Barbudo Restaurant — Restaurant in Higüey

My fiancé and I were completely over the bland & overpriced “resort food” served at the Westin where we were staying so decided to venture out. Had been to Cap Cana a couple times before so decided to take a look around there and we settled on Barbudo for a late afternoon lunch.

While it was a bit of a pain to get to from the resort (Cap Cana requires a QR code or reservation confirmation) to enter the area, once we got there the restaurant was quaint and cute. Weather being fantastic, we decided to grab a table outside. The service was incredibly attentive and within 5 minutes of being sat, there was a bottle of wine (chilled table side) and water on the table. We decided to go with the calamari & escargot to start and both were great, our preference going to the deliciously buttery snails served with toasted bread. Having not had ossobuco in a long time, I went with the entree portion of the dish & my fiancé did the pappardelle with ossobuco. We were not disappointed as both were extremely tender and packed with flavor. Throughout the meal, the staff made sure glasses were full, empty plates were quickly discarded and that service was on the up & up. It was a welcome departure from the often lackadaisical, often downright lazy, service approach of many of the local resorts.

Overall, I would consider Barbudo to be a MUST GO restaurant if you are in Punta Cana or Cap Cana. While the resorts tout their higher end offerings, they are anything but. Barbudo provided a much higher quality of food, service & execution that you will likely never find from a resort offering. Highly...

Excellence bar none!!! True simplicity has an element of casual elegance that reassures you that what you admire is simply that which you have missed. In its true form...decadence! It's chic, its cozy, its emblematicaly boho-eclectic in its roots and eloquently subtle in its delivery. The food is prepared with care, the service is delivered with charm and the feeling you get once leaving is perhaps knowing that you have just had the best dining experience....ever! From the fork tender grilled octopus to the seasame roasted tuna, you taste the flavors of the beautiful Atlantic Ocean (that adorns the setting) in the bounty of these dishes. The lamb shoulder will leave you speechless to the point you will stop eating, as the compound flavors of its hours of preparation will move your taste buds in oh so many ways....then you wish it never ends! Add to all of this phenomenal drinks, great decor plus a fantastic atmosphere and you'll agree with me that this takes the helm as the top venue of choice that sets the bar for the rest to follow! A must go to again and again! Barbudo reigns in the summit of numerous intercontinental cuisine restaurants in the area and is in and of itself the destination of choice for a memorable...

Went there with my family on Friday. Can say will absolutely come again. The ambiance of the restaurant was quite lovely, the waiters were quick and respectful, the food wait time was perfect (considering it wasn’t rushed, but got to our table fast), and while I was surprised the restaurant didn’t serve any juices (such as lemonade or anything like that), the food was absolutely INCREDIBLE. I haven’t had anything like that Pesto Risotto ever. Not only that, but the food portions were pretty big. I must add that, a woman, which I assume is the restaurant’s owner, was there. She was quite kind, and always made sure everything was okay. If you ever want to go to a fancy-looking place with great customer sevice and awesome food with big portions, Barbudo is your...