The Mar Azul

Let me tell a tale.. we got in late to Vieques and hadn’t eaten all day… we realized quickly that there was no one serving food or anywhere to buy… feeling defeated we ventured into The Mar Azul and had a brief convo with the bartender.. he informed us that indeed the kitchen was closed. After hearing our story he went out back and magically produced some yummy turkey sandwiches and drinks much to our families relief as we were famished!! Fast forward a couple days we have eaten at a few local spots and decided to come back and order from Mar Azul… CAN YOU SAY TAKE ME TO FLAVOR TOWN!!!!! OMG.. THE FOOD IS MAGIC!!!!! The flavor is incredible from the scrumptious pulled pork and smash burgers to the impeccable fried chicken you cannot go wrong!!! I’d give a hundred stars if it could!!! Sincerely A Humble Vermonter on an island!!! DONT SKIP THE MAR AZUL!!!!!

While wandering the dusty thoroughfares of Vieques at the midday hour, we were engaged in that most curious of traveler’s vanities, the polite pretense of satiety, until such time as the hunger issued its inevitable decree. Thus, we found ourselves at the threshold of Mar Azul, which proved to be a decent selection. Mar Azul honors a fundamental verity, that a repast is most sublime when it is shaped by the spirit of the locale and the quality of one’s companions. Here, one finds no trace of the theatrical or the overwrought; there is no pretension to be found upon the plate. The prospect of the shoreline is what makes it great, offering a clear view of the ferry’s arrival, a veritable pageant of human industry. The bustle of the landing, as travelers and residents alike go about their business. The restless sea, stirred into a shimmering brilliance by the play of the sun’s rays upon the waves and then coastal theater, where the rhythms of the harbor provide a constant, soothing diversion. In the languor of the afternoon, we partook of nachos and a selection of local spirited beverages. The fare was ample and honest, intended for communal enjoyment and elevated by the brilliance of our discourse. Mar Azul requires no artifice, it rests comfortably in its own character, possessing the quiet charm of the harbor and that particular grace which renders a simple luncheon the most cherished portion of the day.

This restaurant serves some of the best food on the island. The mahi-mahi burger was absolutely delicious, and the veggie burger option was just as tasty. The virgin Pina Colada is amazing. The ocean view made the experience even more memorable, especially with outdoor seating where you can enjoy a beautiful sunset. The staff were friendly and welcoming, which made the visit even better.

We almost didn’t go because I was worried you were paying for a view with lousy food. My opted to go and sacrifice the food. Luckily I was so wrong about the food. It was delicious. Treat this as your bar food stop. Simple menu. I had the fried chicken sandwich with fries. It was 5/5 Super thick chicken with a perfect crunch crust. McDonald’s size fry’s. Super hot and super good. My wife had the hillbilly salad. She loved the house dressing. The views here are really really nice. Absolutely would go back.

we really enjoyed the cheese curds here! And the view looking out at the water is great! I forgot to get pictures of the chicken sandwich and burger. But they were your average pub meal, definitely on the priced side.

Food is good, drinks are amazing (Piña Colada and Brazilian lemonade), service even better (thank you Bartender lady 😉) and can’t beat the view and sunset. Relaxed place, feels homie and very welcoming. Thank you!

This a fabulous sunset dinner spot! Get a seat early and stay for 1 cocktail. Overlooking Sea Glass beach the ocean is under foot. Parking can be found on the side streets. Stay on the sidewalks and navigate to a magnificent scene! Pictures are from the beach. Restaurant is to the right but it wasn't my focus at the time.

If you're visiting Vieques Island, this bar comes highly recommended. Its proximity to the ferry port is incredibly convenient. With its comfortable seating, delicious local and fusion dishes, and beautiful ocean views, it's the perfect place for a visit.

Great place to hang out waiting foe the ferry. We ate the chicken finges. They were good. Bartenders are great. They have games you can play at table or bar.

Fun and casual bar! Popped in for a beer and ordered food to go. Service was friendly and quick!

Another amazing spot @ Vieques!!! Great service (Samantha), food, drinks, & space. My family and I cant wait to come back. Such a great way to finish out our trip.

What a fun little dive bar and grill! Our waiter was super friendly and on top of things. The view outside was amazing. The only reason I gave it four stars out of 5 is that my chicken sandwich was overcooked so it was hard to chew. Everything else was great!

Excellent food and ambiance. We really loved The Mar Azul. The burger and fries were phenomenal-so juicy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. The whole family enjoyed their early dinner after snorkeling all day on the island. The open-air restaurant had a cool vibe, friendly service, and a beautiful view of the water.

