Gonzalo and The Princess — Restaurant in San Pedro Town

My husband and I traveled to Belize many times before 2021, and this year we were excited to finally return. It was great to see the island’s growth, including new restaurants, though we were a bit sad to find some of our longtime favorites closed for the slow season. Still, we looked forward to trying new spots, especially with the buzz around the Marriott resort. Gonzales and the Princess caught my attention with its beautiful entrance and polished online presence, so we made a reservation and even arrived a little early.

We’re foodies and admittedly have high standards, especially for a restaurant positioned at this caliber in Belize. Upon arrival, we were greeted and seated quickly, but the hostess mentioned that our dining experience would be “quick-paced” because they were “back-to-back on reservations.” I understood they didn’t want us lingering for three hours, but the comment immediately set a rushed tone. During our visit, only four tables were seated, and with many empty tables available, it didn’t appear to be busy enough to justify the warning.

For starters, we ordered the lobster with potatoes (forgive me, I don’t recall the exact menu name) and the tomato soup. The soup was excellent—rich in flavor—and came with a tiny grilled cheese bite that neither of us enjoyed. The lobster and potatoes, meanwhile, were average at best.

For mains, my husband ordered the Argentinian-style churrasco and I had the filet mignon. His meal included a Caesar salad, which I usually love when grilled, but this one was soggy and unpleasant. He said his steak was “okay,” made better by the chimichurri sauce. The mac and cheese, unfortunately, reminded us of Kraft—same style of noodle, bland flavor.

My main disappointment came with the filet. At over $470 BZD (after tip) for two appetizers, two entrées, and one drink, I expected the kind of tenderness I’ve enjoyed at other island restaurants. For comparison, the filet at Rain on the north side of the island is excellent—tender and flavorful. At Gonzales, however, my filet was chewy, difficult to cut, and not at all what I would expect from this cut of beef. The vegetables and sauce were good, but the overall dish was not something I would order again.

The staff was friendly, and I believe they’re aiming for an upscale, refined experience. Still, the service felt robotic and slightly rushed rather than warm and welcoming. That may come down to personal preference—I enjoy a more genuine interaction, whereas here it felt as though the goal was to turn tables quickly.

Overall, Gonzales and the Princess is clearly striving to deliver a high-end dining experience, but for me, the quality of the food and the style of service didn’t align with the price point or my...

One of the best restaurants I’ve been to in San Pedro! So good, that my fiancée and I went there the first and the last day of our vacation.

A great intimate setting for dinner. The customer service was amazing (shoutout to Julie & Shaquille).

I appreciate that they provide a wet towel before dining so that you can wipe your hands.

The Mar (crispy coconut shrimp) is 🔥as well as the fried snapper. My fiancée loved the snapper, I love the Honey Chili Salmon. Drinks were great as well.

She got a pear martini. Although it tastes like green apple, it was still good. Espresso martinis are good too.

The price of the food was reasonable. Would 100% go again. One of the best restaurants I’ve been to in San Pedro! So good that my fiancée and I went there the first and the last day of our vacation.

A great, intimate setting for dinner. The customer service was amazing (shoutout to Julie & Shaquille).

I appreciate that they provide a wet towel before dining so that you can wipe your hands.

The Mar (crispy coconut shrimp) is 🔥as well as the fried snapper. My fiancée loved the snapper, I love the Honey Chili Salmon. Drinks were great as well.

She got a pear martini. Although it tastes like green apple, it was still good. Espresso martinis are good too.

The price of the food was reasonable. Would...

What a great find this was! We were staying at Alaia Hotel a few doors down and they recommended this new restaurant. From the moment we walked in we realized this was something special. It is not your typical San Pedro restaurant. (I love the typical island restaurants) It is a fine dining establishment that obviously takes great pride in everything they do. We had great service from Julie who gave such a warm welcome and was so attentive and pleasant throughout the entire dining experience. We had empanadas with chocolate mole’ sauce, the grouper and a very good steak and everything was top-notch. We even came back the next evening and ordered churros to go to take back to our condo and they were delicious as well. It is a nice atmosphere with air conditioning and tablecloths with a feeling of formality without being pretentious. I highly recommend this new restaurant in San Pedro. Do yourself a favor and go check it out. And be sure to...