Albufeira has two distinct drinking scenes that rarely overlap. The old town has proper Portuguese café culture: espresso at a marble-topped counter, medronho brandy in a dimly lit bar, occasional live fado on weekend evenings. The Strip (Av. Francisco Sá Carneiro near Praia da Oura) is an unabashed British-Irish holiday resort — all-night bars, karaoke, sports screens, and frozen cocktails. Both are entirely valid depending on what kind of evening you want.
For a quiet drink with locals, the small bars around the old town squares charge under €2 for house wine and the snacks are generous. The beach bars at Praia dos Pescadores are worth an evening drink for the view alone.