Out of all the nightlife venues on an island, 10Best narrows the options to those places with the most appeal and the best reputations…

BEST CLUBS AND DISCOS IN ARUBA

Out of all the nightlife venues on an island, 10Best narrows the options to those places with the most appeal and the best reputations. We offer a carefully vetted selection to let you explore Aruba’s nightlife on your own and with a local touch in mind. If time is really tight, though, and you don’t have the leisure to look through all our offerings, we present our Aruba Best Nightlife list. Here, we distill the best nights out down to a special selection of ten. These hot spots promise a stellar experience and a taste of the island that every visitor should take back home as a cherished souvenir. Whether it’s Salsa lessons to dance like a star at Club Hipsz, local beer at local prices at Local Store, the newest Las Vegas show in town or a winning hand at one of the most prestigious casinos in Aruba, with just a few clicks of your mouse, we can help you find what you’re looking for or what you didn’t even realize you’d be interested in. Aruba is more than just the high rise area, let us at 10Best help you keep up with the locals and be prepared to see the sun come back up again with a big smile.

Gusto

Mucho gusto means “it’s a pleasure”, and Gusto will do its utmost to make everyone’s night as pleasurable as possible. That’s why they serve more than just drinks. A welcoming atmosphere, skilled bartenders who craft amazing cocktails, the hottest DJs on the island… If it’s going to be dancing all night, chilling on a cozy terrace, or just socializing and toasting with friends, Gusto is an excellent choice for a long and delightful night out. Attention: Happy Hours are from 9 pm till 11 pm, so get ready to party like a star, and have your photographs taken as proof.

Local Store

Not really a store, but definitely local – including local and craft beers, snacks, prices and very friendly people: locals. Souvenir store? Local bar? Or just one happy spot to check out, any day of the week. Start with an Aruban Chicken Pastechi or Funchi Fries, and continue with some ice cold beers, hot chicken wings or authentic Aruban munchies. Every Friday, it’s Ambiente (a better word for Party)-time at Aruba’s Local Store, featuring Happy Hour vibes and rates – no matter what day it is. From Tuesday to Sunday: “Yega!” means “arrive!” and “keda!” is “stay!” That’s all you need to know, if you are in the Palm Beach area and ready to mingle with the locals.

Phone : 297-586-1414

www.localstorearuba.com

Zombie Room

Located in the back of the unmissable Rat Land building next to the Palm Beach Plaza Mall, is Aruba’s newest hangout place: Zombie Room. This Palm Beach haunt has a tiki-meets-rock bar feel that has made it popular since the recent opening in 2012. The room is decorated with bamboo, fishnets and colorful glass balls and lamps, and drinks here are cheap by local standards. Try a signature Zombie Bite cocktail or an ice cold beer and, on most nights, catch live Back to the 80’s Rock, jam to the island’s Reggae music or just chill with your zombies at the only Tiki Rock Bar on the island.

Phone : 297-741-7045

www.10best.com/destinations/aruba/aruba/palm-beach/nightlife/zombie-room

Garufa Cigar and Cocktail Lounge

This chic cigar bar and jazz club is fashionably decorated with animal print carpet, black granite tables and designer bar stools. Live jazz acts set the mood for revelers looking to sip and smoke. Single malt scotch, fine cognac and port are the house’s specialty drinks. And if the Cuban cigars aren’t to your liking, try one of the smaller, flavored “ladies'” cigars. This is a favorite happy hour spot, hosting local business people who come to unwind after a hard day’s work. Around six o’clock El Gaucho diners start coming in for an aperitif waiting patiently to be paged by the restaurant’s hostesses announcing that their table is ready. After a satisfying meal across the street, guests return to Garufa to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere while savoring their favorite after dinner drink with an espresso coffee.

Phone : 297- 582-3677

www.10best.com/destinations/aruba/aruba/greater-oranjestad/nightlife/garufa-cigar-cocktail-lounge

Club Hipsz

Ready to shake those Hipsz? This is your chance! Learn how to dance the Salsa or simply improve your dancing skills at Aruba Salsa. The young and professional duo, Reggie and Sabine would love to share their great passion for Latin dances with everyone – locals, tourists, newbies… If having fun is your way of life, then get some fancy moves to show off at Reggie and Sabine’s brand new nightclub Hipsz. With the largest wooden dance floors on the island, top quality sound equipment, the best local bands, reasonable drink prices and the friendliest staff ever, there is no excuse left to dress up and grab your dancing shoes.

