I have had a good eating experience on Bonaire. Some of the most tasty and well prepared meals I have had. The one thing I can not get over is the service. It is TERRIBLE!! Taking drink orders and then waiting 20 minutes for the wrong drink. Sitting with empty glasses while the meal comes 20 minutes later. Then waiting 20 minutes for a cheque.

Our meals out have been at least 1.5 hours from sitting to leaving, and that's a quick lunch!

The thing is good food does not bring me back to a restaurant if the service is terrible and I would rather stay at home and cook my own meal then have to deal with incompetent wait staff. If I return to Bonaire that's exactly what I will do and not a cent of my dollar will see the pockets of these establishments.

Bonaire, your food is good but you lost my business cause you don't know how to wait a table.

one thing we learned about eating at restaurants on bonaire (in addition to making sure the total is in guilders or dollars) is that you often have to ask for the check. unlike in the states, they consider it rude to put the check on the table until you ask for it...it's like they would be trying to rush you out. i agree that it would be nice if they'd come by more often and ask if you wanted more drinks.

The worst service I ever experienced was at the Baltimore Inner Harbor.

I've been to Bonaire 21 times, over 11 years, and had truly bad service maybe twice. Mostly it is just slow, as in Europe. I pick and choose my restaurants now in Bonaire, depending on whether the meal is the evening event, or just a way to get unhungry. On the other hand, I do the same thing in the Washington DC area where I live!

I have had mostly good service a few that where slow but not as slow as you describe. I tend not to go to the more Upscale or Pricey resteraunts.

Asking for the Check is the norm. Just as it is in many other parts of the World.

Coming from a society that is rush, rush, rush, my husband and I have learned that the slower pace of life on Bonaire is refreshing. Yes, it is annoying at times that service is not as fast as we want it to be, but hey! we are on vacation which puts us on island time. Relax and enjoy the time you have on the beautiful island!

Having said that, we have experienced fabulous service and super slow service. I can get annoyed about it or just remind myself that I am there to enjoy myself. Why stress? It's not worth it in my estimation...

Just my two cents...

Cam...Just as a suggestion. If you order drinks and they don't come in a timely fashion, I get up and work over to the main service area and ask for the owner or politely inquire where are my drinks.. The drinks are usually forthcoming.

Additionally, when it comes time for getting the check & I want to leave, I'll use the universal signal of right hand scratching palm of left hand when I make eye contact with a waiter or waitress, (no matter if they have waited on me or not).

Usually I never have a problem. If this doesn't work within 5 mins, I get up & again go to the main service desk and tell them I'm ready to leave.

The point is Cam, don't just sit there and wait, because if you do it may be tomorrow before the drinks or check comes. At times, it pays to be assertive on Bonaire or anywhere else for that matter.

The squeek gets the oil! LOL

We have not had any "bad" service this trip.
In March the worst food, and it was soso not really bad, and slow/indeferent service was at Richard's. Drinks were very slow in coming. Slow being almost 20 minutes. And I counted, they had 5 tables, so it wasn't like they were swamped.

Service is a world wide problem .
No one wants these jobs any more so the result is poor service .
"Vince rules " are the way to go . Be polite and inquire at the bar .
If you think it is bad today ... wait a few years , it may be a "self serve society" .

The worst place we had service at was Cappriccios . Never again to that place. We were not important because we did not order wine. She paid more attention to the next table filling their wines glasses than taking care of the other 6 tables that were full also . Told Lola about the service we received and she just snickered. So no more Cappriccios for us

I seldom order wine when eating out either, certainly not a whole bottle.
I've not been to Capriccio's yet but was considering it "next" trip.
Can anyone else confirm this issue with Lola?

We went to Capriccio's for the first time last February. I laughed about it afterward, but it was still irritating to have such mediocre food served with such a patronizing and snotty attitude (by Lola). We had a good bottle of wine with dinner, but that didn't seem to make any difference. No more for me either-a good restaurant provides good, friendly service regardless of the price.

The worst place we ever had service was Banana Tree on our first visit (many years ago). We had to ask for our check over and over and over again. Lunch took 3 hours. It was horrible! We even got up and asked for a manager, who told us to sit down and they would bring it right out. NOT! It took another 20 minutes. I have never gone back.

