Just wondered if there has been any new restaurants opened in the last few months?
If so where are they located/what type of food/ pricing etc.

Hi Rose, You can click on the "Bonaire Insider" to see all news on restaurants, they always have reviews of new places, they also have an archive thingie which you can view past reviews of places that have opened up since you've been on island last.

Hi Debbie,Thanks for info. Didnt think to look on "Bonaire insider" for that. I will look in a mo. Always interesting to hear peoples views on any new places on here.

Rose, there is a new place I think it's called El Mundo where Warang Louise was before they closed. I have not been as of yet.

Hmmmm, the last few months? Okay, I'll go back about six months: Paradise Moon (www.paradisebonaire.com), Sense (www.sensebonaire.com), El Mundo, as Annie says, Norka's Cafe (in town, in the La Terraza shopping mall--top floor).........if I think of any others I'll be sure to post them.

Thanks Ann for the info. Will look out for El Mundo.

Susan, thanks for your post. Paradise Moon is already a hot fave with us.

Please, Ann, can we not speak of the closing of Warung Louise?

I'm afraid I must agree with Kelly here....the wound is still too raw...

Dito on Warung Louise. I miss those mouth watering Rijsttafel.

It is indeed a pity Warung Louise is gone, but, their closing did bring us El Mundo!.
At El Mundo you have the feeling you are welcome. It was extremely cheap when they just opened and now the rates are reasonable for what you get. A nice atmosphere and a great location (on non-biker days/nights). The food is not specifically great and the portions are not large and the garnish could use a little more TLC, but it all fits their prices and the way they serve you. I just hope they keep it up and running like they do and will not get infected by the same bug as many others have; GREED!
Unbelievable started the same, but, when their new menu was introduced the only difference I could find was that the prices went up quite a lot and an overnight 15% service charge was introduced on top of that. Although the food and atmosphere was pretty good that night, it was my last visit there..... I don't mind paying at all, but, it has to be worth it...
El Mundo has my vote for runner up. Keep it up Verio and crew!! (sp?)

sorry to hear about the service charge. sort of puts me off. most places here have learned not to add it and have been quite successful.

Menno, glad I wasn't the only one who noticed the price increase and service charge at Unbelievables. sort of turned me off too, as my first visit, the prices were better and I didn't re-collect the mandatory 15% service charge. I like to decide how much I am going to tip according to the service and quality of food. Usually I tip between 15-20%, but don't like to do so if food/service is the pits. The quality of the food last time around was not as good as when it first opened, but service was excellent.

I have been to Anguilla a few times recently and most places add 15%. I will say, I always tip at least 20% if the service is good but when a place adds the service, I never tip above it. If they have that system in place then that's how I will tip.

It is a funny world. You "have" to thank your waiter (or all the staff) for good service by tipping a certain percentage?? I know it is common in parts of the world but, I can't stop myself from looking at it like this:
You order a US$ 5.- burger. The cook has to cook it (once) and the waiter has to serve it (once). You use one plate, one knife, one fork you sit on one chair and the waiter passes by once to check if everything is ok. You are happy and you tip 20%, being US$ 1.-, and you are considered a good tipper and you will be welcomed the next time with an ever greater smile.
You order a US$ 40.- steak. The cook has to cook it (once) and the waiter has to serve it (once). You use one plate, one knife, one fork you sit on one chair and the waiter passes by once to check if everything is ok. You are happy and you tip US$ 2.- and that is considered an insult. "Only" 5%; How dare you!

I just like it when I get the feeling to be welcome as a customer in a restaurant. There are restaurants out there that may think about that some more. The attitude like; 'You can consider your selves happy that we have a table available for you' is THE way to start an ugly ending!

I work full time and I get paid for working.I like to think I do my job well. Because I do my job I dont expect extra money because after all I am being paid I am not working for free. So why do people expect to be tipped for doing a job they are being paid to do in the first place?

