El Lugar — Restaurant in Las Terrenas

My husband and I dined at El Lugar based on a recommendation from the hotel we were staying at in Samana. They said the food was good and the drinks were great. It turned out that that wasn't really true.

First, it cost us $40 roundtrip to get there by private taxi. We figured it would be worth it if the food was outstanding. While we appreciated the complementary appetizer of onion rings and fried cheese, and found our Mojitos to be good, nothing was outstanding. We ordered calamari/squid to share and then I had a cheeseburger (based on the rave reviews of El Lugar's beef and burgers) and my husband ordered the grilled lamb. The calamari was tender, our grilled vegetables with truffle oil were delicious, and my burger was tasty (even though the cheese looked and tasted like cheese sauce instead of a real slice of cheese), but my french fries were soggy and my husband's grilled lamb was full of gristle. The part of the lamb that was meat had a very nice flavor and was tender, but there was so much gristle that of the 4 lamb chops on my husband's plate, only half of the meat was actually edible. So my husband ended up eating part of my cheeseburger.

Our server was very nice, though she didn't speak English, which is very common in the DR. We were prepared and she patiently worked with us to understand our broken Spanish. I also used the Google translate function on my phone, which worked well. Unlike what other reviewers stated, we were still charged the 28% tax (10% and 18%) even though we paid in cash. We really couldn't complain though, because we only paid a total of $63 USD for an appetizer, 4 drinks, and 2 entrees. We left our server an additional $15 tip because I read that the 18% hospitality tax they charge in DR usually doesn't make its way to the servers.

All in all, we probably would not go back to El Lugar. There are better restaurants in...

Firstly, the staff that attended our table were both attentive and friendly. This review is in no way a reflection upon those staff.

Secondly, the food was awful at worst and average at best. My partner's meal was plentiful and average (Mozzarella salad and carbonara). My starter, tempura vegetables and shrimp, was mainly eggplant and broccoli and cheese, an unusual tempura combination. The flavours aside, the batter resembled that of a Yorkshire pudding, sorry for the British culinary references, but it was NOT TEMPURA. It was thick and had been reheated from frozen. It was rehydrated soft batter that would have been more fitting for a pain au chocolate. However, my Dominican style grilled prawns were good.

Thirdly, with each course we received a sauce to accompany a certain dish. For example, olive oil with bread and a chilli sauce with the tempura. I may not be the most gastronomically cultured person in the world, but, who adds terriayki to their olive oil? In addition, the chilli sauce that came with the tempura was mainly maple syrup, and not even spicy. Fortunately, the sauces were separated from the rest of the meal so they could be avoided. The only explanation I can think of is that the Sous chef was off and the desert chef took over for the night not knowing what to do.

Finally, la pièce de la resistance, the bill was $90. Throughout the evening, the Concierge or owner briefly checked in on us. As we were leaving, he waved, as he enjoyed his evening meal.

I just hope that he made better choices than we did and didn't have to pay as high a cost.

My advice would be to stick to a few things and do them well rather than opting for a huge menu with average and overpriced food.

Attached is the bill to prove this not a fake, as I have seen the owner suggest in other...

El Lugar (27 de Febrero, Las Terrenas 32000) is a place where gastronomic pleasure meets an atmosphere of sophistication. ✨ The first thing I want to mention is the excellent meat! 😋 Cooked to perfection, juicy and flavorful. The presentation of the dishes is beyond praise: everything looks appetizing and aesthetically pleasing. 👌 I especially want to commend the chicken soup - it's absolutely delicious! The service at El Lugar leaves a mixed impression. While the staff doesn't speak English very well, which can make communication a little difficult, the owner is always ready to assist and is very welcoming. 😊 There was a slight hiccup with our table. We had booked a table by the window and arrived half an hour before opening, as we were with our dog (our French bulldog Cleo). The owner initially told us we could choose any table, but the waiter first offered us a place at the back of the restaurant, then refused us our chosen table altogether. Eventually, the owner allowed us to sit by the window, but stipulated that we had to vacate it within two hours. 🤔 Normally, I would have left upon hearing such a condition, but this time I decided not to let it spoil our mood. Furthermore, the waiter approached us several times demanding to see our reservation confirmation, even after we had already placed our order. 🤷‍♂️ His motive remains unclear, but it seemed like he was insistent on seeing proof of our booking. Frankly, I haven't encountered such an absurd situation in a long time. :) Overall, El Lugar is a great place with wonderful food and a pleasant atmosphere. If you encounter any issues, don't hesitate to contact the owner - he is always happy to help. 😉

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