Restaurants in Aruba
 

My family (includes daughters 17 & 20) are going to Aruba in July and would like some restaurant suggestions. Really enjoy ocean views, outdoor dining, etc. Also, what about tipping? Is the service charge I hear about in lieu of tips? What about taxi drivers?

I ate at El Gaucho. If you are a meat lover, you owe yourself the treat. Absolutely the best I have had in years! Now, it's indoors, with strolling guitars, so it may not meet your outdoor criteria. I did not pay attention to the tipping, but did tip the taxis.<BR>Ronnie

The restaurant at the lighthouse is great, and the views are spectacular. I don't recall the name - people call it the "lighthouse restaurant." Your concierge will know or you'll see it in a guidebook. <BR><BR>I second El Gaucho. Don't miss the white wine sangria. Nearby, Garufa is great for martinis & cigars if you're into that. <BR><BR>Enjoy!<BR>

Flying Fishbone has tables right on the beach. If you make reservations for the first seating (6pm), you will get to see the sunset.

My trip report on Aruba is posted at the website below:<BR>http://www.visitaruba.com/guestarea/...s/trip374.html

People rave about El Gaucho's. I personally think the restaurant is way overrated - the service was slow and unattentive, the food was served on wooden plates (which absolutely grossed me out), the restaurants is loud and cramped and the food was just so-so. Maybe we went on a bad night? I don't know - I only know I wouldn't bother returning. <BR><BR>As to the service charges - on our last trip last April, I noticed most of the restaurants that we ate at had done away with the service charge and just went with the straight tip. We ususally gave the taxi drivers $1 to $2 over their fare for a tip.<BR><BR>Enjoy your vacation. Aruba is great!

We have been to Aruba six times and we look forward to dining out --it is really that good. The Pirates Nest restaurant has an ocean view but we have never eaten there. Madame Jeanette's is our favorite restaurant (very popular)--dine in a patio with lots of greenery and twinkling lights. Flying Fishbone right on the beach. For fun, you could dine light and casual one night at Salt and Pepper (tapas best item)--some nights have live music that your daughters would like. View of harbor and excellent dining at L'Escale--more formal than most with strolling musicians. We normally rent a car and drive around the island and to the restaurants so I don't know about taxi drivers. If you rent a car be sure to drive out to Baby Beach (follow Seroe Colorado signs). When dining, we normally leave a small tip although service charge is included if service was very good. Other restaurants we like that do not have a view but excellent dining is French Steakhouse, Pavarotti's and Pago Pago at Wyndham Aruba. You can dine outside in the patio area of a cunucu house at Gasparito's Restaurant (some local cuisine) another of our favorites.

The restaurant that Ted is talking about is the La Trattoria El Faro Blanco (Italian) located next to the California Lighthouse and overlooks Tierra del Sol Resort & Country Club and it is another fine place for dining. The name of the place is Ventanas Del Mar located inside the clubhouse. Both places are excellent and you will need to make reservations for the outdoor terrace, both have breathtaking views of the Caribbean sea, sunset and very romantic. I'm like Linda, I don't particular like El Caucho's either. Amazonia's, Hostaria da Vittorio's, Cuba's Cookin' and French Steakhouse are other recommendations.