My comments above dont mean I am against tipping as such, its "just a thought"

The restaurant business is one of the exceptions when it comes to being paid for doing your job. The "tipping culture" is not universal but does apply here for what it is worth. As a rule, most local people are more than willing to give good service and do appreciate a tip if offered.

Michael,

Here in the US tips given to serving people are typically shared with others 'at the same level': cashiers, bus persons, perhaps kitchen staff, etc. thus rewarding all persons giving toward 'good service'. Is that true on Bonaire of tips and the service charges?

(Message edited by glenr on September 13, 2009)

Glen, that's the same here, in my experience. Tips/service charges get shared between servers, kitchen help, bartender, the cashier--pretty much everyone except the chef & owners/mgt (I don't know any restaurant who has a bus-boy here...your waiter is doing that too). For non-cash tips (like ones left on credit cards) or set service charges, there's a point system (trunk) in place that controls the dispersion of tips. When it's cash, the staff (usually) deals with that themselves.

The challenge for the restaurant owner is how to report the tips (and I can tell you, the staff does not like this!)...the tax office requires the business to report how much each person gets so they can charge payroll taxes on it. This applies to any tip with a paper trail (credit card, set service charge, etc). Cash tips are sort of ignored (for now). The kindest thing you can do for your server is to tip in cash, IMO.

TKS, Ruth. Thought it must be so. The tax parts must be the same worldwide!! :–)

As one who spent many years in the tax/accounting business, I am always a bit puzzled by the thinking expressed in Ruth's post above. ( I am only using Ruth as an example and realize many have expressed the same feelings here on this board and elsewhere. Ruth, please don't take this personal.)

If you are a teacher, nurse, gas station attendent, janitor, etc., you are not tipped and are expected to pay taxes on all your wages. Many of these jobs pay less than what a good waitress makes in a nice restaurant/bar. Since a good portion of a waitresses pay is from tips, their hourly reported wages, less tips is normally quite low and if the tips are not reported as they are suppose to be, they are not paying their share of taxes.

I guess I cannot understand why one should either aid or encourage tax evasion by specifically tipping in cash for that purpose or encouraging others to do so.

Strange indeed that some seem to handle receiving a cash payment different then a creditcard payment. Also strange it is that when you order a steak, you receive a steak, you pay for a steak it is considered good service in a restaurant. Now you need to tip....... in cash please....... why cash?? Simple: otherwise a service charge and/or salestax be added onto your tip... (hahaha)

Note I do know that some take out 5% (cc use charge) when a tip is added to the check on a credit card.

Yes, tipping in a US restaurant is a strange custom, but until the custom goes away and waitstaff are paid a decent wage (I think it is currently $2.78/hr in the US), thi is what we do. If tipping goes away, then you can expect that steak to go up from $20 to $24 because the owner will have to make up the money he is now coughing up in increased payroll. Tipping has an upside because at least you can control the amount you give. If waitressing went to a flat hourly rate, I wouldn't do it any more. It's a tough job, but I like the gratification that the customer is paying me for a job well done. Yes, I report 100% of my tips and I pay quarterlies because all of my paychecks are ZERO. Well, they are actually negative. You really have to declare all of your tips because everyone pays with credit cards, so there's a paper trail! I worked at the Green Parrot on Bonaire and we split the tips with everyone equally (never the owners): waiters, bartenders, cooks, dishwashers. That is illegal in the US. I have conflicted thoughts on the whole tipping mess....

Actually the minimum wage for tipped employees in the US is $2.13 per hour. The normal minimum wage is now $7.25 per hour as of July 24, 2009. The state you live in can have higher rates but these are the national limits.

Pat- You may be rght with the$2.13/hr. I was just guessing and trying to picture that sign by the time clock! PS- sorry everyone... I didn'y mean to hijack the "New Restaurant" thread with that tipping response. I can't wait to get to Bonaire at Christmas!!