5.8 Undersea Restaurant — Restaurant in Faadhippolhu

Well, that was something.

First of all - the location is what it's all about. That's why you pay the price. The building has a lifespan of 20 years and is bolted to the seabed - not the easiest of choices. So they have to make money with it.

We went for lunch while staying at the rather good Hurawalhi resort.

Food is an afterthougt. It is a solid gastronomic experience, but it lacks passion and concept. Every dish by itself is well executed and good - but not excellent. The kitchen is not up to Michelin star level. There are quite a few misses - no amouse bouche to begin, no petit four to end. No coffee or digestif service.

You feel that the plates are created in the same kitchen as the Kashibo restaurant. There you get a solid kitchen as well, in 5.8 dishes are just more selected, a touch more complex and smaller (speaking of - the 5 course lunch could do with slightly bigger portion size)

The wine pairing is (comparing with the bottle prices / glass prices) nicely priced at $80, although the selection isn't world class. Problem is, the courses arrive so fast, you'll have a hard time to really enjoy the wine (or you have to enjoy fast with the consequence of getting a lot of alcohol in a short period of time). We were warned of this and opted to enjoy our lunch without alcohol.

First course was an oyster with beurre blanc, technically nicely presented but with a plate formed as a leaf - whatever the idea there was? Taste was good, solid dish - you have to like oysters though.

Second dish - crab with espuma as finger food. Nice idea, tastes good but nothing special. Presentation was nice. We had uneven level of fillings in the cigar part of the dish.

Followed by spicy tuna tatar - not to everyones liking, another table complained that it was too spicey. I quite liked it, simple presentation and local ingredients (as far as I can tell) - my favorite.

I then opted for the toothfish. Great texture and well executed, accompanied by different variants of peas (why?).

Desert was weird - a lot of cocolate and truffle ice cream - in my opinion this made no sense in this menu. Dish was too large, too intense after the seafood & fish.

Service also is not up to par with what one expects at this price range ($250). Solid but with a few faux-pas which should not happen. Structural issues (plates delivered by hand, not on a board, tables generally cleared by hand without board as well, plates delivered even when guests are not present) show lack of training. Courses arrived very fast in the beginning, then suddenly here were longer brakes. There are not a lot of people working there, the restaurant was half full with 5 tables, 9 guests and there was mainly one guy managing everything.

Atmosphere is the main thing here. You dine fully submerged in a glass container - doesn't happen often. This is quite an experience. Must do? Not sure. Special? Yes indeed. There's a lot of fish (certainly more than on the plates), but if you've been snorkeling or diving it's just at a different angle and you can breathe. Sometimes it feels that you're being presented to the fish as they pass by and look at you. Acoustics are not ideal - glass & wood.

We paid $509 - $9 for a San Pellegrino and $250 each for the menu. Wine pairing is at $80 each, bottles start at around $200 - if you want wine, go for the pairing. But I advise you to just stay with water. We talked to somebody who went for dinner with the pairing, they had to fork out around $900. That's what I paid for dinner in Osteria Francescana, and that's not just a different league but a different planet.

My recommendation: go snorkeling or diving to see the fish (you'll see way more than in the 5.8), save the money and head to a proper restaurant with passion back home and spend the money there. During the stay at the Hurawalhi enjoy dinner at Kashibo and a rather good lunch at Canelli.

It's an impressive technical feat - but so is the rest. It's there because they can and because it makes money. It's not there because there is a vision to deliver...

Buyer be aware....I would love to tell you this is a four or even a five star restaurant. If your foodie, you will really expect more from the food. The view was really beautiful, but thats about the extent of the dinning experience. There are seven courses. The first course is tuna sashimi with crackers that are embedded into green balls that are not editable. Let's just say I tried to eat them. The second course is scallop and smoked salmon with some caviar, the salmon is good but scallop is cold. There were only 5 tables of two and items got delivered cold. The third course is a piece of lobster and crab it is good but it is again cold and hot together. The fourth course starts the main courses. It's a piece of fish with a squid ink crackling. The sauce is good and the touch of lemongrass is nice. The fifth course is lobster done two different ways. This has to be by far the best dish. The lobster was cooked correctly and both sauces complimented the lightness of the lobster. The last main course dish was wagyu steak to be served medium rare with a duck confit on top. Along side a potato log and beetroot. This was not wagyu beef. The duck confit was overpowering and put there in place to cover the taste and disguise the fact this was not wagyu. Further to add insult to injury the best root was improperly cooked and you still had the taste of dirt in the beetroot. The final course was the desert mango cheesecake and was on par with the lobster served two ways. If I could just have paid for those two courses it would have been worth third of the price. This does not count they have very little selection for wine by the glass, as they are selling bottles for more than triple times the actual value. I have traveled many places and resorts. Unfortunately, I was expecting something spectacular but got only mediocre. Me and my wife discussed our experience and believe three stars is more than fair for the price of the experience. The one highlight was the people that served us they were exceptional and truly interested in...

A Truly Unforgettable “Christmas Eve” Dining Experience at 5.8 Underwater Restaurant, below Hurawalhi, Maldives 🇲🇻

Dining at 5.8 Underwater Restaurant in the Maldives was an experience that exceeded all our culinary expectations.

Located beneath the crystal-clear waters, this restaurant offers a stunning panoramic view of the vibrant marine life, making it one of the most unique dining experiences in the world.

From the moment we stepped down into the restaurant, we were in anticipation of what lay ahead, it was tranquil yet a mesmerizing underwater environment.

The glass walls provided an unobstructed view of schools of fish, graceful rays, and even the occasional passing shark.

The atmosphere was serene, with the gentle sound of tasteful background instrumental music which added to the overall tranquility.

The service was impeccable. Our waiter Azzam was attentive, knowledgeable, and ensured that our experience was nothing short of perfect.

Azzam took the time to explain the menu in detail.

As for the food, each course was a masterpiece. The menu featured a blend of local Maldivian flavors and international fine dining techniques.

The freshness of the seafood was unparalleled, and the flavors were bold yet refined. Highlights included the delicate ceviche, crab cigar and lobster.

While the meal itself was exceptional, it’s hard to overstate the ambiance of dining 5.8 meters underwater. The experience of being surrounded by marine life while enjoying gourmet cuisine was truly surreal.

While it is undoubtedly an expensive experience, the combination of world-class service, extraordinary food, and the one-of-a-kind setting made every penny worthwhile.

I would highly recommend 5.8 Underwater Restaurant to anyone visiting the Maldives—it's not just a meal, but a memory that will stay with...