St.Maarten/St.Martin Restaurants

Web-surfers' Favorites

• Bananas, Simpson Bay recommended by Linda Mynatt [June 27, 2000]
  "The most delightful place we found to eat on Saint Maarten was a little spot called Bananas. Dollar for Dollar this is the best deal and the best food we found. We enjoyed huge lobsters, stuffed mahi mahi, fried fish and shrimp with garlic mashed potatoes and a wonderful salad. For starters try the calamari with peppers or the shrimp blimps. Fried bananas are listed for starters also but we saved them for dessert. In the dessert catagory try homemade banana ice cream or key lime pie. Bob and the girls at bananas will take good care of you and always with a smile. Bananas is located in the Simpson Bay area."
• St.Martin restaurant reviews by Nikos Papadojannis [June 23, 2000]
  "We just came back from the Friendly Island. In most places, food is great. Mario's Bistro in Sandy Ground is as good as everyone says, especially if you can get a table right by the water and watch the fish attracted by the lights. You should try the duck - but you already knew that. La Tropicana is excellent and the service is first-class, you'll find it at the Royal Marina in Marigot. Of the Grand Case restaurants, we tried Restaurant du Soleil and it was very good. If you're after a Creole dinner, try Le Taitu in French Cul-de-Sac. It doesn't have a great view, but the ambience is excellent and so are the dishes. Best avoid Lee's Roadside Grill, unless you're looking for a very, very American place, fast-food style. The food is right, but everything else is wrong."
• Great Restaurants in St. Martin recommended by Phyllis Kerner [June 21, 2000]
  "We just came back from St. Martin. Stayed at the beautiful La Samanna. Our favorite restaurants were La Mambo in Grand Case. Food and service were excellent. Mario's Bistro out of sight. Too goo to be true. All of the other restaurtants were also good, but these two were the favorites."
• Restaurant Review from Jean and Ed [June 19, 2000]
  "Several visits to St. Maarten and always enjoyed many different restaurants, this time went to Pink Pearl inside the Sea Palace Hotel philipsburg- lovely atmosphere, good service and excellent Chinese entrees. Pretty to watch sunset over Great Bay. Really enjoyed going to Marigot on Wed night and do a bit of shopping at the night "Bazaar", listening to the bands and had great pizza at Bar del in Mer- service alittle slow, but only because it was so crowded! Found a treasure on Orient Beach - Paridiso, great salads, pasta and service was terrific, I agreee Felix (beach guy) was so friendly and accomodating with the Caribs. Also, enjoyed Seafood Galley at Bobby's Marina in Philipsburg. My husband had a huge lobster and I had several bites. It was so succulent and cooked to perfection and the price was very fair. My dish of shrimp in a wine sauce over pasta was just heavenly. Service was attentive and friendly. We went back for lunch and lunch menu was very extensive and I enjoyed the conch salad very much. We had a lot of fun with the staff, and the owners Melissa and Frank made us feel very welcomed -we will be back!"
• Our favorite place by the baron and baroness [June 16, 2000]
  "We were introduced to St.M 19 years ago and have been going there every year since then (one yr. twice) - never stayed home when the BIG hurricane hit. We were so impressed with the attitude of the natives.
  Yes, we love many of the restaurants mentioned.
  Mario's - wonderful - dined 2 x's this yr. We have known Martine for many years - way back before Mario's. Had one grandchild there and it was her favorite. Delish! Excellent service. Had short unexpected only there for two weeks (usually 4 wks.)this past winter and had weekly client make reservations for us. My husband loves the poriforals! Best caesar salad on the island!
  Bistro Nu - my very favorite for shrimp. Love John Claude-met him on the street with my granddaughter and he said "coo coo" told us a french way to say hello to a child.
  Tropicana - We love it - especially on Thurs. nite when they have entertainment on the marina. Ask for special menu - very good deal. Several years back they introduced a salmon dish coated in oatmeal of course uncooked! It was great - but not on menu since - if you read this Chris you will know who is writing this- please put it back on menu. My friend how is that little girl and Lauren? Tell her I miss her at Lipstick.
  L'Alabama - Delightful surroundings - Karen knows we like to eat at a certain time and accomodates us - right Karen? She now stocks ginger ale - which was not available first yr. we were there - my husband prefers this in his highball We were not able to go there this yr. because my husband can no longer nite drive too much and up the Mt. was not advisable, and no one to go with. Sorry Karen and Pascal. It was the favorite of our grandson when he was vacationing with us.
  Oh, how I missed Sandro's - top of Maho - he makes me special dishes - Arrabiata - Putenesca which are not on menu. Marvelous! Please come back.
  Pasta Pizza - great - cozy and friendly. Love it!
  Bar del la Mer - Greatest pizza - and caesar salad not bad, but Mario's wins!
  Boo Boo Jam - our special place on Sunday - go early - enjoy beach - have lunch - enjoy more beach and back until the following Sunday. Boo Boo makes the best Potato Salad - my husband always asks him to have it for him the following week - he will know who wrote this.
  Rainbow is also a favorite of ours. Always an excellent dinner.
  LaResidence - it was a favorite of ours for years and then heard such a bad report-we were afraid to return. Understand that they had trouble as lost chef. It is really a delightful place and wonder if anyone can give us an updated report.
  LeChanteclare (who can spell) - Love it! Such delightful food. The help delightful.
  We can say nothing bad about any of the restaurants - you can hit it on a nite where things go wrong and the restaurant get a bad "rap" which is unfair. So if your not happy find another place there surely is a variety to choose from. Well some of you restaurant owners you will know who wrote this. Hats off to all of you!!!!!! This was a very interesting-glad we were told about this website for dining. There were few I don't know I will have to look it over - love to be updated. Thanks for this newsy spot."
• Mario's recommended by Trich023 [June 9, 2000]
  "Definately my very favorite restaurant on St. Martin! The food is out of this world - starting with the appy's and ending with some great creme bruele! Service is outstanding, and definate "don't Miss" on the island."
• Restaurants in St. Martin - May 17-24, 2000 by Margit and Michael Jury [June 7, 2000]
  "Just returned from SXM (May 17-24). We stayed at the Grand Case Beach Club and had a wonderful time. We had breakfast every day at the Sunset Cafe and were very satisfied with the service and quality of food. We went out every night (mainly in Grand Case) & did not need reservations anywhere. We dined at Il Nettuno - my husband Michael had the veal and I had the Mahi Mahi - very well prepared), Chez Martine - the Profiteroles were to die for, California - had the grilled lobster and it was good, Sebastiano's - probably raised my cholesterol level a few hundred points but so worth it!!, Rancho Steakhouse - had to have good old American beef - we were not disappointed. We also ate at a new restaurant in the Port du Plaisance marina called Dario's - the food was Northern Italian and very good, and Dario the owner greets you like an old friend (when he's not in the kitchen cooking). Of course the Lolo's in Grand Case were great (see Winsome at Talk of the Town - she'll really take care of you). Our ABSOLUTELY favorite restaurant however is in the Marigot Marina - Le St. Germaine. The owner, Patrick Le Black took over ownership last June 1st. He will treat you like royalty. The menu is eclectic and incorporates many interesting spices and new twists to old favorites. We started with French Onion soup and Lobster Bisque (that alone would have made a meal in itself). We then ordered fettucine, some chicken crepes and chicken and shrimp in lobster sauce (yummy!!) For dessert, we had the apple crepes. Do yourself a favor and go to this special restaurant (but go hungry!!) If you do go, to try the chicken crepes and for dessert have the apple crepes (to die for). Please tell Patrick we sent you and that we miss him; try the breakfast crepes too, you'll think you died and went to heaven. This was our first trip to SXM and it will definitely not be our last. So many more restaurants to try."
• Bistrot Caraibes recommended by John Simon [June 1, 2000]
  "My wife and I just returned from a week stay in St Martin, this was our 6th trip to the island.
  BISTROT CARAIBES is by far the most outstanding restaurant,food and service are wonderful and the prices reasonable.
  Their site is:www.bistrotcaraibes.com
  Highly recommend the homemade smoked salmon appetizer, grilled rack of lamb, they have live lobsters in a big tank in front, my wife always gets one of those,the best on the island.
  Truly a great experience"
• St. Maarten Food Review by Joy & Mark Meyers [May 31, 2000]
  "As this was our first trip to St. Maarten, we had received lots of recommendations from friends regarding which restaurants to visit. In addition, we also printed out the reviews from fellow travelers who had posted e-mails and took all of this into consideration as we made our dining selections. We had some wonderful dining experiences, and would like to highlight a few. Our first night we ate at La Bar de la Mer in Marigot, which was heavenly. We shared a salad plate of the sliced mozzarella and tomato, followed by their specialty, the grilled fresh water shrimp (Ouassou Creole). The portions were very generous and the shrimp just melted in your mouth. Our server was attentive and very pleasant. We had lunch one day at the Seafood Galley (Phillipsburg) and indulged in their specialty, the grilled lobster. We have to agree with fellow travelers that the Seafood Galley offers the best lobster on the island. The lobster was huge and almost more than one person could finish! We also had the opportunity to meet Melissa and Frank, who were delightful and made us feel right at home. For our last night on the island, we decided to try L'Alabama in Grand Case, a restaurant that had received glowing reports. We made a reservation, which was recommended, and were seated promptly by the headwaiter. We requested a bottle of Perrier and waited over 20 minutes before the waiter returned, sans Perrier. When questioned about the delay in the service, the waiter was very rude, and made it clear that if we didn't like it, we could take our business elsewhere. So we did. We rate this restaurant service bad, staff rude. We had a delightful dinner two doors down at Le Cottage. Bruno Lemoine made excellent recommendations and made our evening a pleasure. My wife had the rack of lamb, which was delicious, and I had the shrimp served on a bed of sweet potatoes and spinach. The flavor combination was outstanding. We can't wait to return!!!"
• Le Cottage, Grand Case recommended by Judy Snaydon [May 29, 2000]
  "My best meal in St Martin? Definitely "Le Cottage". Everything was perfect: the warm welcome, the attentive service, the extensive wine list and of course the excellent food. I did not expect to find foie gras in St Martin, but I did and it was amazing. So was the Mahi Mahi. The entrees had a Carribean twist which made them right at home in Grand Case, but the desserts were pure Paris in all its decadence. Go there. You won't regret it."
