Margaritaville - major disapointment

[vikeqn]

I am a parrott head - I love Jimmy Buffett. I go to all Margaritavilles and buy stuff and drink and eat.

Grand Cayman has a place THEY CALL Margaritaville. It is not!! I was there last week and there was NO Jimmy Buffett music. Only hard, bumping, grinding, head pounding, make you throw up crap.

We left after complaining and being told " Jimmy doesn't get played during Spring break"

He is not a spring break attraction. Hello - this is Margaritaville. The decor did not even feel like one of Jimmy's places. For many many months we looked forward to visit this new Margaritaville. I would advise all stay away. It is not what us parrott heads expect.

[lil nemo]

I am a parrott head - I love Jimmy Buffett. I go to all Margaritavilles and buy stuff and drink and eat.

Grand Cayman has a place THEY CALL Margaritaville. It is not!! I was there last week and there was NO Jimmy Buffett music. Only hard, bumping, grinding, head pounding, make you throw up crap.

We left after complaining and being told " Jimmy doesn't get played during Spring break"

He is not a spring break attraction. Hello - this is Margaritaville. The decor did not even feel like one of Jimmy's places. For many many months we looked forward to visit this new Margaritaville. I would advise all stay away. It is not what us parrott heads expect.

 

 

never been to any other MV but i did think the splash down slide pool was cool and the hot tub!!

[spirit bear]

2 appies and 2 non-alcoholic drinks and $54 later - you won't miss a thing if you skip this Margaritaville.

[cruise.freak]

It was also bumping and grinding when we went. Not fun at all!

[snausman]

Same here last week walked in and turn around and walked out. We sure didn't want to hear that music for any lenght of time.

 

Laura

[Almost Packed]

i agree. dh and i were very disappointed in margaritaville. this is the second we have been to. first in vegas...it was ok...then in jamaica. service was horrible, hamburgers were pricey, but cheap meat. i would have done better at burger king, and service was bad...did i mention that? i actually tipped the mariachi band or whoever/whatever they were more than our waiter and $60 check for 2. dh said the margarita was good though...very very strong. my pina colada was good. that was the only good thing. we didn't even bother going to mv in grand cayman after mobay.:(

[ducker]

We went to the one in Jamiaca and it was horrible. The place was small, dirty, service was very very slow and the food was terrible. We thought we would be able to have a great burger and listen to great music but when we arrived after waiting 20 minutes for service we noticed all the tables around had half there meals uneaten so we decided to get a quick beer and nachos. I didn't think you could screw up nachos but they can. The bar was full of 18 year olds drinking as much as they could before getting on the boat where they were to young to drink.

[Almost Packed]

yep, save your money, eat on the ship, or at a local resturant that knows how to serve it's customers, not just shove drinks down teenagers. this was a big waste of my time and my money. i will never go to another margaritaville again!

[seamour]

I wasn't impressed with the Key West Margaritaville either, it wasn't the belly, kick back and relax atmosphere we were looking for. It was more of a sports bar feel to be honest.

[akgrl]

We also went to Margaritaville in Grand Cayman last week. My husband and I were not impressed either. The food wasn't very good and we just got appetizers and it cost us $46! That's without any drinks! We wished we had saved our money and gone back to the ship to eat lunch. Our waitress was touching everything around (tables, etc.) then when she refilled my ice tea, she grabbed the ice with her dirty hands, the bartender had this retainer hanging out of his mouth most of the time, and every so often would use his hands to put it back in and then make the next drink, and then I saw a waitress carrying wrapped up silverware in rolled napkins to set on tables - she dropped a knife from one of them onto the dirty floor and then just shoved it back into the napkins to put onto a table. That made me question their cleanliness and food prep. sanitation. We won't go back.

[natish3000]

The GC Margaritaville was not yet built when we visited but I feel compelled to make an observation on the "Jamaica Margaritaville" mentioned in some previous posts.

I agree that the Key west one is nothing more than an expensive tourist trap.

However, there are three Margaritavilles in Jamaica and I assume that the posters who were unhappy with these did NOT go to the one in Ocho Rios.

I can't speak for Montego Bay or Negril but the Margaritaville in Ocho Rios was GREAT!!

Fun atmosphere, lots of Buffett (whether you are a fan or not, COME ON it's Margaritaville, you have to expect to hear him) everyone very nice, drinks GREAT (had six margaritas 3 each between me and my wife) and paid $27US and had a KILLER buzz. Good thing the ship was really close!

They have a waterslide, pool bar, etc as well as a nice small beach.

Don't change your plans to visit MV in Jamaica because of what you have read in other posts. Ocho Rios is a "don't miss" in my book.

