Pelican Beach Grill Beach Bar & Restaurant
Sunset seafood and BOGO cocktails on the Pelican Key sand
Why Go
Tucked into the Flamingo Beach Resort on the quiet Pelican Key stretch just south of Simpson Bay, Pelican Beach Grill is that easygoing, toes-in-the-sand kind of spot where you can roll in for a beach breakfast, linger for happy-hour rum punches, and stay for a whole grilled catch as the sun drops into the Caribbean.
The Experience
The setting is pure Dutch-side beach bar: open-air seating right on the sand, ceiling fans working overhead, reggae or live acoustic sets on the right night, and the flat, calm water of Little Bay/Pelican Key just steps away. Service is friendly and unhurried in a distinctly Caribbean way — you're here to slow down, not turn tables. It draws a mix of Flamingo Beach timeshare guests, locals from Cole Bay popping in for lunch, and yacht crews wandering over from Simpson Bay Lagoon, so the vibe shifts easily from lazy midday to sunset-cocktail buzz. Because the beach faces west, evenings here get that big, unobstructed Caribbean sunset without the Maho crowds.
What to Try
Go straight for the grilled catch of the day, simply done with lemon and Caribbean spices — it's what the kitchen is built around. The grilled lobster and the barbecue ribs are the other menu anchors, and there's a solid curry chicken if you want something more island-local. For breakfast, the build-your-own omelette with a plate of fresh tropical fruit and coffee on the sand is the move. From the bar: any rum-forward tropical cocktail during the 1–3 PM BOGO happy hour, or a cold Presidente with the shrimp scampi as a light late-afternoon snack.
Insider Tip
The 1–3 PM buy-one-get-one happy hour is the real local hack — order two cocktails, hand one to your beach neighbor, and stretch a lunch into a full afternoon on the sand for close to the price of one drink elsewhere on the Dutch side. If you want the prime sunset table right on the sand line, walk in around 5:30 PM or call ahead in high season; the resort guests tend to fill those seats first.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Flamingo Beach Resort, 8 Billy Folly Road, Pelican Key / Cole Bay (Dutch side). Hours: daily 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner straight through. Happy hour: 1–3 PM with BOGO on many drinks. Phone: +1 721-527-6165. Payment: USD widely accepted (the default on the Dutch side); most major cards taken. Dress is beach-casual — swimsuit and cover-up is fine at lunch, light resort wear at dinner. Free parking at the Flamingo Beach Resort lot; taxis from Philipsburg or Maho run about 10–15 minutes. Not directly on a cruise-shuttle route, so easiest reached by rental car or taxi.
Pair It With
- Karakter Beach Bar Guide — Another laid-back Simpson Bay beach hangout a short drive north — good for a second round of sunset cocktails if Pelican's happy hour leaves you wanting more.
- Maho Beach Guide — Ten minutes up the coast for the famous plane-spotting spectacle at Princess Juliana Airport — pair an early Pelican lunch with an afternoon of jet-blast beach watching.
- Philipsburg Front Street — Fifteen minutes east for duty-free shopping and the Boardwalk — an easy pre-dinner stroll before heading back to Pelican for sunset.
- Aqua Mania Adventures Guide — Neighboring Simpson Bay watersports outfitter — book a morning snorkel or catamaran trip and reward yourself with a Pelican beach lunch after.
