30 in the morning and doesn't close until 3:00 AM most nights, which means it functions as a cafe for early risers catching the first ferry, a lunch spot for people coming off the beach, and a bar for those still going well after midnight. That kind of all-day, all-night range is common on the Naxos waterfront, but the span here is on the longer end.

What to Expect

Captain's sits directly on the Paralia, Naxos Town's main harbourfront road. The nautical decor references the working port just steps away. As a venue tagged across bar, food, and store categories, it covers more ground than a straightforward taverna: expect drinks, light meals or snacks, and the kind of flexible menu that suits a spot catering to very different crowds across a very long day. The waterfront location means you get ferry and fishing boat views as standard.

It's worth noting that the Google rating stands at 2.8 from 294 reviews, which is below average for the island. Travellers with specific expectations — refined seafood, quiet atmosphere, fast service — may want to factor that in. For a casual drink on the promenade with a harbour view, the location itself does most of the work.

How to Get There

The restaurant is on Paralia Choras, the main coastal road running along the Naxos Town waterfront. If you're arriving by ferry, you'll walk past or directly to it as you leave the port terminal — the promenade begins right at the dock. From the old town (Kastro), it's a flat five-minute walk down toward the water. There is no dedicated parking on the promenade itself, but side streets behind the waterfront have some spaces, and the main municipal parking area for Naxos Town is a short walk inland.

Best Time to Visit

Early morning is the quietest window — useful if you want a coffee before a ferry or a boat trip without the lunch crowd. The promenade fills up from mid-morning onward through summer, peaking in the early evening when the sunset over the Portara draws most of Chora to the waterfront. If you want a seat with a sea view during July or August, arriving before 7 PM is advisable. Late-night visits (after midnight) tend to shift toward a bar crowd as the kitchen-oriented options on the strip close down.

Tips for Visiting

• Call ahead on Fridays: the opening time shifts to 7:30 PM, so it runs as an evening and late-night venue only that day.
• Manage expectations going in — the rating suggests inconsistency, so treat it primarily as a convenient waterfront stop rather than a destination restaurant.
• Combine with the Portara: the causeway to the islet of Palatia is a ten-minute walk along the same promenade; a drink at Captain's before or after sunset at the Portara is a practical pairing.
• Ferry timing: if you have an early departure from Naxos port, Captain's 7:30 AM opening makes it one of the few options for coffee and a bite before boarding.
• Late nights: the 3:00–3:30 AM closing time means it's one of the later options on the waterfront strip for a final drink.

What's Nearby

The Naxos Town promenade puts you close to the main concentration of the island's restaurants, cafes, and shops. The old market street (the Bourgo) runs parallel a block inland and holds most of the better-reviewed tavernas. The causeway to the Portara starts at the northern end of the waterfront. Agios Georgios beach — Chora's town beach — begins at the southern end of the promenade, roughly a ten-minute walk from the port. The Kastro, Naxos Town's Venetian-era hilltop fortification, is visible from the waterfront and accessible by a short uphill walk through the old town lanes.