THE 10 BEST BARS IN JAMAICA
Jamaica is famed for its hospitality, and the island’s nightlife doesn’t disappoint: whether you’re after a trendy lounge, a low-key beach bar or want to dance until daylight in a Kingston club, you’re sure to find something happening here every night of the week.
Big areas for nightlife include Jamaica’s capital, Kingston, and its second city, Montego Bay – check the Daily Gleaner, the Jamaica Observer and the Jamaica Star for the low-down on who's playing when and where – but wherever you go, there is music to be found. This, after all, is the island that created reggae. Are you ready to get your groove on?
For further Jamaica inspiration, see our guides to the island's best hotels, restaurants, things to do and beaches. Use our insider guide to plan your trip.
Find a bar by area
- Montego Bay and Northwest coast
- Ocho Rios, Port Antonio & North Coast
- Negril and the West Coast
- Kingston, Blue Mountains & Southeast Coast
- South Coast and Central Highlands
Montego Bay and Northwest coast
Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville
Set in the heart of the Hip Strip (aka Gloucester Avenue) and spread across two decks, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville is an unashamed party joint but one that, unlike its Negril and Ocho Rios siblings, attracts local Jamaicans as well as the cruise ship crowd. Visit during the day to ride the 120-foot water slide into the Caribbean Sea and return at night when the in-house DJ fires up the dance floor – inspiring plenty of bumping and grinding (and drink spillage). If all you want to do is party hearty, this Mo Bay favourite won’t let you down.
Contact: margaritavillecaribbean.com/montego-bay
Prices: ££
Getting in: Casual dress code
Pier 1
Set on a deck right on the waterfront near downtown Montego Bay, Pier 1 has two faces: by day it’s a classy open-air restaurant specialising in seafood dishes (the local favourite is land crab). But when the sun goes down, it transforms into one of Mo Bay’s most pumping party places (the other being Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville). Do as the locals do: dress up and dance with wild abandon – but don’t think about turning up much before 10pm. Live concerts are occasionally held here, with some of Jamaica’s biggest names on the setlist, alongside the occasional overseas act.
Contact: pier1jamaica.com
Prices: ££
Getting in: Smart dress code
Blue Beat Ultra Lounge
Montego Bay isn’t short of night spots but, If you need a break from reggae, make for this vibing venue where you can catch fantastic live jazz and blues performances. That said, you don’t have to be a jazz enthusiast to enjoy this tropical-themed hotspot. Latin and DJ nights also feature, and you can expect fabulous cocktails and a tapas-style menu to boot. Blue Beat Ultra Lounge has a 5am music licence six nights of the week so chances are you’ll find yourself drinking and dancing into the wee small hours.
Contact: 00 1 876 952 4777; Gloucester Ave, Montego Bay
Prices: ££
Getting in: Arrive early for dinner and drinks but know that live music doesn’t start until later in the evening.
Ocho Rios, Port Antonio & North coast
John Crow’s Tavern
Sport is the name of the game at this popular Main Street bar, so expect to see a big television screening the latest football games. If you’re not a sports nut, take advantage of Jamaica’s hospitable climate and head outside onto the terrace of this brightly painted building to indulge in a spot of people-watching on the bustling street. Regular promotions draw in the locals on their way home from a busy day at work, who rub shoulders with those tourists in search of a more chilled alternative to the riotous vibe at Margaritaville.
Contact: 00 1 876 974 5895; facebook.com
Prices: £
Getting in: Casual dress code
Negril and the West Coast
Alfred’s Ocean Palace
Enviably situated on Negril’s Seven Mile Beach, Alfred’s Ocean Palace is a guesthouse-cum-restaurant-cum-beach bar that regularly hosts local acts. Look to this place for the very best in roots, rock and reggae music – keep an eye on their website for everything they’ve got on – with plenty of reasonably priced rum punch to accompany it. The stage is set on the beach, meaning you can dance the night away in the sand, under the stars. Be sure to grab something to eat beforehand in the restaurant, which deals in good Jamaican standards.
Contact: alfreds.com
Prices: £
Getting in: Acts start around 10pm
Bourbon Beach
This Negril staple has built its reputation on a pretty simple formula: top sets from reggae greats (the late John ‘The Tide Is High’ Holt and the Cool Ruler himself, Gregory Isaacs, both performed at Bourbon) and exciting fresh talent. It’s a favourite with other musicians who head here on nights off to “bill chill” (take it easy). The general vibe of the friendly staff and customers is fantastic, too: everyone is made to feel welcome. Keep an eye out for its dancehall night on a Saturday which always turns into a bit of a mad one.
Contact: 00 1 876 957 4432; instagram.com/bourbon_beach_negril
Prices: £
Getting in: Live music rarely starts much before 9.30pm
Rick’s Cafe
Years come and go, and Rick’s Cafe still remains Jamaica’s most popular bar by far with visitors bussed in from as far away as Montego Bay and Ocho Rios for a night at this Negril institution. Join them, for one evening at least, on rocky cliffs 35ft above the ocean to drink the (admittedly expensive) rum punch while watching the sun dip below the western horizon. On the cliffs of the West End, there is an added sunset tradition – of leaping from one of the bar terraces into the turquoise water below.
Contact: rickscafejamaica.com
Prices: £££
Getting in: Be prepared to queue
Kingston, Blue Mountains and Southeast coast
Kingston Dub Club
The Dub Club feels especially worthy of a spot on this list: it’s the hottest party spot, not only in Kingston, but on the entire island, with the best setting too. Perched high on Jack’s Hill, looking down over the capital, selector Sabre Selassie and guests serve up superlative roots, reggae, rock and dub in the open air. Dub Club also offers a laid-back bar and Ital dishes and seems to welcome a cross-section of people, from locals to expats to visitors passing through, and everyone else inbetween. It’s certainly worth making the effort to get here.
Contact: 00 1 876 815 1184; facebook.com/officialkingstondubclub
Prices: ££
Getting in: Arrive early for a drink but know that things don’t get going before 10pm
South Coast and Central Highlands
Pelican Bar
Widely hailed as 'the coolest bar in the Caribbean’, the Pelican was built by a fisherman named Floyd in 2001 after he saw it in a dream. Reaching the ramshackle bar is a thrilling adventure: the Pelican sits on stilts in the shallow water of a sandbar several hundred yards off Jamaica’s southwest coast, so you’ll need to catch a boat from either Treasure Beach, Parrottee Point or Black River to get there. Go for a sunset drink and enjoy it over a game of dominoes with Floyd and his friends or in waist-deep water, surrounded by rays and pelicans.
Contact: instagram.com/official_pelican_bar
Prices: ££
Getting in: Call ahead if you want to eat
TreeTop Bar
It’s impossible to have a bad time at the plant-festooned TreeTop Bar, part of the fabulous Lashings Boutique Hotel and Villas, that’s invariably stuffed full of laughter and people. Fairytale lights cast a twilight tinge from above at night, illuminating the rattan furniture, distressed wooden floorboards and name signs that pay homage to the bar’s high profile past guests. Service is welcoming and enthusiastic: even the owner, David Folby, works the room chatting to guests and recommending snacks and drinks. Don’t miss Happy Hour when cocktails including Rum Punch and other classics are on a 2-for-1 offer. Cheers.
Contact: lashings.com/bars
Prices: ££
Getting in: Beach chic
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