Located on its south-western coast, Oranjestad is Aruba‘s capital and largest city, with a population of over 30,000. Featuring beautiful Caribbean vistas and a tropical landscape, Oranjestad is a tourist hotspot. Downtown, most of Oranjestad’s unique open-air shopping and nightlife destinations can be found concentrated on the main street, Lloyd G. Smith Boulevard, which is near the harbor and the cruise terminal. Check out the 10 best bars in this lush and temperate town.
CILO City Lounge
CILO, short for City Lounge, is an upscale cocktail lounge located in the heart of Oranjestad. It offers an outdoor terrace with beautiful views of the marina and live music every night of the week. With a sprawling layout and polished decor, CILO offers the ultimate Aruban lounging destination along with a variety of exquisite cocktails.
BLUE Bar can be found in the lobby of the Renaissance Aruba Resort in Oranjestad, and it has been recently renovated. Inside, BLUE is sleek and sophisticated with a modern edge. From Thursday to Sunday nights a live DJ performs, transforming this swanky lounge into an energetic dance floor. BLUE offers speedy and friendly service, an open-air bar, some of the best happy hour deals around, and spectacular views of the sunset over the water.
Decorated with animal prints and black granite table tops, Garufa Cigar & Cocktail Lounge is a stylish and upscale cigar bar. Garufa offers weekly events including live music performances on Friday nights, salsa nights on Saturdays, and karaoke nights on Tuesdays. This hip lounge is known for its excellent jazz music and strong house specialty drinks of single malt scotch, cognac, and port. With a more laid-back, casual atmosphere, Garufa is a local favorite for dancing and enjoying their extensive Martini list.
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Jimmy’s Place is a local Dutch Caribbean cafe where neighbors head to meet up and relax with friends for a casual night out. Known for its welcoming atmosphere, Jimmy’s Place is a favorite for many members of the LGBTQ community, and has established itself as a no-frills environment for simple fun. The music is said to be amazing, the drinks are cheap and well mixed, and the bar does not tend to get crowded until nearly midnight on the weekends.
Looks like it's closedHours or services may be impacted due to Covid-19
Located on the Surfside Marina’s pier, Pincho’s Grill and Bar features a distinctive outdoor living room style. This tropical lounge is the ideal place to enjoy a colorful Aruban sunset, candlelit dining, and live music performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Pincho’s is known for its intimate and romantic setting, and has been ranked as one of TripAdvisor’s top 20 dining options in Oranjestad.
Eetcafe The Paddock is Aruba’s most unique and most famous pub. It is a Dutch pub, and is known for its casual atmosphere, attentive service, and authentic Dutch cuisine and bar snacks. The Paddock’s outdoor terrace overlooks the Caribbean Sea and Oranjestad’s Cruise Terminal, affording impressive views throughout. The Paddock’s daily specials are a must, including all-you-can-eat ribs on Wednesdays.
Located in downtown Oranjestad, 7 West Lounge is a charming and trendy nightlife option. Its ambiance is a mix of contemporary European and vintage Aruban, and offers relatively affordable, gourmet cuisine. Once dinnertime wraps up, 7 West transforms into an exciting nightclub where both the drinks and the dancing intensify, so be sure to stick around after dessert. The open-air-styled bar affords gorgeous views of the Oranjestad Harbor and the Caribbean Sea beyond it.
Known as the pub for locals and the many Dutch who live in Aruba, Café Chaos often puts on live music shows that begin as late as midnight. Guests can expect to hear anything from blues to reggae, funk to rock. Chaos serves a wide selection of imported beers and cocktails, providing guests with an inviting, neighborhood Dutch welcome. Happy hour runs every Friday from 5 to 7pm, and comes with a free snack platter.
Iguana Joe’s is a lively island bar and grill that serves one of the most extensive menus in Aruba. It offers fresh seafood including mahi-mahi and coconut shrimp, along with enticing poultry and beef options for its land-loving customers. Beyond its dinner menu, Iguana Joe’s is probably most well known for its specialty cocktails like the Pink Iguana, which contains at least four shots of liquor and is served in a half-liter carafe.
Upon entering Cuba’s Cookin’, guests will feel as though they have been transported back to Cuba circa 1959, with its vintage Cuban art displays and its live Latin music. The restaurant and bar’s mission is to bring Cuban hospitality and culture to the Aruban shores. It offers a selection of authentic Cuban speciality entrees, and a daily happy hour from 5 to 6pm. What’s more, once dinner ends on Friday and Saturday evenings, the wait staff push the tables out of the way for some lively dancing.
