basil's bar - mustique

Katlanta

I have been to few bars with a view like this - Caribbean waters in different shades of blue and turquoise, the colorful fish market with all the fishing boats, green and yellow coconut palms, yachts in the harbor -- I didn't want to leave. The bar itself had beautiful carved beams and was open on 3 sides to allow you to look at all the pretty. The service was slow but friendly, the drinks were small and pricey but good, and the boutique was way overpriced but also quite friendly. As I understand it, the island of Mustique caters to the wealthy, and basically admits and tolerates day-trippers. I am pretty sure the servers at Basil's can tell the island's wealthy clients from the day-tripping yachties (of which I was only barely a pretender as a passenger on a weeklong charter), so I didn't have high expectations of hanging out with Mick Jagger or being treated like a high roller. But I agree it would have been nice (and I would have bought more drinks) if the service had been quicker.

bruno186338

Fun place, right on the water. Great for people on boats. The food is expensive but good. Had a lot of fun at night, rum punches are excellent!

503943Thunderchild

It has the reputation of having the strongest rum punches in the Caribbean. After 2 I can confirm that.

caribbeanskipper

A relic of the an era long gone; where day tourists come in their droves in the hope of spotting a famous face. The food is a joke and dramatically over priced, the booze the same. The staff are the least friendliest Caribbeans you'll ever meet. And as for the view...go to Bequia or Tobago Cays or Union or Happy Island or PSV or Palm Island where you'll find THE views together with smiling friendly people serving great food at reasonable prices. Basil's peaked 40 years ago...if you must visit this dreary island go to Firefly up the hill.

DizzyBlonde23

Visited Mustique on a day cruise from St Vincent and after our tour of the island (absolutely stunning) stopped off at Basil's for a late afternoon cocktail before we headed back to St Vincent.For those of you thinking that it will be somewhere fancy, think again. It's basically a large chilled out bar area made from bamboo but with the most amazing views, attentive staff and good (strong) reasonably priced (around £5-£6) cocktails. Also liked some of the artwork of Basil and the bar that is hung up inside.It has been voted one of the best bars in the world and the setting and location are simply stunning so it is easy to see why. Had to also get the obligatory photo of us standing besides the Basil's Bar - Mustique sign outside!I would definitely go back to Basil's Bar if I return to Mustique.

TravelSketchbook

There are few bars/restaurants in the world that command a view like this. The bar, basically made of bamboo and some pilings in the sand, extends over the crystal clear water and has been serving up drinks and food for years. The food is decent, but the drinks are excellent, the live jazz is fun and the setting cannot be beat. Get the rum punch with freshly grated nutmeg on it. And if it's not on the menu, ask for a bowl of Callaloo soup. They'll tell you it's good for your blood (full of iron) and full of flavor. A true local speciality. Be sure to watch the sunset. It is spectacular. If you get to meet Basil it will also be memorable.

526ChristineA

Great cocktails and lovely outlook. Mustique is like a fantasy island. It is like stepping into another world. A real one off.

Tova01

My husband and I really liked the drinks and view at Basils. They have live music and a very attentive staff. You don't want to miss this place. Basil himself is a delight to meet with.

Jill500

Meal here only average, food simple and well cooked but a bit pricey for what we got, waiters very attentive, good cocktails, decor all a bit shabby. As has been said it's an institution and a must see but some competition might improve things. Five star location though.

SPPHampshireUK

Basil's Bar is a great institution & was a must on our agenda when sailing in the Grenadines again this year, having been there twice in 1999 for my husband's 50th birthday & New Year's Eve.We went on Wednesday night, which is "jump-up" night with a buffet supper & live music. The food was very good, with suckling pig, barbecued chicken, grilled tuna & a number of side dishes. The puddings were fun, I had seconds of the pumpkin pie!Basil was there that night & was very approachable & charming.The music was fun and provided by a live band from St. Vincent. Supper isn't cheap but wasn't over the top for the location, the food & the live music. The cocktails were great value at EC$20. The wine list is extensive but had some good affordable wines on the list as well as some very expensive ones.A great place to go if you visit Mustique.

456susane

We have just returned from a Caribbean cruise. One of the highlights of our trip was going to Basil's Bar in Mustique for the day. It was a very special birthday for me and I will never forget the experience. Mustique is the most beautiful place. We went by catamaran from Bequia which was a very interesting trip. The sea was a bit choppy but worth it in the end. We had a tour of the island with a local person and then lunch in Basil's Bar complete with a delicious rum punch. It was the best fish I had ever tasted and the views over the ocean were wonderful. Was the highlight of our trip and I will cherish the memory for ever.

andrew060285

Visited here in January 2014. Had a lunch buffet which consisted of ribs and mahi mahi fish. We all agreed it was probably the best fish we had ever had. It is extremely laid back, not elegant or refined in any way shape or form. But it's different and the food is worth it.

Lothlorienlass

Yes, it's expensive and not always good (although when I went it was fine). But it's a bucket list item. If you are lucky enough and wealthy enough to visit here, then you've ticked off one of the must do places in the Caribbean. If you go with someone you love, on a starry night, it doesn't get much more romantic. Enjoy!

Timinguy

We loved the Brittania Bay, but we're disappointed by Basil's. While the setting is superb, right on the water. The food was the worst we had on our two weeks sailing trip from Martinique to Grenada! The service wasn't better either. The waiter kept forgetting the orders or brought the wrong stuff. You can make a better lobster on your boat grill of you buy it fresh from a fisherman.... The ice cream was a mega disappointment. The worst vanilla ever. If they wouldn't have the location, they would be bust!

aisha230799

Having just experienced a rather rough boat crossing from St Vincent, we were able to view the whole island on our approach. I have to admit I was a little surprised when Basil's Bar was pointed out to us by the captain! We were expecting something a little more than a dilapidated and somewhat glorified shack overhanging the stunning waters. That said, you cannot visit the island without experiencing the bar that has had so many amazing people within it.We ate our lunch there which was ok, nothing to write home about but the setting was a great compensation. For what we had, which was really only basic food, it was, as expected, not exactly cheap. Nevertheless, it was an aspect of my dream visit to the island and an experience that had to be fulfilled. All in all, Mustique is an amazing island and Basil's is most definitely legendary part of this stunning place.