Tom..We've always had very good service at Capriccio's. We were there several weeks ago & one of the patrons apparently passed out outside so they had to call an ambulance. Needless to say, Lola was a bit flustered. The place was pretty crowded, the service was "a bit" below par but bearing in mind the circumstances it was quite understandable.

Order a bottle of their house red with the Capriccio label on it. It was very good & if you don't finish it, just take it home. Finishing it however was NOT a problem for the 2 of us followed by some of Lola's grappa! And yes, I went diving the next day (however only one) .

This is a good thread, and I have enjoyed everyone's input. Fact is, Bonaire is running low on good help. Serving tables is a very hard job, nun of us would make it through one night! There are a few places that have gone down hill, poor service, low quality. But, they still are open and people rave. We all expect something different from our dining experience depending on your lifestyle. Look, some think ribs and chicken is fine dining, and that's ok....hell, I love good ribs and a cold beer at times.

I have spent some time in Paris. Food is a big deal there. Servers are pros, not part time help, they work with the chef at all times. Rude you ask, not at all, just don't act like a ass. Like Vince stated, want your check, make the movement. Bonaire works slow and low....Want top shelf service and a diner to remember? Read the dining threads.........Do a key word search....best places to dine.

Hint.... Mona Lisa......Cap's.....Bamboo.. Bistro de Paris at times,,,Well trained staff, knowledgeable about the menu and wines.

Keep in mind, we are on vacation.....relax.

No, the service on Bonaire is generally not up to European standards, but the worst service I have ever encountered was New York city.

Harley Davidson Cafe, I can't remember the address - eventually (having waited about an hour) the wrong food arrived -not even close to the order. I made the mistake of querying it and was told - that was what I was getting, eat it or leave. It was quite late so I ate it and left a 1c tip.

That was just the worst of all the services I had in a few days there. I had no good experiences at all, and no good food either.
At least on Bonaire the food is quite often very good, although any restaurant can have an off-day.

John, we all learn from our mistakes.

"Keep in mind, we are on vacation.....relax" says Jerry, but for me, good service is part of the dining experience. I think that for most of us, slow, annoying service affects our fun. When on Bonaire I find myself choosing the buffet evenings at the various resorts where you eat decently well [not gourmet, of course], and do it on your own terms and pace.

Yuval, best to know ahead great vs poor.

Want fine dining on Bon? Read the threads.

Een gulzige mond is nooit verzadigd. De beste stuurlui staan aan wal.

Nico I can't get the second sentence please translate...

the first one is:
A greedy mouth has never been satisfied

It is fable. The best steersmen are ashore. (Outsiders think they no better)

thank you Nico for the translation.. true in so many ways

here's google's translation of the above..
"A greedy mouth is never saturated. The best mates are on shore"..
I like this one better!

I've always had good food and prompt service at La Guernica, It Rains Fishes and City Cafe.

I think Jerry hit the nail on the head..last year mil was with us for the first time and we took her to what seems like one of the bt'ers consensus for special dining...while the service at some of the tables was at what I would consider a superior level..ours was what I would consider sub par...the difference was definitely the person doing the waiting...could also see the owner trying to light a fire under our waitress...did it spoil our evening..absolutely not..wasn't in any hurry at all..wine was good..the view was great..service was just very weak...was just an observation that they seemed very short handed at this particular favorite...the night before we had a meal where the service was great...the food was great..but the price was in my opinion too high..there was only two tables occupied that night and I suspect the price was the reason....always have had wonderful service,food and great time at Donna & Giorgio's..can't wait to see them in november

Hey, good thread, and just curious: are the gratuities that servers in Bonaire make split with the staff, or do servers keep all of it? We all know the guidelines here in the States, but I wonder if the servers in Bonaire understand that the better service they provide, the better tips they'll receive? We generally get fair service when dining there - a little on island time, but that's perfectly fine. We do the same as we do at home - we walk in with the server receiving 20 percent - and it's theirs to go downhill from there. If they are ultra slow and just show no motivation to wait on us, their tip goes down...even if we receive "fair" service, but at least the server is doing their best, they'll get the 20 percent.

