On a gravel road a short drive away from Jose Ignacio town, km185 is a well-known route home to such starry restaurant creatures as Marismo (with its fish-shape road marker) and Namm at the very end of the road. Located next to Arenas Jose Ignacio, this tiki-theme supper club pavilion has become a popular late-night romp for those looking for a little nightlife in this otherwise sleeping fishing village.
Along a teak walkway, the outside looks like Robinson Crusoe meets Bora Bora party pad with outdoor bar area with sandy floor, nightly bonfire and oversize lounge seating conducive to Uruguayan beer culture. Inside, just beyond a slatted wall with palm frond ceiling, is a lively eatery with mix-and-mash bistro chairs and colorful tabletops serving a tapas menu of salmon tartare, seared foie gras and tropical seafood salads as well as a grill of fresh fish, rack of lamb and langoustines.
Tips
The crowd varies from a post-beach scene in the early evening to serious dinner crowd come 9pm and late-night lounge action after 12am before everyone heads back to the village.
Last Word
Mid-week and early season the place can be a bit quiet and even unexpectedly closed. Americans should remember that dinner in Uruguay doesn’t begin till 11pm.