Negril has always been synonymous with its miles of powdery, white-sand beaches; calm, turquoise surf; and dramatic cliffs that tumble into the Caribbean. But its craft cocktail scene? Not so much. Visitors are more apt to throw back a fruity rum punch while catching one of the island’s spectacular sunsets or sip a frozen piña colada while watching divers jump from dizzying heights at Rick’s Café than order a classic daiquiri or Manhattan.

© Kelly Magyarics

But that’s changed with the arrival of Syd’s On the Rocks, a new oceanfront spot on the rugged West End.

“I wanted to open something that felt different and unique,” said founder Sydney Watson. “Something that offered a fresh spin on what’s traditionally Jamaican.” Watson, born in Boston but raised in Jamaica, left a career in finance and consulting to launch a villa concierge business.

In 2023 she seized an opportunity to reinvent the bar and dining concept at a former dive hotel-turned-private-condo-style-villas, thanks to the efforts of a crowdfunded ownership model.

The setting is one of the area’s most coveted, with waves crashing onto the rocky bluffs, fixed ladders to deliver guests to the sea and a front-row seat to the sun’s nightly show. “The view is what sold me,” Watson said. Inspired by the beach clubs in France and Spain she visited when she studied abroad in Italy, the design aesthetic carries an open-air feel, woven rattan ceiling, dining room tucked between pool and sea, and a spacious bar with horseshoe-shaped tropical hardwood barstools and hanging bamboo egg chairs — both so comfortable you may never leave.

Trinidad sour © Kelly Magyarics

While Syd’s is serious about its cocktail program, staff still leans into Negril’s laid-back bar culture, and drinks often come with a Jamaican spin. The Kingston Negroni swaps gin for coffee-infused Appleton Rum, while the agave spirit-based Guava Sour uses local citrus fruit and Scotch bonnets — the same chili peppers that give jerk chicken its throat-burning heat. The bold, spicy Trinidad Sour just might be tops on the menu, a Tiki-esque libation with a surprising bourbon base instead, orgeat, citrus and an ample pour of Angostura Bitters. Watson pointed out due to disease and harvesting issues, limes and lemons are often scarce and of poor quality.

Instead, bartenders rely on alternatives like soursop, passionfruit, pineapple or shrubs to add tartness. While other spots in Negril wind down early, Syd’s stays open long past sundown to keep the vibes irie. It operates the area’s only late- night kitchen with a menu fusing Jamaican and Puerto Rican cuisine in unexpected ways. (Watson’s business partner is Puerto Rican.) Jerk short rib pastelón is layered with plantains and cheese fondue, and sofrito-topped beef tenderloin comes with rice and peas. You’re just as likely here to rub elbows with a local as you are a sun-seeking visitor, both lingering over a Jungle Bird or Ginger Mojito as the Caribbean fades into the night.