We will be in Bonaire Apr 30 for a week of diving and relaxation. First time on the island. Since we will be traveling with 2 other couples. In general, are restaurants willing to split the bill up among the couples? I don't want to be a pain to anyone but it is easier for us if they are willing to do that.

Heard a lot about the island and am excited about our visit.

Bill

Bill, Welcome to Bonaire Talk.

Most restaurants will split the bill, however, be sure to ask first.

Something my friends and I do to make it easier on the staff, is to take turns paying for the meals. Works fine, unless one couple requires filet mignon and lobster while the other prefers catch of the day:-{)}

For some of the best local food and friendly atmosphere, be sure to include Gibi's in your dining plans.

Thanks Tom, Gibi's is on our list to visit. I;ve been perusing the site and found a wonderful thread about "the ONE restaurant" to eat at and have determined that Casablanca, Richard's, Lion's Den, and Mona Lisa should be visited as well. Any other recommendations would be great. We are not big on fish but are open to almost anything else. We will be staying at the Plaza and I know they have a restaurant on site. Would you recommend it for dinner?

Bill

Another question. Do the restaurants have non-smoking sections. None of our group smoke and some are affected by it more than others.

Bill

Bill, try The Old Inn just west of the Plaza on the same road. They have great food a prime rib that will nock your socks off.. :-) Ron

Ron, thanks for your comment. i'll put it on our list.

Bill

As far as I know, all restaurants have open-air seating, so smoking's not usually a problem-just don't sit downwind of smokers. Cappricio's inside air-conditioned section is officially "non-smoking." If you plan to eat there, when you make reservations, you must request inside or outside.

Re: splitting checks-yes, most will (a few places state that they won't--if that's the case, ask for a calculator). But definitely ask your server up front, and expect it to take longer than usual to receive your checks & change.

Thanks Ruth for your input. Would you recommend Cappricio's?

Bill

William, can I make a bold suggestion? Split your own checks. All you need is a reasonable number of small bills and the menu. Everybody throws in the center and gets change as needed.
And leave a nice tip, eh? Groups of six are the nice tip dividing line.

Try the Rib Factory, if you like ribs, It is located upstairs over the mall on the waterfront. They are really good and the view is great.
Andy

Seb, not a bold suggestion at all. We could certainly do that. I assume that they will take US dollars so I guess we will just take a calculator with us to convert to the local currency. Perhaps it would be better to stop by the bank to convert our dollars to the local currency and avoid all the other problems.


Andy, I've added the Rib Factory to our list. Thanks for the suggestion.

Bill,

Ruth is a restauranteur on Bonaire so it might be awkward for her to comment about another establishment.

However, I can comment. Yes, I'd recommend Cappricios. It's one of our "must do" restuarants.

Soon you'll find yourself with too many "must do's". You'll need to extend your trip!

Where will you be staying? Since we stay at the Carib Inn, we tend to go to restaurants on the south side of town so we can walk to dinner.

Hi J, we will be staying at the Plaza. Thanks for the comment regarding Cappricios. Your right about our list, I guess we'll have to extend our stay to two weeks instead of one :-). Sigh, too many dive sites and restaurants, and not enough time or money :-). Just curious, which restaurant is Ruth associated with?

Bill

Bill - no need to convert or take a calculator - as they will give you your bill in dollars or guilders. They take either or a combination of both - which is what I usually end up doing.

You should add the cuban place to you list too - can't remember the name - they have great tappas (sp?)!!!

BTW - 1.75 guilder = $1.00

Ruth has the KFC.

Thanks for the additional info Mary.

Bill

William

The food on Bonaire is a really good standard and far better than I have had in most places. Lions Den did a Lobster Night (Tuesday? - I think). I tend to avoid Barbeque/Buffet evenings.

Bill....I agree with Brian. I was never disappointed with any food I ate on island. Everything from a ham and cheese tosti to a wonderful blue marlin in caper sauce. Everything was fresh and absolutley wonderful.