We went here twice. The first time was after the Bio Bay tour as it was the only thing open. Even though we were not running up a tab at the bar, everyone made us feel right at home and all three staff that I saw came and checked on us at least twice during our visit. The strawberry daiquiris are amazing and the loaded nachos were excellent. We went back two nights later on a weekend and they had different staff working and everyone was once again amazing and friendly. There was live music on Friday, it was a super cool vibe. I got nachos again (they're big enough for two or three!!) and my daughter got smash burger and fries and it was delicious!! Love this place, wish I could take it home with me. My daughter and I loved it!

Laid back beach side restaurant near the ferry area. Live music and karaoke on the weekends. Food was great, service was great. The pork nachos were Fantastic! Seemed to be mainlanders/locals hangout. Great view at sunset. Hit them up!

Absolutely recommend to anyone coming to vieques. Food was 10/10 drinks were 10/10 view was 10/10. Service is phenomenal and our food came FAST and HOT. you can watch the ferry come in and walk a couple hundred meters to the terminal when you're ready to board.

The ambiance was perfect- reminded me of the shore back home in Asbury park beach nj. It had authenticity- lots to look at with art, plants, and signage. The service was on point, attentive, friendly and enthusiastic. And my chicken sandwich was so delicious I am dreaming of it right now. Our drinks were also so tasty, we got the pain killer. This spot is Right next to the ferry so it was great for us to hop right back on to get back to San Juan. This was my favorite spot to eat out of the 7 days we were in PR

Chicken sandwich and burger are incredible. Staff is friendly and on point . Great view and good drinks. It's basically my favorite place on Vieques.

This spot was recommended to us by a few locals and we weren't thinking much of it but wow. I mean we were hungry but the smash burgers were out of this world. Just a great classic burger. Fries were amazing too. We sat outside which was great but definitely find a spot in the shade if you go during the day. The vibe in there is exactly what we wanted - low key but cool (probably the trendiest spot we found on the island), great ocean views with see through water with plenty of fish sightings, and great service. Down to earth but attentive service. Would recommend to anyone visiting Vieques. Seems like it would rage at night too! Definitely tough to find parking because it's right by the ferry so grab a spot a block or two away if you can find it.

Just about 100 ft to the right of the ferry terminal is a great little restaurant overlooking the beautiful waters between Vieques and the Puerto Rican mainland. The food is amazing, we had the smash burger with Bacon Jam along with a Brazilian Lemonade. This is a fun place to hang out with good food, good music and great staff.

food was great, service was excellent, ambiance is unmatched! owner and the sweet lady who works in the office are such nice company! 10/10 would recommend to any friend or family

Love it !!! Great drinks and food was good a great view awesome I atmosphere!! Went on vacation with my sister and we had a blast ! We went there like 3 times

Damn good burger! Has to be the best on the island hands down. Beautiful view. Great drinks--try the Brazilian lemonade! Refreshing and not too sweet. Owners and the staff are THE BOMB!! Shout out to Christine, Tom and Steve!

Looks deceptively small on the outside. Once you're inside, you'll be greeted with signs and posters all over the place, even on the ceilings. Always look up! There are some tables near the front, but the main attraction is in the back patio, which overlooks the ferry terminal and the ocean. A small beach below the deck is nice to look at while waiting for the sunset. The 360 degree open space bar was manned by 2 folks on the day that I visited. Yes, the Medalla is less than $2, but they only carry the small cans. As for the food, it's your usual bar fare. But the blue cheese burger that I had was quite big and good. Not too much of the blue cheese, but you could see it and taste it just fine. I guess I would have liked more of the blue cheese. But then again, you're on Vieques. The fries had an interesting taste, a bit sweet, and an interesting texture, not crispy but not soggy. It was a good way to end the day on Vieques.

Menu is limited but the food was good. We ordered the burger and chicken sandwich and enjoyed both.