• Food by Gary & Margie [May 29, 2000]
  "Just returned from 3 weeks in St. Maarten. Here's our restaurant selections.
  TURTLE PIER, on the airport road, is the best place to spend time. J.P and Lorna are great hosts and the setting is perfect. The new dock should now be completed with another bar over the water. There's fun entertainment during the week. Good food-try the coconut shrimp. Slso serves breakfast so a good place to wait for your flight.
  LEE'S SEAFOOD by the bridge is good, inexpensive food with entertainment every night. We only went on Wed and Sat to see the "Banjo Bob" group. Good ribs, fish, just OK burgers.
  RIC'S PLACE in Phillipsburg is another friendly place. Rick and Kathy are great hosts and Kathy is always ready to talk about her golf game. The bartenders, Jerry, Eddie and the Kid are a lot of fun.
  TUTTA PASTA upstairs in Simpson Bay Marina is a hidden gem. Warren cooks and his son, Leon, is the great waiter. There are so many so many pasta dishes to choose from that you have a tough time making a decision- don't worry, theyr'e all good.
  Moving over to the French side we had to try ZEE BEST. It has been recommended on these pages. What a disappointment. The pastry basket was OK but the omelet that I had was flat and small. Margie's crepes were so bad that she couldn't eat them. The coffee is served (and charged for) one cup at a time. The bill for the omelet, crepes, one pastry and two cups of coffee apiece came to $23.
  In Grand Case, we went to L'ALABAMA. A great dining experience. The french onion soup and caesar salad were perfect. I had the best rack of lamb ever. Margie had the fish in banana rum sauce that she thought it was a little too sweet. The creme brule' was fantastic. Overall great service and a beautiful setting.
  BISTRO CARIBE was not quite as good but still great. The caesar salad was not seasoned the same. Margie had a boulibaise type dish that she still raves about. I had duck ala' orange that was a little too greasy even for duck.
  The best restaurant find was SOL' e' LUNA in Cul de Sac on the road to Mount Vernon. The setting is beautiful, overlooking a lagoon. The restaurant itself is decorated pleasantly. I had a shrimp dish with huge, pealed shrimp while Margie had snapper with a philo covering that sealed the taste in perfectly. The vegitables on each plate were arranged cylindrically with carrot shoots protruding from the top. The wine list is extensive and what we had delicious. For dessert we had killer perfideroles(sp). Great service and a great meal.
  The best place to have an afternoon drink on Orient Beach is BIKINI BEACH. Just try to get the lime out of the mouth of Elisa's irish setter.
  After three weeks we hated to leave, so we didn't. We spent one more night at Mary's Boon so we could go to TURTLE PIER one more time. We'll be back to this special island as soon as we can."
• Restaurant Visits by Vera and Dick Wollaver [May 27, 2000]
  "Vera and Dick Wollaver just spent the week of May 14-May21,2000 in St. Marten. We loved every minute. We were surprised that noone mentioned La Samana for dinner. We had an excellent dinner of filet and lamb with an unusual pear sorbet in between courses. The prices for entrees were in the $20-$30 range Service was excellent as was the ambience. We were not staying at the hotel. Another fine restaurant was Spartacos in Cole Bay. I ordered salmon made with lemon peel and pine nuts. My tastebuds were not used to that flavor. Instead of asking for something else which they would have done, I tried to finish meal without complaining. When the waiter noticed I hadn't eaten much of my salmon, the owner came over and explained that they would have prepared the salmon any way I wanted. He never charged for my meal. His policy is if the guest doesn't like his/her meal , he doesn't charge. On the way to Marigot, from the Dutch side, there is a little patisserie on the left-hand side that sells baguettes, pastry such as Napoleons and eclairs and various meat patties. The French woman that attends the place is charming and tries her best to communicate, using her French-American dictionary. We found ourselves driving from Pelican Cay every day to pickup our fresh bread and pastry."
• St. Maarten April 21 to May 8th 2000 by Doris and Milty [May 21, 2000]
  "We were again in St. Marten for our semi-annual trip.
  Our favorite restaurants are Still:
  
  Bistrot Caraibes - Grande Case
  Tropicana - Marigot
  Le Pressoir - Grande Case
  To truly get the flavor of the Bistrot, enter the website www.bistrotcaraibes.com you can see the restaurant, the menu, the wine list, and much more. We still recommend it highly.
  Tropicana is consistantly great for both food and service. You can go for both lunch and dinner.
  Le Pressoir is a culinary delight. The dishes are not only delicious, but beautiful to look at. For those of you who are wine drinkers, the wine cellar at Le Pressoir will provide you with all types of excellent wines at a wide range of prices.
  We hope you enjoy these restaurants as much as we do."
• Mario's Bistro recommended by Ann Gaspari [May 17, 2000]
  "BEST RESTAURANT - MARIO'S BISTRO - THE FOOD, THE AMBIANCE, THE OWNERS - ALL THE BEST. GOURMET MEALS, DESSERTS . DON'T MISS IT IF YOU ARE IN ST.MARTINS."
• The Jerk Bar & Grill recommended by SKWINTY [May 15, 2000]
  "I went to St. Maarten and I ate at "The Jerk Bar & Grill" everyday. The food and the service is EXCELLENT! I gained 5 pounds in one week devouring the tastey jamaican dishes. The restaurant costumer service is A-1. Everyday there is a variety of six to eight Jamaican dishes to choose from and then a choice of American breakfast and lunches as well. For a hearty meal definately visit the "The Jerk Bar and Grill." You will not be dissapointed."
• Grand View Cafe, Summit Resort recommended by James McDonnell [May 14, 2000]
  "Don't miss the Grand View Cafe at The Summit Resort. Restaurant is outside overlooking Simpson Bay and the swimming pool of this small resort which is tucked away not far from the Sapphire Beach Hotel. The food is wonderful and the service friendly and excellent. They have a chicken salad entree that is out of this world although I can't recall the exact name of it. The chicken is hot in temperature over a cold green salad and I think they use 20 or so different spices in it. It is large in size and quite filling. We also enjoyed as an appetizer spring rolls with a special sauce. Absolutely delicious. For desert we had crepes and ice cream. We rolled out of that restaurant. It's really quite nice although you do have to be sure that there is little wind because it is outside. Bon Appetit."
• Best places in SXM by Michèle & Olivier, from Belgium, back on SXM' Island for the 4th time (April 20th-May 5th) [May 14, 2000]
  "We had the best grilled lobster of the island at "BOO BOO JAM" (Orient Bay) : very affordable, nice & kind service.
  We discovered "LE SUD" in Grand Case : it's southern french cooking, excellent. Dominique and his "chef" are quite perfect.
  We also advise you "LE PICCOLO", in French Cul de Sac. Owned by Canadian people, this small restaurant has a nice menu at fair prices. Because of their success, you'll have to make a reservation the day before !
  "LE CHALET" (Between Marigot & Baie Netle') is very original. It's decorated like a Swiss house. You can eat of course "raclette" (smelt cheese with different sorts of bacon), "fondue au fromage", but also meat cooked on a hot stone ("pierrade") or other typical swiss or french dishes. Good wines & reasonable prices.
  At "LE PLONGEOIR" (Marigot), you will taste a very coloured "cuisine", french and creole, with all sort of original spices. It's becoming a "must" in Marigot.
  You need a very calm beach ? Check Friars Bay. The shore is OK for kids (no waves). There, "FRIARS BAY BEACH BAR" is perfect for lunch & drinks. Good spot to watch sunset.
  Finaly, "LE KONTIKI" (Orient Beach) is maybe the best Beach restaurant of SXM, but is pretty expensive. Don't miss the party on sunday's 6 pm ! Gerald, the crazy boss, is also the crazy DJ there.
  For before and after dinner : good fun at "Sunset Beach Bar", Maho Bay, to watch people watching planes landing (late afternoon). Don't forget to walk a while on the Royal Marina of Marigot : nice boats & cafe's. Then, good party on thursday's night at "INDIANA" (Simpson Bay) : you order & pay 1 drink, you get 2 !
  Also very good music & a lot of fun with Herve' at "HAVANA", Marigot (Front de Mer, 1st floor just next "Le Bar de la Mer")."
• The Best Resturant on the Island by Zoe' and Michael Faso [May 14, 2000]
  "We have been to St. Marten twice, on our second visit which was in May we came upon what we found to be the BEST restaurant on the Island and can't believe no one has mentioned it. It is in "Marigot. The owner/chef Daniel welcomes you when you first arrive and is very friendly. The food was magnificent, the service impeccable and the wine list extensive. We notice we were the only American couple and the rest of the clientele were French. The name of the restaurant is "Casa Creole". We hope all will visit Daniel for a night to remember P.S. Your in for a treat with his magnificent deserts. The best we've ever had anywhere. Make sure you sign his guest book and look for our name , we were there on the 7th of May. Bon Appetite!!"
• St Maarten April 15-22, 2000 by Donna Pucciarelli [May 14, 2000]
  "When we went to St Maarten we were armed with the more than 8 pages, which I printed out, from those visitors who took the time to review the restaurants they went to. I was encouraged by my travelling companion to file our review, so here it is.
  Who doesn't like Italian food? Which prompted us to visit Il Nettuno (twice). Both times we had the same table overlooking Grand Case Beach.. As appetizers my friend had the Carpparcio and I had the Prosciutto w/ melon. Although we ate it all one of these would have been enough to split. Both were fresh and impeccably done and presented. For an entree I had the Penne w/ Vodka sauce...outstanding! My friend had the Fruite De Mare, also wonderful..The second time we went was just as good. The mussel appetizer was terrific and yes we did share it. The owner, I believe his name was Mauro, was full of Italian life and fun and amore!
  Upon such fine reccomendations we tried Le Tavestin. We were extremely disappointed mostly with the service. Maybe it was the "two women dining" thing...but we really got poor service and I think that made the food just passable.
  Tropicana in Marigot was also a favorite. We ended up eating lunch there twice. The staff at Tropicana is friendly, efficient and always willing to please. The setting at the Marina makes for a relaxing atmosphere and great people watching. At lunch try one of their salads. They are unique and quite delicious. Especially if they are offering the warm salad with duck...it's yummy. The snapper baked in foil was the best fish I have ever eaten. It was baked simply with tomatoes and leaks but the flavor was to die for! Tropicana has also added a pastry chef who creates the most beautiful desserts!
