Favorite Bars and Restaurants (Watering Holes and Feedlots)

Picture Name & Link Location Comments
British Virgin Islands
Dancing at Pirate's Pirate's Bight Norman Island Accessible only by boat, it offers food and drink for the family along with a gift shop. Frequent live music.
Willie T during the day. William Thornton, a.k.a. the "Willie T" Norman Island Accessible only by dinghy, the Willie T is anchored in corner of The Bight and is renowned for wild parties. The days where ladies get free drinks if they jump naked off the upper deck might be over, but depending upon the night and the crowd it is a wild, wild place. While they do have food it is mainly a bar. Beware of mooring too close if you want to retire early.
  Captain Mulligans Nanny Cay, Tortola Located just outside of Nanny Cay Marina, it offers perhaps the best burgers on Tortola and is a great place to relax. It is a family friendly place much frequented by the local expatriate crowd.
Pussers Rum logo Pusser's Various With several locations it is the BVI's closest thing to a chain restaurant (and store, and bar) with the newest location taking over the old "Fat Hog Bob's" location at Hodge's Creek. While I'm not a rum person I do hear that they mix some mean drinks there. My favorite is the Marina Cay location and, when there, the Michael Beans Happy Arrrr show is not to be missed!
  Peg Legs Nanny Cay, Tortola The actual physical bar has moved around several times since I was first there, but the location is great - both for viewing docking maneuvers as well as for watching boats in the Sir Francis Drake Channel. While the new restaurant has gone upscale and the large and tasty pizzas are no longer on the menu, it is a fun place to dine and enjoy a cold beverage while talking with your bar neighbor.
Rudi's Bar Vista Rudi's Bar High up, Tortola The bar is situated high atop the hills in Tortola and has a wonderful view of the north shore, Jost van Dyke and (weather permitting) Anegada. While it is certainly a no-frills location the drinks are good and the setting cannot be beat. While their recommendation of Callwood's Arundel rum as a "fine drinking rum" might have been off the mark (the rum makes a fine paint stripper, though) I loved this place and returned several times (although I only had the rum once).
Tamarind Club Tamarind Club Hotel Tortola This hotel features a poolside bar and is a great hangout for those with vehicular access.
Bomba Shack Bomba Shack Tortola Bomba and his shack are known throughout the BVI and his Full Moon Parties have a well-deserved reputation even further from the shores of Tortola. This is certainly not a family-style bar.
Myetts Myett's Cane Garden Bay Right on the beach with live music and good food it is a fun place to relax and enjoy the sunset.
Quito's Gazebo Quito's Gazebo Cane Garden Bay Right on the beach and next to the dinghy dock, Quito's has been a fixture in Cane Garden Bay for years.
Soggy Dollar Bar Soggy Dollar Bar White Bay, Jost van Dyke The name comes from the time when people would swim ashore from their boats and pay with wet money and this bar is, next to Foxy's, the most well-known one in the BVI. White Bay is beautiful and the bar is on the beach, it is a favorite destination from day-trippers from the USVI as well as boats touring the BVI. Their painkiller is awesome and the atmosphere comfortable.
The bar at Corsair's Corsairs Bar Great Harbor, Jost van Dyke I enjoy this bar, their pizza is awesome, the company at the bar and restaurant is always interesting and Vinnie, the proprietor, ensures that things stay lively.
Break from dancing Foxys Bar Great Harbor, Jost van Dyke While it is beyond a doubt the most renowned restaurant and bar in the BVI it has become such a tourist attraction that its charms have been overshadowed by commercialism. Nonetheless, Foxy was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 2009 for his services towards promoting and shaping the culture of the BVI and it was certainly deserved.
Mad Dog lunch Mad Dog Café Baths, Virgin Gorda While it is just a small little spot of shade at the tope of the Baths, it serves great food and is a comfortable place to just "Chill".
Top of the Baths Top of the Baths Baths, Virgin Gorda An idyllic setting with incredible panoramic views of the Sir Francis Drake Channel and Tortola. The food is excellent, I have had the best Gazpacho of my life there! The walk up the path from the Baths is just far enough to make a cool drink and fine meal worthwhile.
