Bamboo Blu Jamaica is a restaurant situated on a pristine white sand beach near Ocho Rios in St. Ann.
It is a private property so you will be expected to patronize the restaurant there instead of bringing your own food.
The beach is gorgeous and the properties offers a few activities that makes this stop a worthwhile one in St. Ann.
Related: Visit Blue Hole St. Mary
Bamboo Blu Location
Bamboo Blu beach is located right on the beach next to the Ocho Rios hotel Riu and within the confines of Mammee Bay Estate.
You’ll need to make a reservation to gain access to the property but there’s no hassle to get in, set up your stuff and relax. And the beach is gorgeous.
Bamboo Blu Beach Club Menu
The beach club restaurant is open air with a relaxing vibe and an awesome view of Ocho Rios beach.
The décor added the right amount of sophisticated island vibe without being cheesy.
The menu is quite standard for Ocho Rios restaurants, a mix of American and Jamaican casual dining offerings. Think burgers, wings, pasta, fish and chips, jerk chicken, seafood done to order.
The tourist prices reminded me however that this part of Jamaica wasn’t for me (aka average joe.) One burger for $US13 plus tax and 10% service charge (2014 prices) took me way out of my comfort zone.
Imagine if I had a few cocktails?
Related: Common Questions About Jamaica Asked by Visitors
The prices surely made me dig deep in my Jamaicanness and wonder what would happen if I brought my own food to the beach. Think they’d call security if they saw me uncover a KFC box? 😀
The fact that the burger was pretty bland and done for a palate that’s used to fewer spices than the average Jamaican didn’t help ease my woes.
I tasted the fish and chips, the dish I would have ordered if it wasn’t $17 and I was so happy I didn’t spring for it as it too was quite bland. No salt and pepper guys?
To be fair, those who had more Jamaican meals like the jerk chicken and the whole fish said their meal was lovely.
Maybe if I go back to Bamboo Blu, I’ll order something more Jamaican like the Catch of the Day fish instead of a meal popular in places where its less spice and more sauce. How dare you order fish and chips in Jamaica. 😉
After our meal, we went to relax on one of the daybed gazebos strewn about the place. I was hoping to catch some of this action but was out of luck that day.
Isn’t that awesome? I’d probably lose my lunch.
The breeze was incredibly strong that day and sand was whipping everywhere. The group playing volleyball on the sand behind the restaurant didn’t seem to mind. They were playing all day long!
They sure do love the sport. I laid out and fell asleep while others went to enjoy the water. (Lounges are available for US$5 if you want one)
It was a lovely day out and yes, I would visit Bamboo Blu again and again. The beach was sprawling and lovely and the staff and amenities pleasant.
I like a beach where
I would
Visited Blu Bamboo in December 2023. It was very nice but rain ran us off the beach after 2 hours. Loved the little gift shop. Used the rain as time to gift shop. Loved that this beach had locals and tourists. The spicy shrimp was good. Can’t remember what I had for lunch but suspect it was a salad. The water was clear and warm. Wish they had a hotel attatched to the place though. It would be blissful staying on this beach all week. I did bring my coconut pineapple juice and bottled water in with me along with some crackers and hummus. No one seemed to mind although I did not make that known at the entrance.
Yes many years later Bamboo Blu is still a favorite of mine. Riu is right next to it if you want to stay on that stretch. That’s an all-inclusive resort.