Grand Windsock Ocean Club — Restaurant in Bonaire

Sadly this is the one downfall to my entire visit in Bonaire. I could not get service here. I walked in at approximately 5:10p, waited for about 15 minutes to at least see a menu, but to no avail. And this is after asking two employees at separate times, the correct way to order food and drink.

Approximately 5:25p I moved from a lounge chair close to the water, to the lounge area right outside the bar seating. I sat here AFTER attempting to ask the bartender if I could get food and drink at the bar. He waved his finger to say one moment. Ten minutes later I’m still left waiting watching him go in and out as if I did not have a question.

So I sat at the lounge area outside the bar for probably longer than I should. I should have left but while I waited, again for just a mere menu, I observed how other diners were being served. I noticed a couple came up to the bar and was served right away. Another couple entered the place and stood at the podium and were then seated.

I tried this tactic since by this time I am dizzy and light-headed as I had not eaten all day and was on the water. It worked. At approximately 5:48p I was seated and was given a menu. I ordered a drink and slipped to the bathroom. When I returned, the first employee that I encountered was there waiting with my drink. He had an unfriendly look on his face. As I approached him I tried to make light of his inattentiveness that I experience earlier and exclaimed “finally”! The look of disdain he showed shall never be experienced by any patron. I was perplexed by this point. It continued to delight in my drink at dusk with the coming sunset.

Sometime thereafter I ordered a meal and as luck would have it, 20 minutes later I was told that was not available. Bah Humbug!

I’d be lying if I said I did not feel a tinge of discrimination. I will never know but wanted to write this review for others to proceed...

I'd give it 0 if I could. Horrible food and an hour wait (and lots of excuses) for 2 drinks. Go anywhere else but here.

We were told there was a reservation at 7 for which we'd have to give up the table. 1hr 20 min. No problem for an appetizer and a couple drinks, or so we thought. We had to ask for menus. It was 10 min before she came back for our beer order, then 15 before we got the beers and she took our nachos order. Nachos were bland meat and cheese, hardly edible, with tiny bowls of a salsa, a tasteless avacado puree, and...who puts a chili sweet and sour on nachos????

6:29 we order a cocktail and a Gin and Tonic. 6:45 she says our drinks are coming, that the bar is busy. Very few people there and bartenders are chatting with people. 6:55 we ask where our drinks are and pay the bill. At 7:00 she says the reservation people are there and asks us to move to the bar couch area. Sure, but where are the drinks we ordered 30 minutes ago??? She says she's going to make them herself, but we see her helping other tables. 42 min after we ordered, the cocktail is delivered. What??? They can't pour a Gin and Tonic and bring both???? Another lady offers 2 free drinks, or our money back for the 2 we'd ordered. Money back please. We're not waiting ANOTHER 40+ MINUTES FOR MORE DRINKS.

10 min later the G&T is delivered with some excuse that it's a new gin and didn't go through to the bartenders correctly on their system. Well, fix it on your own time. The waitress could have told bartenders to make the drinks. She appologizes, asks if we are ok, and when we tell her we still don't have the refund, she has to look for the other lady. We were finishing our drinks before the refund arrived.

Poor management. Bad food. And the worst service we've had in years.

We're staying in Bonaire 3 months, but will never go back...

The Beach is in an incredible location with dock-side dining offering unforgettable views of the crystal-clear ocean (Note that it is called ‘Windsock Ocean Club’). Watching boats and planes go by while dining was a highlight of our experience. You are also allowed to climb down (or jump off) the dock for a relaxing swim.

However, the service and food left much to be desired. I understand the concept of “island time,” but waiting nearly two hours for our food was excessive. Unfortunately, we weren’t the only table experiencing this issue.

As for the food, the Bread and Dip was the best thing we ordered. Really enjoyed the warm bread, the garlic aioli, and the pesto dip. The Spicy Meatballs arrived frozen inside, though the server was apologetic and brought out a new, properly cooked batch. The Shrimp Appetizer was tasty but disappointingly small for the price. The BBQ ribs and pork chops were okay, but not particularly memorable. The Ribeye Steak, while tender, was over-seasoned with paprika and cumin.

Overall, it’s a beautiful spot with great potential, but the slow service and uneven food quality hold it back. If you visit, go for the atmosphere, the drinks the bread, and the fries. Skip...