St Vincent and the Grenadines / Bars/Nightlife

With its combination of easy-going tourism and local West Indian life - both the “small island” character of the Grenadines and that in the larger island of St Vincent - St Vincent and the Grenadines have a good range of bars. And with the islands' physical beauty and variety, many have superb settings, mostly along the various waterfronts. Of course, many of the bars are actually beach bars that opt to stay open into the evenings, with live music under the palms.

Almost all the bars in St Vincent and the Grenadines are informal, but they still reflect the range and variety of the islands themselves. So in Mustique you can half expect to bump into a starlet or an off-duty billionaire, while just a few miles away on Union Island or St Vincent there are unassuming local bars that see a good mix of visitors and Grenadine islanders in the fairly regular Happy Hours and jump-ups. There are also many bars that are popular with yachties on their way through the Grenadines and in season these can be extremely lively.

While most bars in the Grenadines are open year-round over the weekend, some may not be open all week. Many do have a special night, though, often with entertainment - perhaps a live band or a DJ and sound system. In the bars you can expect to hear a good mix of soca music and reggae alongside American and regular international rock music. Discos are limited to the local clubs, or occasionally the hotels, where there is also entertainment sometimes. There are also many local rum shops (mostly on the larger islands) that will welcome you if you want to stop off for a drink.

Here is a selection of recommended bars around St Vincent and the Grenadines:

St Vincent

Aggies, Kingstown Hill - Bar and restaurant on the edge of town, local crowd but welcoming to visitors.

Aquatic Club, Villa - Bar and disco next to the Young Island dock. Live bands and DJs on Fridays and Saturdays playing reggae, soca and calypso to the early hours of the morning.

Basil's Bar, Cobblestone Inn, Kingstown - Air-conditioned bar and restaurant set in an old stone-walled warehouse in town, with satellite TV. Popular meeting spot with a good cocktail menu.

Beachcombers Restaurant & Bar, Villa Beach - Pleasant garden deck just above the beach. A restaurant and bar in a family-run hotel.

Cheers, Villa - Sports bar on the lively Villa strip. Popular hangout with locals at the weekend.

Club 40 40, Villa - Nightclub with lounge, bar, air-conditioned dancehall, cable TV featuring sports, movies, comedies, and dining. Karaoke on Wednesdays; barbecue and DJ on Fridays; and live jazz and DJ on Saturdays.

Emotions, Kingstown - Nightclub popular with the local crowds, plays a variety of Caribbean and US music. Also known as Fusion club.

Lime N' Pub, Villa - Friendly waterfront restaurant and popular bar with a nautical theme. Huge cocktail and wine list. Gets very busy in season.

Vee Jay's Rooftop Dinner & Pub, Kingstown - Bar and TV lounge set on a rooftop right in the middle of town.

Young Island Resort - Live entertainment on weekends includes its Bamboo Melodian Band on Friday nights and a steel band orchestra on Saturdays.

Bequia

Buddy's Bar, Port Elizabeth - Tiny watering hole on the waterfront surrounded by boutique shops.

Coco's Place, Ocar - Friendly bar and restaurant set on a brightly- painted deck above the bay. Easy-going atmosphere with unique string band Mighty J Cool and De Ting on Tuesdays and live soca music on Fridays in season. Try the freshly-made rum punch.

Devil's Table, Port Elizabeth - Pirate-inspired restaurant built around a rocky outcrop in the bay. Plenty of atmosphere. Live music on Wednesday and Friday nights in season. Lively on weekends.

Frangipani, Belmont Walkway - Very attractive spot on the Belmont waterfront, famous for its Thursday night barbecue buffet and jump-up with live music by the Elite Steel Band.

Green Boley, Belmont Walkway - Simple and very charming bamboo-fronted bar and restaurant featuring local fare, with seating under the trees and views across the bay.

Gingerbread Restaurant, Admiralty Bay - Pretty restaurant and bar with lovely views over Admiralty Bay. Live folk music and calypso several nights a week.

