The Caribbean island of St. Maarten is home to a myriad of clubs and restaurants that attract visitors like bees to honey after sunset. Luckily, this abundance of venues allows everyone to find a corner to their liking, such as crowded bars with huge dance floors or quiet places with live music.
Bliss
The institution with the alluring name Bliss actually has two sections – a bright tropical club and a complex restaurant. The former is outdoors with access to the pool and two bars serving unusual cocktails with ingredients like cucumber and espresso. There’s plenty of room on the dance floor to party hard, and there are seating areas nearby. As for the restaurant, there is a menu with a variety of international dishes, such as steaks, pastas and sushi.
Bamboo Bernie’s
Fans of tender, fresh sushi should enjoy Bamboo Bernie’s. Located in the five-star Sonesta Maho complex, it is one of the few islands of calm among the fashionable bars and restaurants of St. Maarten. Guests are invited to sit in the spacious Buddha Lounge and enjoy the taste of unique Asian cuisine. Alcohol includes Japanese sake, as well as an ever-growing cocktail list with exotic twists from the house. Bamboo Bernie’s tranquil lounge is a true respite from the island’s incessant hustle and bustle.
Taloula Mango’s
Taloula Mango’s is an upbeat bar/restaurant located right on the beach promenade of St. Maarten. It is famous for its affordable prices, delicious food and the availability of almost every drink imaginable. From fresh salads and sandwiches to burgers, ribs and pasta, the menu is truly extensive, so it’s easy to find something to your liking. Traditional Caribbean dishes like clams and dumplings, Caribbean-style chicken, and curried chicken with bananas and pineapple are not to be missed. Taloula Mango’s can also offer a children’s menu full of sweet treats – where else will you find a crustless sandwich with peanut butter, banana and chocolate? On weekends, guests can enjoy not only delicious food and cocktails, but also live music.
Celine’s Lagoon Pub Crawl.
So why spend an evening at one bar when you can take a cruise around Simpson Bay Lagoon and visit a range of establishments? That’s where Celine’s 40-foot double-hulled ship will help you out, and that’s what you’ll be cruising the water for. The ship typically makes three stops in one evening. During each of them you will be able to enjoy one of the dishes that will be gradually served as the night progresses, as well as a spectacular cocktail. By the way, there is a free bar on the ship. If an alcoholic cruise doesn’t sound too tempting, the Celine team can offer weekly sunset cruises or a variety of all-inclusive programs to suit your tastes.
The Greenhouse
After the sun goes down, The Greenhouse, a popular restaurant for locals and tourists alike, transforms into a nightclub. Guests are free to stroll around with cool cocktails in hand, enjoy live music and socialize with the people of St. Maarten. The secret of the establishment’s success is happy hours, during which special offers on appetizers and drinks are available. Tuesdays are the most crowded, and many of the guests come especially to play pool.
Cheri’s Café
Although not on the beach, Cheri’s Café offers everything that St. Maarten nightlife is known for: delicious cocktails, dancing, live music and interesting encounters. Entrée dishes such as steak and seafood are particularly popular on the menu. Here you can spend a pleasant evening alone, or meet locals and tourists who often come to Cheri’s to relax after snorkeling.
Sopranos
As you can easily guess from the name, this stylish bar/restaurant was inspired by the gangster TV drama of the same name. Sopranos can boast live music among other things – pianists change here every week, and the management of the place tries to attract musicians from all corners of the world. The musical accompaniment of the evening depends on who is sitting at the instrument tonight – most often Sopranos plays jazz, blues, old rhythm and blues and Broadway tunes. It’s the perfect place to relax with a glass of wine or scotch – and pull your best outfit out of your suitcase.
Boathouse
This nautical-style restaurant is the main pillar of nightlife on St. Maarten. Tourists come here for the gorgeous views of the harbor and the island itself, but also for the menu full of exquisite seafood: fried scallops, clams and fresh fish. The Boathouse also serves the usual steaks, burgers, Italian pasta and chicken dishes. In the evening, the bar is buzzing with activity and on Fridays there’s live music – not a bad way to start the weekend.
Pineapple Pete
Rounding out our top 9 is the locally popular Pineapple Pete, where you can play pool and party on the huge dance floor. The menu is like an assortment of pub food and gourmet restaurant specialties – don’t miss the chance to try lobster Thermidor and shrimp stuffed with crab. In high season, it’s best to book a table here in advance.