  Zee Best for breakfast in Marigot. The name speaks for itself. The best fresh French breads and pastries and omelets!
  L'Alabama in Grand Case was excellent. Service and food were impeccable. The entire staff was friendly, knowledgable and extremely polite. We loved this place and would highly reccomend it.
  Le Taitu in Mt Vernon is a Creole spot. Make sure you try the crab appetizer. It's got quite a kick however it was delicious. I would like to try this restaurant again sometime since our service was only so-so. It was a busy night however it was concerning to see people who came in after us to get served and leave long before we did..
  Hopefully this helps all you future St Maarten travellers. I cannot wait to go back and try some more of the fine eating establishments."
• April 22-May 6 by Kathleen Kreinbihl [May 11, 2000]
  "We just returned from a wonderful two week vacation. Our favorite restaurants included Mario's Bistro (the snapper is out of this world), Saratoga in Simpson Bay (great atmosphere, very good food), L'Alabama (Grand Case), California (Grand Case) also excellent food, Il Nettuno (Grand Case) - great Grouper, exceptional service and great desserts, Zee Best for warm pasteries, Le Chanteclair (Marigot) best dessert - the no name dessert!, Fish Pot (again excellent Snapper), Le Peroguet - excellent food, expensive (near Airport), and the Sunset Beach Bar (what a trip watching the planes land!) - great drinks and a major hangout!
  All in all you can't get a bad meal here! Service is slower on the french side but I believe it is due to the most wonderful meals they make. It takes time to create these mouth-watering delights. Can't wait to go next year! Enjoy!"
• Indiana Restaurant not recommended by Barbara Van Weelden [May 11, 2000]
  "During our recent trip to St. Maarten (Apr.24-May 7), I had lunch at Indiana one day. My husband was off scuba diving on Saba, so I visited this restaurant alone. It was a disappointment.
  Newspaper ads had led me to believe I could imagine Harrison Ford (as Indiana Jones) "bellying up to the bar" among movie sets. It really all looked rather phony to me, however.
  I ordered a lobster salad but was told it was not available. I opted for the ribs and a Heineken. The ribs couldn't hold a candle to those at Pedro's Beach Bar, my favorite ribs on the island.
  As has happened before when frequenting restaurants alone, I felt the service was poorer than when I have had another person with me. I noticed, for example, that several men (probably business men I guessed) dining together, had been brought a large chalkboard with the specials of the day printed on it. No mention was made to me of any specials for that day. My beer finally arrived about 10 minutes after the food. The waiter hadn't been busy. I saw him laughing and talking with other employees. There were few customers in the place.
  The waiter did not return, after I was served, to ask about my lunch, as is generally the custom. I won't visit this restaurant again."
• Lee's Bar & Roadside Grill recommended by Barbara Van Weelden [May 11, 2000]
  "Hi! We returned from St. Maarten on May 7th, enjoying our 12th year of visits to that island. I have visited and reviewed "Lee's" before, but wanted to update my report.
  Lee has a small fishing boat and a larger boat for fishing charters. He used to grill up some of his catch, along with some ribs and chicken, next to his bar and tables on Airport Road near the Simpson Bay Bridge on the lagoon. Well, he has enlarged his place, improved the ambiance (a roof and REAL plates instead of plastic ones) and usually has a hired cook work at the barbecue grill. There's a new sign, too, advertising Lee's Bar & Roadside Grill. So it looks like the place is doing well.
  I think it used to serve food during the afternoons only, though now it's going late into the evening! We stopped by to check on the freshness and availability of the fish and ordered the mahi-mahi. We were told that it was caught at about 6 a.m., brought back by 8 a.m. Wow! Here in Chicago we wonder how many days old a fish is!!
  The fish is suberb, as are the accompaniments: black beans w/rice, potato salad, and a fresh green salad. This dinner was $12. We opted to take it back to our timeshare apt. and enjoy it on the balcony.
  I highly recommend this little open air restaurant to people who really love fresh fish. Often they have wahoo and snapper on the menu, too.
  If you enjoy "fish tales", you might like to sit at the bar and listen to the fishermen swap stories of their deep sea fishing adventures. It's kind of fun!"
• April 17-May 03, 2000 by Sabine Mauclère, Jannet Tanori, & Patrick Gildea [May 10, 2000]
  "We just came back from a trip to st Martin and the island again is just as usual wonderful & people friendly!!!!
  We already miss the ambience & atmosphere as well as for sure the nice music there and all our friends!
  A quick word to inform you that unfortunately the restaurant LA CABANE BAMBOU in Grand Case (many comments on this web surfers favorite page) is no longer run by Gilles but by Josette now who cooks just one meal for lunch & dinner.
  Another restaurant I would highly recommend is RESTAURANT MALANGA in Grand Case a typical creole restaurant. The atmosphere is really nice, the food excellent and Chago the owner (really worth to know) & Christine (coming from france) will advise you on the different meals to choose. Also live music every thursday night and you can also always hear salsa, bossa, merengue....Enjoy as a started the typical creole plate with accras, crabs etc. and you will have a large choice for the main course course believe me. After your excellent dinner enjoy a nice banana rhum homemade !
  Restaurant Malanga, 103 bd de grand case 97150 Saint Martin.
  If you get the chance to go there say hello to Chago (really sympatical & helpful) from Sabine (monte-carlo) & Jannet (los angeles)!
  

  Séjour du 17 avril au 03 mai 2000, par Sabine Mauclère, Jannet Tanori & Patrick Gildea.
  Juste de retour de St Martin ou nous avons passe un sejour fabuleux, nous tenons à vous dire que l'ile est toujours aussi belle & fantastique et les gens si sympathiques et accueillants.
  Vraiment St Martin (et ses belles musiques) ainsi que tous nos amis la bas nous manquent deja!
  Un petit mot rapide pour vous informer que le restaurant LA CABANE BAMBOU situe à Grand Case (plusieurs commentaires sur ce website) n'est malheureusement plus tenu par Gilles mais desormais par Josette qui cuisine pour vous un plat du jour au déjeuner et diner.
  Un autre restaurant que nous recommendons vivement est RESTAURANT MALANGA a Grand Case un restaurant typiquement creole!
  L'atmosphere est vraiment agreable dans un tres joli decor et la nourriture excellente. Chago le proprietaire (qui se doit d'etre connu) et Christine (venu de France) vous conseilleront sur les plats a choisir et les specialites.
  Egalement live music tous les jeudis sinon vous pourrez sans cesse ecouter salsa, bossa, merengue....Degustez en entree une assiette creole avec accras, boudins etc. ou un crabe farci puis ensuite viendra le choix du plat principal ou vous ne saurez que choisir!
  Apres cet excellent diner un petit rhum banane concocte maison et vous voici dans l'ambience.
  Restaurant Malanga, 103 bd de grand case 97150 Saint Martin.
  Si vous avez la chance d'y aller dites bien le bonjour a Chago (tres sympathique et accueillant) de Sabine (monte-carlo) & Jannet (los angeles)!"

• Favorites of Bobbi Helms [May 9, 2000]
  "Thanks to everyone for their wonderful reviews - we made good use of them last week in St. Martin. Mario's Bistro was as fabulous as everyone said. We were as delighted with the atmosphere as the food. Watching the "show" of fish who were attracted to the lights whiled we dined above was great fun. The duck was as good as everyone said - and large enough for leftovers to serve as my lunch the next day. The salad - with fried parmesan "croutons" was incredible. Service was friendly and attentive.
  Other great meals - Il Nettuno...the lolos in Grand Case (incredible ribs for $6!)...and every lunch or dinner we had at Coco Beach on Orient Beach. Their lobster salad is not to be believed....and their pizzas are heaven! And for brekfast - nothing beats the fresh, still warm, just baked pastries at Zee Best in Marigot! The bottom line - it's hard to find a bad restaurant in Grand Case or Marigot!"
• April 30 - May 7 by The Terwilliger's - Mt. Kisco, NY [May 8, 2000]
  "We just got home yesterday after another great week in paradise. Most of our meals were fantastic. LePiccolo in Cul de Sac was outstanding, so much so, that my husband had to personally thank the chef. LeChanteclair in Marigot was a disappointment this year. My dinner was okay but my husband could not eat his because it was heavily salted. When he returned it to the owner, she came back saying that the chef tasted it and he said it was not too salty; bad mistake on their part. The Rainbow and La Alabama in Grand Case were superb. We ate at LaRosa's in Maho one evening and this also was an excellent choice. The Pelician Restaurant in Simpson Bay is not a place we will frequent again. The food was adequate but the place seemed a little dirty and seedy. We enjoyed having lunch and drinks at "Everything's Cool in Phillipsburgh - which we frequent every year for the past four years. Zee Best in Marigot was excellent for breakfast. I wouldn't return to Le St. Germaine in Marigot for breakfast again - my fruit salad had to be returned - it had turned and was awful. Lunch at the little pizza place behind Cheri's was wonderful and the owner was so friendly."
• St. Martin Restaurants by Don & Joyce Logan [May 7, 2000]
  "We've just returned from 7 wonderful days exploring St. Martin/St. Maarten. Of course, one of the best parts of each day was visiting a new restaurant and comparing our experiences with those of people who had shared their dining thoughts on this site. We stayed at the Ocean Club (clean, comfortable, friendly) and ate at Cheri's and La Rosa Too on the Dutch side the 1st couple of evenings--both served excellent meals and the entertainment (performed by members of their staff) at Cheri's was well-done!
  Day 3 took us to Tropicana on the French side...once again an excellent meal, excellent service. Day 4: Lunch at Ric's (great burgers and views of the cruise ships) and that evening we went with friends to Le Bistro de la Mer for grilled lobster--only marginal and quite expensive. Next night we tried Turtle Pier and found our meals quite good (and we used your internet coupon for a bottle of wine!)...The last evening we went to the current most popular restaurant: Mario's Bistro...it was a superb dining experience...one of the best-prepared sea-scallop dinners I've ever had. My wife enjoyed sea-bass and it was also excellent.
  So our report on dining in St. Martin/St. Maarten is very positive. I believe if a visitor follows the suggestions of contributors to this site they with be well on their way to a fine vacation!
  One last thing: thanks for preparing such a fine, comprehensive site detailing the dining, beaches, shopping, etc. It was our constant reference source during our stay!"