How do you celebrate Halloween and a friend's birthday while in Vieques? Head on down to the Saint Voodoo's Halloween block party, complete with a view of the beautiful sunset and festive karaoke/costume contest. I appreciated having to show my covid19 vaccination card upon entry because it meant I could demask and enjoy the festivities with a packed house of other vaccinated party animals. The restaurant is also open air for lots of ventilation and room for distanced dining then dancing. The DJ was amazing! He played all of our song requests and we sang and danced all night. The food was also great! We had so much fun dancing with locals and other tourists. This was a perfect example of how to do things right during a pandemic....require proof of vaccination, create a big space and let people have a blast celebrating Halloween and each other. It seemed like everyone in there was united, friendly, and enjoying being in a group again! I'm grateful for this experience!

me and my bf wanted to love this place but the girl bartender was unfortunately super rude to me for no apparent reason and ruined the vibe :/

Bottom line: as can be expected from a small waterside bar joint in a small island. Cheap stiff drinks, decent bar food. Gluten line: avoid, drinks only. Long line: hyped up as one of The best bars on the island. There isn't much competition but yeah it's pretty good. The drinks are well made. Staff is very attentive and nice. Place is definitely full of tourists at all time compared to some other places and the staff is mostly Caucasian. I don't think anyone would particularly come here for food but since we were waiting for the ferry I can at least tell you that the wings were pretty good but a bit small but the Burger was very large. Not a bad spot to hang if waiting for the ferry. Beer selection is weak but hey, it's a tough return on investment bringing it on a ferry so I get it.

This is a restaurant that primary consist of retired tourist. The food was fairly well flavored however the cook on the meat was not safe to eat. I asked for a medium rare and the burger meat was cooked on the outer edge but completely raw in the interior. I asked to have the patty recooked to medium well. The burger came back pink again. Finally had to ask for a well done burger to ensure a safe meal. Of course, this time around the burger came back burnt and dry, well passed well done. Would not return or recommend to others.

Great location and back deck overlooking the water. Cheap drinks with a heavy pour... went on a Saturday night had Karaoke...my kids first time doing it...had a blast...had burgers and fries and both were very good...it's a great change from eating Puerto Rican food all vacation!!! Would recommend but they are only open fri-Mon so keep an eye out!

Just because it says it should be open online.... doesn't mean it's open. In fact, good luck finding a time when it IS open.

Very good bar, great drinks, great service, 100% vets bar in the island! Fast drinks, food is good and servers check on you consistently.

First, the listing should read "The NEW Mar Azul!" Under new ownership, the establishment is now clean, inviting and friendly. Also, the "dive bar" annotation is no longer valid. Step in and and see the new look and feel. Great drinks, super tasty food (we had the smash burger and the mother clucker chicken sandwich, both fantastic!) and I highly recommend checking out the New Mar Azul! Right by the ferry, great sunsets from the new waterfront deck...they're doing it right!

I wanted to give them five stars unfortunately the way they do things with the Bill is absolutely atrocious in my opinion. You get one bill for one table and then y'all have to hash it out. It would've been nice to know this ahead of time. However they wait till you've already ordered everything to let you know that now you have the challenge of figuring out who had what and who pays for what. Maybe this is something common place among Gen Z people, but I am not of that generation so I found it very disturbing. Plus on top of everything we got double bill for a sandwich that we did not order. Beyond that the drinks were great. We had the Brazilian limeade. It was delicious. The food was also delicious. I had the chicken sandwich and the five others in our group had the hamburger. Our waiter was really attentive when it came to making sure we had drinks if we wanted them and even was able to give us recommendations on the food, which worked out really well. Gave us a coupon to the little shop next-door, which was really nice. If you're in Vieques visit Mar Azul, but just know that you're gonna have to pay the full tab and figure it out amongst yourselves. He said this is a common practice on the island.

New owners and a bit of a new name but still the same funky vibe and gorgeous sunsets! Went for a sunset cocktail but stayed for dinner. It's regular ol' bar food - but really good! I had the veggie sandwich - super delicious! The fries were really good too!!! My friend had the shrimp po'boy and said it was super yummy-he had a piña colada which was huge! Overall everything was really good! This island institution, I think , is in good hands! Will for sure be back!

If arriving to Vieques by ferry and is super hungry, Al's Mar Azul is a great pit stop for some food and drinks. With a very eclectic, rustic/sea-vibe décor with a great view of the water, this place satisfied my hangry needs in Vieques. The service here was very nice and the food was pretty good. I got the Media Noches which was like a cubano sandwich with pork, pickles, ham and cheese. It was very filling and the bread was excellently toasted. I also shared the conch fritters with a friend. Although a little overcooked on the outside, it met what makes a fritter. It came with what seemed like a creamy thousand island dip that paired well with the fritters. The fritters were big in size and easy to split between 2-3 people. What I think my friends and I liked best was their selection of Conqui Fire hot sauces, a hot sauce collection made locally in Vieques. They had a wide variety of hot sauces, numbered by heat level. It was great just sampling a bunch to see what worked with our taste buds the best. With what this place offers and its location, it surely is a good time to get the vacation started!

