When you think of the idyllic Caribbean beach bar, you’re thinking of Sundowners.

There’s nothing quite like Sundowners. THE watering hole for West End, this is where town’s eclectic mix of tourists, dive instructors, locals, expats, and street dogs come together to toast the sunset with a cold beer or a glass of rum and pineapple.’

It’s called Sundowners for a reason: located directly on the white sands of Half Moon Bay, this site is privy to exquisite sunsets for most of the year. The popularity of sunset-watching is only eclipsed by the weekly game of “Chase the Ace,” where every Wednesday each drink buys you a chance to win a growing pot of money. When the pot gets full and the odds are good of winning, nearly the entire town will turn out for their chance to draw the Ace of Spades (the winning card). Hilariously, the crowd will cheer when you lose– it means another chance for them to Chase the Ace next week!

If you’re only in town for a few hours or just simply want a place to chill for the afternoon, Sundowners has immediate shore access to the shallows of Half Moon Bay. Wade in with a beer and beat the heat– just don’t be surprised if one of the bar’s friendly Rottweilers decides to join you! If getting salty isn’t your thing, Sundowners also offers beach chairs for sunbathing and a shaded lounge deck.

So the location is unbeatable and your relaxation options are great, but what about the bar itself? Drink-wise, Sundowners offers all the Honduran beers (all four of them, all equally terrible– Salva Vida is the most drinkable in my opinion), basic well drinks, and a few blended concoctions. If you’re new to Roatan, you have to try the Monkey La La, a delicious yet deceptively potent frozen drink (careful! it will sneak up on you!). Personally, I prefer sipping on rum and pineapple juice with a lime wedge; with enough rum and vitamin C to fight off scurvy, it’s the pirate’s choice!

Sundowners’ food is mostly good but a bit uninspired. The hamburger, nacho cheese chicken sandwich, and any of the chicken wraps earn high marks from me. Food delivery is usually reasonable (especially for “island time”), though it can become a bit of a wait if the bar is busy. Rarely do I crave Sundowners’ food; it’s more often that I find myself several rums deep and realize that I have yet to eat dinner!

The staff is friendly and, more importantly, long-term. Unlike most of the bars in West End, Sundowners staff has been around for a while. Not only does this make the bar run more effectively, it means that tourists can learn insider tips by simply sitting down and chatting. A personal shout-out goes to Paul, the (sometimes) afro-sporting cousin of the owner who is a killer bartender and really cool guy. Also: TIP YOUR BARTENDER! Trust me, it goes a long way to getting even better service.

Prices are reasonable across the board. While the drink prices are a fraction higher than other bars in West End, they’re still less than the overpriced West Bay bars and in a range that most tourists will find acceptable. Locals and expats typically find the marginally higher prices a bit of a turn-off (and are vocal about it), but that doesn’t keep them from gathering together for the daily sunset. Backpackers, sorry, but you’re in for a shock: Roatan is not mainland Honduras, and the prices are significantly higher… but then again, Sundowner’s isn’t some trashy mainland hole or sulfur-reeking shanty on Utila.

One other thing to note: Sundowners is the “early” bar on Roatan. It’s usually closed between 9 and 10 pm. If you’re looking to carry on with your evening elsewhere, just follow the crowd on the nightly West End “drift dive” to the next hot spot.

I’ve gotta hand it to Frank: he knows customer service.

He sits at the corner of his bar, chatting with locals and sipping a glass of red wine. His employees bustle behind him, conjuring hot plates of spring rolls, pad thais, and chow mien for the small crowd accumulating on his deck above West End Divers in the heart of West End, Roatan. Brion strums a few notes on his guitar, flicks back his hair, and launches into a tune by the Eagles— not one of his renowned fret-bashing solos, but appropriate for the casual dining atmosphere of Le Bistro.

Frank’s pride in his business clearly shows. Le Bistro started in the little sliver of shopfront between Tyll’s Dive and what is currently Angelo’s Gelateria (the space currently occupied by diver favorite Shark Cave Pizza). You could barely squeeze more than a dozen people in the space before it felt crowded. And crowd we would. The delicious spicy mango sauce served with the egg rolls ensured it.

The success of this tiny local allowed Frank to move Le Bistro to it’s current location— and what an upgrade! With its large deck with ample seating space, fully-stocked liquor bar, and lovely view of the sea, Le Bistro makes for an excellent casual dining and drinking stop along the West End strip. Karaoke nights are a particularly good laugh— especially when the Cult of Coconut gets behind the mic.

