Several Famous Bars & Restaurants Completely Destroyed; Owners Vow To Rebuild
Immortalized in songs, featured on travel TV shows such as E! Online’s “Wild On” and known throughout the Caribbean for its potent “Mushroom Tea” drink, Bomba’s Surfside Shack was an institution in the British Virgin Islands.
Now, after Hurricane Irma ripped through the BVIs leaving unprecedented destruction, there’s nothing left of Bomba’s Shack. Not even a shack.
Bomba’s is just one of many famous and legendary bars and businesses in the BVIs that were wiped out by Irma. Even if pieces of a place do exist, they just a tin roof, perhaps a wall if the place was lucky. Mostly, it’s just piles of wood where it once stood serving drinks like the Bushwacker and Pain Killer.
Here’s a rundown of the top bars and their current condition. PubClub will constantly be updating this article with updates and we welcome you to post your comments, thoughts and and updates in the comments section.
PubClub.com is also looking ahead to the future and are working on new posts about the recovery and the charter boat fleets. We’re also keeping an eye on Hurricane Marina.
• Bitter End Yacht Club. Completely destroyed.
• Barefoot Cowboy (St. John, USVI). Half the building is torn off, tho it’s still standing.
• Bomba’s Surf Shack. Gone. In fact the road in front of Bomba’s Shack is completely gone, too. A PubClub.com connection talked with Bomba two days after the hurricane and he – like all others – vows to rebuild and reopen as soon as possible.
• Corsairs Beach Bar & Restaurant, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke. Building standing but it’s just a shell now. Click here to read a Q&A with Corsairs owner Vinny.
• Foxy’s. Heavily damaged but part of it remans intact. “We are officially letting you all know that as we are ready to receive visitors, we’d like to proudly announce that we will be open for business,” Foxy’s posted on its Facebook page three days after Irma hit the islands.
• Gertrude’s. Gone. Gertrude – who made the best Bushwackers in the BVIs – was injured in the storm. She was helicoptered off the islands and is reportedly okay. UPDATE: Gertrude had surgery to get screws put in her leg. A PubClub.com friend talked to her on Friday the week after the hurricane and reports she is “doing good.”
• Ivan’s Stress Free Bar & Camp Ground. Located next to Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke’s White Bay, has two standing buildings but toppled palm trees and several collapsed buildings.
• Myett’s, Cane Garden Bay. Flattened. It’s a pile of wood. This bar was made famous by the Jimmy Buffett song “Manana” when he sang about seeing “the lights of St. Thomas.” Click here to read a Q&A with Myett’s owner Val.
• Paradise Lounge, Cane Garden Bay. A pile of wood. In the photo, see Quitos in the background.
• Rhymers Beach Bar, Cane Garden Bay. The photo tells the story.
• Soggy Dollar Bar. Some good news here (relatively speaking). While mostly destroyed, a couple of walls are standing and there’s a roof. The rest of it is a pile of wood. Three weeks after the hurricane, the owners of the Soggy Dollar issued a statement; here it is in is entirety.
• One Love. Next to Gertrude’s and just down from Soggy Dollar, where One Love once stood there is now only sand.
• Willie T’s. Thanks to Randeen for providing this information: It’s beached, stripped of the top floor and everything on the main deck is gone.
All photos unless otherwise noted courtesy of Eric Stone, a singer-songwriter who has performed at all these places in the BVIs.
RELATED POSTS:
• A List Of Legitimate BVIs Relief Funds
• Hurricane Irma Hits Virgin Islands Hard (Lot Of Comments)
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You have brought up a very excellent details, thanks for the post.
Did Sebastians survive at all? Does anyone have photos of its condition?
How are the people of Sebastians? I have the fondest memories of my time there and the kind people of the island.
