Jungle Joy 2.0: Malta’s cult jungle-themed bar has opened a new spot in St Julian’s

I’ll admit it — I’ve got a soft spot for Jungle Joy. Their first outpost has been one of my go-to haunts for years: a jungle-themed bar that’s somehow always heaving without ever feeling rowdy, where locals and many expats from every corner of the globe sprawl across tables (and occasionally the street) over beers, cocktails, and a board game or two. It’s loud in all the right ways, with spray-painted murals, holiday vibes, and that slightly scrappy energy that makes it an institution in Malta’s bar scene.

And now, as of early July, the jungle has spread. The brand-new Jungle Joy- The Room has landed inside the Carob Tree food court in Spinola Bay, St Julian’s. The look? Same wild, mural-splashed aesthetic. The crowd? Equally eclectic. But the format? A little different. This one skips the kitchen — so don’t expect the Thai grub you might have grabbed at the original (however cold platters and nibbles are available) — and leans harder into drinks and games (arcade, darts, board).

That means a cocktail list that stretches from classics to signatures, a rotation of local and craft beers, and the same anything-goes soundtrack that’s become part of the brand’s DNA. By day, it doubles as a surprisingly good spot to crack open a laptop and work on deadlines. By night, it morphs — DJs and a crowd that flips from chilled to electric as the hours tick by.

Bottom line? Jungle Joy 2.0 has all the DNA that made the first such a cult hit — but repackaged for Spinola Bay. Different address, same spirit.

Jungle Joy – The Room
Carob Tree Food Court
Spinola Bay
St Julian’s
Website