Negril’s best bars: The Ultimate Guide to unwinding
I have recently returned from a 7 night stay in Negril, Jamaica 🇯🇲
Whilst the majority of the trip was spent in our resort (resort review coming soon), I wanted to touch on my experience of Negril away from the resort stay. I had the pleasure of being in Negril to celebrate my sister’s stunning wedding, which was an absolute dream. I was in Negril for a week with a lot of that time being used to celebrate with family and friends and to be fully present in a special life moment for my sister and brother-in-law.
Away from wedding events and itineraries, I had two spare days to explore Negril and I wanted to visit some famous bars to get a feel for the local culture. The first stop was Rick’s Cafe. You may have already heard of Rick’s Cafe, as it is arguably the most famous bar in Jamaica and has won an array of awards amongst the years, including “Best Caribbean Live Reggae Bar” and “Best Caribbean Sunset”. The latter makes Rick’s Cafe a popular choice for an evening meal or beverage, where you are likely to witness one of the most beautiful sunsets that you will ever see. Another focal point that makes Rick’s Cafe unique and adds to it’s fame status, is the diving area and platforms. There are three separate areas for cliff diving with the very top one being reserved for professional divers only. For a small tip, some licensed staff members will complete this dive, giving everybody a fine bit of entertainment whilst they eat, drink and dance to the reggae music that bellows across the Caribbean sea. Ricks Cafe was a particular favourite of mine as the vibe was immaculate with LIVE DJs getting the crowd going, as well as some competitions happening around the large Café. There is also a souvenir shop located in Ricks Cafe, giving you a chance to grab some memorabilia to remember the incredible time you had. I can guarantee that you will want to remember this atmospheric bar. The food and drink provided at Rick’s Cafe had a good variety and there is sure to be something for everybody on the menu. Chris ordered a bucket of red stripe which came with 5 shots in a test tube that were very tasty and helped us to thrive in the Caribbean atmosphere. If you are in Negril, I personally believe that Rick’s Cafe is a must-visit destination. We spent the majority of the afternoon and evening here enjoying the delicious food and drinks, alongside the incredible entertainment and breathtaking sunset.
Onto the second and final free day of the trip; On this day we took a trip to a bar that was recommended to us by my uncle who lives in Jamaica. The bar is called Margaritaville and has a similar vibe to Rick’s Cafe, but is on a slightly calmer level. Although we visited Margaritaville for lunch, so this bar likely becomes more atmospheric in the evenings. However that is not to say that Margaritaville did not have a good vibe because I can assure you that it did! Margaritaville is located on the beach and has seating both under shelter and along the beachfront, giving you as a customer, a choice of atmosphere. There is a LIVE DJ playing authentic reggae music and the drinks and food were very good. Margaritaville’s cocktail range was extensive and I tried multiple cocktails, which were all equally delicious. The food was also very good, I had the curry goat and whilst I don’t believe that it was traditional, authentic curry goat, it was very delicious and enjoyable. Margaritaville is home to some water trampolines that are sure to be a hit with both adults and children. There was also a magician passing tables and showcasing some tricks for the customer’s amusement.
Overall, I had an amazing time at both Rick’s Cafe and Margaritaville and if they are a small indication of what the bars are like in Negril, I cannot wait to hopefully return one day!