ALL these pictures and stories of all of the truly great clubs marinas etc brings me to tears again DONT know if you were living there back in the 80s but I sailed to every one of these bars and islands aboard the old tall ship named the SIR FRANCES DRAKE I BECAME CLOSE FRIENDS with many many licals from the entire USVI BVI ST BARTA SR MAARTEEN ALL THE WAY TO THE GRENADINES
Actually rode our hurricane DEAN at the bitter end few weeks ‘later HUGO SCARED LIFE OUT OF ME
SO SAD THE DRAKE WAS LOST TO HURRUCANE LENNY A FREAK STORM FOEMED LATW NOVEMBER IN GULF OF MEXICO AN EASTWARD TO ST MARTEEN WHERE THE SHIP WAS MOORED OFFSHORE BOTH ENGINES HAD BEEN PULLED TO REBUILD THE CAPTAIN WAS STUCK NO POWER TO RUN HER INTO THE WIND IT BROKE FREE FROM THE MOORING AND SANK SOUTH OF THE ISLAND UN 1200 FT OF WATER
“IVe been baCK TO THE ISLANDS` MANY MANY TIMES SINCE BUT NEVER CAN FIND A BETTER WAY TO VISIT ALL THE GREAT BARS AND PEOPLE MY FAV TOSS UP BETWEEN FOXYS OR SOGGY DOLLAR
TRULYNMY HEART GOES OUT TO EVERYONE WHO LOVE THERE VISIT THERE ETC ILL BE BACK COME SPRUNG 2018
BLESS YALL MATES
That’s awesome. Great on our part in helping rebuild by being there and thanks for sharing! – PubClub.com
Reading all the comments and fond memories here reinforces just how important it is for all of us to help the BVI to rebuild. There’s no better way than to book a trip. Since there’s no place better to usher in the New Year long before the hurricane I chartered a boat begining December 31. As soon as The Moorings was able to confirm that they would have a boat for us I confirmed and then paid them in full. We are in! Keeping visitors coming is the very least we can do for the hardworking families of the BVI who have so graciously welcomed us to their islands and this first season will be make or break for many of them. The last update I received from The Moorings was that virtually all our favorite spots will be reopen by December. They may not look quite the same or be in perfect condition but they will be open to welcome us. I challenge each of you to join my family and kick-start the New Year in the BVI. Don’t postpone! December in the BVI is a geat time to go. These folks need us now! The charter outfits that have boats will give you a great deal and everyone you meet will know that you personally made an extra effort to help them through a tough time. If that doesn’t help you make new friends nothing will. If that’s not enough, run into me and I promise to buy you buy you a round of drinks or more to celebrate the new and improved BVI.
we have been taking our twin girls to the islands since they were 3 months old.. we are devastated and heart broken; our thoughts and prayers to the people of Tortola and especially Sebastians who have known our children for years.. we will return!!
It kind of was anyway but now that it’s on land, not a bad idea!
Was thinking about this, and decided that Willie T’s should become a shipwreck bar.
So sad about Willie T’s. Definitely my favorite spot in BVI.
Any information on the Island Beachcomber Bar on Lindbergh Bay, St. Thomas and he Beachcomber Resort?
What is the status of Sebastian’s on Tortola, down the road from Bombas?
PubClub.com will be doing a separate story and update specifically Foxy’s, but our contact to make it happen is now in Puerto Rico. Wishing everyone the best!
Any news of Foxy’s Taboo??? All of this is so devastating. I just hope the BVI can rebuild and the tourism industry is not affected beyond repair.
Not true… Cheeseburger in Paradise was in Tortola… Check Buffet’s web site
Not the time.
How is Granny that had the place right below Tamarind on the beach..her home cooking.
You are very welcome Heather. I would like to get in touch with your charter company as I want to do a post about when they will be charting boats (Moorings tells me Nov. 1). It would be great to get visitors back there as soon as possible. When I first posted this story, I did it so people could see what’s up with these legendary places (and people) and am overwhelmed at the number of comments and the passion of people. I’m so glad PubClub.com could provide this link to the BVIs.
Hi Kevin, thank you for this report. We were scheduled to come and charter a boat in December but thankfully the charter company has been able to move it to July. I hope that things will be OK by then. It is painful to see all of these reports and pictures. I am just happy that most people are safe. Can’t wait to be back in the beautiful BVI’s!
My heart ❤️ aches for the Island and its beautiful people. Is heart wrenching to see these pictures of this wonderful paradise. Stay strong Tortola you will rebuilt and we will continue to enjoy this beautiful place
Tamarind Club near Josiah’s Bay on Tortola badly damaged, but they are cleaning up and rebuilding. See their Facebook page or this link to donate:
https://www.youcaring.com/cindyclaytonclintmcphersoncatclaytonericclayton-946899
We are so heartbroken to hear and see all the devastation! We have chartered many times there and have been to all the islands. We pray for all to be able to rebuild their homes and then rebuild their lives, we were to come back in March but thinking we may wait until next March.. will keep watching for updates.
Any update on the staff at Oil Nut Bay and condition of the resort. Sending our thoughts and prayers.
He has a home there> Wonder how it is. I know him from here on Nantucket and Anegada, BVI.
Please stick with your plans! Working on a story about the charter boats getting back in business and the bars in this article will all welcome you with open arms. Holding rum drinks out for you!