[ICANTWAITTOSAIL]

We were there a week ago and we too were dissapointed. We had 2 adult burgers and 2 kids burgers and I had a drink the bill was $81 before tip. The kids did not eat their food and I did not finish mine. The waitress explained the exchange rate backwards so it ended up being more than we thought. Took too long to get the bill we could have went back and ate on board and had a good burger for the time it took us to get out of there. They played a Jimmy Buffet song every now in then.

[vikeqn]

I am the orginal poster - I have been in Margaritavilles in Las Vegas, Key West, New Orleans, Ocho Rios, Mo Bay and Orlando.

They all were Jimmy Buffett themed. His music and his stuff all over. I am a Buffett nut. Being a Parrott Head is a state of mind.

The GC Margaritaville had NO Jimmy music at all. Just head pouding, bumping and grinding young drunk kids.

[cruise.freak]

We were at the one in Ocho Rios 2 weeks ago and all it was was young kids taking lots of shots and nasty dancing. We will not go back. The couple beside of was also on our cruise and had their 14, 16 and 17 year old daughters and they were letting them take the shots also. They didn't ID anyone just gave them shots.

[marym933]

The Margaritaville in GC has nothing in common with the ones in Key West and Orlando except the Margaritaville name. Do you think Jimmy is selling franchises? My margarita in GC was $10.79 and I couldn't taste the alcohol.

[jpcruiser]

I agree with the posters - GC Margaritaville was nothing to write home about. Neither was the Mo Bay in October or the Grand Turk location last year. The one in Grand Turk was very new and the only cool thing about that one was the swim up bar in the pool. My favorite is Orlando! I always have fun when I go there and they do play Buffett music over and over again with the Volcano eruption, I belive every hour! Got tickets to the Buffett concert in Chicago in July - fourth row/center/ floor :D

[marym933]

I just saw on the Cozumel board that a Margaritaville opened there last night about 3 blocks from the Punta Langosta pier. Hope ir has some resemblence of the original Margaritaville concept.

[highcard]

We ate at Margaritaville in GC last week and we had a great time. My family of 4 spent about $55 to eat and I think someone else in my group with only 2 spent around 40 but she got appetizers along with a drink. They did play some Jimmy Buffet but there was a range of country, rock and roll and they played the macarana which the kids loved dancing to. We thought it was a lot of fun and lots of laughs for everyone. I can't believe all the negative reviews!! I'm glad I didn't see them before I went! We had a great time!

[RDangerIII]

Went to GC and Ocho Margaritavilles last week. The one in Ocho was nice on the beach but kind of small. Drinks were good, the food was so so. The one in GC was HUGE! But if you closed your eyes and listened to the music and people you could swear you were at Carlos and Charlies in Cozumel. Loud thumping music with a loud MC. Still it was fun.

[hubofhockey]

This is an overpriced average quality themed burger chain. Buffett is selling you the Jimmy Buffett experience. Whether you're in Key West, Universal Orlando, or even in the Caribbean, just know going in what you're getting. If I go to a tourist joint in Cayman, I'll go to a local tourist joint. I'm trying Breezes. I suppose that's overpriced and geared to tourists as well. I hope that at least I can get a flavor of the island.

[shipshape sam]

My burgers and beer were great! :)

 

Merchandise is similiar and my wife looks at me with the raised eyebrow as we walk through the shop, but I just can't help myself. I love T-Shirts :)

[muffingirl]

Last fall we were at Margaritaville in Grand Turk and it was a blast. Yeah they had a DJ playing music and playing games with the 20 something crowd. Nothing I did not do on Spring Break 30 years ago!! Hey it was all in good fun. The pool was perfect. Plenty of lounges / umbrellas / shade. Plus it had a section for the little kids. Yeah the drinks and food were a little pricey - what? you thought it wouldn't be? There was absolutely no pressure to buy anything and no charge for a lounger - stay as long as you want.

 

Rob

[luv2travel29]

I went to GC MV in Feb. We got ripped off ~ service horrible, food ok, drinks not strong enough... SO my next question is ~ can anyone recommend a good place to eat cause i will be back to GC in July ~

 

Thanks

[mcamis23]

I also thought Margaritaville in GC was awful. The prices were ridiculous and the food average. I would suggest going to somewhere local.

[texancruzer]

First I have to say " I love Jimmy Buffett and his music" I am not what I would call a parrothead tho.

 

But for the life of me I can't figure out why anyone going so far to a beautiful Caribbean island wants to spend their time in a restaurant ?

 

I will probably get scorched on this one.... but I really don't understand.

 

That said..... Margaritavilles have nice clean bathrooms :D