At least a year ago we decided never to go to Coco's again after disgusting food and even worse service on three occasions.
A few days ago we heard that we were behind the times and the place had changed hands 6 months ago!
So tonight we tried it. It was excellent. Friendly service - so different from the "service with a snarl" at the previous owner's places - and great food.
They now have both Mexican and Indonesian food, but be warned, the Indonesian is so popular that if you don't go early they may have sold out.
We were always so disappointed that with such a good location no-one was doing anything with the place. Well now they have I can only recommend you try it. The new owner also has a new attitude: if you don't like something of it something isn't right - tell him and he'll try to put it right!!!!!

Actually, it is still owned by the folks who own Zeezichts but run/managed by a new team. I have also heard great things about it. Bon Apetit.

way to go john. i always give a restaurant at least two tries before i write it off. you gave it three....and then a fourth at least a year later. good for you. anyplace can have an off night or two and should be given a chance to make things right. now had i gone back a year or so later and had the same experience and on previous visits i'd write it off indefinitely.

Pat. We never write a restaurant off after one bad experience, with Coco's the three times were spread over at least a year. The final straw was a Steak & Ribs special. the steak was virtually uncuttable & we ended up giving the ribs to a dog we know. Unfortunately she wouldn't eat them either.
Other restaurants we have given up on after two or three tries:
Zeezicht - worst service we have found
Papaya moon - worst value for money and three waitresses on cell phones at the same time including while taking our order!
It Rains Fishes - since the new ownership I admit I've only tried it once, had the pasta special which had Pasta I couldn't manage to chew my way through and fish so overcooked as to be unrecognisable. I would have tried again but two other people told me of the same experience over the next months so I gave up.

we haven't been to zeezicht or it rains fishes in a while. but our first experience at papaya moon was less than memorable. service was fair and the food was pretty bland. still, we gave it a try the next year and had a great experience...good food, fast and friendly service. so right now they are at 50%. we'll go back and see how it is.

i do remember the service at zee zicht as being very, very slow when we were there the last time. granted, that was at least three years ago so it could have changed. we haven't been to it rains fishes since it changed owners. we'll try it this winter.

Papaya Moon has also added some new items to their menu and they are most excellent. Good work in the kitchen, and we saw signs that they are working on the service...

Maybe we'll try Papaya Moon again sometime & hope the cell phones aren't working.

I'm really surprised by your experiences at It Rains Fishes. We've never had a bad meal there before or after the ownership change. I always get the "catch of the day" and it has always been cooked to perfection.

Where is Coco's? I've never heard of it. We'll be in Bonaire over Christmas, so maybe we'll give it a try.

(Message edited by 007mje on December 15, 2008)

coco's is just north of zeezicht.

To be honest, the only complaints about the food I have personally had have been with the Pasta Special, or Pasta of the day. this is exactly the same complaint I have heard - unprompted - from others.
It may be unfair to judge from that, but that's what we tend to do. Have a bad experience and vote with your feet.
Perhaps it's best to keep to the regular menu items.

I like Fishes much better under the current management.

We ate at Coco's several times and found it to be mediocre at best.

They have a great location and atmosphere. I'm glad that the food is better and wish them all the luck in the world.

Always glad to hear of good improvements.

Was in Bonaire last week for the 4th time, had such wonderful food and service at Unbelievable Restaurant, newly opened and with a rooftop dining room to watch the sun set and the moon rise! The local owner built it himself, stem to stern, and is justifiably proud of it. Great fresh fish and seafood, and the blackened ribeye steak was fabulously flavored and tender. Yummy and relaxing meals also at Mona Lisa (no surprise), Bobbejan's, Robert's, and Rum Runners. By contrast, we had a horrendous service experience at Papaya Moon that was bad enough to completely put us off ever trying it again. We really don't generally write off a restaurant this way, and we're pretty easy to please. But this was ridiculous. For example, we told the waiter (who looked like he could be the son of the owner) we were really very, very thirsty, please leave the water pitcher; he did, but then he took 10 minutes to bring any glasses! We sat there, very thirsty and staring at a full pitcher of ice and water on our table, and when we tried to remind him he kept saying "oh, yeah," and then scooting off again and not bringing them. We remained friendly, not looking for an unpleasant time, but that was one of several examples of truly awful treatment, and when I kidded with him that we were starting to feel left out, he said, quite sarcastically, "oh, you know I love you guys!" and then skipped off and didn't bother bringing what we had asked for. It was such bad service we were stunned that, after waiting an amazingly long time for our credit card to be returned, they tacked on a 20% service charge! We were a table of 4, and the menu says they do that on tables of 6 or more. We hadn't complained, had tried to be patient all evening. But that unfair little cheat ruined our memory of the entire meal. And we knew that if we tried to get them to change it, they would take ANOTHER 15 minutes of making us sit there and wait! Basically, I feel they cheated us of our evening - and then a few extra bucks. Not a smart business tactic. Never again. There are so many fine choices on Bonaire, I don't think this one is worth our time. I'm not surprised others have had bad experiences there lately - in past years we had a better time there, but they won't get another chance from me.