Top of the Baths Seddy's One Love White Bay, Jost van Dyke What better logo than "No Shoes, No Shirt, ... no Problem!". The food is tasty and the atmosphere laid back, this is my favorite food in White Bay.
  Mineshaft Cafe SE Virgin Gorda Located close to the old Coppermine, the view is outstanding and the food is befitting the location.
Bath and Turtle The Bath & Turtle Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda For over month while I was waiting for my replacement rudder on my old boat to arrive this was my constant hangout.
  The Rock Cafe Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda A fantastic setting, eating dinner nestled among the rocks for which the Baths are famous. The ambience and food are great at this restaurant.
Saba Rock Hotel Saba Rock North Sound, Virgin Gorda This is one of my favorite hangouts in the BVI - both because of the proximity to my favorite anchorage and because the bar and restaurant is comfortable with friendly staff and acceptable prices plus good food.
Jumbies Leverick Bay North Sound, Virgin Gorda Leverick Bay has two restaurants, and the upper level has some of the best steak that I have ever eaten - anywhere! The location and service is nonpareil! Downstairs is the Jumbies bar, with live music and a much more boisterous atmosphere.
Jumbies Potters by the Sea Anegada Along with The Anegada Reef Hotel this serves excellent food and Anegada Lobster. This is one of the few places in the BVI where long pants and sleeves should be worn in the evening - not due to any formal attire requirements but because of the mosquitoes.
Jumbies Anegada Reef Hotel Anegada Along with Potters by the Sea this serves excellent food and Anegada Lobster. This is one of the few places in the BVI where long pants and sleeves should be worn in the evening - not due to any formal attire requirements but because of the mosquitoes.
Picture Name & Link Location Comments
U.S. Virgin Islands
Maho Bay Maho Bay Camps Maho Bay, St. John While climbing all those steps form the beach to the restaurant at the top of the hill is daunting and certainly works up a good appetite, the food selection, quality and quantity makes the trip worthwhile. I think I ate at this camp every night for a week, with a different menu each and every evening.
Picture Name & Link Location Comments
Saint Martin (both sides)
Banette La Sucrière Marigot, St. Martin The Formule dejeuner with a half baguette, jelly, coffee, butter and a croissant for €5.50 was my staple breakfast every morning. I would enjoy a cup or two of coffee and use the WiFi internet connectivity. Later on in the day I'd drop by for something even sweeter and another coffee.
Bistro de la Mèr Marigot, St. Martin While they always had a barbecue going for grilled meats and fish, I tended to opt for the more traditional French meals and enjoyed the friendly service - despite my best attempts at French they always and inevitably responded to me in English.
Blue Martini Bistro Grand Case, St. Martin The town of Grand Case is known for its plentiful and bountiful restaurants and I visited several while on St. Martin. The Blue Martini, while not at the upper end of the Guide Michelin scale, was comfortable and pleasant and had excellent Steak Tartare!
Jimbo's Rock & Blues Cafe Simpson Bay, St. Martin The music is right to my taste and the crowd is a mix of local expatriates and sailors. I loved the food and their happy hour specials are very hard to beat.
Picture Name & Link Location Comments
St. Kitts & Nevis
Sunshine's on the beach Sunshine Beach Bar & Grill Nevis Just a short dinghy ride or swim from the anchorage, Sunshine's combines atmosphere, view and good food with his signature drink the "Killer Bee".
Antigua & Barbuda
Mad Mongoose Race Week party Mad Mongoose Falmouth, Antigua A boater's hangout with 24x7 free WiFi - the outside covered seats with power plugs outside are zero pressure, if you don't buy any drinks or food they won't bother you. For what is essentially a bar they serve very tasty food with a varied menu and I left many a Caribbean Dollar at this establishment.
Mad Mongoose Race Week party Shirley Heights Shirley Heights, Antigua This venue is on every tour book's list of place to do and things to see; but for a reason. The views, particularly at sunset (and for those enterprising enough to climb up the hill in the dark the sunrise as well) are spectacular. They have live steel drum music twice a week and good fare inside on every night. Numerous parties make for a lively place, particularly during events such as the Antigua Race Week.