Oak Restaurant & Bar Aruba — Restaurant in Aruba

In preparing for our trip to Aruba we reached out for recommendations on great dinner places . Last year at at Madam Gannette's , El Gaucho , Old Man and the sea and loved them all . This year's recommendations included Oak . Made a reservation in December for Jan 11 at 9pm because I heard they were booking up. 1 month of anticipation- what a let down. We sat at 8:50pm . Our waiter was a soft spoken fellow asked us if we wanted something to drink - we did and our drinks came about ten mins later with a basket of two stale rolls and some chimichurra type dip and we ordered a caprese salad to start at that time. Caprese not bad but definitely had better . The caprese took about 15 mins from order to table so we ordered our meals at approx . 9:15pm. I ordered Beef Kabob Skewer - medium and my wife ordered Pepper Corn Beef Tenderloin - medium . This was the last time we saw our waiter until 10:00pm - when I asked the women filling our water glasses if she had seen our waiter . He finally came back to our table , we were long finished with our 1st drink so we asked for another . Another 20-25 mins later our food was dropped at our table . So from time we sat at 8:50pm it was 1.5 hours for food to be served , Both meals way under cooked . Vegetables and Potatoes were hard and not cooked and the meat was rare Or raw in places . This is charbroiled food . Still no second cocktails tho . Finally, I asked another waiter if she could get our drinks. This is when I saw our waiter jump behind bar and start making them . Keep in mind it is now 10:40 ish and the place is empty beside the table next to us who we're also waiting for food and drink . Waiter finally brings drinks and asks how are meal was and I politely told him raw . Not edible . He asked if I wanted it cooked more and I declined as it was almost 11pm . Same with my wife . He said he was going to talk to chef I Asked him to bring me a straw for my drink as well . I asked for the check as I had been there long enough . An owner or manager came over and apologized and said he would take it off the bill , which I could care less about I wanted a good meal on vacation . The check came and they did take off both entrees, that we did not eat . $14.95 per cocktail x 4 , $14.95 for Caprese and a Service fee of 15% ( what service ?) so Cost us just under $100 and 2 hrs of wasted time to leave hungry . Grabbed a pizza on way home as we luckily found a place still open . Also , As we were waiting for our check, the table next to us finally were served 2 of their 4 meals . The ladies sat for at least 15 mins with food in front of them waiting for their partners to get theirs . 3rd meal came out and a little bit later the 4th . The two women who sat 5 mins before us were long gone before our food was delivered .

What a super disappointment. With all the amazing restaurants on the island no idea how this one remains in business . The menu is very modest - not overwhelming- the place was not crowded so no idea why this took so long and then be UNDER COOKED . It may not have seemed so long if we had been asked if we wanted another drink a 1/2 hour into our wait , told there was a delay or just been acknowledged at all in that hour or so .

Being in the food service business I Can tell you that they better make some major changes in front and back of house operations or just Close up . You Cannot charge $40 for 3 under cooked beef kabobs and raw potatoes and vegetables and Expect repeat customers.

Too bad ; first bad meal on Island . Going to Quinta Del Carmen on Friday night ; hopefully will be a...

HORRENDOUS AND DISRESPECTFUL MANAGEMENT!!!

Been here a few times and each time has been less impressive than the last. However, following our latest visit, we’ve officially crossed this stuffy, overrated and overpriced place right off our list. Food is fine (average for Aruba but nothing special). Servers are oblivious and unaware. Our server had no presence and made no effort to even make eye contact as he walked around talking to other tables. In fact, when he did engage with another table, it turned into a 15 minute conversation (which is fine) but it came at the expense of all his other tables, including ours which was toppled with empty plates as we awaited our check. No awareness to see what was happening, if anyone wanted another drink or dessert or anything. Completely oblivious and this place is tiny. We were only 15 feet away from him but he wouldn’t even look up to notice. Then to make matters even worse, he goes behind the bar and starts drinking wine with his fellow employees, (which the owner was pouring for them all). What owner in the food/beverage industry drinks with his employees right in front of their customers while they’re awaiting service???

Before leaving this review, I answered their survey to give them a chance to apologize and make things right without publishing this eye-opening review. They immediately responded in an arrogant, egotistical and unprofessional manner acknowledging and defending all their actions. They’re “happy that their servers engage in long conversations with their patrons, even at the expense of other patrons, because people wait 3 months for the opportunity to come there for the experience”. They went on to admit their owner brings wine out often to drink with employees while on the job. I’ve never even heard of this before! I travel personally and professionally dining and entertaining all over the world and have never witnessed this behavior.

As disappointing as the experience was, I think the arrogant and dismissive response was even worse, which included them saying “we have a 3 month wait, so if you don’t want to wait for service, then go to a fast food restaurant”. Who says that to a local who’s patronized their establishment several times??? Arrogant Ego maniacs, that’s who.

As word gets out about this management style, their “3 month wait” is going to dwindle to no wait and ultimately lead to the demise of their business.

There are so many other wonderful restaurants in Aruba. No need to go out of your way to find this place and experience this lackluster restaurant which is tiny, right on top of a parking lot with stray cats all around, average food and a terrible...

Very underwhelmed! I had high expectations after reading the amazing reviews and doing significant research. Food was mediocre. Nothing special, but nothing awful.

Not walkable from hotels due to being down dark, dusty roads with more traffic than you’d expect in a residential area. Wait time to be seated and in between courses was fine. They are booked a month out. Hostess was fine, but cold and canned. Not warm. Server, Eduardo, was the best part of the experience. Not much atmosphere, but they tried. The construction and ugly neighborhood is hidden by tall greenery.

Rolls were hard and not enough butter was provided. 2 Goat cheese balls were fine with lots if filling, but had a weird tang to it. It needed something sweet like honey, not the spicy wasabi dressing.

The recommended drinks were awful! We had 2 sips and ordered an alternative, but were charged for all of them. Happy Island iced tea was phenomenal!! Best part of the meal. The Dark and Stormy was way too gingery.

Coconut snapper was bland with not enough coconut syrup/flavor. It was like 2 VanDeKamp fried fish patties, with 1/2 drizzle of coconut syrup. No coconut even baked into it.

Fish casserole/stew was nothing special. Overwhelmed by a lot of octopus rings. Very filling though. Sauce was like a creamy tomato. Very bland. Needed some fresh cracked pepper. I had something similar once, a seafood chowder, in Florida, and it was served with a side of sherry. THAT was one of the best things I have ever eaten.

Even the potato wedges which I substituted for rice were dry and bland. I had to ask for olive oil. My husband got rice and said that was good. He did not care for the olive tapenade.

Bill came to around $153. Definitely not worth it. I could make better at home or from frozen.

They will call a taxi for you and they did fulfill my request to sit outside which was helpful.

I had high hopes for this place. It has potential with some tweaks, but not worth the price or hype with the lack of flavors. Glad others enjoyed it more...