TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Your favorite Island-feel beach bar?

Will be (hopefully) returning in February for our 12th visit, if not, then ideas for someday in the future years….. Lookin for opinions/suggestions on what you feel are some of the best beach (or non-beach!) bars that have a real “island feel”. Some places have become so modernized, you lose the Caribbean feel. One of my old favorites was the thatched hut bar over the water at Divi. Although I realize why it’s gone, I miss it 😪. We also really liked the circular Greek bar (with the funky bathrooms!) in Simpson Bay… can’t recall the name. Hoping to find some new (to us!) places this next trip that fit that vibe!

My favorite island beach bar/restaurant is definitely Friars Bay Beach Cafe but for a cold drink and simple beach eats - Rosie’s on Mullet Bay. Love her dry rubbed bbq ribs…….😊😊

I agree with Pat on FBBC. I would also add Karibuni on Pinel.

We used to enjoy going to the Cliffhanger Bar at the Cupecoy Beach Club when it was there. Great for watching the sunset and waiting to see if you saw the "Green Flash".

When you go into the PAST, it had to be Pedro's--YEARS ago, as it wasn't nearly as good recently. Also Ms. B's. And the ORIGINAL Sunset Beach Bar.

Now, I would say Rosie's..

Will definitely add Friar’s! We have never been there. Loved Cliffhanger, cool little setting. We love Mullet, but hang on beach chairs rather than the bar area. Hoping new construction in the area doesn’t hurt the feel of that location too much. Also like Pinel! I’m glad we haven’t missed ALL the great places…. I feel like we get stuck in ruts of the same places… and many are no longer around.

Keep in mind at Friars they don't take credit cards and if you pay in US Dollars they don't give a good exchange rate.

Raymond’s at Baie Rouge….so sad to see what happened….Dave

I have to agree that FBBC is one of the best, not inexpensive but worth it. It has older island feel as well. We really like Grand Case Beach Club as well but it is not as old school but still very pleasant as are some of the other places along the beach in Grand Case. Since Irma and then Bruno out of La Playa we just have not found a place on Orient that pulls us in over Grand Case or Friars. Will try again in November.

Carol, we certainly miss Ms B on Dawn Beach, while I liked the ribs MJ still talks about the tuna sandwich on a fresh baguette that she would make.

97 Days until we are there letting sand gravity take control!

Speaking of Friars, has anyone here been there lately?? That road really rattles my brains!!!

I probably should have answered the posters original question so I'll give my 2 cents and say Rosie's.

Thread drift: I was there in June and didn't think the road (the "front" one, not the "back" one) was too bad. I drove behind Kali's to the lot beyond, which is closer to FBBC. This parking lot is close enough to FBBC that I didn't think taking the "back" road was worth it. It was HORRIBLE last time I drove it.

Driftwood Boat Bar has that island feel and allows you to watch the planes land and take off. Now if you can just find a place to park.

Always enjoy Le String on Orient, very friendly, good drinks and food

Tried most of them. Absolutely THE BOON Beach Bar and Restaurant. It’s located at Mary’s Boon Hotel on Simpson Bay. A lot of people think you have to stay at the hotel but you don’t to enjoy. They don’t promote a lot, they have a nice local and tourist French and Dutch crowd especially on the weekends very busy. Normally a DJ or band lots of fun. Really excellent food and staff very attentive. JJ bartender on the beach Julia cute young Lady serves your food and drinks to your chair on the beach! Not gourmet food but neither are the prices. We are also enjoying a few of the beach bars on the French Orient Bay. But a bit of a drive for us and a little pricey too.

I always enjoyed, years ago, Kon-Tiki's smaller beach bar (Peeping Toms), Pinel Island, Kalis, Calmos Cafe, Jimbo Lolo, Layla's Bar, and the second Surf Club location across from the church. in the middle of Grand Case.

Neil--Calmos!! Definitely miss Calmos. And for sure, Surf Club in Grand Case..

Totally agree, Calmos was the best! Miss it terribly but the search for a replacement will go on this December

Jogged my memories.....
Remember when, here in SXM.......

Breakfast buffet at La Belle Creole.
Trivia night at David's Pub.
Lunch at Callaloo.
Friday nights at Sam's Place.
The Comedy Club, upstairs in the old Concorde(Maho).
The Onion loaf at Zachery's.
Sunday Brunch at Le Gallion.
Darts and cold beer at Kim Sha.
Dinner around the pool at Paradise Cafe.
Dollar Day the Surf Club in Grand Case.
Getting FREE drinks for your Jimbo Dollars.
When one Dollar equaled TEN Francs.
The Mexican standoff at the one lane bridge in Sandy Ground.
When the sand went all the way around the big rock at Cupecoy.
Racing to St.Barths on Eagle, El Tigre, Falcon or Quicksilver.
When Le Bar De La Mer was ON the water.
The salad bar at The Frigate.
When we had a REAL Golf Course
You got Chicklets for change instead of nickels and dimes.
The Blue Note had Jazz.
Your choices were Heineken and Heineken.
You could park across the street from Cheri's.
Papagayo and Pedro's were the ONLY restaurants on Orient.
There was a taxi fare schedule posted at the Airport.
The Immigration ladies smiled and said hello
There was a reason it was called Sandy Ground.
Dawn beach hotel had a cool beach bar.
St.Paddy's day at The West Indian Tavern with Jack Sheppard.
The Chronicle Newspaper.
Studio 7, above Casino Royale.
Dick Miller sent you.
The traffic lights were turned on.
We had Pizza Hot in Marigot.
The Police Station was on Back Street.
Time Share meant Pelican.
The Peacock Casino in the Beach Plaza Hotel in P'burg.
The beer garden at Cha Cha Cha in Grand Case.
All you can eat ribs at The Grill & Ribs Company.
The Rusty Pelican at Bobby's Marina.
The car inspection station on the pond fill.
The Monkey on the coconut cart on Front Street.
Kali's was the ONLY place at Friars Bay (Anse Guichard)
You watched the sun set from the restaurant at Caravanserai.
Kim Sha Beach was packed on Sunday.
Lady Mariner bar across from the Airport.
Delivery was Carrie Pizza in P'burg.
Eastern and Pan Am had flights here.
You left the keys in your rental car.
The goats owned the streets in Marigot.
You went to happy hour at Felix.
The one way streets in Marigot went in the other way than now.
The TV station from Anguilla with the pirated programs.
K-Dis Supermarket in Marigot.
Café De Paris