• Thanks for your reviews-here is ours! brought to you by Kendra, Lynn, Chiara, Trey, Bob, and Alex [May 4, 2000]
  "Had a fabulous time with the family in St. Martin! We brought a printout of all the restaurant reviews on the website and used them to determine where we should dine. It was a great document to have! As the trip went on we made up our own study. For dinner we went to L'Auberge Gourmand, Mark's Place, Mario's Bistro, Tropicana, The Rainbow Cafe, Le Tastevin, and L'Alabama. The overall winners were Mario's Bistro and L'Auberge Gourmand. We had a point system with 5 criteria and this is how the restaurants fared:

        Best Ambiance:          Mario's Bistro
        Best Service/Waiters:   L'Auberge Gourmand
        Best Appetizers:        Mario's
        Best Dinner Entrees:    L'Auberge
        Best Desserts:          Tropicana

  We also did a taste test of each restaurant's creme brulee and the best was had at Tropicana. The most efficient service award goes to L'Alabama. The best lunch we had all week was on Ile Pinel, though the boys had a lot of fun with the waitress at Cafe Paradisio at Orient Beach! Another recommendation for having a really good time is to go on a wave runner tour off Orient Beach- so much fun!!
  The only restaurant that was disappointing and that we wouldn't go back to was Mark's Place (even though that was where my husband had his "best entree"), it was lacking in ambiance and why waste time there when there are so many others we could have tried. We also had several negative experiences at the Sunset Cafe at the Grand Case Beach Club. We were staying there so that was where we went for breakfast. We can't complain about the beauty of the place or the quality of the food, however, the service was, at times, terrible! There were 6 servers and 2 of them were quite unpleasant and just shouldn't be in the service business; the others were very friendly, but they don't quite have waiting tables down to a science. They don't seem to realize that all it takes is to greet people when they sit down and give 'em some water, coffee, or juice to keep them busy for a while. I've never seen so many craned necks in a restaurant searching for a waiter!
  Anyway- we can't wait to go back again to try all of the other restaurants we missed. Thanks for the reviews!"
• Restaurant Websites recommended its webmaster Erich S. Kranz [May 2, 2000]
  "http://www.SXM-restaurants.com
  http://www.grandcase.com
  Both of these sites are for restaurants on SXM. There are about 20 of them with websites ranging from one page to full sites with menus, wine lists, reviews, special, etc."
• Mario's recommended by Bill + Tilda Bystrom [April 30, 2000]
  "Mario's was the best dining experience we have ever had in the ten trips we have taken to St Martin. The food was outstanding, the service excellent, and the prices were reasonable. It is located on the waterway next to the draw bridge at Sandy Ground, has pleasant views and a nice atomsphere. Be sure to make reservations in advance of your trip. Enjoy...."
• Le Maison de la Port, Marigot recommended by Bjpdersen [April 29, 2000]
  "Le Maison de la Port, downtown Marigot, right across from La Vie en Rose, excellent food, reasonable prices, very good service, and they like Americans, unlike some of the places on the French side."
• Review by Rob [April 27, 2000]
  "Just spent a week eating in St. Martin. Always great! Still the best is Auberge Gourmand. I had a crab cake appetizer that was heavenly. L'Alabama was good. I had the red snapper in mustard sauce. Their coffee was a poor.Le Piccolo Cafe has very interesting food. Prices have gone up since last year, but it's still a good deal. Bistro Caribe and L'Escapade were good, but not great.Sol e luna was a nice change. Tropicana is always a great time. The chicken stuffed with lobster is fantastic.The best pizza is at La Bar de La Mer. For great hamburgers and drinks visit Baywatch at Orient Beach (next to Pedro's). It's run by Andy from the former Surf Club South. He's looking great and is really happy to see all his old customers from New Jersey. It may not have the charm of his old place in Grand Case or the pool in Cul de Sac,but it's still a fun place to eat."
• Saratogo, Simpson Bay Yacht Club recommended by Riverbank5 [April 27, 2000]
  "Well, after another wonderful week in St. Maarten, I can officially say that the Saratoga is not just my favorite restaurant in the islands, but everywhere! The crab and lobster cakes are just the beginning!! The wine matches the superb taste of the chef. After 12 years of visiting Phillipsburg, I can't wait to return. A magical experience!!!"
• Seafood Galley, Philipsburg recommended by MARTYSCARDS [April 27, 2000]
  "THE BEST LOBSTERS ON THE ISLAND IS SEAFOOD GALLEY LOCATED IN BOBBY'S MARINA AT THE END OF FRONT STREET. THE NEW OWNERS, MELISSA AND FRANK HAVE PUT THEIR SPECIAL TOUCH WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE. MELISSA WILL ASK IF EVERYTHING IS OK, AND WILL GIVE FIRST TIME VISITORS A PRINT OUT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO DO ON THE ISLAND. SOME OF THESE WILL BE DAY TRIPS, AND EVEN OTHER RESTUARANTS. SHE KNOWS THAT YOU WILL NOT EAT AT THE SEAFOOD GALLEY EVERY DAY, SO SHE RECOMMENDS OTHER PLACES THAT SHE AND FRANK HAVE EATEN AT AND GIVE YOU THE REAL STORY. THIS WAS SO THOUGHTFUL, WE TRIED SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES, AND RETURNED TO SEAFOOD GALLEY TO TELL HER WHAT WE THOUGHT. 99% OF THE TIME SHE WAS CORRECT. I WILL ALWAYS EAT AT THE SEAFOOD GALLEY ON EVERY TRIP. BESIDES THE BEST LOBSTERS, WHICH ARE VERY REASONABLE, THE FRESH FISH FROM SABA MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH. THE KIDS MENU IS EXCELLENT. IF YOU GO TO ST. MAARTEN, YOU MUST EAT AT THE SEAFOOD GALLEY. THE SEAFOOD GALLEY IS RUSTIC, CASUAL AND VERY FRIENDLY STAFF. BOTH MELISSA AND FRANK BELIEVE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS PARAMOUNT TO ALL OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. I WISH SOME OTHER PLACES THOUGHT THE SAME THING, THE SERVICE AT SOME OF THE "UPPER CLASS" RESTUARANTS COULD TAKE LESSONS FROM MELISSA AND FRANK."
• Bavaria, Simpson Bay recommended by ejkrohmer [April 25, 2000]
  "The Bavaria Bar & Restaurant on Airport Rd., Simpson Bay is one of our favorites.Food & service very good.Prices reasonable,staff great!"
• Grand Case restaurants by Jennifer Faircloth [April 6, 2000]
  "My husband and I just returned from a week on St. Martin. We stayed in a nice little cottage in Grand Case (right next door to L'Escapade restaurant). Our first visit to the island and definitely not our last. Recommended restaurants in Grand Case:
  #1 - Chez Martine - we ate there twice and both times the food was exquisite and prices very reasonable (especially the items on the specials board). Conch ravioli in bleu cheese sauce was incredible. Chez Martine is a small hotel and restaurant right on the beach; they just reopened the restaurant on March 1 after extensive post-hurricane renovations. Dinner for two with wine was under $100 both times.
  #2 - Il Nettuno - fun Italian restaurant, also right on the beach. Food isn't as good as Chez Martine and prices are higher, but the atmosphere and service are marvelous. For entertainment value, you can't beat their strolling guitarist/singer, Matteo. He's a hoot! Also, if you happen to be a Washington Redskins fan, let the owner know...a round of Sambuca is sure to make its way to your table.
  #3 - California - slow service, but great pizza and an incredible lobster bisque.
  #4 - Lolos - We had ribs at Talk of the Town, and they were delicious. Two huge plates of ribs, two side dishes and two beers for $15!
  #5 - L'Ile Flottant - This little bakery next to Portofino restaurant is the perfect spot for breakfast. The ovens are right out front, so you can watch the baker parade by with bread, croissants, etc. Best chocolate croissants I've ever had, and the coffee is great.
  We also enjoyed Orient Beach and Marigot (especially the market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings). Our most memorable experience at Orient was stopping in at Papagayo on the far south end for a drink. Nearly every customer is completely nude, and the first rule is to sit on a towel!
  We highly recommend a visit to this lovely island. Can't say much about the Dutch side as we didn't spend much time there, but the French side is fantastic."
• St. Martin restaurants by Linda and Lee Steinberg [April 4, 2000]
  "My husband and I have just returned from our ninth visit to St. Martin. We were delighted to have discovered your web site and would like to offer our reviews.
  (March 16-March 31):
  Our favorite restaurant without a doubt has been Don Camilio's. In two weeks we dined here three times. Francesca and John have become our friends and welcome us back warmly each year. This little restaurant buried in Marigot with no seaside views is still one of the most romantic on the island. We enjoy the intimate atmosphere as much as we do the food. However, the gnocchi is as Enzo promises fantastico and the tiramisu is incredible! In nine years we have never had a meal that was less than fabulous. No wonder Don Camilio's has such a loyal following. Do not miss this!
  Another restaurant that we always return to is Sebastiano's in Grand Case. This restaurant is on the sea and also boasts a romantic ambience. Christine is a charming hostess and her waiters are attentive and personable. My husband's favorite dish here is the penne pasta in lobster sauce. However, Christine has highlighted her favorite items on the menu and you cannot go wrong with any of them including her wine selections.
  A new find for us in Grand Case this year was L'Alabama. We actually tried this restaurant because of the reviews we read here. We were not disappointed. This is a beautiful restaurant and both of the meals we had here were wonderful. I actually ordered the Caesar salad twice; it was exceptional. The onion soup was also impressive. We would recommend the red snapper and the mahi mahi for fish lovers, but the rack of lamb was out of this world. And with so many rave reviews about the creme brule, we had to try it and we were not disappointed! It was the best!
  A relatively new restaurant is the very French Sol e Luna near Mont Vernon. We spent a very pleasant evening dining on the outside terrace. I would strongly recommend the roasted lobster tails.
  For a more casual evening, you must dine in the marina in Marigot. Our favorite here is Brasserie de la Gare. Share the goat cheese salad; order one of the pizzas; sit back and enjoy people watching along the marina.
  For breakfast we liked the boulangerie next to Le Portofino. Their croissants, especially the almond ones, are a real treat. We also like La Croissanterie in the Marigot marina. We tried to eat at Michael's but he never seemed to be open. We also ate breakfast, or tried to, at Sunset Cafe but the service was so awful and the waiters so inept that we left feeling quite dissatisfied. We decided to stick to croissants from the local boulangeries since the French do them so much better than we anyway!"
