I stayed on Amelia Island for a business trip and had to venture into the oldest bar in Florida. Â I asked the barkeep what were the specials and he said $1 Sweetwater 420's. Â My ears went up and I said a round for me and my co-workers. Â You can't get $1 Sweetwater anything even in Atlanta. Â I enjoyed the pictures from the past and even bought a cool pirate shirt. Â Good attentive barkeep and rich history.
Review Source:Amazing dive bar, and imagine my pleasant surprise to find that stand-alone bars in Florida can still allow smoking! Everyone was friendly--as newlyweds (very newlywed, just a week after our wedding), people in the bar were buying us drinks and the bartender let us behind the bar for a photo with the historic decor. Â My husband also forgot his credit card there, but the bartender heard that we were going to eat at Le Clos, and he brought it to us there. Awesome!
A note to the people writing reviews and complaining about the smoke: I cannot possibly imagine why you would go into a bar that allows smoking and stay there willingly--and then complain about the smoke on Yelp! You could see that people were smoking in there, right? You could see that there were ashtrays on all the tables, right? There are half a dozen non-smoking bars in a three block radius of the Palace Saloon. Get over yourselves.
Oldest bar in Florida. Has lots of characters but it's more of a locals bar and not so nice bartenders, very smokey and kind of pricey drinks. $3.50 for a small plastic cup of draft bud light beer!!! Not worth it to me! Other places charge around $2 for a bottle or an actual draft size!
Review Source:It's a historic place, so definitely worth a stop. Â But not much to brag about once once you're there. Â The historic old bar is in the front along with a functional cigarette machine (when's the last time you've seen one of those?) , but the more drinking friendly room is in the back
Review Source:My friend and I walked down to the Palace after a delicious lunch over at Kelley's around the corner and boy, were we in luck! Â We made it just in time for afternoon trivia! Â The hosts were a man and woman who were both very nice and entertaining. Â The bar itself is made up of two rooms and two big bars. Â They also have a pool table room. Â We were sat in the back bar with a friendly and chatty bartender (hi Mark!) and a slew of drinks to choose from! Â I opted for the Pirate Punch, a local fan fave, and had a nice buzz for my afternoon haircut..
Very Cheersy, 'were everybody knows your name,' and chock full of nice locals.
Glad we made the stop!
A saloon, hip hop club, and sports bar in one- what what!!
It started innocently enough. A weekend in Amelia Island to celebrate my birthday and my birthday dinner eaten in the precious little town of Fernandina Beach. Post dinner the crew and I needed a hot spot in which we could imbibe tasty libations. Somehow we found the Palace.
We walked into the door at the corner of the building and stepped back in time... to 2005. There was a rock band playing away to our left and a nice long bar filled with locals directly ahead. Instead of stopping at this wooden bar filled with saloon paraphernalia, we decided to continue on through a door with a blue-tinted frosted window to our left.
We are immediately met by blue strobe lights, white leather couches, and VIP sections galore, as well as loud hip hop streaming through hidden speakers. Uh oh, boys and girls- we are no longer in Fernandina Beach. We could be in Miami.. a very shoddy version. I head for the glow in the dark bar, where they tell me they don't have beer on tap and only a couple of bottled beers. I guess club goers are strictly liquor people.
I head back through to the saloon where I can choose from 10 or more draft beers as well as liquor. I order a decent unremembered brown ale and head for the bathrooms. Some how I manage to go around the end of the bar into what is another bar.. this time a sports bar filled with TVs and pool tables. Could I be anymore confused at the threefer bar I was at?
Somehow I managed to make it back to da' club and wound up dancing my ass of with friends for the rest of the night, other than the multiple times that I had to visit the saloon. I am not gonna go into details, but lets just say that we put Baby and Johnny to shame. Oh and the DJ busted out 50 Cent's birthday jam for me. There might have been tears had I not been way too drunk and dehydrated to produce any.
So basically, after that long winded account of my night, I just want to tell you that if you are in Fernandina Beach and need a place that will meet all your needs The Palace is your place. Â Oh and I should forwarn you that Fernandina shuts down early. Â My Friday night dance party ended at 1 am.
Argh!!! Ye be spotted at the Palace Saloon have ye!? Prepare to walk tha' plank!
I love the pirate standing guard outside the entrance to the Palace Saloon in Fernandina Beach. He is oh so intimidatin'!
The Palace Saloon is basically the only bar I know about in Fernandina Beach. Right in the heart of the "Downtown", this bar is so full of character and history. It is a true FB staple/landmark. If you go to FB, you have got to stop in here for a cold beverage and turn on your pirate charm. We've all got it, ye know.
This is a great, fun place. There is live music, dancing, dark wooden bars, bustling patrons, loud laughter and chatter, pool, and a general good time. You will definitely have a fun time here, no matter what kind of person ye may be!
Don't be surprised if you find yourself having an afternoon brew then closing the place down. Hang out with the locals and listen to some live music in the front. Swing through the western-like doors to the back of the Palace and catch yourself on the basement lookalike dance floor. DJ will most likely take requests upon begging. Be careful of the pirate punch, limit yourself to one.
Review Source:This is the best bar in Fernandina.
The Palace Saloon may not be clean, modern, or pretty. Â However, it has a lot of character and is the bar most recommended by locals. Â I happen to really like the artwork on the walls.
Ask for the Pirate Punch. Â It is certainly not a drink that I would ask for anywhere else, but it is the "house special" and you get a souvenir cup with it. Â A couple of these is all you need.
This is the most popular nightspot in Amelia Island. It is large and divided by genre of music.
Drinks are very cheap, the dancefloor is wide and the music is bumping.
It's a little dirty and it gets super crowded, but what do you expect at a bar/club?
Also, Florida bars/clubs are not non-smoking yet, so we had to leave when it got unbearable.
Been here five times, and held off rating after today winning their Trivia contest, while watching four big HDTV screens, and having music, big drinks, and great customers to meet of all ages, and lifestyles I gotta give it three stars + 1/2 for whatever. Bathrooms are challenged, and AC is not up to par, but a great place to hang out anyway (Building & Bar is circa 1900 or so).
Oh by the way No food but you can smoke all you want at the bar, there are two separate bars, and private room to play pool & biker friendly too.
I felt bad after my last review so I thought I would give it a try again. To be honest I've tried it several times because there isn't any other place to go in Amelia Island. I met some really pretty girls there who started buying me and a friend drink, but we couldn't hear them talk to us, and they were groped by meat heads dressed in wife beaters 3 times. About par for the coarse for that place. My rating stands, one star because its too loud to hear anyone, you come out smelling like cigarettes and its dirty.
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