Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Bar de L'Oubli

St. Barth

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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Bar de L'Oubli is located in downtown Gustavia, St. Barth which is part of the French West Indies.

It has a wonderful close up view of the harbor, which makes it a favorite of sailors, locals and tourists alike.

Since we had just finished a disappointing meal at Le Select, a famous Jimmy Buffett hangout, and L'Oubli was located right across the street, we thought we'd give it a go.  

Bar de L'Oubli

The Founder, Jean-Marie Rivière, a notable figure in the island’s cultural scene, established Bar de L'Oubli as a café, bar, and bistro.

It quickly became a cornerstone of Gustavia’s social life, earning a reputation as a vibrant meeting point akin to Saint-Tropez’s Sénéquier. 

 L'Oubli is located on a busy corner with a large open terrace overlooking the harbor which is to the left outside the photo.

We are standing in front of La Select in order to get this picture. That's how close these two places are.

This bar was intended to become a casual-yet-chic spot to gather, and during the 80's the bar became a cultural hub. French Rock Star Johnny Hallyday used to come here often, which cemented its status.

Its proximity to the harbor made it a favorite for boaters and early-morning regulars.

Billy enjoying his Carib Beer

We came back in the afternoon to have a beer and we watched the ball games on the huge TVs.

If you look past Billy out onto the street, you will see Le Select Restaurant.

Menu for finger food

L'Oubli serves its signature burgers, tapas, and local St. Barth Beer.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they also serve their specialty cocktails and drinks.

View of the harbor from Bar de L'Oubli

Some describe Bar de L'Oubli as Gustavia’s social heart, where the island’s eclectic mix of residents, yacht crews, and celebrities mingle.

As you can see, its terrace offers prime people-watching and harbor views.

St. Bart was once a quiet Caribbean outpost, but has now become a global hotspot. L'Oubli hosts everyone from local fishermen to international jet-setters.

Breakfast menu

The pricing here is reasonable for St. Barth standards, though some find it expensive, which is typical for the island.

 Bar de L’Oubli has endured here for over four decades. Since it is so close to the historic Le Select, this area is lively, and sometimes noisy, reinforcing its role as a social anchor.

On the right hand side of the menu you will find Eggs Benedict listed under Oubli Classics.

Egg Benedict

At our hotel we can get coffee and a baguette for $12 Euros. The eggs Benedict were $12.50 Euros so we thought it was a better deal.

I did notice that under Eggs Benedict, they have an order of bacon listed separately for $4Euros extra.

I'm thinking – well, Eggs Benedict comes with bacon, so I don't need to double down on that.

Well, I was incorrect.

We are served a small plate with 1 egg on an English muffin and some Hollandaise sauce. The muffin was not toasted.

Now the sauce was good... it's just that we get an egg on this plate the size of a coffee saucer and nothing else.

It is written as "Eggs Benedict" but there is only 1 egg, no garnish, no potatoes or fruit – and no bacon.

Croissant

We were still hungry after eating 1 egg and a muffin, so we order 2 croissants and 2 espressos.

The croissants were point-on and so were the espressos.

Single espresso

While we were eating breakfast enjoying the tropical vibe and the influx of people, all of a sudden it began raining HARD.

This typical southern island storm lasted maybe 10 minutes and then the sun broke out just as suddenly as the rain had started.

After finishing breakfast we began walking around...

There was hardly any evidence of it having rained. Maybe there was a puddle or two in the street, but that's it.

Simply amazing.

Thinking our breakfast experience was a one-off - after all, this place is famous and gets a 4 out of 5 on Tripadvisor - we came back for dinner another night.

 We ordered a Caribbean Salad and an African Bowl, which both sounded adventurous and promised zest and something different. However they were remarkably bland! They had no distinguishing features, no character. Nada. With 2 beers and tip our bill came to $76Euros.

Overall, we thought this place could use a seasoning infusion.

Would we recommend Bar de L'Oubli?

Well, if you want to see and be seen, if you would like to perchance meet up with a celebrity or hear yachty stories, then by all means go. You really can't go to St. Barth and not visit this Bar.

We would recommend drinking a couple of the local beers, order some finger food and people watch out the terrace windows.

But it's our opinion that the flavor boat has missed this port.

__________

Bar de L'Oubli

3 Rue de la France

Gustavia 97133

St. Barthélemy

Tele: +590 590 27-7006

Reservations recommended at least 24 hours in advance, with confirmation via email

Website:  https://www.bardeloubli.com/

Hours Monday-to-Sunday 07AM TO 11 PM

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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