• St. Martin Restaurants by Nancy and Rob, Wilmington DE [March 26, 2000]
  "Just returned from a great trip to St. Martin. First I must say that we stayed at La Vista, on the Dutch side, for the 2nd year in a row and the service here is what makes this trip so pleasurable. Calvin and Deedee are very special. We ate breakfast at its restaurant, the Hideaway, just about every morning -- the croissants are wonderful. On Thursday evening we had a great dinner there as well, they have great entertainment on Thursdays, so I would recommend making reservations.
  The first night we arrived we ate at the Pelican Reef, dinner and service was good, the atmosphere nothing special, but we found it to be overpriced as compared to the meals we would have later in the trip. Our next evening we ate at Laguna, we found the food and service here to be excellent. I had the ravioli in a cream tomato sauce, my husband had the gnocchi, and my brother had the lasagna. We each found our meals to be excellent, and the waiters were extremely friendly. We ate in Marigo one evening at Le Bar De La Mer. The service was extremely slow that evening, but the large crowd and the entertainment on the street made the time waiting enjoyable. I remember the service there last year being slow as well, but the food is definitely worth the wait. The beef, fish, and pizzas are all fantastic. We had another great meal at La Charolais, my husband and brother started with a great French Onion Soup and I had a wonderful salad. If you like filet of beef, I would recommend getting the flaming filet, the prime rib looked spectacular as well. I had a shrimp kabob which was out of this world. The portions are very large. The service was mediocre at best, and while they did seem short staffed, there seemed to be no sense of urgency from the wait staff. One night, we were so exhausted we decided to have a low key evening and stop for a pizza. What a pleasant surprise we had when we stopped by the Boulevard Diner, located right on the street on the Dutch side, where the pizza was great and the service was wonderful. We ended up staying much later than anticipated and hung out at its cute little bar (if you smoke, they have free cigarettes at the bar!!). Our last evening we spent at Il Nettuno in Grand Case. What a great experience!! The service was the best we had, the meals were fabulous. For starters, my husband had the fried mozzarella, my brother had the escargot and I had a salad. For the main course, I had the Shrimp Fra Diavolo and my husband and brother each had pasta dishes which they enjoyed. The portions are so large, but somehow we managed to save room for dessert. The Chocolate Mousse was out of this world!
  Overall, we had all pleasant experiences at each of our dining experiences. I would definitely recommend spending more time in Grand Case, which we plan to do on our next visit."
• Dining in St. Martin March 13 - March 20 by Skip Drum and Alan Gross [March 25, 2000]
  "We just returned from our first trip to St. Martin, and we really appreciated the guidance we received from your readers!
  First, some overall comments. We mostly ate in Grand Case, and we found that reservations were usually not required, although we did make one for the Rainbow Saturday night to get a table overlooking the water. The parking in Grand Case is horrific, and we even received a ticket one night although we were legally parked! In our experience, the food comes very quickly, especially the main dish if no appetizer or salad had been ordered, but we were never rushed to finish. Further, one has to explicitly ask for the check. And finally, being non-smokers, we were often quite put off by the cigarette and sometimes even cigar smoke. I don't understand how a chef who cares about the taste of his food can tolerate smoking in his restaurant. For example, although we wanted to eat at the Bistro Caraibe, its cave-like architecture with no cross ventilation kept us from taking more than a step inside. In spite of this, we easily managed to have 7 quite enjoyable and tasty dinners. There were so many good-looking restaurants that we were reduced to detailed comparisons such as whether the steak might be prepared in a tempting way -- Skip likes her steak! There were always plenty of seafood possibilities. Or whether the seats looked comfortable -- Le Taitu has benches, so we avoided it.
  And now for our dinners. Being newbies, we had dinner the first night at La Veranda at the Meridien, our lodging. Although the food was good, the service was sometimes lacking, and it turned out to be at the bottom of our experiences. The next night we ate at the Auberge Gourmande. Skip had an excellent steak in roquefort sauce and I an excellent tuna in a sesame crust. Luckily, we at early so that we could beat a hasty retreat when the place started to fill up with smoke. The Restaurant du Soleil was a nice surprise, since this list had had few comments about it. Excellent food, and we sat in a well ventilated area. L'Alabama, too, had excellent food (I had the tuna based on other's comments, and Skip had steak), as well as very attentive service and good cross-ventilation. The Tastevin had good food, but slow service. We actually had to get up to find a server because Skip's steak need a touch more cooking. Good cross-ventilation. We went to L'Escapade for dessert, which was good, but if we had been there any earlier, it would have been pretty smoky. As everyone promised, the Rainbow was a delightful experience. The food was excellent. Skip says the expresso is the best she's ever had. The staff was friendly and joking, as was the owner, although I didn't catch her name. Then we moved on to the Marigot marina. We had a lunch/snack at La Main a la Pate. The food was good, but the highlight there was the "barker" who was pulling customers in off the walkway -- quite a character! And finally, dinner at Jean Dupont was excellent, as well, as was the service, but I'm running out of superlative adjectives!"
• Review of St.Martin's Restaurants by the Chicago Foursome [March 20, 2000]
  "Just returned after 2 weeks in Paradise. Our group has been to St Martins a number of times and of all the wonderful activites to enjoy, all four of us feel the restaurants make the trip worthwhile. What follows is our composite views of the places we visited on this trip. We ususally would order four different appertizers and main courses and then share (each of us had the opportunity to taste 4 appertizers and main courses....the only way to go!!). We then rated each one on a 16 point system. This is our purely subjective view....here we go:
  

  Restaurant          Location       Points(Max 16)    Comments
  ----------          --------       --------------    --------
  1.  Rainbow         Grand Case         15.5          Consistantly superior or 20 years
  1a. Marios          Near Marigot       15.5          Mussels are a must
  3.  Chanteclair     Marigot Marina     12.5          2 years in a row...on the water
  3a. Tropicana       Marigot Marina     12.5          Great service...best dessert
  5.  Pressoir        Grand Case         12.0          Visit the wine cellar
  6.  Piccolo         Cul de Sac         11.5          Creative Menu
  7.  Taitu           Cul de Sac         10.0          Creole...fun place
  8.  Alabama         Grand Case          8.0          Just fair...what did we miss??
  9.  SoleLuna        Near Cul de Sac     7.5          Relatively new...could improve

  Everybody has their opinion on restaurants and hope this helps."
• Too Many Restaurants -- Not Enough Time!!! by Lee Marc Stein [March 16, 2000]
  "Returned from St. Martin on 3/14 after a two week stay. First week spent with sister Susan (see review from 3/4). I can only "ditto" her comments. The second week spent with my husband, Lee. Some additions: Zee Best profetteroles on the island were at Tropicana and fabulous chocolate souffle at Antoines. We did make it to Mario's Bistro for the "to die for killer duck" and garlic mashed potatoes. (sorry Susan!) Lee has decided that next year we'll have to go there twice -- the duck is a must, but the other dishes sound too good to be missed as well. We found a new surprise to be added to the list -- Thai Garden in Sandy Ground. It's advertised as a Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese restaurant, but whatever, it's outstanding. The decor is very attractive, and the food more than delicious. It's a great change from all the French food. I had shrimps in a red curry and coconut milk sauce. The sauce added to the rice was not to be believed. Try it, if you like something different. Our first time at Tropicana was also fabulous. The ambiance of the harbor and the people was delightful. L'Alabama continues to be a favorite -- Karen and Pascal are such charming hosts; you really are considered special -- love their mahi, mahi with banana, rum sauce. Thanks to all for all your reviews!"
• Restaurant recommendations by Walter R. Green [March 15, 2000]
  "We just got back from St. Maarten/St. Martin, and have a couple of excellent recommendations for dinner on the French side:
  1. Sol e Luna: Located near Orient Beach; a somewhat eclectic menu, excellent, knowledgeable and friendly service, great food!
  2. Mango: Located in the Hotel Alizea, (near Orient Beach); French cuisine, with a delicate touch. Excellent.
  Also, a correction: Lee's, on the Dutch side, is open for dinner (We had dinner there twice!) A fun place with good food and the most reasonable prices of anyplace on the island!
  As far as we could tell (we were at St. Maarten/St.Martin for 10 nights) it is just about impossible to get a bad meal there! Every night was a delight--we ate at Saratoga--first rate! Another great place near Simpson Bay is Lynette's--a really good buffet on Wednesday nights!"
• St.Martin Eats by Charles & Eileen Shestack [March 13, 2000]
  "We visited St. Martin, one of our favorite islands, from February 26 to March 6th, 2000. This was the first time that we stayed on the French side, and we loved it. Our hotel was the Little Key Beach Hotel in French Cul De Sac. It is a delightful small place, if you like QUIET. Nicole, the manager is always around, and a nicer hotel manager we've yet to meet. Her staff is great, friendly and of course French. Breakfast can be included, so make sure you have that deal, because there is no other place without at least a ten-minute drive. Car rentals are available on site, which we did, but if we go there again, we will pick up a car at the airport, just to avoid the hassle of the bus ride. If you don't know the island, use a taxi or bus service the first time. Unless you know exactly how to get to your Hotel on the French side it can be tricky.
  Our choice of restaurants and our opinions follow:
  Our personal ratings range from fair, good, excellent, wonderful, superb, to Incredible. We never hit a "poor" in St. Martin. The listing is in no particular order, more a chronological eating experience then any other.
  Le Cottonier, French Cul de Sac. A delightful eating experience. Dinner for two was only $69.00 including a glass of wine for each of us. We both had Onion Soup, which was quite good, and very reasonably priced. I had the Prawn Fricassee was 4 very large Prawns in a nice sauce, but it rated only a NICE, where Eileen's Fish stew was an Excellent. Almost every night my wife indulged in a Crhme Brulee, and here it was Excellent. They have a delightful young waitress, although she was the only server we saw in two hours. Service is a little slow, but worth the wait.
  Fishpot, Grand Case. This restaurant is always good. We had lunch there this trip, since we wanted to fit in as many different restaurants as possible, and you can't do them all for dinner. This is an "always eat at place" when we are in St Martin. Surprisingly their Onion Soup rated only a Fair to Good from both of us. Everything else rated an Excellent. This is a very expensive spot. Lunch will cost almost as much as dinner in any good restaurant. Actually Lunch here cost more then dinner at Le Cottonier. Great attentive service.
