About
Parrot Fish is that “rare bird” of a restaurant that somehow manages to come off as completely casual, but overdeliver on their food, service and atmosphere. The exterior facade is less than impressive, but once I got inside the restaurant I could tell I was in for a treat. First of all, a little bit about the history of how Parrot Fish came to be: Tony is the manager. He told my friend and me that he had moved to St. Croix from Pennsylvania because he needed a change of pace.
He was offered the chance to live with a friend in St. Croix for two weeks and by the second day he decided he had to live here. He has been here for almost six years now. He loves to scuba and free dive, and really anything to do with water. He, like many other people who moved from the states, said he wanted to move here because of the island’s energy. He felt like it was pulling him here. I have to say that whatever energy Tony felt, it’s definitely in the air at Parrot Fish. You’ll feel it when you come here, too.
Location, Environment and Service
Parrot Fish is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 5 PM to 10 PM. They’re closed on Sundays and Mondays. They’re located in Christiansted at 1113 Strand Street. They have both inside and outdoor seating. The atmosphere, like many places on St. Croix, is quite casual. They welcome you whether you’re stopping in for a margarita at the bar or whether you want to bring the whole gang for a meal and drinks. Parrot Fish calls itself a sports and wine bar. Parrot Fish also has live music at night on the weekends. Usually it’s just a solo musician or a duet, playing island music. I appreciated that the music didn’t drown out the conversation I was having with my friend and the bartender at the bar.
The entire front of Parrot Fish is a big glass window. As you enter through the front door, you’ll notice that there are multiple TV screens along the wall on the right. Those are mainly used for sports games, since they do consider themselves a sports bar. It’s weird though, because, to my mind at least, they’re more of a restaurant and bar, especially when you consider their signature cocktails, which I get into later.
The staff at Parrot Fish are truly outstanding. I’m not sure if it’s because of the good energy that is pervasive inside, or something else, but from the bartender to the waiters, everyone just went out of their way to ensure my friend and I were happy. We actually ate at the bar, because the bartender was so chatty and entertaining. She was telling me about her family, about the island, and suggested things for us to do. When we left, she asked if we would be coming back soon, and I really felt like she was hoping we would. I guess I would describe her as “genuine.”
What's Good on the Menu
I’ll get to the food in a minute, but Parrot Fish has such an interesting selection of signature cocktails that they deserve first mention. I can’t honestly say I've previously had any variation on any of these kinds of cocktails, but some of the names are familiar from my grandfather’s days. For example, they have a Single Barrel Old Fashion, made with single-barrel Cruzan rum, cherry juice and a frozen sliced orange. I felt like a dame in a Bogart movie just reading it off the menu!
Then they have something called a Sorrell Sazerac, made with White Oak Sorrel Liquor, lemon juice and mango juice. I’m not a fan of sorrel in my food, so I skipped that one, but it sounds interesting! I settled on a Honitini, a honey-infused vodka martini with St Germaine, grapefruit juice, lime and bitters. I swear I sipped it, but it was such a generous “island pour” that it did make me a tad light-headed. For you shot enthusiasts, they do have signature shots, such as a mango cake shot, a chocolate cake shot and a Parrotfish Cheesecake shot.
Their food menu is just as intoxicating. The appetizers alone will make your head swim. Choose from Edamame Ponzu, Tuna, Wasabi and Unagi Nachos, Mango Chicken Wings and more. I had the Saltfish Tostada with Black Bean Puree and my friend had the Grilled Pork Chop with Pineapple Pico. Both were gorgeous and delicious. They were also huge portions.