LaDonna

Old Inn is great. Chicken Sate, Beef tenderloin, lasagna all great.

Wil's tropical grill also great!

And, since it is the KFC, (and since I've retired from the Bonaire Restaurant Assn, and sold Mango's), I will comment re: Cappricio's--yes, it's one of my favorites. Also, don't worry about the US$/local NAfls-every restaurant's used to giving prices in both fls & US$--you can pay in either, and get either from the local ATM's (the fls is based on the $, so no fluctuations in exchange rate).

Now, here's something I'd like to recommend from the perspective of a former sit-down dining establishment owner, and why: Tip in cash, if you feel a tip is appropriate (and not included in the check), if at all possible. Why? Because credit card tips are a paper trail, and that money must be added to the employee's salary, then reported to the tax office and have wage taxes, etc, deducted from it. Cash tips, for now, are seen as something "between the table & pocket" and not taxed (yet).

For William James. Great suggestions for dining. Casablanca, Richard's Waterfront, Lion's Den, and Mona Lisa are all great. My two favorites are Capriccio's and Lion's Den. It's best to call Capriccio's and make a reservation. Tell them whether you want to sit inside (A/C) or outside. Inside tends to be a bit noisy so I prefer outside. I think Tuesday they are closed. Phone # (599) 717-7230. Food has always been excellent. Lion's Den is located on an upper level and juts out somewhat so that you get an excellent view north and south. Located between Buddy Dive and Lions Dive (which Buddys now owns). Park in the former Lions Dive lot and walk in (there are signs directing). The proprietor's name is Kirk, a really good guy from England. Check for which nights they have specials (e.g. Lobster Night). For some info on Lion's Den go to http://www.lionsdivebonaire.com/restaurant.shtml. An added piece of information about dining can be found in the January/February 2005 issue of Scuba Diving magazine on page 61. There you’ll find the Top 5 Dive Destination Restaurants. Of those listed three are on Bonaire: Casablanca, Richard’s Waterfront and Lion’s Den. Why Capriccio's didn't make it I don't know. I agree with Ruth, tip in cash. Take only dollars. Credit cards are accepted just about everywhere. The exchange rate to NaFl is fixed. You may get change in Guilders but try to spend them there because if you bring them home you'll be keeping them for your next trip. The best dive sites? All of them. You'll have a great trip and you'll eat very well!!

Thanks all for the suggestions. We leave in 3 days!!!!!! You've all been great in providing suggestions and helpful tips. Sigh, as in the diving, there are too many restaurants and not enough time to visit them all :-(.

Bill

Bill, think positive mon, you are going to have a great time!

Come on, sing along

Don't dwell on the restaurants that you might miss,
they can be visited on future trips.
Don't worry - be happy.
Laaaaa la la la la la la la la la la don't worry - be happy.

Sorry, I guess my cat nip tea was a little too strong this morning! Laaaa la la la la la la la...

Bill, see you when we get there. We'll be a day behind you.

I understand that the Plaza resort has a restaurant onsite. Since we will be staying there, I was wondering if anyone has eaten at the restaurant and if so, would you recommend it?

Bill

Many of you recommended Gibi's, what style of food (ie international, indonesian, grill, steaks, etc) do they serve?

Bill

William,

Our last morning we ate at the breakfast buffet at the Caribbean Point at the Plaza, it was great! My son was delighted to have what they called an "American style breakfast"...

Michelle, great, are you also staying at the Plaza? If so, see you there.

F'line - stay off the cat nip you are way too funny :-). Can't wait to dive, read in the shade on the beach, eat, and repeat that process over and over :-).

thanks for your comments Aimee.

Plaza has at least 3 restaurants on-site.

Tipsy Seagull is on the water, has a beautiful setting and probably the most expensive of the three. Ate there once during our first stay at the Plaza a few years ago. Food was good, but we tend to try for less expensive meals.

