Bars

New Kingston

Christopher's (20–22 Trinidad Terrace, tel. 876/754-7823) bar and lounge, located on the ground floor of Quad, has a busy, pleasant, upscale atmosphere with free Wi-Fi and good bar food. Battered jumbo shrimp, crab cakes, and two beers go for US$25. Christopher's is a favorite after-work spot for Kingston's corporate set.

Club Escape (24 Knutsford Blvd., tel. 876/960-1856, open 24/7, US$6 for men, US$5 for ladies after 9 p.m. Fri. and Sat.) is an outdoor bar and nightclub that often has heated dominoes games in the early evenings, plus a mix of music that includes hip hop and reggae. Lunch is served 11 a.m.–4 p.m. daily except Sunday, with items like chicken, oxtail, curry goat, and pepper steak (US$3.50–5). Light items like kebabs and grilled and jerk chicken are served in the evenings until 3 a.m.

The Deck (14 Trafalgar Rd., tel. 876/978-1582, richard@thedeck.biz, open daily from 4:30 p.m. until the last person leaves) is a large venue with a boat motif. Fishing nets hang from what was once the roof of an auto garage. There are a few billiards tables and a decent bar food menu (US$4–15). Friday's after-work jam is popular, and weekend nights are generally busy when music blares and patrons are occasionally inspired to dance.

Studio 38 (38-A Trafalgar Rd., tel. 876/906-6465) is an open air bar at the Pulse Entertainment complex catering to an older crowd, but rejuvenated frequently when Pulse models are on hand for one of their many annual events and after parties.

Half Way Tree

Bin 26 Wine Bar (876/908-1322, bin26winebar@gmail.com) has a few tables offering indoor/outdoor seating and wine by the glass or bottle and appetizers. Wines are imported from most major wine-producing regions, including Spain, France, Italy, Chile, Argentina, California, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Experience (7 Merrick Ave., contact Darren Neita, cell tel. 876/429-0235, 5 p.m.–midnight Wed.–Thurs., 5 p.m.–2 a.m. Fri.–Sat., 3–10 p.m. Sun.) is a hip bar located at the back of a garden behind Angela's Fabulous Fashions. Some of the best curried goat around is served on Fridays and Saturdays, and patrons come to play dominoes on Sundays, with live jazz performances on a good Sunday.

Chateaux Vino (9 Merrick Ave., between South and Central, contact Terry-Ann Arnold, cell tel. 876/376-2874, chateauxvino@gmail.com) is a cozy and well-appointed wine and martini bar that opened in late 2009.

The Pub (Mayfair Hotel, tel. 876/926-1610 or 876/926-1612, 9 a.m.–1 a.m. weekdays, till 2 a.m. Fri.–Sat.) has a nice ambience by the pool.

Kno Limit Sports Bar (8 Hillview Ave., tel. 876/285-7775, kitchen open 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m., bar open until you say when Mon.–Sat.) has a nice outdoor courtyard space with a flat panel TV behind the bar. Kno Limit is perhaps best known for Passion Sunday (midnight Sun.–3:30 a.m. Mon.), a popular street party held weekly. The kitchen serves traditional Jamaican fare, including fried, baked, and roast chicken, plus tripe and beans, shrimp, conch, lobster, and cooked food (ground provisions, or tubers). The bar was opened in October 2006 by entrepreneur Junior Cox right before the start of World Cup Cricket in 2007, with Donna Hibbert managing.

Moulin Rouge (120-A Constant Spring Rd., 4 p.m.–you say when Tues.–Sun., admission US$4 Thurs.–Fri.) is a rooftop billiards hall. Thursday night is oil wrestling, Coyote Friday sees waitresses dress up in Western-inspired outfits, with young talent showcased on Sundays (9–12). Contact supervisor Lilly Labarr (cell tel. 876/866-3393) for upcoming events. A kitchen is open during the day (9 a.m.–6 p.m.).

Liguanea

Medusa (96 Hope, behind Treasure Hut shopping plaza, tel. 876/978-3741 or 876/381-4466, 4 p.m. until last person leaves Mon.–Sat.) located on a second-story wood deck built by proprietor Jason Lee in 2005, is the perfect spot for an evening drink. Patrons dance the night away for Latin Night, held every other Saturday. The Wednesday evening (6 p.m.–1 a.m.) all-you-can-drink special is very popular (US$12).

Waterfalls (160 Hope Rd., tel. 876/977-0652) is a banqueting facility that does functions and is open to the public as a nightclub on Thursdays (9 p.m.–4 a.m., US$6) for oldies featuring Merritone Disco sound, and a mixture of reggae, Calypso, and hip hop from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. It's one of the few places in Kingston that catches the vibe of an old dancehall straight out of the 1960s, with the crowd skanking to ska, rocksteady, R&B, and reggae classics well into the night. The cover charge includes complimentary soup. Known for its older crowd, Waterfalls also offers an all-inclusive Sunday brunch (US$20/person, 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.) featuring live Jamaican-flavored jazz.