I understand being on Island Time (laid back and casual) but there is no reason for rude or snotty service from service staff, even if customers themselves are the rude ones to begin with. If you like a certain restaurant maybe ask for someone else to be your server. Sometimes, that gets the message across.

I left Holland quite a few years ago, looking for a more laid back life. I found it here on Bonaire. But I realized everything good has something bad in it as well. One of the things is the often too laid back attitude of local restaurant staff. It annoys me too, but when I change my way of looking at it I get a different experience. Most waiters do their best, and quite a few even enjoy their job if you find the right button to push. You don’t get your food any quicker, but it’s a lot more fun. Just relax and don’t hurry. Plan for 2 hours of dining and enjoy it. It’s an inevitable part of the Bonaire experience.

We have been traveling to Bonaire for 15 years for at least 2 weeks per year. This equates to nearly 200 dinners and about 100 lunches. We have had some excellent service but very rarely poor service. For the most part our wait staff has been affable and competent. We take our time eating and try to enjoy the ambiance and the food. Remember, it is all part of your vacation experience.

just remember your server is paid the minimum... just about 4 $ an hour -- tips go into a common "pot" generally distributed once a month and everyone -- including the owners get a piece of the pie ... so a tip is not just for your server ... often if the tip is put on a credit card the server will not ever see the gratuity in their pocket .. this is a foreign country and a very different culture .. what you are asking is just one more thing the bonairians are pressured to learn .. service is not taught in any school here and most are trying their best .. remember .. how many cultures a Bonanairians works with everyday and languages .. are you fluent in a minimum of 4 languages .. the bonairians are.. I am in tourism and i try my best .. but i can't please everyone .. remember your patience and look at it from our side .. in our culture here we take it as it comes and accept things for what it is . enjoy what it is .. and power up your sense of humor

I like this thread just more reasons that big travel groups and such should go to Aruba or Curacao leave the tiny island with poor customer service alone for god sakes there's no starbucks or hard rock cafe how can it be civilized! The diving isn't that great they let you go off all by yourself or with your group with NO ADULT supervision like a DIve master!
Oh and don't get me started on the Wild Donkey rant! Just encourage those that want to be pampered to go to another island.

Fast
Great
Cheap

pick 2 and only.

The way I see it, A bad meal with sub par wait staff at any restaurant on Bonaire is far more enjoyable that an great meal with great service at any restaurant in the midwest. Relax and enjoy your on Bonaire!

I like your thinking Matthew.

Your evening meal should also be your entertainment for the evening, or get a burger, a beer and crash. Can't go wrong

I've been to Bonaire several times and never had any problems with service. On the contrary. In 2007 I went to Maiky Snack withfriends and family. The owner was about to close, but when I asked him to stay, he served the 15 of us a good meal; filled up the watercan without being asked to do so and even served us cool beer. we had a great time there and the owner got a good tip. I will be having lunch at Maiky this year :-)

As a last resort...

Nice touch underlining it with mustard!
However I might have drawn a to drive home the point.

Lloyd, I love it

My wife and I just returned from a week on Bonaire. In all but 1 case service was very good to excellent. We met either the chef and/or owner at most and food at each was very good or excellent. Casablanca was our favorite; if I didn't like to try new places so much I could have happily eaten there every day. The one place where we had poor service still had good food. They appeared to be doing a large take out business (a Saturday night) and might have been understaffed. Others in our party had been there before and I've seen good reviews so I'd be inclined to give them another chance. Everybody has an off night now and then.

I second Nick's comments. We just got back from a week on island and had reasonably good service at Bobbejans, Mona Lisa, Paradise Moon, Pasa Bon Pizza, etc.

One observation is that we always go to Bonaire during the 3rd week of September. This year the "tourist density" seems to be down. With the exception of Wednesday night at Pasa Bon Pizza, which was crazy busy, most restaurants seemed less busy than years past.

I have visited Bonaire 29 times in 10 years. This is a Caribbean island and not a fast-food emporium. Relax, folks. The food is almost always good. Plan to make lunch or dinner an event.
If you want fast food, there is a KFC...!
I am staggered by Americans' complaints. I get the rudest service EVER in USA. Give me "laid-back" any time, rather than rudeness
Bonaire is a jewel for divers, the people are so friendly: if they are rude to you, you probably deserve it.
BTW - I am European, I love the island and am paying my next visit in 6 days' time - cannot wait.