One thing hasn’t changed: the food. Le Bistro doesn’t serve the most authentic Vietnamese food, but it does serve delicious Vietnamese-ish meals in a timely fashion. My personal favorites are the egg roll appetizer (85 Lmp / $4.50) and the pork chow mien (105 Lmp / $5.50), though the sweet and sour chicken (155 Lmp / $8.25) and selection of curries are quite tempting.

Service is generally solid, especially when it comes to delivering an entire table’s set of meals on time (service does get a little sluggish when the place is packed). Sorting out the bill leaves a little to be desired: I’d prefer if the bill could be split by person ahead of time rather than doing the whole Lempira shuffle at the end of the meal.

All in all, Le Bistro consistently makes for a positive dining experience good for great laughs and full bellies.

Félicitations, François.

Jenna, I’m going out on the town tonight.

Hey, it’s Friday in West End. As as a Coconut Tree Dive Instructor, it’s my professional duty to fraternize with the customers. After all, “I’m only going for one.”

Call it Rumdowners, Sunny D’s, whatever… Sundowners Beach Bar is always the first stop along the “West End Drift Dive”.

As the setting sun casts an rippling cascade of colors over Half Moon Bay, the glasses are filled with ice, piña, and copious amounts of Flor de Caña rum, cheers are raised, and the night begins.

Huddled by a blazing bonfire on the beach under a Venusian glow, plans of impending ridiculousness unfurl amidst frequent bursts of laughter.

French fry chicken nachos will be the grub of choice. Sounds a bit disgusting, but in a deliciously bar food sorta way it’s actually better than most of the overpriced dishes served at nearby restaurants.

[but more on that next week]

I know the Cult of Coconut will get their grubby mitts all over my fries, but hey, when you dive with Coconut Tree Divers, you’re family— including all the times your siblings swiped food from your plate.

BTW: Happy 24th Birthday, Christie!

I’d love to blog more, but the party is getting started. Time to get a refill and get this night started.

Since Mark and Jonie have taken over the place a few months ago, the quality of service, atmosphere, and food has improved by leaps and bounds. No longer just another random out-of-the-way bar, the new Oasis Lounge merges the serenity of a pool bar with the low-key spunk of a local hangout, albeit one taken up few notches by savory snacks (the Southwestern Egg Roll is defintely worth a bit) and an effective (and attractive) wait staff.

The large plasma television in the lounge is connected to a US-based satellite, ensuring that your Monday Night Football games will air uninterrupted even when the Honduran cable is. Tuesday hosts Quiz Night, a regular laugh of assorted questions in which teams of four compete for a cash prize. Thursdays are a movie night in which the films are selected by audience participation. The lounge frequently hosts community-centric events such as the upcoming Rock Star contest on December 8th with cash prizes going to the best costumed and best performing virtual rock bands.

Come check out the oASiS Lounge in Sandy Bay for a wicked time!

PS: Why oASiS? Just look at their sign and you’ll understand why they’re frequently referred to as the ASS Lounge.

I stopped in for just one quick Salva Vida, but fortunately (I can’t believe I’m saying this) RECO cut out just as I was about to leave. I certainly didn’t want to sit at home in the dark and make baleadas over the propane stove, so I decided to stick around and give Junior’s delicious-smelling grub. I was well rewarded.

The salad of delicious tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, cantalope, and lettuce, all covered in a sweet papaya-based dressing, was quickly devoured. The main meal came with smooth-whipped mashed potatoes, coconut rice and red beans, and fresh-cut steamed vegetables. As tasty as these sides were, it was the bacon-wrapped steak fillet marinated in a sweet sauce, slow-cooked over the smoker, and served with a perfectly complimentary red wine reduction. To top it off, Junior served us some of his hand-crafted flan topped with Kahlua.

At a time when I’ve been growing increasingly sick of West End’s food (no offense, Shark Cave— you have fantastic pizza, but not after the umpteenth consecutive night), to taste something as refreshingly delicious as Junior’s meal reinvigorated my taste buds. Furthermore, Junior put such genuine passion in his cooking, constantly asking me for suggestions and improvements, that I know that the dining experience will continue to improve.

If you haven’t tried a nice meal out at Junior’s above Coconut Tree Divers in West End, give it a shot!