Phone : 297-585-7939

http://arubasalsa.com/club-hipsz

The Sopranos Piano Bar

This trendy piano bar is nestled amongst the high rise hotels, right in the center of the lively Palm Beach scene. Just look for Aruba’s Arawak Garden and visit one of the coolest piano bars in the world. Try a Bikini Martini and kick back with a Cuban cigar while the multi-talented piano players entertain you. Things get hopping when patrons sing along with the musicians who take requests for everything from Frank Sinatra to Elton John. Open-aired and relaxed, this is the place classy enough to wear the stylish dress you packed, “just in case,” or come casual as you like. The only requirement is to obey the motto: “Let’s have fun!”

Phone : 297-586-8622

www.sopranospianobararuba.com

Senor frog’s

A lively and entertaining bar, restaurant and souvenir shop where the motto is simply to “Have fun and let yourself go!” Sing, dance and meet new friends at this energetic nightspot. Senor Frog’s is located in Aruba’s shopping and lifestyle center called The Village, right in front of the Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino and welcomes children for lunch and early dinner. For adults-only Senor Frog’s offers nightly entertainment includes contests on stage, prizes, live entertainment, Conga lines, all kinds of shots, Reggae bands, MC’s, DJ’s… all you need for party-time! Grab a steak taco, hold on to your yard of beer or any signature drink and be aware that anything is possible at Senor Frog’s Aruba.

Phone : 297-586-8900

www.aruba.com/things-to-do/senor-frogs

Café Chaos

A casual, neighborhood gathering spot located in downtown Oranjestad. This Dutch Pub is the watering hole for many locals, executives, and all of those looking for a drink, a snack and fun times with friends and colleagues. Gezelligheid – a feeling of coziness in English – and warm Dutch hospitality welcome you to a variety of imported beer, funky music and friendly bartenders. With the best live music, beer and cocktails since 2000, Chaos is about as off the beaten path as it gets, and is a much respected platform for hard-edged, home-grown talent. You’ll hear anything from Blues to Reggae, Funk, Pop or Rock.

Phone :297-588-7547

www.10best.com/destinations/aruba/aruba/downtown/nightlife/cafe-chaos

Moomba Beach

How to make a happening on a tropical island? Easy! Take a gorgeous sandy beach, add huge palapas (shade huts) and a lot of lounge chairs and tables. Bring in plenty of Coconut Rum, Blue Curacao, Tequila and Peach Schnapps, plus a friendly bartender or three who know how to mix them up, while shaking to the rhythm of the island’s beat. Include breakfast, lunch and a tasty menu of Caribbean seafood and grilled meat to accompany the breathtaking sunset and dance or sing all night to live music. Voila! There you have one of the best beach bars in the world. Call your creation MooMba Beach Bar & Restaurant – it doesn’t sound too difficult.

Phone : 297-586-5365

www.moombabeach.com

Kukoo Kunuku Party Bus

No need to designate a driver when you take this dinner and barhopping tour. A wildly painted 1957 Chevy bus picks you up at your hotel and transports you to Arashi Beach for a glass of champagne and a Caribbean sunset. Throughout the course of the evening, you will visit three local bars and have dinner at a traditional Aruban home or restaurant. The cost of an evening includes hotel pick up and drop off, dinner, and one drink at each stop. For the Pub Crawlers there is a Happy Hour tour, including specialized Kukoo Shot Glasses and a free shot at every stop!

Phone : 297- 586-2010

www.aruba.com/things-to-do/kukoo-kunuku

BEST CAFES AND BARS IN ARUBA

Nightlife among Aruba’s locals has always been and still is up to this day, the ban dal un bitter (let’s take a shot) at one of the many modest and inexpensive rum shops (or stores) around the island. In past times people used to buy and carry their liquor in a brown paper bag at the nearby convenience store, where they would hang out and consume alcohol as discretely as possible. Later on, some of the convenience stores became the more explicit rum shops and modern supermarkets took over the non-alcoholic inventory.
Much has changed over the years with the island’s economic development and growing tourism industry. Nowadays, Aruba is able to offer its visitors and residents a large and diverse selection of nightlife options, including night clubs, cafes, pubs, party buses and boats, festivals, shows, events, and the all-time favorite bar hopping tours.
This following list of Aruba’s best bars is based on the present diversity in age group, taste, preference, budget, culture on the island, without disregarding typical or historical spots like Fermin’s Bar BQ in Noord and Charlie’s Bar and Restaurant in San Nicolas. By adding live entertainment, skillful bartenders, salsa workshops, karaoke nights or a funky interior, this basic concept turns into so much more than just hanging around a counter across which alcoholic drinks are served.

