About Wish Willy, the Restaurant

Wish Willy Bar & Grill is one of the most authentic and unique restaurants on the island of Caye Caulker. Located a little bit off the beaten track at the north end of the island, near the famous Split. It’s a perfect place to relax, listen to some good music, have a chat with other guests and enjoy a delicious meal. 

There’s nothing fancy about Wish Willy: just a couple of rustic tables and chairs scattered around the yard. And when it’s busy, you’re asked to get your own beer from a cooler in the corner.

About Wish Willy, the chef

Wish Willy, aka Maurice Moore, is a cool, tall Rasta guy. He was born in Belize and raised in Chicago, USA, where he became a chef. In the late 90’s he decided to go back to his roots and started his restaurant Wish Willy. He didn’t have a smooth start, as during his first year Hurricane Mitch destroyed almost the complete restaurant. But he moved on and now has one of the most popular restaurants on the island. He is well known all over the island and the rest of the country. When you come for dinner, Maurice will certainly take care of and entertain you; either with his never ending stories or his tasteful food.

About Monique, Wish Willy Wife

In 2004 Monique visited the island on a holiday and fell in love with Caye Caulker and Wish Willy. After a few years traveling up and down from the Netherlands, she decided to move full time. Monique doesn’t work in the restaurant as she says herself: “it’s impossible to work together with Maurice”. To not only reside in the hammock all day, she runs the 5 vacation rentals that are linked to Wish Willy. Next to that,  she is the president of the Caye Caulker Humane Society.

About Wish Willy, the iguana

The Kriol name for the scaly tailed iguana that lives in Belize is ‘wish willy’. You find them all over the island, especially in the morning when they’re warming up on an electricity post or tree trunk. They can grow to a length of about 3 to 4 feet and are gray with black bars on the back.