  Le Tastevin, Grand Case is one of our favorite restaurants anywhere. We reserved a table for two on the water, and actually got that table. We started with their excellent Caesar salad, which rates among the best we ever had, truly wonderful. Their Duck Salad would be incredible but the chef was a little too heavy with the salt. However the Lamb Chops and Beef with Bernaise both were truly incredible. This is a very expensive place, but if you can handle it, don't miss it. The service is still among the best you'll see anywhere.
  Lee's Roadside Grill, Simpson Bay Road is not to be missed for their Grilled Ribs, and Chicken. They are incredibly good. Not much to say but unless you have a cast iron coating in your mouth be careful with the Matouk's sauces on the table. Forget about the cast iron stomach, this stuff can destroy your mouth. With moderation on the sauces these barbecues with their dry rubs are an inspiration. Very reasonably priced and they also serve dinner.
  Paradisio at Orient Beach is a nice place to hang out. Felix and Jeffrey the two beach attendants (I hate to use Boys to describe grown men) are great. They will arrange to serve you lunch from this really nice beach restaurant right at your chaise lounge. Delphi the owner speaks almost no English, so if you want to converse with her, either brush up on your French or get the waitress to interpret. Only place we found on the island with advertised Kosher meat products, We ended up using their beachfront every afternoon.
  Le Taitu in Mont Vernon was a nice find. A Creole place that we found on the road, while exploring. While reading the menu we had just about decided to skip it, when one of the owners drove up. Two seconds later we were reading that night's specials; we made reservations, and had a great meal. Eileen had a Creole Crab dish, and I had Red Snapper in a pink peppercorn sauce. I was hesitant about giving her any of Red Snapper because while I'm not a fish lover, this was just too good. Both entrees were excellent. My wife had a homemade ice cream and I had the most incredible desert coffee, served hot with liquor and coffee ice cream. We did not have wine this night because we had drinks at the hotel bar earlier, an
  • Bananas, Simpson Bay recommended by Linda Mynatt [June 27, 2000]
    "The most delightful place we found to eat on Saint Maarten was a little spot called Bananas. D IL Nettuno, Grand Case was a disappointment only for the matter of lackadaisical service. We've eaten there before and had wonderful service. That was non existent on this visit. The Snail soup was Excellent but the Caesar salad was really only fair, and it was the most expensive Salad anywhere. But then I had their Shrimp Fra Diavlo, and Eileen had the Quail. She gave her dinner a very good. My shrimp were superb. Very large portions. This was the only night we skipped dessert. It would have been impossible to eat another mouthful. The food is still good, but for a place that is advertised as reasonably priced in the St Martin guides, we found it to be pretty expensive.
    Another Orient Beach "Shack" worth checking out is Pedro's Beach Bar. It is the original Orient Beach Shack, and we first found them 25 years ago, when they were the only game in town. Pedro's has lunchtime entertainment, in season, and their grill turns out stuff even better the Lee's, if that's possible. They also feature dry rubs and Matouk's' on the table. Here the waitress will explain the differences between them. Simply put the redder the stuff in the bottle the hotter it is. I LOVE hot and Spicy food, but this stuff got to me. I love it, but be careful.
    L'Alabama in Grand Case is across the street so no watching the water, but this was to become our new St Martin best of the best. She had a Red Snapper that was as good as mine at Taitu, and I had a Duck that was to die for. Their Creme Brulee rated higher then any other to date. A wonderful choice and not really expensive. Dinner was under $100, which for Grand Case is cheap.
    OUR NEW BEST OF THE BEST goes to L'Auberge Gourmande, also in Grand Case. I am looking at the bill for dinner and see only $81.00 with Wine, Irish Coffee, Crhme Brulee, Escargot, Onion soup, Foiegras, and Beef Tenderloin. That's like eating in a NJ diner, price wise. My beautiful wife choose to have an appetizer Foiegras as her main course since our waiter told her that it was a LARGE portion. It was. The beef was as good as Tastevin's and I already said that was the best. Our server Christophe was one of the best we've had anywhere. He looks like a young Billy Crystal, and thinks he is with a French accent. While Billy may be funnier Christophe's service is excellent. Arnaud his helper, and Leila the hostess all contributed to make this our last night on this trip memorable. Food and service could not have been better anywhere.
    Unfortunately there is no report on Mario's Bistro in Sandy Ground. Since we didn't call ahead, from home, he couldn't find us a table, for any night. We both have a feeling Mario's is the current "IN SPOT", replacing La Sontal, which replaced La Vie En Rose. It may be the "PLACE". Also since Sandy Ground is much closer to the Casino action on the Dutch side, that may be a reason for it's popularity. We didn't eat there so it's only our thoughts about it. We'll take Grand Case for the best collection of gastronomical delights anywhere."
  • Le Cottage, Grand Case recommended by Art Hobbs [March 8, 2000]
    "Le Cottage - My wife and I have had five excellent vacations to St. Martin and look forward to many more. We have had the opportunity to enjoy many restaurants during our visits, and our favorites are in Grand Case. The one we go to at least twice in our week`s stay is Le Cottage. The menu is wonderful - just try the rack of lamb! Once in each holiday I always get Bruno to do a lobster for me - match it with a great bottle of wine (from the extensive list), and sit back and enjoy Grand Case! From the very first time we went to Le Cottage just to try it we have been made to feel like old and special friends by Bruno, Stephane, and everyone on staff. There is recently a new chef who has an amazing eye for presentation, so the dinners are even better than before. First, you eat with your eyes..... I heartily recommend anyone try Le Cottage. Excellent food, fine wine, and the friendliest people I`ve met on the island."
  • from Susan.......Feb. 22-March 4 by Tabascoo [March 5, 2000]
    "Thanks to your reviews, ate in some great new restaurants this year. Really loved Don Camillo's - had the veal ala Bob recommended and the sample platter. Both out of this world. The restaurant is very charming. Also ate in Tropicana which we liked very much. Enjoyed the rack of lamb with goat cheese and the seafood salad for an appertizer - big enough for two. Also had wonderful meals at Presssoir and Tastevin and of course L'Alabama. One of my biggest disappointments of the trip was that I had to cancel my reservation at Mario's Bistro do to a virus. Waited one year to have the "killer duck" and will just have to wait another! Had some great meals in Phillipsburg. Antoines - always a great fillet in peppercorn sauce and one of our favorites - LeBecFin. Spent a great night at Spartacus and then went to the new Princess Casino. Very nice. Spartacus is very special - the food is excellent. The shrimp in garlic sauce is delicious and so is the eggplant appertizer. The diet starts tomorrow!!!!!
  • Notes on St.Martin Dining 2/14/00 - 2/20/00 by Janet Weinberg [February 24, 2000]
    "We booked reservations for each either the day of or prior to.
    Marigot
    Tropicana - located on the Marigot Marina (note there is also the Marigot Harbor but we didn't try any restaurants there). The Marina is very pretty. It has restaurants on the perimeter of a dock; this was the only restaurant we tried on the Marina, based on a recommendation to me. Very good French food, nice atmosphere, lively. They give you complimentary banana rum after dinner drinks that are very good. After a bottle of wine, I'd only recommend one as two were a bit much for me! Phone 87 52 88
    Zee Best - (no reservations needed, casual)
    good for breakfast or lunch; excellent croissants; also salads, crepes, omelettes; located on the back streets of the Marina; counter for take-out or sit down service. We had heard about and stumbled upon it walking around; probably easiest to ask someone to point out for exact location.
    Mario's Bistro - (just beyond Marigot in Sandy Beach) We were disappointed that we didn't get to try this French one as it seemed to be recommended by people on the net. They were booked in advance about two weeks ahead (which says something). You may want to give a call in advance. Phone 87 06 36 (from U.S. dial 011 590 and 6 digits)
    Philipsburg - note: dial 5995 from French to Dutch side
    Antoine - This is the only one we tried in Philipsburg on the Dutch side. Located on Front Street. It was nice b/c it looks out onto the water. Food was good, but it was on the quieter side when we went. It was nice to try and had no complaints, but wasn't one of my favorites. Phone (5995) 22964
    Cul De Sac
    Le Cotonnier - this is located on the French side; we tried it (based on a recommendation) on our first night b/c we hadn't rented a car yet and it was close to our hotel. The food was good (it's listed as Creole). The service was nice. The atmosphere was ok. It's not on the water and it's on the quieter side. But again the food was good and they bring over complimentary after dinner drinks. Phone 87 44 56
    Grand Case
    Our two favorite restaurants were located here on the French side.
    l'Auberge Gourmande - located along a street lined with restaurants; excellent French food and service; nice atmosphere (though not on the water); while we waited briefly for a table we were offered their special drink, an apricot champagne cocktail which they didn't charge us for. Phone 87 73 37
    Sebastiano - not located along the same street; great Italian food; located on the water (though the shades were closed when we were there b/c of the wind). I recommend their special dish on the menu - black ravioli stuffed with lobster in a shrimp sauce (very good)! Phone 87 58 86
    We also went to Portofino in Grand Case. Very, very casual. Good for pizzas. They were supposed to have live music the night we went, but to our disappointment the band cancelled. I think they have live music Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and perhaps Tuesdays. It was on the quiet side. It was fine, but I don't know that we would give it another try."
  • Gastronomic Capital of the Caribbean by DuPont Funeral Home [February 21, 2000]
    "When we are in St. Martin, we have to dine at Mario's Bistro at least once. Our experiences have been very satisfying. The cold antipaste at DaLivio's is the best we have ever had. When we are looking for a very American meal, a big slab of tender beef - we go to Rancho. There is one on both sides of the island, one in Marigot and one in Simpson's Bay. They serve Argentinian beef and it is excellent. Their prices are very reasonable."
  • Restaurant report by Tom and Sara Tetting [February 15, 2000]
    "I just wanted readers to know that my wife and I copied about 15 pages of everyone's restaurant opinions prior to our first trip to St. Maartin over New Year's Eve. Primarily I want to thank you long time repeat visitors for your good advice, thanks! We were there only 8 days and we had some great adventures. I will only say, so as not to bore some, that the best meal of my life was served at Le Tastevin in Grand Case! This includes my visits to many 5 star restaurants around the world....and New Orleans over 25 years. The owners were gracious and generous, the service impeccable and there was absolutely no trace of any hurricane damage, the place was spotless and perfect as only the French are so practiced at achieving! Maybe I'll throw in a bit of gratitude for the excellent wine list at the Pelican Resort home restaurant too, and I guess I ought to mention the absolutely great buffet and party at Indiana's New Year's Eve!Thanks for keeping up the website."
