Elvis' Beach Bar
The boat-bar heartbeat of Sandy Ground ΓÇö Anguilla's most beloved beach hangout by day and party by night.
Why Go
A retired Anguillian racing sloop dragged onto the sand, turned into a bar, and somehow crowned #1 Beach Bar in the Caribbean by USA Today. Elvis' is where flip-flops, rum punch, and reggae collide on Sandy Ground ΓÇö the kind of place you plan a 'quick lunch' at and stumble out of at midnight, sand in your pockets and a Mammawanna hangover pending.
The Experience
Elvis' lives right on the sand at Sandy Ground (Road Bay), Anguilla's crescent-shaped harbor beach lined with fishing boats and sunset seekers. The centerpiece is the One Love Boat Bar ΓÇö literally a wooden racing hull converted into a bartop ΓÇö surrounded by picnic tables, hammocks strung between sea grape trees, and a covered dining deck for when the sun gets serious. Days here are gloriously slow: barefoot lunch, a swim between courses, a nap in a hammock. Come sunset the crowd swells with locals, yachties tendering in from Road Bay, and in-the-know visitors, and by 10pm the DJs or live band have turned the sand into a dance floor. It's laid-back Caribbean at its purest ΓÇö no dress code, no pretense, just the last light bouncing off the anchored sailboats and Elvis himself often holding court behind the bar.
What to Try
The Elvis Rum Punch is non-negotiable ΓÇö a rum-and-Amaretto riff that's been called the best on an island obsessed with rum punch. From the kitchen, the world-famous Goatchos (nachos crowned with slow-braised goat) are the signature; the fish tacos and burgers hold their own too, thanks to a Caribbean-Mexican-American mash-up menu. If you're feeling brave, ask (nicely) for a Mammawanna ΓÇö Elvis' off-menu shot with a herbal-rum reputation that precedes it.
Insider Tip
Time your visit around the full moon: Elvis' Full Moon Parties are legendary and draw the whole island. On any night, grab a seat at the boat bar itself rather than a table ΓÇö that's where the stories, the free tastes, and the chance meetings with Elvis (yes, he's real, and yes, he's usually there) happen. Cash tips at the bar are appreciated and remembered.
The Practical Stuff
Sandy Ground, Road Bay, Anguilla. Open 11amΓÇô1am, 7 days a week. Phone: +1 264-498-0101. Right on the beach ΓÇö arrive by taxi (there's no reliable public transit in Anguilla) and settle a return pickup in advance, especially for late nights. Payment: cards and cash accepted; USD works fine alongside EC dollars. Barefoot-casual dress; bring a swimsuit if you're coming for the day.
Pair It With
- Pumphouse — Just steps away in Sandy Ground ΓÇö an old salt-factory-turned-live-music-venue that's the natural late-night pivot when Elvis' winds down (or heats up).
- Roy's Bayside Grill Guide — A short stroll along the same beach for a sit-down lunch of fish and chips or a proper plate before easing back into rum-punch mode at Elvis'.
- Sandy Island — The tiny sandbar-restaurant a 10-minute boat shuttle from Sandy Ground pier ΓÇö do lunch and swimming there, then drift back to Elvis' for sunset.
- Shoal Bay East — Anguilla's postcard beach for a mellow morning of turquoise water and shade, banking daytime calm before Elvis' evening energy.