Cathy's Ocean View Bar and Grill
Barefoot Kittitian barbecue with the Caribbean at your table
Why Go
On The Strip along Frigate Bay's southern beach, Cathy's is the kind of place where there's no written menu — just the smell of jerk chicken on the grill, sand underfoot, and whatever the fishermen brought in that morning.
The Experience
Cathy's Ocean View is a laid-back beach bar and grill on St. Kitts' famous Frigate Bay Strip, loved equally by locals and visitors for its authentic Kittitian home cooking. Rated among Frigate Bay's top restaurants on Tripadvisor, it trades polish for personality: plastic chairs by the water, warm island hospitality, and heaping plates of barbecue and fresh seafood served with a rotating spread of local sides. Evenings are the main event, when the grill fires up and the Strip comes alive, but on cruise ship days Cathy's also opens for lunch so day-trippers can taste the real St. Kitts steps from the beach.
What to Try
There's no fixed menu — ask what's cooking. Reliable favorites include barbecued or jerked chicken and ribs, sauteed shrimp, and steamed local fish; if you're lucky, fresh local lobster or the celebrated oxtail. Every plate comes piled with generous sides like rice and peas, plantains, potato salad, corn, salad, and veggies. Wash it down with a cold Carib or a rum punch as the sun drops over the bay.
Insider Tip
Time your visit for a cruise ship day if you want lunch — Cathy's opens from about 12pm to 3:30pm only when ships are in port; otherwise plan for an evening visit. Portions are huge, so come hungry, bring cash to be safe, and don't rush: this is island-time dining, best enjoyed with your toes in the sand.
The Practical Stuff
Located on The Strip, South Frigate Bay beach, a short drive (roughly 10 minutes by taxi) from Basseterre and the cruise port. Open evenings; lunch served on cruise ship days from 12pm to 3:30pm. Casual beachwear is fine. Budget-to-moderate prices with very generous portions. No written menu — daily offerings depend on the catch and the grill.
Pair It With
- Frigate Bay South Beach (The Strip) — Cathy's sits right on it — swim or beach-lounge before dinner, then bar-hop the Strip's string of beach bars after your meal.
- 5Trees Bar & Lounge Guide — Keep the evening going with drinks and a livelier lounge vibe after a hearty plate at Cathy's.
- A U Dat Lyft Taxi & Tours — An easy way to get to and from Frigate Bay — pair a half-day island tour with a beachside lunch or dinner at Cathy's.
