Reef Rd. Rum Bar, West Palm Beach, FL (restaurant)

Name:Reef Rd. Rum Bar
Type:restaurant
Street:223 Clematis St.,
City:West Palm Beach
State:FL
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:(561) 838-9099
Status:operational

Description:
Saw this review of a new restaurant in West Palm Beach, Florida in the Palm Beach Post a few weeks ago.

http://www.pbpulse.com/dining/2009/12/16/latest-clematis-street-restaurant-all-about-the-rum/

Pictures show a few tikis, and apparently the bar is supposed to be "all about the rum".

Wife and I haven't made it there yet....still recovering financially from christmas...so may be a while.

Would be nice if it's decent, it can never be Mai Kai but it's probably 'bout 40 miles closer to us.

Website: http://www.bigtimerestaurants.com

Drink Menu: http://www.bigtimerestaurants.com/reefrd/westpalm/pdfs/Drinks.pdf

I've been to Reef Rd. just once, not enough to really pass judgment. But from my visit last April for dinner and a few drinks I would give high marks to whoever designed the lighting. Cool pufferfish, floats and other mood lighting. The food is also well above average and the chef has been spotlighted in a local dining column ...
http://video.pbpulse.com/the-dish/reef-road-honey-glazed-salmon/ ... nice recipe I'd like to try at home.

Of course, this is a modern "rum bar", not really a Tiki bar. While there's a vast selection of rums (I believe the Burrs held a Gifted Rums tasting there recently) you'll be hard pressed to find a classic tropical drink on the menu and the bartenders didn't appear to be the type who would know what a true Mai-Tai or Zombie was. Also, aside from the lighting the decor is unfortunately of the tacky, Party City variety. The tikis appeared to be plastic. Top 40 was blasting from the speakers and featured entertainment included a karaoke night.

A decent local reggae band plays there regularly, so I'd say this place leans a lot more toward the typical Caribbean rum bar vibe that you'll find throughout Florida. Not a bad thing, I just wish they'd respect classic cocktails and decor a bit more.

Reef Rd has closed and is scheduled to be replaced by a barbecue restaurant. Too bad. It was a good location, just poorly executed. The food was good and the rum list was very impressive. But the last time I was there, they had no fresh limes to make a daiquiri, and no bartenders who seemed to have a clue.