Banana Tree (or something with Banana in the name) sits near the pool. Food is reasonable, but nothing special. No real view. One time had a sewer odor from the nearby restrooms. Have asked for their sandwich (lunch) menu at dinner time and was able to order from it. (That was when Benjamin was the restaurant manager, although he is no longer there.)

The third one I believe is in the main lobby (don't even know its name - never ate there), but it may only serve breakfast.

And of course, there is the bar on the beach, but I do not know whether it serves food.

Within easy (5 minutes) walking distance are Richards Seacoast (our all-time favorite on Boanire; seafood, steaks, etc.), Chibi-Chibi at the Divi (nice ocean view; mediocre food when we ate there; seafood, steaks, etc.) and The Old Inn (Indonesian). Plus, with a 15-minute walk, you can get to all the restaurants in town that others have talked about.

Mai Mai is also close to the Plaza and if you like Sushi it is very good,

Hi William & Welcome
All the restaurants named are good - we did not get to Capriccio's though (next time). Gibi's is VERY casual. A nice place to meet fellow BT-ers on Tuesday's around 6:30PM. When we went the menu consisted of many different stews, chicken dishes & naturally fish dinners. His desserts were the best. Make sure you get directions. The Tipsy Seagull at the Plaza was excellent & a great atmosphere. The banana tree was also good but a bit slow at times. Staff very nice & accommodating. Richard's, Casablanca & Lion's Den were excellent.
Hope to see a trip report & pic's when you get back.
Have a wonderful trip
Judy

William, we're not at the Plaza. We'll be in Belnam at Coco Palm Gardens, and will arrive late Sunday night. Unless you want to meet with us on Monday or early Tuesday, we can wait to hook up at Gibi's on Tuesday night and plan some dives then.

Cheers.

Susan and I are getting in on this saturday. We will be staying at Captain Don's.

I don't know how interested we are in major social events but feel free to drop by. We are easy to spot and the staff knows us.

Yup, we're sure easy to spot! :D:D:D

As you look at the crowd around Capt. Don's ... just keep thinking ... "Easy to spot". (Don't anyone who has already spotted us spoil the fun)

I think its Monday evening, they have a "Managers Party" that's open to all. Drop by. If you have not seen the property, we will give you a tour. I'm hoping that Captain Don is going to show up.

For a holiday, our Monday is certainly filling up! We'll certainly feel silly walking around looking for "easy to spot" people, but I'm game.

Since Geoffrey and Susan will be arriving on Bonaire on Saturday and Michelle has got a busy schedule on monday maybe you guys should play "hide and seek" on Sunday the first of may. TEXT REMOVED BY MODERATORS

By the way Michelle they are indeed pretty easy to spot.

It's the extra eyeball in the middle of the forehead that gives us away, isn't it?

I think Michelle is getting in late on Sunday though.

Thanks for the tip - we'll be there!

Oh, and welcome Floris!

Bill,
Gibi is well....Gibi. He use to run a small place a while back but gave it up. His restaurant was the "official" meeting place of this board. Since then he has started serving meals at his home, much to the delight of his many friends here on this board, myself included. I am not sure what his schedule is now, some of the locals may can help there. What's on the menu depends on what he feels like cooking but I would venture to say fish, chicken and goat would be some of the choices on his menu of the day. All cooked with a local flare and is served with local side dishes. If your a 4 star kind of person, it's not for you. If you like some adventure, would like to get to know a really nice guy and a great cook, by all means look up Gibi. He is a don't miss for us, if for no other reason that to see an old friend again and likely as not you will meet some other BTers there as well.

This will help you to find Gibi

http://www.bonairedining.com/guide/restaurants/gibis.html

Bill
This is a typical Tuesday night at Gibi's

try the new Colobian resteraunt niki boko south. Great food at great prices.