Welcome to BT Chris . I pretty much agree with your post other than the bit about rude service in USA . I am from Canada and find USA has set the standards for fast friendly service , however , my experiences are all West Coast and Southern States . I have not visited the East Coast of the USA .
Most meals on Bonaire are cooked as ordered as compared to pre made meals , I for one adore Bonaires Diners.

Of course you must take into consideration that when Chris goes out for dinner, he has one of the nicest and most attractive ladies on the island with him most of the time. He gets the best table, the best service and lots of attention.

Dear god Michael, you are such a kiss ass, you out of coffee again? Just a joke. I want Michael to run for office on Bon. Gov Mike, sounds good.

A barefoot gov'ner!!!! In the Council rooms??? Perhaps appropriate to Bonaire but the Dutch might shy from that!!! :–)

(Message edited by glenr on October 14, 2010)

We need to set up a BT fund to buy Mike some shoes.

Actually, I saw Michael in shoes yesterday!! I couldn't believe it either.
My wife calls Michael the "Mayor of Bonaire"

I saw Michael in flip flops ... does that count ??

My take after 18 trips in 22 years...

One cannot justify waiting 45 minutes for a menu after being seated as relaxed friendly service. One cannot justify waiting 45 minutes for a check after it has been requested as relaxed friendly service.

A few, and only a few places on only a few occasions over the years have been that bad, but it does happen and it can't be justified.

And yes, slow but attentive service is a benefit of a relaxed and casual island. That's one reason we all go.

But folks, there is a distinct difference between the two.

At it's best, the Bonaire dining experience is a reaffirmation of the meaning of vacation. At it's worst, it is maddening.

side note:

Has there been a change in ownership/management of Pasa Bon Pizza in the past couple of years? There was talk some time back about it being up for sale and I wonder what the current status is.

Phillip, sorry you went through that. can you please expand on it? Whare, when, and what night?

Hi Denise we ate at Pasa Bon Pizza two weeks ago and it was awesome! The gentleman that was running it has been the same for the last few years that we have been going. I don't know his name but he is always nice to us.

Denise, Joe and Lisa are still there

Thank you R.A...

If there is a restaurant i would recommend to keep away from, it would be pasa bon pizza. The owner as well as the workers are quite rude and dont excell at proper customer service. Sadly, he is supposedly from New york, you would think he acquired good customer service skills??...Definitely not a favorite anymore. They take too long with food orders and with a snotty attitude.

Newjerseynets.

Judging a restaurant based on one visit & the owners country of origin is, as ridiculous as me calling you an illiterate based on the content & grammar of your post.

Joe & Lisa are hardworking, industrious & generous people who provide a service that is popular, as much with locals as it is with tourists. Anyone on Bonaire will tell you that is no mean feat. They contribute to the community, provide employment for local people & support charitable causes.

Operating a restaurant on Bonaire is a daily battle of sourcing ingredients that are not always available, traversing Government red-tape & paying extortionate utility bills.

Everything is prepared & cooked as required & that takes time. Pasa Bon is not a fast food takeaway, a point that seems lost on certain patrons who expect to be eating before their ass hits the seat & if they are not, make it a point to let everyone know. This could have obviously been avoided if you had phoned ahead & ordered.

To condemn a restaurant owner & all of their staff because you expect New York style service on a small Caribbean island is insulting not only to the good people of Pasa Bon, but to every restaurant worker & their staff on the island.

I truly despair over people who expect a carbon copy of their own country when they go on vacation. Complaining that they couldn't find Gatorade, packing food that they can't survive 7 days without or whining that the Internet connection is too slow.

Joe, Lisa & Bianca do a great job & as a result, Pasa Bon Pizza has gone from strength to strength while other restaurants have fallen by the wayside. Fortunately, they don't need the patronage of parochial people to survive.

Antony..Well said..But personally I try to take little heed nor pay any attention to posters who hide behind made up names. More often than not, they are disingenuous and what they write is as silly as their sign in names.

You are of course right Vince.