Aruba · Nightlife & Entertainment · Mambo Jambo

Mambo Jambo

Nightlife & Entertainment

Splash into the exceptional bright Caribbean colors and let your taste buds marvel at some of the finest, most stimulating sweet and zingy tropical beverages that you've probably ever tasted. Within minutes, your head will be marveling as well…in a good way!

Located in the heart of the fabulous Royal Plaza Mall, in the bustling city of Oranjestad, Mambo Jambo is one of the best places on the entire Island of Aruba to get your favorite - and totally unique - ice cold tropical island frozen drinks. By the end of your seven to fourteen day vacation, you might even find yourself clinging to this bar, begging not to go. That's because it's the only place in all of Aruba that you can get the delicious flavor and strong drink that makes partying on this exceptional island vacation getaway destination all that much more crazy, fun and enjoyable. For some reason, though, it still seems as if no American has ever heard the secret of this exceptional and international dive extraordinaire.

So my first night ever visiting the place, I got over to Mambo Jambo at around half past nine in the evening, a little bit after the time this place opens up. It was already packed, and full of exquisitely dressed people speaking strange and sweet sounding foreign tongues and behaving themselves quite well. I picked out a little bit of Dutch over here, some Spanish over there, and, dear Lord, no English!

Oh no, I thought to myself, I'm the only American in this entire establishment!

A bit dismayed, I sidled up to the bar and ordered a stiff one, wondering how I could easily make a dash for it if I didn't soon find someone who spoke my own language. I looked down at the icy drink that the hyper attractive brunette working behind the bar had handed me. It was a pleasure sunset something or other with thick slices of orange peels wedged in at the top of the large glass and a streak of blood red sweet elixir swirling in and out of the mango juice. Whatever it was it was damn good. I threw it back and ordered another one.

Suddenly my eyes lit up as I heard a loud cawing sound coming from somewhere very close by. At last, an American! I thought to myself. No, just an exotic tropical island parrot perched above the patrons. Wow. What rich colors that are even brighter and more accentuated than the crazy and exotic secret and unique recipes of this great drink here at the - what's it called, oh yeah - Mambo Jambo.

So, I ended up hanging out for a little while. And then a little while longer.

Find Mambo Jambo at L. G. Smith Blvd. 94 in the Royal Plaza Mall. Call ahead and you might be able to manage reaching an English speaker. Dial (297) 583-3632.

Honestly, though, you probably won't have to end up speaking too much English here. Once a couple of drinks are in you, you'll find that five words of Spanish, combined with three words of Dutch, will easily get you to the dance floor with some Andalusian beauty alright. Believe me.