Don't come here expecting a beautiful, chill beach bar vibe. It's really the exact opposite. Vibes were off with the staff. They weren't friendly. Next set back was the crowd... At 5:30 pm on a Sunday everyone was drunk and sloppy. And don't get me wrong, I love to drink it just was more of a dingy motorcycle bar environment. The last big hit came from the fact that they're smoke friendly and the whole place wreaked of second hand smoke. Wouldn't recommend or return.

I went right after a hurricane scare and the last day of the season before they close for a week or so. That said, I had a great time despite the limited menu. The drinks were great and the company was awesome! I got the chicken sandwich on a locals suggestion (and because the menu was really limited) and was not disappointed! Great vibes all the way around.

What a view!!!! The view alone works for me. The bartenders are super friendly and the blended drinks are amazing. The food here is typical bar food but on the better end. They even have conch fritters!!! Pull up a chair and enjoy the view with a great drink here. Can't wait to go back to this island.

everything here is a 10/10. the definition of paradise in vieques. meet mateo at the bar and get ready for a fantastic evening. i absolutely love it here and couldn't recommend it more!

There is nothing about his place I don't LOVE... fab live music, top notch drinks, food (buffalo chx sammi), service (including COVID protectedness... if that was a word). All the locals hang here and so should you (and me).

Like other reviewers said: not friendly service. Walked in right when they opened at 4 pm. Not greeted, sat down had to ask for menus. No one came to our table after 10 mins. No other customers were there. The two staff were staring at the TV. we walked out. Unless the food is amazing, don't go here.

This is one of the best views that I've had on being on Vieques a great spot to wait for the ferry and grab a quick bite. Simply wonderful and a great bartender

They've nailed the little beach shack vibe. We went here to watch our Jayhawks over some islandy drinks and loved every minute of it. I wouldn't touch these electric blue drinks back home, but when you're on the island, why not? We didn't eat here but it looked like they had some decent bar food options. After the game, (and the win) we popped out onto the back deck where we watched the sunset and visited with an American who had moved down to Vieques and worked at Coqui Fire. Nice guy who was living the life. Only wish I was there now!

Came here to kill time before we had to leave for the Ferry. Loved the view and the staff! Drinks were good too. Sadly they were out of every single thing we ordered. We'll try again next time.

Phuck yeah! Loved Al's! And not only because it's next door to our Airbnb haha I'm a strange bird in many ways, and one has to be that I don't sleep much. I'm a night owl and an early bird all at the same time. After a long day of vacationing (tough problem to have!) our crew was tired; but as usual, I wanted to go out and see people and things! Vieques can be a sleepy little seaside during the off-season like February so I wasn't sure what to expect. Challenge accepted. Before heading out, one person said that they'd join too. We toddled down the street and it's the Caribbean bar you would hope to see -- from the nautical furnishings, open-air bar to the water, and the super-charming handsome bartender (SCHB) from Oklahoma with a penchant for telling great stories. There were three lovely ladies there too who happen to be from Oregon GO PNW! We started with the Panty Dropper, which was a different drink than what is advertised as the Panty Dropper on the menu but it was fruity and fresh-tasting either way. My panties stayed up but I don't think it should affect the rating. After a while, it was only my friend and I. But vas is das??! A dart board? With...steel-tipped darts?? HECK YEAH! Darts and shots pretty much ended our night there. We probably stayed a little later than SCHB dude would have liked us to stay but I hope our tip made up for it. Get here! Don't be skerred if it's an off time/season! Whether it's busy or there's crickets chirping, there's always the ocean breeze (and drinks. Don't forget the drinks.)

Have to get Man Vs. Food down to this place! It looks like a normal dive bar in an area that's not touristy at all. Here are the highlights: 1) The food is incredible. So Dan who runs the bar and Jimmy the head chef are both chefs by background. You would not expect this from a dive bar. We were there late and there were only limited menu items left, so we had a couple orders of sliders and the pita pizza. Not your typical bar food - tastes like it was from a gourment restaurant. Also, if you head back to the kitchen, you will see this dive bar has some really serious kitchen equipment going on. 2) The hot sauce. They have 20 different levels of hot sauce (def a man vs food thing) and they need to come up with a cool challenge for it. As for me, I tried level 7 which was hot as hell, but the local girls we were with didnt seem to blink when going up to level 15. 3) The view. If you walk back out to the porch, it's right on the water and is a great place to sit outside. The only draw back is if you are down there on vacay, it's not really a place you can walk to other bars/restaurants from. In other words, off the beaten path. But absolutely worth checkin out!

