Rick's Café

Outside on the expansive cliffside patio, watch in awe as local professional cliff divers and courageous tourists leap some 30 feet (9 meters) into the deep sea waters below. Dining at the restaurant is semiformal, with the chef making authentic, mouth-watering Jamaican dishes like ackee and salt fish, callaloo, oxtail and butter beans, and curry goat.

You can experience Rick’s Cafe on your own, or with a private or group half-day or full-day tour that leaves from Montego Bay, Negril, or Ocho Rios. Tours incorporate the highlights of whichever area you choose, and many also feature fun activities like a catamaran cruise to the famous Negril Cliffs, stops at the best snorkeling spots, scenic coastal drives, and swimming and relaxing at postcard-pretty beaches along the way. Most tours include round-trip transportation from your hotel, gear rental, and some food and drink.

• Rick’s Cafe is a popular stop with first-time visitors to the area, especially at sunset. Families with small children are welcome, though mind them closely around the cliffs area.

• Remember to bring your swimwear, sunscreen, towel, and camera for sunsets and cliff jumps.

• There are reports of travelers sustaining serious injuries from jumping off the cliffs. Dive at your own risk.

• Rick’s Cafe is accessible to wheelchair users.

Rick’s Cafe is west of central Negril along West End Road, easily accessible by taxi or shuttle bus from many Negril hotels.

Rick’s Cafe is open from 12pm to 10pm daily year-round. Nightly live music and sunset parties get going around 5:30pm. During the off-season (May through November) there are smaller crowds here and throughout the island.

Chances are if you’ve seen postcards of Jamaica, you’ve gazed upon the creamy white sands of Seven Mile Beach. Along the coast next to Rick’s Cafe, this stretch is a popular destination, not only for its stunning beauty but also for activities. At the beach you can snorkel the reefs, play volleyball, kayak, take a glass-bottom boat ride, or go for a horseback ride in the surf.

Rick’s Café opened in 1974 as the first public bar and restaurant on the West End Cliffs. It was rebuilt twice, once in 1988 and once in 2004, due to hurricane destruction. It’s most famous today for its sunsets, lively vibes, and cliff jumping that’s open to all who dare.

Rick’s Café specializes in tropical cocktails and Jamaican dishes like Red Stripe Beer Battered Shrimp, Rick’s Caribbean Whole Lobster, and Blackened Mahi Mahi Fillet. Rasta-politan, Rick’s Frozen Rum Runner, and Rick’s World Famous Rum Punch are popular cocktails. Sweet potato pudding and traditional rum cakes are best for dessert.

Yes, there are multiple accommodations near Rick’s Café. Villas Sur Mer is a chic four-star rustic hotel with villas and cottages right next door to Rick’s. Le Mirage is a small, adults-only, clothing-optional resort nearby with an infinity swimming pool. There are many other hotels within minutes of Rick’s Café.

Yes, Rick’s Café is best-known for cliff jumping. The water is 15 feet (4.5 meters) deep, and you can jump from heights of 10 feet (3 meters), 25 feet (7.6 meters), and 35 feet (10.6 meters)—at your own risk. There also is a swimming pool on-site.

Most visitors to Rick’s Café either walk from their hotel or take private transportation. There are dozens of car hires available in the Negril area; nearly every hotel will help you secure a ride to Rick’s. You also can ask airport staff upon arrival for a local taxi number.

Yes, Rick’s Café is considered a family-friendly restaurant, and kids can dine alongside their parents. No pets are allowed. Keep in mind that this busy restaurant draws a crowd who enjoy drinking and dancing. It is a lively bar atmosphere that may become more adult-oriented as the sun sets.