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Jamaica Adventure Guide - This travel guide walks with the adventurous traveler to the heart of Jamaica, to the miles of sand beaches, to the rugged Blue Mountains, to the country villages that provide a peek at the real Jamaica

American Restaurants

MARGUERITAVILLE
Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4777
($$)

Like its sister property in Montego Bay, this new establishment offers rowdy fun. The super-casual restaurant is better known for its party atmosphere than its food. Look for a Frisbee golf course, volleyball, basketball and a beach club. Serves burgers, sandwiches, fish, chicken, lobster, and over 50 types of margaritas.

RICK’S CAFE
West End Road
876-957-0380
($$)

Negril’s top sunset bar, Rick’s is also a popular restaurant. Burgers, filet mignon, kingfish, broiled lobster, jerk chicken, coco bread pizza and blackened chicken breast are served in the open-air dining room. It’s  definitely not the place to go for a romantic dinner (the daredevils jumping off the cliffs take care of that), but it is always a fun hangout.

“We’re famous for our view of the sunset,” says co-owner and general manager Tom Martin. “The crowd gathers and applauds the sunset. Rick’s started in 1974 and watching the last beam of light for the day has become a tradition. We keep the traditional Jamaican food and beverage on the menu.”

GREEN FLASH

Rick’s and other spots along Negril’s westward-looking cliffs are favorites for those looking to see the green flash. Just what is the green flash? Not the superhero in tights. The lowercase green flash is a natural phenomenon that, under the right conditions, is seen as the sun drops into the sea, a momentary green sizzle on the horizon. Science explains it as the refraction of sunlight through the thick lens of the Earth’s atmosphere. Island lore links it to romance: couples who witness the flash are guaranteed true love. All agree it’s a rare sight, requiring just the right combination of sun, sky and luck. (Skeptics would add other requirements as well. “How many rum punches does it take to see it?”)

Asian Cuisine

KIMONOS
Sandals Negril, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-5216
($$$) (All-inclusive)

This couples-only restaurant features Teppanyaki-style dining; chefs prepare meals right at the table. Start with Caribbean-style sushi, Cantonese spring rolls or crab and sweetcorn soup. For the entrées, the chef prepares a feast of sesame chicken breast, strip steak sukiyaki, sherry tiger shrimp, pork tenderloin Caribe, ginger teppan scallops, and glazed marlin teriyaki served with sushi rice and stir-fried vegetables.

TEPPANYAKI
Beaches Negril, West End Road
876-957-9270
($$$) (All-inclusive)

We recently enjoyed a great dinner here. Diners are entertained by their chef, making this a combination show and dinner. Entrées are prepared at the table by a teppanyaki chef and include chicken breast yakitori infused with lemongrass, dry sherry, ginger, sesame oil and spring onions; pork filet Loisin Jeung brushed with Hoisin sauce and finished with toasted cashews; and beef teriyaki marinated in a light soy sauce and enhanced with honey, garlic and pickled ginger. Kids enjoy the Junior Emperors Platter with vegetable spring rolls, and chicken nuggets and breaded shrimp served with apricot and honey dip.

Bars

PICKLED PARROT RESTAURANT
West End Road

876-957-4864

($)

The Pickled Parrot is the kind of place you come to get, well, pickled. Known for its spring break atmosphere, you can’t miss the restaurant if you’re out boating: just look for the waterslide. A great place for a sunset dinner, to enjoy American, Jamaican and Mexican dishes.

WARNING: The Pickled Parrot is not a good place for families with young children because of the steep cliffs close by.

RICK’S CAFE
West End Road

876-957-0380

($)

Even if you don’t come for the dinner, stop by for a drink at sunset.

Caribbean Cuisine

THE SUNDOWNER
Sandals Negril, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-5216
($$$) (All-inclusive)

White-gloved service makes a meal at this eatery a special experience. The couples-only restaurant serves Caribbean cuisine starting with appetizers such as Bahamian conch salad, ackee and saltfish or Grenadian ham patty. Entrée options include Jamaican steamed fish; Trinidadian roti; jerked suckling pig; West Indian cassoulet; and St. Vincent Pelau, chicken sautéed in brown sugar and cooked with tomato, peas and rice.

Continental Cuisine

FEATHERS CONTINENTAL RESTAURANT
Swept Away, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4061
($$$) (All-inclusive)

Fine dining is the order of the day at Feathers, the gourmet restaurant of Swept Away. Menu offerings start with pan-seared sweetbreads in a vermouth reduction, Courvoisier escargots in crisped phyllo and Cornish game hen galantine on a berry and lemongrass relish. Entrées range from baked Black River crayfish to ackee-enhanced vegetable bolognaise to roasted loin of pork with a grain mustard accompanied by mango chutney.

PIACERE
Grand Lido Negril, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-5011
($$$) (All-inclusive)

This elegant eatery is one of the best all-inclusive restaurants on the island, and (unlike the other fine dining restaurants at SuperClubs resorts) is available only to guests of Grand Lido Negril. Start the meal with chausson of duck confit; slivers of home-smoked pork tenderloin; seafood symphony pancake; or chilled mango nectar. Entrées are equally intriguing: tournedos of Black Angus beef tenderloin; grilled swordfish grenadine; roasted Provimi veal chop; pan-fried deep-sea halibut; and roast crown of lamb. Finish off the evening with a taste of Blue Mountain coffee and a decadent dessert.

