Ahoy, me hearties! There are pirates still lurking in the Caribbean! Thursday Life spotted a band of pirates downtown at the intersection of Orange and Hanover Streets, followed them upstairs the building at the intersection, and found their treasure trove hidden in plain sight. Their hideout is disguised as a restaurant called Island Squeez and Cruisers Lounge. Follow us over the bridge and a pond filled with Koi fish.

“I wanted to have an out-of-this-world restaurant,” shared owner Kevin Pearson. It’s no idle boast! Much thought has gone into the pirate-themed eatery which affords patrons a South Beach, Florida feel, or access to the deck of a pirate ship. The balcony dining area offers flat-screen TVs embedded into the walls and a view below of the hustle and bustle of downtown Kingston.

The main dining area of Island Squeez and Cruisers Lounge — created from trees and banana bark – is referred to as the ‘upper deck’.

Executive Chef Basil Kelly

Executive Chef at Island Squeez and Cruisers Lounge Basil Kelly is no stranger to the culinary arts, “I’ve been in the food and beverage industry for 17 years, and I’ve worked as the food and beverage manager at The Courtleigh Hotel & Suites and the Sun Palace Hotel.” Kelly explains, “Initially Island Squeez’s menu appealed only to persons who wanted to eat healthy; we offered wraps, sandwiches, salads and smoothies. The owner Kevin Pearson decided to widen the experience with the introduction of Cruisers Lounge, which offers a gourmet-styled menu.” Island Squeez’s carte du jour has a variety of delightful treats. Their main courses include a Jack Daniel BBQ Grilled Chicken Wrap with a homemade barbeque sauce, chicken fingers with a Chardonnay dip, Jamaican style curried goat with rice and peas and a pasta salad, a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich and Beef Roulade stuffed with Irish potatoes and carrots and served with French fries. For dessert, there are sugar cookies and their variation rum and raisin cookies, and a rum and raisin bread pudding, while their beverage options include the protein shake, the vanilla shake, the banana blast and the tropical medley, all topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.