Kyle reached out to us on Instagram, jumping in deep talking about creating community in the industry and wanting to do more with that in his region of the world, the Caribbean. We started Bartender Atlas ten years ago all with the goal of bringing bartenders together and we can say that over this time, we have really seen how important this is. Together, we are all so much better. We had the absolute pleasure of meeting Kyle in Vancouver when Bon Vivants hosted a pop-up during North America’s 50 Best Bars. Now we are dreaming of heading to the Bahamas to experience the bar in real life! This year they landed at 50 on the North America’s 50 Best Bars list which is no small feat for anyone – but especially a bar located in such a small country.
Bartender Atlas: Kyle Jones, where were you born?
Kyle Jones: I was born in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
BA: What city do you work in now and how many stops have you made along the way before getting there?
KJ: So, I’m currently in Nassau, Bahamas. Before that, I went to school in Savannah, Georgia, where I started my bartending and then moved to New York City, bartended there for a while. Then moved to Nassau 15 years ago.
BA: So that’s home.
KJ: I have a Bahamian wife and kids and that’s nice.
BA: What’s your job title or how would you describe your role in the industry?
KJ: I am the managing director and co-founder of Bon Vivants and we actually have a hospitality group now for all of our bars. We have three bars in total.
We have Bon Vivants, we have the The Dilly Club located in Atlantis and we just opened Horse to Water which is located in Baha Mar. Then our hospitality group which is consulting, events and stuff like that is called Old Pal Hospitality. I’m also the owner of that and then we have a distribution business called Young’s Fine Wine where we do wine and spirits and water and stuff like that as well.
BA: When you go out to eat and drink on your days off.
KJ: My favourite restaurant on the island is called Island Brothers. I just think they’re amazing. French food and really good drinks and wine. If I had to say another one, probably Social House. It’s another great restaurant for sushi and Asian food and stuff like that.
BA: What do you do outside of work when it’s not food and drink? what’s your life like, hobbies, etc?
KJ: Okay. Hobbies? I just recently – because I’m always a stressful anxiety wreck – found some things that are a little bit more peaceful like fly fishing and bone fishing and things like that. I just really got into that recently. Outside of that, honestly, it’s just a lot of being with my kids. I have a 10-year-old and an 8-year-old and this is their prime time to kind of be in their life and they’re the most important thing to me. So doing stuff with my kids is a big. Going to the beach and stuff like that, yeah.
BA: Who’s your favourite fictional bartender? Fictional bartender.
KJ: Whoo! Whoa, ah. Boy, you have to put me on the spot there. I’m trying to think of you now. It is a very good one.
BA: It could be anybody.
KJ: Honestly, probably Mac from It’s Always Sunny.
BA: What is one album you think everyone should listen to?
KJ: Okay, so I have two. I have Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life. Or Van Morrison, Astral Weeks.
BA: What’s the best advice that you’ve ever gotten?
KJ: Ooh, he’s getting deep. I love this kind of stuff, but I’m on the spot here. I’ll give you one of my favourite quotes, is “So It Goes” by Kurt Vonnegut from his book, Children’s Crusades. It’s just one of those things where it’s just like, look, you can’t control everything, and so it goes. You just got to live your life and do your thing. And that’s really a great piece of advice that I’ve always taken.
BA: What’s something that you’re excited about?
KJ: Lots of things! I mean personally, there’s a lot of great things with my family and watching my kids grow up. But professionally I think at this moment right here feels very surreal to be honest. This is something, like the Bahamas has never had a 50 Best anything bar, restaurant, hotel. This is the first in the country and this is just the start for us you know? We’re really excited to bring that back to the Caribbean and with the Caribbean cocktail tour that we started… this is such a fun way to make the Caribbean, who is made up of so many islands, so many countries, be a place of focus in the cocktail world.
Find Kyle on Instagram
RETURN TO ALL HOSPITALITY GEMS
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Posted May 5th, 2026
