Turks and Caicos Casual Restaurants

This large indoor and air-conditioned sports bar is an easy option if you’re traveling with kids and want something that satisfies the whole family. Essentially the local equivalent of a Dave & Buster's, it has an arcade, duckpin bowling alley, huge TVs, and a large menu of pub foods like pizza, wings, burgers, and ribs.

While it can be an expensive place to eat (consider arcade money for the kids as well) with longer wait times, the food is decent quality and it’s one of the better laid-back options for hot or rainy days.

Castaways is located in central Grace Bay within walking distance of many popular resorts. While it’s actually inland on the coastal road, eating here can feel like dining at the beach. Tables are split 50-50 between a sandy coconut grove and a covered wooden deck with a large bar.

The menu here is heavy on burgers and tacos with a few local cuisine options like conch and spiny lobster. Some of their best dishes are the Jamaican-style chicken, pork, and ribs they grill on the sailfish-shaped smoker by the entrance.

A rotating cast of local bands play here throughout the week, though the schedule isn’t always reliable.

This relaxed brewpub is housed within the country’s only large-scale brewery: the Turk’s Head Brewery. The spot is popular with locals and visitors alike, and has the best selection of beers on tap on the island (all made in the TCI). Around lunchtime, you can add on a $25 tour that guides you through the facility and ends with a flight of its top four beers.

Food options are more limited here than at other restaurants—pizza, sandwiches, and tacos—but are tasty. Our top recommendation is the brick-oven pizzas.

There aren’t any popular accommodations within walking distance of the pub, so you’ll need to drive or take a taxi. The simplest path to The Taproom is to follow the stairs from the parking lot and enter through the gift shop.

Sharkbite has been around since the 1990s and, despite its antiquated interior and façade, it actually offers a beautiful view of the Turtle Cove Marina. It’s a popular casual choice with residents, and their wings are probably the best on the island. The Goombay grouper sandwich and signature burger are also good. Portions tend to be quite generous. The best tables are on the deck over the water, where you can see schools of mangrove snappers, and occasionally green turtles and sharks.

Meals may look cheap on the menu, but the 27% tax added means your bill often works out to about the same as other comparable spots.

Rickie’s is essentially the closest option on Grace Bay Beach for local-style cuisine. It’s a nice choice if you want a simple meal, and it’s a convenient spot to order food from for those lounging on the beach.

The cracked conch is the best dish, but they also do burgers and fries, jerk chicken, and other casual lunch foods. The rum punch is also better than average.

The tradeoff for this beach shack’s location is typically slow service—be prepared for a long wait for your meal and drinks. Consider calling ahead to give the kitchen a head start, especially on Sundays when the place draws a crowd.

This simple and open-air bar is more popular with locals and expats than it is with tourists, but it’s a nice place to meet people. There’s a beautiful view over the Southside Marina and Caicos Banks from the terrace.

The food ranges from flatbread pizzas to ribs, Korean chicken sandwiches, and Canadian poutine, and local beer is served on tap.

Wednesdays are the busiest and loudest days here, when local group The Bar Band plays their weekly rock 'n' roll set. Arrive before 6 PM to get a table. Bob’s is only open for dinner and is closed on Mondays.

Turks Kebab, located in Grace Bay, offers dine-in and takeout and is the main casual Mediterranean option on the island. It’s open-air and has a few picnic tables, some covered dining space, and a small bar that serves cocktails and cold Turk’s Head beer on tap for only $5 a beer.

This place is known for its gyros and special Zemar’s hot sauce—also sold here by the bottle—but you can get kebabs, falafel, and pub food like wings and burgers, too.

It’s a short walk from the main Grace Bay Road strip (where most of the Grace Bay resorts are located) and is located in the same plaza as the popular Pork Shack.

This pub has evolved a bit from somewhat of a local attraction to more of a commercialized island dive bar, in line perhaps with a Margaritaville. It’s patronized by everyone from families to pub crawlers, and serves wings, sandwiches, fried pickles, cheeseburgers, pizza, and other equivalent bar fare.

Danny Buoy’s is one of the few late-night dining options in Grace Bay (other than Pork Shack), serving pizza until late in the night. It can get uncomfortably loud and a bit rowdy on certain nights, as it hosts a karaoke event twice a week and is often the next stop for people attending the Thursday fish fry.

The Terrace is a popular place for locals to watch big games and enjoy wings and nachos, yet the ambiance is a little more upscale than what you would get at a place like Danny Buoy’s. Expect a brighter and more modern interior.

Prices can be more expensive here than at some of the other casual sports taverns that serve similar dishes like ribs, burgers, fish and chips, and tacos.

Parking in the area can be limited, but it's an easy walk from the beach, several shopping plazas, and many resorts.

Formerly the beloved Fairways restaurant, #19 is the only dining and bar option at the Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club. It’s open to the public and serves a simple menu of breakfast and lunch staples (pancakes, omelets, burgers, and sandwiches). Grab 'n' go sandwiches are available from 7:00 AM for golfers heading out to the greens.

Along with Rickie’s, this is one of the closer casual dining options and sports taverns if you’re staying in Leeward. Brunch tends to be better for food than lunch.

There’s no dress code to dine in, but there are rules regarding what to wear if you plan to play golf—no jeans, T-shirts or tank tops, or swimwear (among other rules).

There isn’t much of a food truck culture in Turks and Caicos, but Cocovan is a unique option if you want a quick dinner in a picturesque location. This eatery is built around a retrofitted Airstream trailer, and is located in the same coconut grove as Coco Bistro, one of the oldest fine dining restaurants on the island.

The main options are small shareable plates and fancy burgers and sandwiches on homemade buns. You can take your order to go or eat at the picnic tables onsite.

The food here is better than at other pop-up restaurants, but don’t expect it to be cheap. Service charge and tourism tax are applicable, even though there’s no table service.

Skull Rock is a good pick if you’re looking for a colorful Mexican cantina with over-the-top décor but a relaxed vibe. This tropical skeleton-themed establishment is a convenient place to eat on your way to the beach, as it’s located a short walk from one of the main accesses for Grace Bay.

There’s a decent-sized bar if you just want to come for drinks. The unlimited free chips and salsa for those ordering a meal is a perk.

One of the better options is their all-day breakfast (which serves huevos rancheros and a good breakfast burrito). While base prices can be reasonable, common add-ons like chicken or pork for tacos can make dishes expensive for what they are.

This spot mimics an old-school American diner, and is a popular spot for hamburgers in the Grace Bay area. Prices start at around $16 for a large sandwich and fries.

There are over a dozen different burgers to choose from as well as a decent selection of salads, which you can alternatively order as a wrap. Their ribs, not typically listed on the menu but often available, are one of their best dishes.

Big Al’s runs one of the island’s only ongoing restaurant competitive eating challenges: eat 12 sliders in 30 minutes. You get your picture on the wall whether you win or lose, but only winners eat free and get a T-shirt. Service is usually a little faster than the island average.