Smuggler's Restaurant — Restaurant in New Providence

I was tasked to do some contract work in Nassau and while there, I thought it might be nice to try this restaurant that I had heard about during my last few trips. I also think it’s important to share my experience.

Upon my arrival just after 2 PM, I noticed that the restaurant was notably quiet, with only two other patrons present. Unfortunately, my initial impression was that my presence seemed to be an inconvenience to the staff.

I was told when walking in that I could sit anywhere, so I made myself comfortable at an end table. Once comfortable, i was asked to relocate to another corner of the restaurant. I obliged and proceeded to look at the menu.

After placing my order, I observed a staff member, identifiable by her long braided blond hair, standing in the corner with her arms crossed. When I inquired about the Wi-Fi password, her response was dismissive, simply stating, “No,” before turning away.

As someone who travels frequently for work, I understand that not every establishment offers Wi-Fi access. However, seeing multiple Wi-Fi networks available that all start with “Smugglers - Guest” suggested that access to the Wi-Fi wouldn’t be a stretch of a request.

While waiting for my food, I witnessed the manager, a woman in a blue blazer, striking one of her employees across the back of the head. While this may have been intended as a humorous interaction, it could be misinterpreted by guests unfamiliar with the dynamics of the staff. Having spent two years in New Providence and maintaining close connections in the area, I feel this behavior does not align with a professional atmosphere.

When my meal finally arrived, steamed vegetables and steamed red snapper, I found the quality to be disappointing. The food was overly salty and somewhat overcooked. While I am not expecting fine dining from an establishment named “Smuggler’s,” I believe a higher standard of food presentation and preparation is reasonable.

Overall, my experience was not satisfactory, and I would hesitate to recommend this restaurant, as it may not provide the value expected for both time and money. Poor staff and below...

I came to Smugglers in Nassau, Bahamas, in an attempt to satisfy my craving for Conch Chowder. Where I am from, that soup simply doesn't exist, so the fact Smugglers had the soup was what lured me here. Ultimately, the restaurant service could improve, the food quality is pretty good, and I had zero cleanliness concerns with the restaurant.

First, the service. While we were seated right away, we did find that the service was pretty slow. Also, some of the food items were forgotten about, and we had to ask them to bring items from the initial time we ordered. Even though that happened, when we corrected the order, the food items came quickly. Also, with the fact this restaurant is in a highly tourist area - it is within walking distance from the Nassau Cruise Terminal - the prices are rather steep. My Rating for this Category: 3/5

Next, the food quality. I ordered the large bowl of Conch Chowder, and I found it to be delicious. The soup hit all of the conch chowder checkpoints I needed it to. Now, you are given two options for soup sizes: small and large. When I tell you, the large is not just large, it is huge. You could easily share it with three people. So, I would recommend getting a small bowl of the soup unless you are extremely hungry. My Rating for this Category: 5/5

Finally, the cleanliness. To be short, there were no cleanliness concerns I had with Smugglers. Everything appeared washed, there were no stains on the cups or dishes, and the food was definitely cooked all the way through and was hot when required. No issues here at all. My Rating for this Category: 5/5

Conch Chowder is pretty difficult to find as it felt my family and I were walking through all of Nassau, Bahamas, looking to find the soup. Luckily, Smugglers saved the day, and I was successfully able to fix my craving for Conch Chowder. So, while the service could improve, the cleanliness and food quality were great. If I were recommending a Conch Chowder venue to anyone traveling to Nassau, I would not hesitate to send them to Smugglers specifically...

The service was terrible. It was just me and hubby on a Friday afternoon. We started with wings and drinks but ordered our entrees at the same time as the wings. Service on the island is SLOW everywhere. This place took the cake. It took about 40 minutes for the wings to come. They were absolutely delicious though so we waited for the entrees. This took another 30-40 minutes. We even asked the waitress if it would be another long wait after the wings. There was someone that ordered 70 to go orders right before we arrived. This means that our orders didn’t matter at all until all 70 were complete. This is terrible hospitality and management. They forced another mixed drink on me after I refused. I don’t drink more than one because I’m a lightweight. There’s no way I’d ask for another even if it were free. If you want to make up for the terrible service, comp the meal or just be honest with customers when they arrive. We still had to pay $88 two hours later. Yes, the food was delicious as we took it to go after waiting forever for it. Again, this is shameful service. I should be treated as good as the person with 70+ to go orders. The food was amazing, but this is a sad story of the poor service outweighing the...