WOW you guys brought back great memories! With Ms. Bee's, Hands down best freak'n ribs on the island! Joanie was a great gal, great deal $20.00 two chairs umbrella and sand table with a rum punch to start the day!! Cliffhanger! OMG! and of course we didn't have our camera when the green bolt exploded across the ocean ski!! Buc's has to be our favorite beach bar!! ( we have not been there since the reopening) IMHO! the best burger on the island!! But this last trip (April) we found Driftwood again to be REALLY good!!!! We had drinks at the new beach bar at Mullett, DaWater Hole!! Really nice place. food looked good coming out of the kitchen! Really nice bathrooms!! Lockers for those staying in front of the unit!

Don't forget Scavenger's

Agreed! We go in that way all the time, the road isn't bad at all, and parking is quite convenient.

We will have to try coming in that way sometime.. Sorry for the thread drift.

We will have to try coming in that way sometime.. Sorry for the thread drift.

real island feel go to the Perch Lite Great food, service smiles! You don't have to be naked to eat there. another one is Kali's at friars bay.

And while he claimed most of my early memories, to add a few more to Neil’s list…….

Remember when:

There was NO timeshare on SXM?
Mullet Bay Resort and Casino was the premier resort on the island?
Turtle Pier was THE place to go for breakfast or lunch before leaving de islon?
You could drive on an almost decent road on the French back side of the island and the next thing you knew you were on little more than a basic path?
Midass Muffler at the foot of the hill where the roundabout is now?
You had to step up to the booth at PJIA and personally pay your two dollar departure fee?
Bertine’s Restaurant up in the French hills?
Polly the parrot in her cage in the alley way between Front and Back Streets?
Marigot center and the open air market before the filming of Speed II?
The monkey tethered in the tree at The Rusty Pelican?
Peopled dressed up to go almost everywhere on the island in the evening?
Swaliga II was the new edition to rapid transport to St. Barts?
Gentlemen were required to wear long pants and jackets in the casinos?
The beach crew at Mullet would rake the beach all day every day and get rid of the trash?
The restaurant upstairs at the airport was another great spot to eat and when done dining you could grab an ice cream cone on the rooftop shop there?

So many wonderful memories……

So many great memories! Really miss Calmos, Cliffhanger and the Original Bikini Beach Bar. And Bruno's Dreams!!! And Baywatch/ Andy & Cheryl's place on Orient.

You've been going for decades longer than we have, Pat, but these are the things on your list that I remember:

Turtle Pier was THE place to go for breakfast or lunch before leaving de islon?
[censored] Muffler at the foot of the hill where the roundabout is now?
You had to step up to the booth at PJIA and personally pay your two dollar departure fee?
The restaurant upstairs at the airport was another great spot to eat and when done dining you could grab an ice cream cone on the rooftop shop there?

And my two cents: The Perch Bar & Grill. Love their grilled shrimp Caesar Salad - especially during HH.

Didn't there used to be an Indiana Jones thing with outdoor shower where Kim Sha is now? Reptiles in cages?
Bar de la Mer did used to be on the edge of the water. So did La Vie en Rose!
Anguilla ferry was all the way out on that finger pier in Marigot?
Cheers
irina

It was Indiana Jones or Indiana's (or something like that) where Greenhouse is at the Atrium, they had a very good burger and would service the beach.

I remember getting lunch from Lal prior to departing when you could just walk over to the terminal, tough to beat when leaving the island. At Turtle Pier I remember people feeding the monkeys jam packets. Lucky Monkeys

96 days and counting!

Irina--yes, it was something to that effect where the Greenhouse is now. Something like Indiana Beach Bar..

Yes. Indiana's was a fun place. .

Then became Picante's, that actually was the place that had the good burgers and had beach service that I remember.

Are Kali’s and Friar’s Beach Club 2 different places? But on same stretch of beach & same parking lot?

Yes. Same shared beach but but very different vibes. Each one nice but very different - FBBC is way more to my liking. We all have our likes and dislikes, right? 🙂🙂

Same beach, but two different parking lots.

Back in the day, Scavenger's was the best. Recently, I like the Lay Back Beach Bar, located at the far end of Great Bay Beach by the last cruise ship shuttle pier.

Well, I'm glad that at least a couple of folks mentioned Scavengers....always my idea of what a laid back Caribbean beachbar should be.

Agree with several other mentions as well. Yes, the ORIGINAL Sunset (come back Neal!), Friars - a several times a trip visit for us....we love having a great French lunch, joined from time-to-time by chickens, a donkey, and once, a pig.

Calmos, yes, Karibuni, yes, Andy's mussels, YES, Laylas, Dreams, Turtle Pier, original Lal's,all a big yes.

Only ones missing for me are GP's little bar out front of Kakao, and the pre-irma restuarant at Anse Marcel - like Friars, far better food than you should ever expect at a beach bar restaurant!

I'm hungry!!

Cheers!

Driftwood. And the Boon.