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Henry J. Beans. As vibrant, fun and indulging as ever.

A night out at Henry J. Beans, or Hanks as we affectionately call it, is about having a good time.


January is a slightly odd month to write a review. After the festivities, it is a month that lends itself to sitting down and taking a step back, with most places opting to close for weeks giving their staff a well-deserved rest.


HJB Special Chicago Board of Trade
Digging in the HJB Special Chicago Board of Trade

One place that has stayed open is Henry J. Beans, which forms part of the Corinthia Hotel in St George’s Bay and is one of the many Corinthia restaurants on offer.


Call me nostalgic but there is one thing I like about Henry J. Beans. Same decor, same atmosphere, the same rusty hanging signs gracing 1950s American movies. To me, that’s the charm of the place. It has remained as welcoming and vibrant as it was many years ago when my younger self visited the place for beers and indulging food. It can get loud in the evenings, but that’s part of the joy, isn’t it?


Henry J Beans in St Julians cutlery
Henry J Beans in St Julians

In typical ’50s diner style, the menu at Henry J. Beans features an array of bar food, steaks, burgers, fries, meaty platters, and jaw-dropping indulgent desserts. There are also healthier options nevertheless, with a selection of salads as well as a vegan section.


Enjoying cocktails at Henry J. Beans
Henry J. Beans Happy Hour is on daily, between 17.30 – 19.00hrs!

I myself like to accompany those with a beer however the choice of cocktails was too tempting not to try. Henry J. Beans is known for some amazing cocktails and shooters, with the menu offering an extensive choice of classics.


A food feast at Henry J. Beans. Nachos, sausages and the Board of Trade
A food feast at Henry J. Beans

The prohibition-era ones caught our eyes but in the end, we helped ourselves to a Red Night, which is one from their legendary list. If the rest of the cocktails are as good as this, we will make sure to try more. Besides, Henry J. Beans Happy Hour is on daily, between 17.30 – 19.00hrs!


The Nachos Deluxe is heaped with spicy nachos
Enjoying nachos at Henry J. Beans

We started off with one of my favourite indulgences. It is amazing how nachos, a dish created on-the-fly, seems to define Mexican cruise and be such a favourite among diners worldwide. The Nachos Deluxe is heaped with spicy nachos, accompanied by guacamole, sour cream, melted cheese, and tomato salsa, topped off with jalapenos chili peppers.


Enjoying food at Henry J. Beans
Enjoying food at Henry J. Beans

Apart from the crunch, my favoruite part is the resistance or rather the pleasure of pulling away gooey strings of cheese nested between chunks of nachos. Of course, we didn’t manage to finish it off since the main event was on its way.


Juicy rack of ribs at Henry J. Beans
Glad we took the waiter’s suggestion for the HJB Special Chicago Board of Trade

Henry J. Beans excels at serving a stack of wings and a ribs combo. Here, we took the waiter’s suggestion and opted for the HJB Special Chicago Board of Trade. This comprises half a rack of ribs, BBQ chicken wings, garlic bread, spicy potato wedges, onion rings, and mozzarella dippers. As if that was not enough (it was), we added some beef, mustard, and thyme sausages, as well as spicy chicken sausages.


Tiramisu at Henry J. Beans
The Tiramisu came with salted caramel

Of course, the real joy of ribs is not only in the meat and fat but also in the bones. The picking up and gnawing at them as the meat falls off is one of those great pleasures of eating. The pleasure is augmented by the sticky (almost too sticky) finger-licking BBQ sauce on the ribs. Much like the chicken wings (another personal favourite), it was very much a case of digging in, and getting those fingers messy!


Loved our time at Henry J. Beans
Loved our time at Henry J. Beans!

The dessert list at Henry J. Beans features some of the much-loved usual suspects, including the chocolate tart, warm fudge brownie, apple pie, and cheesecake. We opted for the Tiramisu, only that this was with salted caramel, to perhaps the annoyance of traditionalists.


We indulged anyway and thought it was, much like Henry J. Beans as a whole, all too familiar and all too lovely!

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