Being an increasingly conservative Muslim island, Lamu doesn't have a lot in the way of watering holes for alcohol-deprived tourists. Two of the fancy hotels--The Palace and Petley's Inn--serve beer and wine at jacked up prices, except during happy hour (6-7pm) when they slash prices by 30% or so. But the atmosphere and service can be stifling for those wishing to experience something a little more local. Two better options (in fact, the only other options) are:

Civil Servants: A 10-minute walk from town, this place offeres pool tables and cheap dinners (chicken stew and ugali). Most nights it's filled with unblinking eyes focused on Nigerian soap operas blaring from a mounted TV, except on Saturdays when the disco party stretches into the wee hours of the morning. To get there, walk south along the waterfront out of town, and make a right turn up a sandy path some 300 meters from the generator. Just beware the walk home--we heard about a guy who drank too much and missed his turn in the dark on the way back from the bar. He walked straight into the water and they found his body washed ashore the next morning. Bring your flashlight!

Police Authority (PA's): Also offers a pool table and has a nice little courtyard. A favorite of the Masai warriors who come to Lamu to work as askaris (guards) and pose for tourists. The best thing about PA's is the liquor store, where you can buy your choice of wine, whiskey, or Bailey's at reasonable prices. Location is closer than Civil Servants: just south of town, inland past the garbage dump, inside the Police compound.

Cheers!