15 Best Nightlife in Jamaica

You can find some of Negril's best live music at this bar, which stages reggae band performances right on the beach on Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday nights.

At the Terra Nova Hotel, this upscale bar draws well-heeled locals on weekends for delicious cocktails and quick bites. It's less-lively than other bars in town, but a DJ always keeps guests rocking at night. On Friday there's an 'endless cocktails' special.

This lounge, with a rooftop dance floor, becomes the hottest club in Ocho Rios each evening. It attracts a younger crowd with themed nights like Campari Mondays, Girlfriends Tuesdays, and Wray (and Nephew) Wednesdays.

This lounge moves to a jazz groove on Friday nights and features techno and house music on others. It closes around 10:30 most nights but goes until the wee hours on Friday and Saturday.

This beach bar is popular for its food and daily entertainment. There's live music or a DJ seven days a week, often until the wee hours of the morning, and there's no cover charge.

At night, the Margaritaville restaurant turns into a hip and happening nightspot. DJs play reggae, house, and R&B along with occasional live performances. Thursday night is Ladies Night and is especially popular among locals.

After 10, Margaritaville transforms into this club, with a mix of the hottest tunes of the moment, along with occasional live performances from local entertainers. Club Ville also offers free round-trip transportation from most resorts in Ocho Rios.

The sexy, always-packed disco here is a wild night out. Nonguest passes ($100 for couples and single men, $50 for single women) include meals, drinks, and use of the facilities from 6 pm to 2 am. (Bring a photo ID, and call a for reservation.)

One of Kingston's most popular after-work hangouts, this lively bar can get crowded on any given night and is particularly a favorite among the younger crowd. On Friday and Saturday, locals come to dance to DJ sets in the outdoor dining area. 

This popular party spot transforms into "Clubville" after hours; it's right on the beach so there's plenty of barefoot fun. Don't miss the sunset beach party every Wednesday.

You can't beat the sophisticated jazz, world music, and other low-key performances on Thursdays at this café and performance space. On Friday, it's rock, reggae, or alternative fusion, and once a month sees house music—this is one of the few venues for electronic music in Kingston. The Redbones Gallery rotates art shows once or twice a month, showcasing paintings, photography, sculptures, and sometimes even furniture. Films are screened once a week in the movie garden, usually Tuesday or Saturday. And the last Wednesday of the month brings an evening of poetry or fiction. Some events have a cover.

One of Jamaica's most popular spots for tourists and locals; sunset brings the crowds for live reggae.

This hot spot has two dance floors, seven bars, and four DJs spinning the latest reggae, dance hall, EDM, and hip-hop tunes.

One of the newer additions to Montego Bay's gaming scene, this lounge is in Ironshore's Whitter Village shopping complex. Guests can try their luck at slot machines or roulette tables or have a drink from the well-stocked bar.

For fans of sprint superstar Usain Bolt, no trip to Kingston would be complete without a visit to the flagship location (there are others in MoBay and Ocho Rios) of his restaurant, a combination casual eatery and sports bar that's designed to look like a stadium. There are (of course) large-screen TVs. Upstairs, on the mezzanine, you can see the running shoes Bolt wore on many of his record-breaking runs as well as signed outfits from medal-winning events. A gift shop sells Bolt gear. On nights when there is live entertainment, the big man himself often shows up at the bar.