This was of my favorite spots in Vieques during our recent trip. It was nice to finally have a break from the typical Puerto Rican food. Their lasagna was delicious, and their fish tacos too. On our last night visiting, it happened to be my boyfriend's birthday, and while they didn't have any cake or desserts to celebrate, the owner hooked us up with some free key lime pie shots! What an awesome treat! We had to have a couple rounds. They have a friendly staff and good vibe all around. As other Yelpers have mentioned, the view alone is worth a go!

I live and work on the Caribbean side of the Island and I don't have a car so getting to Al's is not always easy but it's highly recommended. First, this place is a bar... build up right on the shore line with north/north easterly views close to the ferry dock. This place is also serves some of the best food on the Island, I only rate food where I work higher and we serve something far different than Al's. Al's owners because they are a bar and only offer food as a service to their patrons have implemented a limited menu. Typically 3-4 items; something I always had some flack about at Water Taxi Beach; but a limited menu means everything is fresh, cooked perfectly and even affordable. Currently they have a burger trio, a Philly cheese steak, a media noche (think Cubano) and a grilled veggie sandwich. There are no options, no choices and no substations; the hallmark of great food joint. They are not a restaurant so take or leave it; I say take it and come again and again. Go for the drinks, the sunset and view of the Atlantic and get anything on the menu; it's the best food on the Atlantic side of Vieques.

I take it back about the service. They work their tails off and put up with drunk tourists. That gets 10 stars. The food and drinks are still fantastic. I love the wings so much. The Coqui Fire hot sauce gets really hot really fast, so be warned. They were out of #8 so I went with #5 and gulped down a bunch of water, but totally worth it. And everything is super reasonably priced.

Not sure why this place has high ratings...my girlfriend and my experience was not very good here. I think several of the reviewers were people who didn't explore the rest of the island yet, and had just come in off the ferry. We came in for dinner in time to catch their happy hour at 7. Their drink menu and prices are good, I will give it that. The staff was incredibly inattentive though - we seated ourselves after saying hello to someone working in the bar. No one ever came over to greet us, offer us menus or anything. So we walked back to the bar counter and grabbed our own menus. Tried to order wings and they were out of all sauces except for a couple that the bartender warned were "incredibly hot, and she does not recommend for the normal person." Ordered the Mac daddy burger and the media noche sandwich, which were decent. Another heads up: bring your cell phone so you can use its light. The lighting is very dim and hence, poor visibility for reading the menu or checking out your food. In summary, come here strictly for the drinks/happy hour and a decent beach view. There are far better options awaiting you, particularly if you hitch a ride over to Esperanza's main strip (~10 minute ride). The views and all restaurant/bar options there are far superior to this dive bar. Also, if you view my other reviews you will observe that I'm usually pretty generous in the stars I award in ratings - take that into consideration. The worst $30 we've spent on the island in 3 days.

Great sunsets! Great drinks! Great Prices! The perfect combo when looking for a dive bar!

Loved this place. Cheap Medalla Lights (under $2!). the Blackened Fish Sandwich is to die for. Perfect! Others like the burgers and other sandwiches. liked the fries because of great seasoning, but they either need a higher temperature in their fryer or a slightly longer cooking time. We ended up here half our days to have a beer or bite to eat. Don't let your college kids buy the mixed tropical drinks or you'll end up crushing your budget!

Stopped in for a drink while waiting for the ferry! Great happy Hour and amazing views of the water! Staff was very welcoming.

Great drinks and vibe right on the water! Our bartender Heather was awesome - she even taught us how to play darts!

We only had about half an hour before needing to board our ferry back to Ceiba, so we asked the bartender/hostess if we'd be able to get a quick bite. She directed us to the appetizer menu. We order French fries, onion sticks, ceviche, wings, soda & a Painkiller. All were delivered quick, hot (or cold if it was supposed to be, eg ceviche & drinks), and tasty. So glad that place so close to the ferry was good!

Solid island bar option. Don't come here expecting to find locals - the bar is generally filled with every tourist demographic - girls on spring break, families, those from the rowdy hostel across the island, and everything in between. Start your night at Al's Mar Azul to catch the sunset before heading off to other options. A few insider tips - all orders (food, drinks, etc.) go through the bar, so don't sit down at a table and expect to be served (I made that mistake my visit!). Echoing the review of La C - try a "painkiller" which is a cream de caccia based beverage with rum and fresh nutmeg dusted on the top.