Anniversary Dinner

For the first time, my wife and I will be in Sint Maarten for our anniversary in August. Where do you suggest we go for our anniversary dinner on the Dutch side. We are staying in the Maho area and food favorites include seafood, steak and italian. Give me your recommendation and tell me why it is a favorite of yours. Thanks in advance.

I'll give you two suggestions. Since you are staying in Maho I would probably opt for the JAX Steakhouse on Rhine Road. You could walk there which would be very convenient. Menu should be online, and making reservations is usually recommended. If you feel like driving into Philipsburg, my wife and I love dining on the tiered deck at the Ocean Lounge at Holland House Hotel. Really nice and serene as it looks out over Great Bay and the cruise port. Can't go wrong with either choice., IMO.

Moulon Fou is our favorite, great service and food.

Le Moulin Fou, best in Maho in my not so humble opinion.

Another vote for Le Moulin Fou. The food is awesome and the service excellent. The indoor setting could be better but we usually hope for a nice evening with a gentle breeze and dine outside. No breeze blowing or high humidity will chase us inside where the ac keeps us comfy.

I don't think you can go wrong with what has been suggested and I would also consider Isola and Izi if you want Italian.

Funny how it works. We went there 3times and all 3 times it was great disappointment for us. So we stopped trying.

A vote for Moulin Fou, or Jax. Both places will have the ambiance of a fine restaurant, with great service and Excellent food.

That's the way we felt about Sale and Pepe. I think it depends on who you're with sometimes. With a local it's good. Not, not so much.

The first time we just didn’t care for our meal, second time there was issue with service and the third time this never happened to me anywhere else. They brought my husband dinner out, said mine is coming and that was it. I never got my diner. While later some one came over and ask how our dinner was and I told them I never got mine, by that time my husband was done with his so I told them to forget it.

Sounds about normal for what we experienced at one of our three times there. Other two weren't any better. We wrote Sale and Pepe off a few years ago. Haven't tried new location but can't expect it's changed much,.

If we're talking a little more on the up scale side. Try Frenchy Ludo's!! (Airport road) Our friends had a great steak, we had fish dinners. Sat outside, lovely view of the marina. Drinks were to perfection. You're looking at $$ to $$$ all the way around. It was really nice. None of that we'll serve you when we are good and ready, or never bring out dinners at the same time. And OPPS we forgot, can we get you anything? NOT!

Haven't had Marios Bistro since it moved around a bit but is now inside the Cliffs. Always seemed nice, imagine the new location is very pretty too.

snuba,

So sorry you had that experience, and not once but three times. LMF is one place we enjoy every trip at least once and have ever since they first opened there. You’re a better patron than I because, while I believe any restaurant can have a bad night and deserves a second chance, a third is beyond my level of patience.Thankfully we haven’t ever had that experience and will keep it near the top of our must-do list.

erb,

With regard to Mario’s at the Cliff, we were there in April and while it was nice, IMHO, it just didn’t measure up to other evenings we’ve spent at his different locations over the years. At first I thought it was just me but in chatting with the group we were with after the fact, it seems we were all somewhat disappointed. The food was good but not at the level we’d come to expect there and while the service was adequate, again, it just wasn’t at the level of past visits. The setting is nice but again, not incredible. The one thing that remained consistent was the pricing.

And on another note, since the OP specified a place on the Dutch side, he might also try the Palapa Grill in Simpson Bay. We have eaten there several times and each trip has been a pleasure.

And to the OP, it is so difficult to rate the best of anything since all our experiences can be different on any given night. Wherever you ultimately end up, I hope it’s a perfect evening and happy anniversary wishes to you and your spouse and many more to follow.

Last evening was our anniversary and we chose Astra. It was very good.

Closed permanently.

My recommendation to the OP would also have been Le Moulin Fou. I am very surprised and sorry about OP's bad experiences; I have never had a bad meal or bad service there. JAX would be a good choice.

I second the Palapa Grill, we had a marvelous meal there last time on the island, great ambiance, service and food. Definitely will go there again.

Luda

I say that either Bistro Mario or Emilio's (car needed for this) would be my choices but Le Moulin Fou would also be a good choice.

Thanks for all the responses. In the interest of full disclosure, we have been traveling to Sint Maarten for 26 years and have been to most of the places mentioned but I wanted to hear other opinions and experiences in the hope that it would help me make a decision. Carol.....Astra is the one place we haven't been to so I would like to hear what you have to say about it. It was on my list this past April (I even ran off a hard copy of their menu before leaving for Sint Maarten) but we never made it. Their prices seemed to be on the high side although I thought their steak prices were reasonable. Not so worried about the cost as long as the food and experience matches the prices.

Frenchy Ludo's is closed? Any idea when this happened? Tried it a few years ago, sewage smell from the lagoon and a less than memorable meal was enough for me. One and done.

Never a bad experience at Le Moulin Fou, actually good experiences and the same at Jax.

CaribLee--It seems like prices EVERYWHERE have gone way up. Astra is not cheap, for sure, but it was good. Will try to get that report posted this evening, maybe...

Did the Bavaria location become anything else since they have closed?

1. Truth. Not conventional, but go in a few nights before, around 5ish and tell them its your anniversary. Ask to see the Manager/Owner. Pick your table, and state even though others have reported a few issues, plus you do have choices elsewhere, you want them to make it special for you and your partner for obvious reasons. The food is mostly good at Moulin Fou but the service can be "off" and impersonal depending who looks after you.

2. White lie(ahem). Failing that and here where it does get unconventional. You are doing a write up(aren't you ) for a leading food magazine/paper(which actually was what I professionally did for many years) and heard good things, so prove it. Just take plenty of pics, frown a lot, feel if the plate has been heated, dunk nose into food, swill the glass, etc, it looks more convincing(plus we can see those pics). That should do it and might get a free cake and candles

3. Its your special day. No disappointments allowed. Do what it takes to make it perfect, not always easy but achievable........tongue in cheek here for any purists, but hope you get the pic.

Not sure how it's relevant to this topic, but the former Bavaria location is now a Mexican place.

Another vote for Jax, impeccable meal and service every time. Also wonderful after dinner drinks at the bar.

That reminds me of someone on this forum who went to multiple restaurants during their visit, telling each one it was his birthday to get a free dessert. I have too much self-respect to pull such stunts.

I suggest Astra for your anniversary dinner. The setting, food, and service, are all special occasion worthy.

Sale and Pepe in Simpson Bay next to the Texaco Gas Station. Italian.

Chill Gakaye. It’s their anniversary and as I said was tongue in cheek.

I know they are friends of yours but food and service is inconsistent at Sale and Pepe.

Yes, Frenchy Ludo is closed permanently. I think it happened within the last couple of months. I ate there just once and had a fabulous meal with no smell. I am sorry it's closed.