Hi Michael...will see you in October....hopefully I can catch another wahoo This time you'll have to join us at the Karpata BBQ

That ones on our list, Michael.
See you soon.

Easy to spot? Are you kidding? You two crazy kids blend into the woodwork... lol...

And you should be arriving in Bonaire momentarily {sigh}

Have lots of fun !!!

Hi all, this message does'nt really fit in with this forum, so I will add this re: restaurants. Mona Lisa and Richards have always been our truly outstanding favorites after seven visits. What I'm really trying to find out here, being it seems that at least one of you may be local, do you know where I can locate Ditta, who used to run the now gone Leeward Inn?

I have seen her within the past few months, but don't know where she's working now. This question might get more response under "local items."

My husband and I are going to Bonaire for ten days of diving in early August. We're staying at the Divi Flamingo and would love to have some restaurant (and any other) recommendations. Thanks!

Welcome to BT, Bonnie! You will find you'll get more reponse posting different questions under different topics (you may have already done this). However, that being said, the restaurant at Divi is great. It's called Chibi Chibi and they have good food and fantastic views! You will love it. My favorite restaurant is Casablanca, which is only a short walk from Divi. On the main road that Divi is on, toward downtown. Can't miss it, it's on the left.

Has anyone been to Chez Lucille, La Luna, Donna & Giorgio, or Zeezich???

Thanks, Kelly. The Chibi Chibi sounds great. I like the fact that we can walk to town from the hotel for dinner, but there are always those nights when you feel like staying home ;-)

Hey Bonnie try a search on those restaurants and you will find a lot to read.. Good Luck
you can do the search at the bottom of this page
Key word search..

What a great idea. Why did I think of that?

Chez Lucille is moving out of Harbour Village and into the building where Casa Blanca used to be. Will be nice to have her down town again. Susan

I'll look for your update in June! Thanks, Susan.

Bonnie,
Chez Lucille's and Donna and Georgeo's are two of my favorites. Presentation and service are wonderful. I have never had a bad meal at any of the restaurants. Casablanca's mixed grill is antoher must try.
Sue that is great news about Chez Lucille's. Now I can walk there!!!

Darlene, my mouth is already watering! I'm glad we'll be there for 9 nights so we can try them all!!!

I see that you're not a diver. You really have to try it sometime. You will never snorkel again!

PS- The photo you have posted....where are you eating??

I also enjoyed the Bistro de Paris I believe was the name. We had absolutely wonderful escargot, very tender and tasty. The Rack of Lamb was Exceptionlly tender and tasty. The presentation was fantastic with very unusual vegetables. Probably one of the best meals there this past February.

I have to put in a great word for The Lost Penguin. It's only open until about 6pm, but as far as breakfast and lunch go, you just can't beat the quality. My husband and I go there after our morning dive, have a big lunch, and we're all set until our nighttime drink. May I suggest the to-die-for French toast with coconut and homemade lime syrup, and the fish and chips (you know you're on a wonderful island when they ask what kind of fish you want with that)! Can't beat tuna fish and chips. And the owner, she makes a mean homemade margarita. No mix, no crap!

For a more exotic adventure, try China Nobu. The food is phenomenal and has even been reviewed by the New York Times! It's a tiny place and after a long day, you can just sit at the bar, have a beer and some amazing chow. The place had a longer menu than most Chinese restaurants in my hometown, DC- and fresh seafood. I had chop suey but my husband was quite enamored with some sort of spicy conch dish he had. A definite unique recommendation if you're craving good Chinese and are willing to go off the beaten path.

I prefer Crocantino's over Capriccio's...also, we like the Swiss Chalet for Swiss German style food; Susie is quite entertaining

Bonnie,
The picture is from Richard's. It is very romantic dining in the open air right on the waters edge watching a beautiful sunset!
I love to snorkel and probably see more than most divers. I also would like diving but do not dive for health reasons.

We do, too, Gregg. Same opinion on both...Carole