TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Many of us mourn the passing of " Stanleys/Tony's Welcome Bar "on CGB where Jimmy really wrote the famed song ( told me and a couple of other TTOLers that in person. Don't believe the Village Cay tales). Irma took the famed bar and grille and many places used the excuse to up their prices. We even have the $36 burger here on Tortola now( you guess where)??!But there are still good hearty cheeseburgers to be found on Tortola for under $10. My top three in no particular order: Patricia's on Smuggler's Cove, Stout's Lookout overlooking CGB and Rhymers right on the beach at CGB. Just had a great three course lunch at Rhymer's...cheeseburger and two ice cold Presidentes for $16.

Cheeseburger in Paradise

Medium rare with Muenster'd be nice
Heaven on earth with an onion slice

I like mine with lettuce and tomato
Heinz 57 and french-fried potatoes
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer
Well, good god Almighty, which way do I steer?

I thought it was

"Medium rare with mustard'd be nice......."

Funny, i always thought it was mustard also. Isn't it odd how many lyrics of songs we have wrong!!!

Here are the actual lyrics I just looked up.

Cheeseburger in paradise
Medium-rare with mustard'd be nice
Heaven on Earth with an onion slice
I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise

Interesting. I looked it up also, and got the "muenster" lyric. Kind of like where the song originated!

Looks like muenster is right. His own website got it wrong until he corrected them!

https://buffettworld.com/2007/01/17/whats-really-on-jimmys-cheeseburger-in-paradise/

Now he just needs to fix the quotes that he t wrote it at Village Cay in Road Town when he told me over a couple of cold ones it was " Stanley's ( Then)" in CGB. Another TTOLer who has since gone to that great Margaritiaville in the sky got the same tale from at him in Stanley's after he'd finished playing with Peter Tosh!! Never could figure out why Jimmy changed it but he does like to throw some mystery in.One other proof that it was "Stanley's" Is on the old T shirts that boasted "Cheesburger (mispelled) in Paradise". Only two places were officially allowed to use that..Le Select in St Barths and Stanley's. The others were all his own franchises..BTW..he lived for several months in the red roofed house at the west end of CGB...where Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax also lived til recently..Now owned by a famous CGB musician and his wife..

Here's an image of Le Select (with capn Mark from Sanctuary obscuring much of it)

Happy that Miss Patricia is still “Cookin’ in the Cove”! THE best Cheeseburger in Paradise!
Lettuce, mustard, tomato & cheese…

We were told by cousin Tony in ‘04 (if I recall) that Stanley’s was indeed the spot, and Jimmy was waiting for repairs to be completed on the boat…Wish Jimmy would confirm that!

He sailed in with a broken bowsprit and smelled the burgers from the beach...and getting it straight from Jimmy to me makes me a believer.Do try the cheeseburger at "Rhymer's"..suprisingly good !

I’m happy to learn that! Stanley’s was our favorite spot. Someone left a bottle of Finlandia pineapple vodka at the bar when they left, and we helped finish that while staying next door…Great cheeseburger as well, had one everyday I think, and the girls there were great!

Stanley’s Welcome Bar was the best! Several gallons of blood were spread on the sand from drunks trying to climb the Palm tree that supported the tire swing!

Stanley's was always our first stop - ice cold beer from the fridge then walk out into the bay.

Stanley's was great in 1996 on my first visit. Cane Garden Bay was a bit different then.

We had good cheeseburgers at Le Select on St. Barth last week. Pretty good smash burgers.

Cheers, RickG
Deshaies, Guadaloupe for another night.

We always preferred Stanley’s burger to Le Select’s! Not much in CGB except Stanley’s on our first visit in 1978!

l miss this place. I still have my Stanly’s tee shirt I got the first time we went to the BVI in 1979.

Guess we’ll never get the updated “Cheeseburger in Paradise” site published, unless Mac or one of the others give us a new version…

After the passing of Jimmy, very sad times. I have been to more than 20 concerts over the years, starting in the late 80’s.
Listening to Margaritaville radio the last two days, they have been playing the last four concerts in Key West from February of this year. Not many people probably knew, but probably his farewell to Key West! The concert on February 9th about half way thru, him in his own words said the song was written in Tortola, not in Florida, that a lot of places claim. He did not say the name of the restaurant it was about. If you get a chance to hear these concerts, he tells a lot of stories about his life and music. Amazing person that has had a positive influence on many people.
Probably the most memorable concert was the final concert he did at Miami Marine Stadium. I think in the late 80’s, I know it was Thanksgiving weekend. I have the ticket stub, need to find it. Over a thousand boats rafted up in the bay. We were on a 40 ft sailboat, it was an incredible experience and party!

You know, it's a tribute to Jimmy, that this is perhaps the only sad thoughts I have ever had surrounding him, because he is gone. ...although as I say that, I still tear up whenever I hear "Breathe in, breathe out, move on".

Today I listened to JB’s concert from Key West done 02/09/2023 on XM. Just before singing Cheeseburger in Paradise he said he needed to clear the air on where it originated. He said it did not originate in Key West as most believe. He said it was actually not written anywhere in Florida as some have claimed. It was written on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. He did not name CGB or Stanley’s. But told a lengthy story of sailing from Key West to Tortola and the storms they encountered along the way. Once on Tortola they found a place that served cheeseburgers made with beef not horse to his surprise. 6 cheeseburgers were eaten along with 12 pina colada's. While on the island the song was written. The story of the journey to Tortola was true Jimmy hilarious.

GCB was our first place we stayed at in our first visit to BVIs back in 2010 it is still our fav area to stay when in the BVIs. Stanleys was always my fav picture taking spot in fact my credit card has the image of stanleys welcome bar taken from the water looking in with the menu up under the palm tree.

When I am a guest on KSVY 91.3 FM this Friday, 22, at 10 am PST we'll be talking a lot about JB and the background of his songs and his deep ties to the BVI's You can listen in on your computers..and call in if you like!

Thanks - will try to tune in!

DATE CHANGE.I will be on Kethleen Hill's Show NEXT friday Sept 29. This week's show will be well worth listening to in the meantime though a little more serious!