Jockey Club has been on the sand at Ses Salines since 1993, which on this beach counts as a long time. It sits inside the Ses Salines natural park, so what can be built here is limited, and the place has stayed closer to a chiringuito than to the bigger clubs further along.
The season runs from May to October. It opens early, serves breakfast on the beach until the middle of the day, and the kitchen runs through until early evening.
How a day works
Breakfast first, which is the part people overlook. Coming here at nine in the morning for coffee and eggs with the beach still empty is a different experience from arriving at two.
After that it is sunbeds with table service: you order from the bed and the food comes to you. There is a bar for cocktails and fruit, and music through the afternoon that stays the right side of a party.
The kitchen
Mediterranean, and the grilled squid is the dish the place is known for. Fish, rice and salads fill out the rest, with a wine list that goes further than a beach restaurant usually bothers with.
Lunch at a particular time in August wants a reservation. The sunbeds are first come.
Where it sits
Ses Salines is the long beach in the south, behind the salt pans, and it is the busiest stretch of sand on the island through the summer. Jockey Club is partway along it, with Sa Trinxa further down at the quiet end.
The whole beach lies inside a protected area. Parking is in marked areas behind the dunes and fills by late morning in July and August.
When to come
June and September. The water is warm, the beach is open and you can park.
In peak August the beach is at its loudest and the day is best started early, which is what the breakfast service is for.
Quick answers
How long has it been there? Since 1993.
When is it open? May to October, daily through the season.
Is there breakfast? Yes, on the beach, until the middle of the day.
Can you order from a sunbed? Yes, there is table service on the beds.
What is it known for? Grilled squid.
Is parking difficult? In high summer, yes. Arrive before late morning.