Weekendz Bar & Grill: Pinneys Beach Ribs and Reggae
The Nevis weekend ritual — legendary ribs, ice-cold rum, and toes in the sand
Why Go
Only open Thursday through Sunday, this unfussy beach shack on Pinneys is where Nevisians and in-the-know visitors converge for what regulars swear are the best BBQ ribs in the federation. Owner Laverne runs the room like a family cookout that just happens to sit on one of the Caribbean's most beautiful stretches of sand.
The Experience
Follow the smoke and the soca down a dirt track off the main road in Vaughans and you land at a bare-bones open-air grill fronting Pinneys Beach. It's not polished — plastic chairs, a wooden bar, string lights — and that's precisely the point. You order at the counter, grab a Carib or a rum punch, and settle in while the pit master works the grill. By sunset the vibe shifts: locals roll up, a speaker gets louder, someone starts dancing, and the line for food gets longer. Portions arrive heaped on paper plates — the kind of meal that leaves you loosening your belt and packing a takeaway box. It's the antithesis of Four Seasons dining a mile up the beach, and that's exactly why people keep coming back.
What to Try
The BBQ ribs are the headline act — smoky, fall-off-the-bone, and worth the trip alone. If ribs aren't your thing, the grilled Mahi Mahi and conch dinner both earn constant praise, and the jerk-spiced BBQ wings make a great starter for the table. Every plate comes loaded with Nevisian sides: island rice and peas, macaroni pie, fried plantain, coleslaw, and corn on the cob. Wash it down with a rum punch — they don't skimp on the pour.
Insider Tip
They're only open Thursday through Sunday, and locals know Sunday afternoon into evening is when the beach-party energy peaks. Come hungry, come with cash (card acceptance is spotty), and don't be shy about chatting with Laverne or the servers Tanya and Christi-ann — they'll steer you toward whatever came off the grill freshest. Grab a table close to the sand before the sunset crowd arrives around 5pm.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Pinneys Beach, Vaughans, just south of Charlestown, Nevis. Phone: +1 869-469-9335. Hours: Thursday–Sunday (weekends only); lunch through late evening. Price range: budget-friendly ($) — plates typically run EC$30–60. Bring cash. Casual beach dress; sandy feet welcome. Best reached by rental car or taxi from Charlestown (about 5 minutes) — ask for 'Weekendz on Pinneys.'
Pair It With
- Pinneys Beach stroll — Weekendz sits directly on Nevis's iconic four-mile ribbon of golden sand — arrive early for a swim and a walk before lunch, or linger for sunset over the Caribbean Sea.
- Bath Hotel and Spring House Guide — Soak in the 18th-century hot mineral springs just up the road in Charlestown to work off the ribs — a five-minute drive that pairs beach indulgence with historic wellness.
- Birthplace of Alexander Hamilton Guide — Pop into the small museum in Charlestown before heading to the beach — a dose of Nevisian history balances the afternoon of grill smoke and rum punch.
- Cades Bay Guide — Continue the low-key beach-bar circuit up the west coast to Cades Bay for another quiet swim spot away from resort crowds.