Jamaican Restaurants

BAMBOO RESTAURANT
Roots Bamboo, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4479
($)

Jamaican and international dishes are served at this casual eatery. If you’re not hungry, just stop by the Roots Bamboo Beach Bar for fun on the sand.

CASAVA TERRACE
Couples Negril, Norman Manley Boulevard
800-268-7537
($$$) (All-inclusive)

Night passes are available for non-guests at Couples Negril, the latest addition to this resort community’s all-inclusive offerings. The restaurant offers a fine selection of local cuisine. Choose from such favorites as brown stew chicken; braised oxtail with broad beans; West Indian vegetarian roti; grilled lobster medallions with lime-garlic butter; Creole Bloody Bay stew with okra; baked squirrel fish in banana leaves; and, of course, rice and peas.

COCONUT PALM RESTAURANT
Negril Cabins Resort, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-5350
($$-$$$)

We have fond memories of this open-air eatery that bring back the spicy tastes of Jamaica and the joy of dining beneath the stars. Jamaican dishes grace the menu, all prepared by a talented chef. Dress is casually elegant.

DA BUSS
Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4405
($)

This restaurant is easy to find: just look for the bus. The colorful double-decker transport once starred in a Bond flick; now it takes a lead role in casual Negril dining with jerk and other local favorites.

KUYABA ON THE BEACH
Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4318
($-$$)

Dine on international dishes with a Jamaican flair. The mood here is as casual as can be; feel free to go from the restaurant right out to the beach.

LAVENDOME RESTAURANT
Charela Inn, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4277
($$$)

Dine inside or outdoors just steps away from the sand at this fun restaurant that features Jamaican dishes with a French twist.

ORCHID TERRACE RESTAURANT
Negril Gardens, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4408
($$$)

This casual restaurant offers dining with a different theme every night. On Wednesday night, enjoy a beach barbecue; Sunday is Jamaican night, featuring the Ashanti Dancers in a spectacular show.

OTAHEITE
Couples Negril, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-5370
($$$) (All-inclusive)

Otaheite is the fine dining option at Couples Negril. Dishes offer a gourmet twist on local cuisine and chefs really outdo themselves with the entrées, which marry Jamaican ingredients and gourmet talents. Some of the mouth-watering dishes are: pan-seared Atlantic salmon with jerk coating; grilled lamb shoulder chops; wild rabbit; and doro wot. Doro wot is the national dish of Ethiopa, a skinless chicken stew with a blend of Ethiopian spices.

THE ROCKHOUSE RESTAURANT AND BAR
Rockhouse, West End Road
876-957-4373
($$)

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at this open-air eatery. Its just steps from busy West End Road but, once through the gates at Rockhouse and seated beneath the restaurant’s thatched roof, you are in another world. The restaurant and bar are perched high on Negril’s bluffs, looking directly out to sea and an unbeatable sunset. Jamaican cuisine with European influences is the specialty here.

SEASIDE BAR AND GRILL
Coco La Palm Seaside Resort, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4227
($$)

This open-air restaurant is one of Negril’s best. A diverse menu keeps things interesting, with Jamaican specialties transformed into culinary masterpieces. Menu selections include coconut-crusted snapper on a bed of callaloo; rum and lime broiled chicken breast with honey-lime butter; and jerk festival fettucine.

SEVILLE
Beaches Negril, West End Road
876-957-9270
All-inclusive

Non-guests can buy a night pass for Beaches Negril and select from one of several restaurants, including this Jamaican eatery. Here, white-gloved attendants serve Jamaican dishes prepared with a gourmet flair. Menu selections include jerked salmon fillet; grilled beef tenderloin; lamb loin Wellington; pimento wood-smoked pork loin; and pan-seared veal medallions.

SWEET SPICE
1 White Hall Road
876-957-4321
($)

At Sweet Spice you’ll be cooled by a small fan and the breeze that comes through the open doorway. Artwork on the blue tinted walls consists of framed towels with Jamaican axioms. But this restaurant is the real thing: a Jamaican diner with food to match. Conch steak, barbecued chicken and curried goat, shrimp and chicken are top offerings, served with rice. Cool off with a pawpaw daiquiri or a piña colada. For a real taste of Jamaica home cooking, this restaurant is one of the best spots in Negril.

TAN-YA’S
Sea Splash Resort, Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4041
($-$$)

Save plenty of time for a meal at Tan-yas... you’ll need it. We enjoyed breakfast here, but were starting to think about lunch when our plates finally came out. This is a small operation with an even a smaller kitchen, so don’t expect fast food turnaround times. As Jamaicans often say, soon come and yes, it will soon come. Be patient. Enjoy the beautiful beach. Take a walk if you like. When it comes, your meal will have been worth the wait. We ordered ackee and bacon, a delightful twist on a traditional island favorite. It was one of the best breakfasts we’ve ever had. You can also have lunch or dinner in this casual eatery, where each table is tucked beneath its own palm-thatched roof.

Rastafarian Restaurants

THE HUNGRY LION
West End Road
876-957-4486
($-$$)

This relaxed place serves excellent vegetarian cuisine. Dishes such as a meatless shepherd’s pie and pastas are flavorful.

Seafood Restaurants

COSMO’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT AND BAR
Norman Manley Boulevard
876-957-4330
($$$)

Cosmo’s is a long-time favorite. Very casual, the restaurant is right on the beach and folks wander in and out on their way to the sand and sea.

More information on Negril
• Introduction
• Where to stay
• Where to eat
• Transportation
• Things to see & do

 

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