How much should I allot for dining and drinking per day?

Michael, That's a hard question to answer. Don't know how you eat or drink. Not trying to be a smart a$$. I am a big eater but not a drinker. So for me I try to get by the best way that i can. Going to the grocery store to pick up breakfast and lunch items to help defray the cost. Don't worry more will chime in on the subject soon.

Three weeks, two people. $1,444.04
Good food, good wine! Eating out every other day, lunch or diner.

Michael, I am from pennsylvania.I think a good gauge is what you usually spend at home over a period of a week. I find the price of a beer and drink very comparable to what I would pay in a bar back home. If you are going to eat out exclusively, there is a whole range of moderate priced restaurants. Just like at home, eating in will save money (sometimes) unless the one time expenses such as supplies, condiments, and cleaning gadgets get out of hand. Breakfast and lunch options are not expensive. Some places with buffets I think are way over priced, but I am not much on breakfast. I go to Exito bakery and buy a great breakfast sandwich and bottle of peach juice for less than 4US. Now if you have family, that may limit you a bit. You will have opportunities for dinner that, of course, vary---but none of the prices surprise you. Enjoy

looking at everyone's reports on dining lends one to observe that the costs per person per day is very comparable to eating out at home...I think that I'll use that as a yardstick..while on vacation, I do like to sample the local specialty drinks !

Hope you like beer.
;-)

Panty Rippers were my favorites in Belize !

On eating out in Bonaire, here's our experience: Just returned after a 10 day stay with mostly self catering, but we did go out for a good dinner 4 times during the stay. La Guernica, Donna & Giorgio, Rains Fishes and a fourth one, where I don't remember the name. 2 people, good dinner with one or two courses and a good bottle of redwine came at every instance to between USD 65 and 95 in total. The rest of the food money was spent at Cultimara.

most of the midprice restaurants will be very comprobable or better in price and food quality to what you would get in places like Boston or Washington DC. I am in Nebraska and the price/quality here is probably a bit better than Bonaire. Of course in Nebraska I don't get to look out over the ocean and watch the sun go down and the glow of night diver's lights.

I have been telling folks here that I am bringing on a group trip to plan on spending about $5+ per meal more in Bonaire (for similar quality meals).

If you eat mostly at McDonalds then Bonaire will seem rather expensive.

Have a look at the links below for menus and prices at a couple of places in Bonaire.

http://www.habitatdiveresorts.com/bonaire/rumrunners-restaurant-menu.html

http://www.cactusbluebonaire.com/menu.html#entrees

http://www.buddydive.com/dinnerlionsden.html