  • Two excellent restaurants in Sint Maarten by Susan and Charles Kerr [February 15, 2000]
    "We have just returned from a month on Sint Maarten/St. Martin. We have an excellent time share (2 weeks every even year) at La Vista, Pelican Key - Tel: 5995 43005/Fax: 5995 43010/email anlavi@megatropic.com and we extended another two weeks at Guana Bay Villas. We have eaten at many restaurants on the island and find them all good. However, I have never seen a recommendation for The Hideaway Restaurant, which is La Vista's home restaurant. We always eat there at least twice a week. They serve breakfast and lunch every day and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. They have an excellent menu and a lovely setting by the pool. This year we were hooked on fish and their grouper is excellent - highly recommended.
    Our very favourite restaurant is Bistrot Caraibes in Grand Case - 81 Bd de Grand Case, 97150 St. Martin. Tel: 05 90 29 08 29 - email bistrot@powerantilles.com. Thibault and Valerie are marvellous hosts and the food is to die for. This year a marvellous striped bass and delicious whole red snapper; appetizers of lobster bisque and endive/blue cheese salad were excellent and a marvellous creme brulee.
    We spent one evening at Il Nettuno, also in Grand Case and had a very good meal, but it did not compare favourably to Bistrot Caraibes.
    So now we have to wait until 2002 - oh dear."
  • Pictures by Sabine Mauclere (click on thumbnail for enlargement) [February 9, 2000]

    1/ Here is the photo of the boo boo jam restaurant, a beach restaurant on orient beach in which they cook excellent grilled lobsters (from left to right: angel, sabine & friend)
    2/ Here is the outside of the restaurant LA CABANE BAMBOU (already mentioned in the web surfers favourites) in october 98, april 99, august 99.
    3/ Gilles (the chef, waiter & owner) in the opened kitchen, you can enjoy & see the way he cooks.
    4/ A dinner t Gille's at LA CABANE BAMBOU with a wonderful meal with lobster!

  • Eating in St. Martin (Jan.27-31, 2000) by Faith and Allen Lubnick [February 8, 2000]
    "We just returned from the sun and fun in wonderful St. Martin from January 17 through the 31st only to return to piles and piles of snow. We want to go back. Since that is not possible now, let me share with all of you again our humble and personal interpretations of the places that we ate. The island was not overwhelmed with people this year. We were told that many people had cancelled due to worry over hurricane damage. However, I must start with the most amazing experience that we had concerning restaurants and our review of last year dated February 3, 1999. In that review, I spoke about Mario's Bistro. We decided to try it again this year in the hopes that either the menu or service might have changed. They called to confirm our reservation (so they said) and when we returned their call the person on the telephone asked my husband if it was his wife that was responsible for the review on the Internet last year. He response was yes, it most likely was. They informed him that they were going to cancel our reservation because of that review and my husband told them not to bother because we would be canceling it ourselves. Now, it seems to me in my simple mind, that this restaurant as well as all others on this island, is a service organization and that a happy customer is or should be number one on the agenda. I assumed that they would have been happy that we were trying it again. And, that they would have wanted to be sure that it was an experience that would be more enjoyable this time. Nevertheless, they are so big and pompous that they would not let us darken their doorstep. No one, in my mind, is that big or that good or, for that matter, that special that they can throw away customers. Especially after the rest of the wonderful, delightful meals that we had around this island, where everyone greeted us as well as all patrons with open arms and smiling faces. We even considered going under another name just to see whether there was any change, but decided not to waste our time and dollars. What ego's! We WILL discourage anyone that we know or meet from ever going there again. I'm sure that this will not upset the restaurant when they read this opinion since they seem to think that they are above patrons opinions. They obviously feel that they do not need to let their patrons know that they are important to their business. Let me now begin our combined review, which is much more fun.
    L'AUBERGE GOURMANDE: (Grand Case)
    This was a first for us and, I must say, that we were delighted with the entire experience. The staff was pleasant and entertaining. The food and presentation were described in detail. Our food was delightful and cooked to perfection. I had rack of lamb, very rare, and it could not have been better. I would absolutely recommend this restaurant and would enjoy a return visit.
    TROPICANA: Marigot
    This restaurant was recommended by a number of people. It is located in the Marina Port La Royale. We enjoyed it so much that we returned for a second visit. The hospitality was wonderful. I had a seafood salad as a first course and could not believe the size of the portion. It would make a wonderful lunch by itself. I then had their chicken stuffed with lobster. The chicken was done perfectly. Not dry. My husband had it the second time we went. I had the fresh Dover sole with the butter sauce on the side and it was, again, perfectly cooked. The desserts are first rate if you have the room for it. The fish soup was very good, but not the best on the island. This is a delightful place to eat in the marina. It is not too small as most of the places in that area are and they do not jam you in. We met a delightful couple from Massachusetts there and we spoke of all of our dining experiences on the island. They will not go to Mario's Bistro.
    L'ALABAMA: Grand Case
    Allen and I find this our very favorite restaurant on the entire Island of St. Martin. Karen and Pascal have become dear friends because we visit them so often during our vacations. The atmosphere is warm and friendly and the dicor has been changed just enough to assure more comfort for their guests. This year, the menu has been enlarged and only for the better. I had a tuna steak with a lime and Tamerind sauce, which I had two of the three times we ate there. Their fish soup IS the best on the island as far as we are concerned. Allen had the duck and said that it was by far the finest presentation and, of course, tastes that he has ever had. The waiters are friendly and go out of their way to make your dining experience more than pleasant. Many of the new dishes are lighter and are a pleasant welcome after eating so many large, rich dishes in other restaurants. Their portions are not small by any means, but some dishes definitely have a lighter taste and are not rich. Their desserts are creative and very delicious. Pascal had bottle of 1966 Port, which is my favorite dessert by far, but Allen indulged and swooned over every mouthful. By the way, the couple that we met at the Tropicana ate there on our recommendation and could not stop thanking us for the tip. They said, "This was the best meal that we have had on the island." We delight in being at this restaurant and have never, never been disappointed. The wine list, according to Allen, is ZEE BEST.
    ZEE BEST: Marigot
    How could we not have visited Danny at Zee Best for the best breakfast. The pastries are as close to heaven as you can get and the omelets are light and airy. Fresh squeezed orange juice and delicious coffee. People come back year after year. We even met his baby who is now a year old. Try it, you will love everything about it.
    LE PRESSOIR:Grand Case
    This, if any, was our only real disappointment. Last year we had an impeccable meal, which ended, if any one recalls, with a drop-dead chocolate concoction, which just oozed when you cut into it. Unfortunately this year it was obviously overcooked and was missing the ooze which was the highlight of this dessert. The meal was good but not spectacular as last year. I was disappointed and so was Allen. He had the duck entrie and said that the duck was so very tough that he could hardly cut it.
    IL NETTUNO:Grand Case
    This place seems to be getting better each year that we arrive at their doorstep. I have to mention that we spent the month of October in Italy traveling and eating. I guess that means that we are spoiled and, in some cases of things that we cannot get in this country, I guess that is correct. However, we now know that they have a new chef who is from the Lake Como area of Italy (near Milan). I had a fried veal cutlet with a wonderful light salad on top that could stand up against the best. The seafood salad was slightly over cooked, but decent. We had pasta, which as cooked al dente and not over-sauced as it was last year. The waiters are efficient and the owner is delighted to have you there and goes out of his way to give you attention. The wine list is fair, but acceptable. It is on the water, which makes for a pleasant dining experience when the weather is calm. We enjoyed our interlude at this restaurant.
    LE PICCOLO CAFÉ: Cul-De-Sac
    We spent every day on the beach at the Coco Beach Bar, the cabana boy who was from France gave us some well-recommended suggestions, and this was one. We liked it so much that we revisited it again before we left. There are many rumors surrounding the chefs of this establishment, but, the one that they gave us is as follows. One chef was one of the original chefs at L'Alabama and the second was a chef at the Rainbow restaurant which has a connection with, you got it, Mario's Bistro. In any case, this is a must try. It is not fancy by any means. Plastic chairs, paper napkins. Just good, no great, food presented in a delightful manner. But, let's start at the beginning. All of the tables are on the outside of the building with only a roof to separate you from the elements. Can't imagine what it would be like in a driving rain. In any case, the young man came and described the specials for the evening with such delight and enthusiasm that we were hard put to make a choice. Of course, there was also the menu. The specials, by the way, change twice a week so that it is never boring. On the first evening, Allen had a rib salad, which consisted of roasted ribs shredded over beautiful lettuces. I had snails in puff pastry, which was light and wonderful. I will not be wordy in this review except to say that it is worth a try. They are eager to please and the price is right. The wine selection is simple but acceptable. The second night we brought a couple with us who Allen used to play stick ball with in Paterson, New Jersey some 50+ years ago. He recognized him on the beach. Therefore, they joined us. Needless to say, we closed the place and they were so very patient in waiting and in not pressuring us in the least to leave.That is what a restaurant is to us!
    L'INEDIT: Rue Victor Maurasse - Marigot
    This is another one was suggested by our cabana boy. This is a charming looking restaurant. The service is obviously new and nervous, but they definitely do try to accommodate your every wish. To begin the meal I had what they called stuffed mussels, these were actually mussels with garlic and parsley baked on top. They were perfect with not too much of any spice, yet full of flavor with the fresh mussel taste right there in the front line. Allen had the duck for a main course and thought that it was good but not great.
    The prices were very reasonable and the wine list was satisfactory. I do not think that I would specifically jump to go here, but if you are in Marigot and do not want to spend the money on the atmosphere and the crowds at the marina, this is worth a try.
    SOL E LUNA: Mont Vernon.
    This somewhat new restaurant is one of the larger establishments in St. Martin. It is very deceiving from the outside. We ate on the surrounding veranda that was delightful until the wind and rain picked up and we hat to wait for the waiter to pull down the bamboo shades to stop the mess. However, there were people outside under a very large oriental umbrella got soaking wet, but their food was not only ruined and had to be remade. The inside dining room seems to be the place to be and be seen. Try to get in there.
