Gyp Sea Beach Club
Bohemian beach-club barbecue on Pelican Beach
Why Go
Tucked at the eastern curl of Baie de Saint-Jean, Gyp Sea trades the flash of Nikki-style beach clubs for something softer: coral-print cushions, hand-thrown ceramics, and a smoke-scented breeze drifting off an all-day grill just steps from the turquoise shallows.
The Experience
You slip off your sandals at the boardwalk and are led past low-slung daybeds to a driftwood-toned table where the Caribbean laps ten meters away. Almost everything comes off the barbecue - a Maisons Sibuet twist on beach-club dining - so lunch arrives in waves of charred langouste, blistered whole fish and smoky ceviches that pair with rosé from a sweating ice bucket. As the afternoon tips into golden hour, the DJ slides from bossa into deeper house, cocktails start moving faster than food, and what began as a lazy brunch has a way of dissolving into a barefoot dance on the sand.
What to Try
Order the mahi mahi ceviche with coconut and lime to start, then the grilled whole fish served with corn and Colombo salsa - the barbecue is the whole point here. Splurge on the grilled lobster with flavored rice if you're celebrating, and don't skip the Raw Bar's tuna tataki with ponzu. A jug of the house signature cocktail is the correct move for a table of four or more.
Insider Tip
Book a front-row sunbed on the sand rather than a table on the deck - the loungers come with full food and drink service and give you the view everyone else is craning to see. Reserve at least a few days ahead in high season (Christmas and February are borderline impossible without a week's lead time), and ask for the Pelican Beach end for the calmest water and the least walk-through traffic.
The Practical Stuff
Open daily for lunch and afternoon service, roughly noon to sunset, with brunch pouring from 12pm to 3pm. Located on Pelican Beach at the eastern end of Baie de Saint-Jean, a two-minute drive from the airport - free parking is limited so arrive early or take a taxi. Expect upper-tier St Barth pricing: mains generally 40-90 EUR, lobster and premium fish higher, plus a sunbed minimum spend. Cards accepted; swimwear is fine at the table but a cover-up is appreciated.
Pair It With
- Absolute Hot Yoga Guide — Burn off the rosé and langouste with a morning class in Gustavia before a long Gyp Sea lunch.
- 6e SENS Massage Wellness Beauty Saint Barth Guide — Book a late-afternoon massage after your beach day to reset before dinner - both are minutes apart in Saint-Jean.
- A fleur de peau - St Barth Guide — Duck into this Saint-Jean boutique on the walk back for the resortwear and jewellery you suddenly need for tomorrow's beach day.
- 4 Sea Zone St Barth Guide — Charter a boat transfer to arrive by sea - the anchorage off Pelican Beach makes Gyp Sea a natural lunch stop on an island day-cruise.
