Naples restaurant question
 

We will be in Naples first week in May for a long weekend (Thurs-Sun)and have three nights for dinner. We are staying at Ritz Golf and will have one dinner there. On Sat. Night we can only make a late dinner (around 9 pm). On thursday we can eat any time. My thought was to go to balleen for a sunset dinner on thursday night and then to Campiellos on Sat night for a late dinner. Only problem is we did want to stroll 5th ave or another area that is nice to walk after dinner and are wondering if it is too late to do so at 10:30 on a Sat. Night the first week in May. Should I have dinner at Campiellos on Thurday night instead and stroll around 9:30, and eat a late dinner at Baleens on Sat. night instead, missing the sunset but still eating on moonlit beach? Any thoughts? thanks.

First - Campiellos was a pricey nightmare - soooo crowded, service was beyond terrrible and the food was OK. Do go to Tommy Bahama's - it's the best ! I think we go to Naple just for that restaurant.

Campiellos was more crowded than Tommy Bahama's? Are you kidding me? And the food and service were better? Must have been very off nights at both. I've eaten at both a couple dozen times. Tommy Bahamas is indeed a little cheaper (but not much since their price increases). And it is more casual and laid back. But they don't have award winning chefs or that wonderful Tuscan wood oven. I hope you didn't make the mistake of just ordering a pasta at Campiello instead of their specialties from the wood ovens.

Of course I also know people who like TGI Friday's better than Campiello, so what do I know?

Neopolitan:
Thanks for responding to my posts. You had suggested maybe doing sunset at the pier in response to my other post. Is there any restaurant at pier that I could have dinner at? Any other restaurants with nice water views that are within a 20 minute walk from 5th avenue if I decide to ditch the Baleen idea completely, keep my late Sat night Campiello reservation and find a water view restaurant closer to downtown for Thursday night? Thanks.

There are no restaurants or shops at the pier. Naples is rather unique in that within the city, and certainly in that part of "olde Naples" the beach is nothing but private residences. Campiello is just a couple blocks away as is Tommy Bahamas.

Do not give up Balleen or Campiello for any of the much less exciting waterfront places in Naples (meaning on the bay or River not on the Gulf.

The next nicest spot to me for waterfront view (looking down the bay between condos though) is Bayside at Venetian Village, between downtown and Vanderbilt, but not worthy of changing your other plans for.

Thanks again. Right now I'm leaning towards keeping my original plan and doing Balleen the first night for a sunset dinner and Campiello late sat night for light dinner (maybe pizza and desert)and then walking to fifth ave and see what's doing around 10:45-11 pm. sat night. I'm sure it's still nice to walk around. We don't need buzzing night-life and may not do anything more than walk. Just want to get a sense of the 5th ave area. Will try to remember to post reviews when I return.