    Now to the food! My appetizer was good, but not great. Goat cheese, mozzarella, roasted peppers and, I am sorry to say I do not remember what else was in it. It was not memorable, but decent. I had shrimp and scallops for my main course and I must say that no where on the island did I have seafood so impeccably cooked. Allen had profiterals for dessert and said that they were not remarkable. I would definitely suggest trying this restaurant. One main course was a lamb dish, which is cooked for 7 hours. One couple tried it and said that it was interesting."
  • Michaels, Grand Case recommended by Robert L. Jones [February 6, 2000]
    "If you are near Grand Case you MUST visit Michaels! Michael and Marilyn are dropouts from the corporate world in Boston and since the job Michael left was as a country club chef the foos is super! They serve American style breakfasts that are a hearty break from the European fare in most of the local eateries. Lunch features REAL sausage sanwiches that are to die for! Happy hour prices are so cheap that you'll feel guilty. This is a very casual place and they close around 7 PM since they only serve breakfast and lunch; but they'll stay later and party with you if the mood strikes."
  • SXM Restaurants by Corinne and Steve, Columbia,MD [January 30, 2000]
    "We just got back, and can say that even though there is significant hurricane damage, primarily on the dutch side, the important things that we come to St. Martin for are intact. That is, the beaches, the shopping, the weather, Marigot, and of course, the dining. The restaurants below are all approximately at the same price point, about $100 per couple give or take, depending on whether you share an appetizer or dessert, or splurge on foie gras, for instance. That's three courses, wine and tip. Over the past nine years, the four of us ( we dine with my sister and brother-in-law) account for over 250+ St. Martin dinners.
    Bistro des Arts Artisticaly presented food in a nice Marigot marina setting. Good service, delicious food, lively area. A fun evening. Bring a camera and take some food pictures. Live lobster in a huge tank in the middle of the dining room. Fabulous desserts. Friendly staff.
    Tropicana Even with the additional tables, always crowded. And for good reason. Excellent food (try the lobster with mushroom sauce), great marina location, and terrific desserts by their new pastry chef. They could use another hand serving tables, however. Reservations a must.
    L'Alabama A superb evening of dining, always. A step above when it comes to service, food quality,and setting (beautiful outdoor dining room, with wonderful art and furnishings). Excellent in every way. In Grande Case. Reservations essential.
    LaRosa too A disappointing first try. Uneven food and unpleasant service. At this price, we expect a lot more. Especially with the Maho area pretty much shut down due to hurricane Lenny.You would think they would smother us with service just for stopping by.
    Mario's Bistro In Sandy Ground, near Marigot, overlooking the channel. No wonder it's difficult to get a reservation. Sensational contemporary french food, served with deft professionalism, a great location, large portions ( the rack of lamb was at least twice that of L'Alabama's), a pretty dining room, and therefore hard to beat for value in St. Martin. Our new favorite!
    Le Mahogany In Oyster Pond area, at the L'Mississippi hotel. After a torturous car trip from Phillipsburg ( the dutch roads are almost impassable ), we arrived exhausted and hungry. Unfortunately, we were rewarded with an interminable three hour marathon of a meal. No matter how good the food is, an hour between courses is ridiculous. To be advertising an establishment and not be capable of handling ten dinners at once is a travesty. You could easily spend $125 per couple here. We felt ripped off.
    Le Pressoir In Grande Case, to the right as you enter town. Always one of our best meals. This is a place that you wish was in your home town so that you could eat here regularly. It's in a quaint historic house, beautifully decorated and tastefully furnished. The most interesting visual presentations of delicious food one could imagine. Try the fabulous veal chop. Excellent wine list. The only negative was having to ask for water refills a couple of times. But all in all, a special place. Reserve in advance.
    Other recommended places:
    In Marigot:
    
    • LeChanticlair
    • Brasserie de le Gare (moderate bistro)
    • Le Colibri (for croissants)
    • Zee Best (for breakfast)
    • La Diva (moderate Italian)
    • La Residence (upstairs hotel dining room)
    In Grande Case:
    • L'Auberge Gourmande
    • Le Bistro Caraibes
    • Le Cottage
    • Hevea
    • Le Rainbow
    In Cul de Sac:
    • Le Picolo Cafe"
  • Mario's DaLivio, Tropicana, and others reviewed by Hettie Maidman [January 26, 2000]
    "We have just returned form a two week stay on the island, our semi-annual trip slightly later than usual since our time-share is closed due to the hurricane and we had to trade for another "home".
    Mario's is always on our list and this trip we were there twice. It was excellent, as usual and we were fortunate to have both meals on "mussel nights". The mussels are, by far, the best we've ever tasted. Martine will only serve the ones from Prince Edward Island, large. plump and flavorful. We had othe mussels at BDLG an the difference was quite apparant. Our main courses were also up to the standards we have come to expect from this fine restaurant. A word of advice; do not expect to be seated without a reservation and do make on well ahead of going. We call from home just to be sure.
    Tropicana is also a delightful spot. Gilles is an excellent host and the meats are exceptional. I usually order the Filet Gran'mere. Very unusual. I love being on the marina anyway, and this location is great for people-watching as well as food. Look out for the complimentary banana rum at the end of the meal. It really sneaks up on you.
    We love DaLivio's. Daniel is just the perfect host and the food is top-notch. The veal chops are the best on the island. I've had at least 15 of them over the years and never had a disappointment. Of course, the fish and seafood are as tempting. I'm just in a rut and love my choice.
    Bdlg (Brasserie de la Gare) on the Marina is always fun and good and we ate there twice. I usually have steak tartare, mainly because it's so hard to find on any menu here and I feel that if they are not afraid to serve it, I'm not afraid to order it. It is a classic, delicious choice served with heaps of excellent pomme frites. Love the pizza there also. Grilled lobster also seems very popular; saw lots of people eating it.
    Do avoid Goodfellow's in Simpson's Bay shopping center. It was very over-priced and the food was terrible. In that same center is Saratoga; fabulous by comparison and for about the same $$$. We always enjoy Saratoga, atmosphere and staff are part of a special evening there.
    I could go on and on since we have 12 years and about 20 trips under our ever-expanding belts. SXM remains the gourmet capital of the Caribbean."
  • Favorites of nicksrh [January 20, 2000]
    "We are in the middle of a three week stay in St. Martin and have eaten at quite a few restaurants...some new and some repeats. We are staying in Grand Case and have eaten at quite a few estaurants in this area.
    Rainbow (Grand Case)-We have eaten here twice. The food was excellent both times, the mussel appetizer special was the best I have ever had, but the service left something to be desired on the first trip. Things had greatly improved our second time in even though they were much busier.
    L'Alabama (Grand Case)-Ate here for the first time and had a wonderful meal. Both food and service were excellent. Fabulous ceasar salad, mahi-mahi in a banana rum sauce and duck. Will probably eat here again this trip.
    Bistrot Caraibes (Grand Case)-This was a first time as well. We went here for my boyfriends birthday. He loved his meal...especially the tomato, duck, and goat cheese tart they served for an appetizer. I had the Red snapper and mussels in a saffron sauce that was there house specialty, I thought it was ok, not seasoned enough though. The owners were very nice and we did have a good evening here.
    California (Grand Case)-We love to come here for crepes. I love the citron crepes! We also discovered that they make a fabulous lasagna. I prefer coming here for a snack or dessert but not for dinner.
    Portofino (Grand Case)-This is a great little place for an easy, cheap, but good meal. We've been here several times. The pizzas are great as is the gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce. They have live bands on Wednesday and Sunday I believe. There is also a great little bakery next door that we visit religiously for cappucino and pastries every morning. Around the marina in Marigot are quite a few fun places to go.
    Tropicana-This is our new favorite! We had somehow passed this up on previous years but will never again. We had two wonderful meals and great service. The wait staff works very hard to please and it pays off. I had the nems for an appetizer both times, the fettucini and shrimp one night and the mahi-mahi another. My boyfriend had lamb chops au gratin both times, and we had gran marnier souffles for dessert. They also serve a banana rum as a complimentary after dinner drink that is very good.
    Le Chanteclair-We had a great meal last year and less than one this year. I had a ravioli appetizer and the grilled lobster which were good. My boyfriend ordered the mahi-mahi in thai curry which was not as good as last year. Portions seemed smaller and service was not nearly as good. The un-nameable dessert was as good as always.
    I would avoid The Cocotiers. We waited 55 minutes before we received our appetizer and we were one of five tables of diners. My pasta (Carbonara) was marginal at best, the waiter forgot the drinks but didn't forget to charge us for them, and only stopped close to our table once even though the restaurant was dead.
    Don Camillo is a wonderful restaurant although we have not made it there yet this trip. I love the gnocchi gorgonzola as well as the rollatini ala bob.
    Brasserie de la Gare- Always busy at night. Had a good croque monsieure and fries.
    La Belle Epoche-Great goat cheese salad. Service here is usually slow.
    La Main en la Pate-My pasta (spaghetti diablo) was so salty I couldn't eat it but my boyfriends (fetuccini with grilled lobster) was great. Will let you know about the rest of the restaurants as we go."
  • Favorites of Kim Casapulla [January 13, 2000]
    "While in St. Martin I was very impressed with the service at Jean DuPont. Their charming staff were extremely polite and accomodating. The atmosphere was very classy and the food was good as well.
    The food at Don Camillos was out of this world. I never dreamed of eating such quality Italian food while on an island. I highly recommend both of these places on the French side."
  • Lee's, Simpson Bay recommended by Lee himself :-) [January 4, 2000]
    "LEE`S IS NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK, FROM 11.30 TILL ? SERVING LUNCH TILL 5.00 AND THEN DINNER TILL 11.00PM. LIVE ENTERTAINMENT EVERYNITE AT 8.00PM. STILL THE SAME LOCAL CAUGHT FISH, LOBSTER, RIBS AND CHICKEN LEE`S NOW HAS OPEN AIR SEATING FOR APPROX. 100 PEOPLE. ONE OF THE BUSIEST RESTAURANTS ON THE ISLAND"
  • More reviews:
    • Most Recent
    • January 1 - June 30, 1999
    • July 1 - December 31, 1998
    • January 1 - June 30, 1998
    • 1997

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