Charlie’ bar and restaurant

This bar, founded by Dutch couple Charles and Marie Brouns, has been an island legend for more than 70 years. Many people visit just out of curiosity or to study the outrageous decor: banners, pennants, posters, stickers and bric-a-brac cover the ceiling and walls. Though many come the first time to gawk while they sip on a cold beer, Charlie’s keeps them coming back with surprisingly good seafood, especially Creole squid and “Shrimps Jumbo and Dumbo.” Chef Charles (the third generation of Charlie’s) and Chef Rosalba also cook a mean Argentine-style steak, and their trademark “honeymoon sauce” is fabulous, and hot, hot, hot! If you’re visiting San Nicolas, on your way to Baby Beach or famished after a day of fun in the Sunrise City of Aruba, drop in at Charlie’s to have something to brag about.

Phone : 297-584-5086

www.restaurantsaruba.com/Charlies-Bar.html

Chupito Shot bar

Chupito is the Spanish word for “a shot” of alcohol, and Chupitoz Shot Bar in downtown Weststraat is Aruba’s one and only interactive shot bar. With a wide selection of memorable shots catered to every taste bud available, Chupitoz aims to spice up Aruba’s nightlife scene. It’s the shot plus the show that turn new and regular customers into superstars. For bar hoppers and night clubbers in search of the local vibe, this might just be the perfect stepping stone to ignite the evening, a pit stop to keep the high energy flowing or the last station before calling it a night.

Phone : 297-561-1563

Blue

Serene and stylish in blue and white, the Renaissance Resort’s lobby bar is ideal for drinks and conversation from the time it opens up to the time it closes down. The staff are infectiously friendly, the cocktails are well-mixed and the overall vibe is simultaneously upbeat and relaxed. A great place to make some new friends, get in a little people-watching, or catch up on your vacation alcohol allowance! Plus, there’s a nice variety of tapas and light meals if you’ve got the munchies. Casual walk-in tourists, local and international business professionals, all enjoy the surroundings of this sophisticated open-air lobby bar in one of Aruba’s most prestigious resorts.

Phone : 297-583-6000

www.aruba.com/things-to-do/blue-bar

Sky Lounge

This open-air cocktail lounge right in the middle of the Paseo Herencia Mall at Palm Beach screams urban chic with its contemporary light fixtures, comfortable seating at the bar, its lounge chairs around the pool, fancy lounge beds and spectacular view of the nightly waterworks show. Open seven days a week, offering premium signature cocktails at great prices are only a couple of reasons not to overlook this top spot. Sky Lounge is a must-visit for Mojito drinkers, cocktail tastings, pleasure seekers… For anyone who enjoys a great night out in Aruba – after, before or without all the shopping.

Phone : 297-588-3159

www.10best.com/destinations/aruba/aruba/palm-beach/nightlife/sky-lounge

Fermin’s Bar BQ

For more than forty years, Fermin’s Bar BQ in Aruba’s Noord district, has been a fixture. First, as a local rum shop on a hot corner, then came the outdoor seating, the parasols, the wood fire smells and grills, and a brand-new (much bigger) sign. Despite of all the changes, the attentiveness of Fermin’s staff, the fair prices and the good quality remains the same. A great find for tourists in search of a friendly and casual atmosphere to have a couple of ice cold beers. They serve beer by the bucket at a very local price, well-made cocktails and incredibly tasty and affordable snacks and barbecue platters.

Phone : 297-587-9876

http://caribya.com/noord/fermins.bar.bbq

Bugaloe Beach Bar and Grill

Looking for a hot place to be cool or a cool place to be hot? Stroll along the postcard perfect Palm Beach and step onto the deck of Bugaloe Beach Bar and Grill at De Palm Pier. It’s never a must, only helpful advice: a Caribbean vacation isn’t an authentic Caribbean vacation without the happy hours, the dancing, the mingling, the savoring and celebration-ing. That’s why Aruba offers the most gorgeous beaches, the sunniest weather and memorable spots like Bugaloe Beach Bar & Grill to welcome its visitors. Colorful cocktails, live entertainment, breathtaking sunsets, perfectly grilled catches and many hours of happiness await you here.

Phone : 297-586-2233

www.bugaloe.com