Jack's Bar and Restaurant, Princess Margaret beach - Beachfront sports bar and restaurant in a prime location. Seating outside under a large canopy, friendly service and a good selection of drinks. Half- price cocktails during sunset hour.

L'Auberge des Grenadines, Hamilton - French restaurant on the waterfront with live music on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Sunset Happy Hour from 5.30pm-6.30pm. 

Penthouse, Ocar - Small and colourful shack on the roadside, selling snacks and drinks by day. At night it gets very lively and the parties go until the early morning, long after the other bars have closed. Mix of locals and visitors.

The Porthole, Port Elizabeth - Waterfront bar and restaurant run by Noelina who serves hearty, home-cooked, Creole fare and a range of exotic cocktails. Popular meeting spot with live music in season.

The Salty Dog, Port Elizabeth - Air-conditioned sports bar and restaurant and a popular after-work chill-out open “til late”, with pool table, dart board and cable TV. Cocktail specials, quiz nights and a good sandwich menu.

The Whaleboner, Belmont Walkway - Waterfront bar built with the bones of whales - rib bar and entrance and vertebrae seats. Live music on Mondays, Friday and Saturday nights in season. Music from calypsonian Mighty Ray. Depending on the crowd, the bar often stays open late.

Mustique

Basil's Bar - World- famous watering hole of the rich and famous, set on a deck on stilts over the water of Britannia Bay, with bamboo walls and palm thatch roofs. Liveliest on the Wednesday barbecue and jump-up, which features live bands. Home of the Blues Festival in February.

Firefly - Small hotel with a dining room and bar perched high above Britannia Bay. A popular and hip gathering spot, with a long and interesting list of cocktails, and equally interesting (and often very famous) clientele. You might just walk into a priceless evening, with Phil Collins playing the piano or Nigel Kennedy on the violin.

Canouan

Bellini's Bar & Bistro, Canouan Resort - The signature bar at Canouan Resort, Bellini's is located next to the La Piazza restaurant and offers a range of cocktails to go with views over the golf course and the main bay. Open from morning until late evening, live entertainment on selected days.

Pirate's Cove, Tamarind Beach Hotel & Yacht Club - Open-sided bar under thatch, live music and dancing several times a week.

Splash Disco, Charlestown - Loud, local disco on weekends.

Canouan Beach Apartments, Charlestown - Sees a mix of islanders and visitors. Pool table volleyball, occasional karaoke and bands.

Silver Lining Sports Bar & Restaurant, Grand Bay - Nice setting high up on the hill with excellent views overlooking Grand Bay. International cuisine and local drinks.

Mayreau

Dennis's Hideaway Seafood Restaurant -  A popular bar and restaurant set at the heart of the village with an easy mix of islanders and visitors, occasional live music on weekends.

Island Paradise Bar, Restaurant & Disco - Friday is barbecue night with live music. Happy hour 6pm-7pm.

Righteous Robert and the Youths Snack Bar and Tea Room - Inexpensive colourful Rastafarian restaurant and bar.

Union Island

Anchorage Yacht Club Restaurant & Bar - Busy waterfront spot with lots of comings and goings in season, especially with the yachtie crowd. Games area with pool table, satellite TV, occasional entertainment at night with live music and calypso jump-ups.

Green Light, Clifton - Small friendly bar with cable TV set on the main street. Nice place to pass the time and people-watch.

Janti's Happy Island, Clifton Harbour - A bar set on a small man-made island of discarded conch shells out in the harbour in Clifton. Popular with the yachtsmen in harbour.

Jennifer's Restaurant, Clifton - A peach and blue bar on the street in Clifton. Small but welcoming and a nice spot to spend an evening.

Lambi’s, Clifton - Set in a simple waterfront building with walls studded with lambis (conch shells). Weekend steel band jump-ups and sometimes limbo dancing. Nice mix of Union Islanders and visitors.