Sea Breeze Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Oranjestad (city)

These reviews are a disaster. If it mentions Holiday Inn, anything ala carte, or beachside it's not the right place. This restaurant is located across the street from the beach, inside the Divi Golf resort. It is a bar and buffet restaurant which is completely different from the one that most people are rating, inappropriately and incorrectly, for this location. The two restaurants are miles apart both in location, and in aspects of service and atmosphere as well. I've flagged as many reviews as possible for Google to clean up this misleading mess from sloppy reviewers. Sure people mean well, but these reviews are very misleading and run counter to what Google Maps is about in terms of local guides and other contributors helping people.

If you read about buffet, extremely slow service, or poolside, then it's probably the correct review. The kitchen staff and food are both great, but the server and management staff are abysmal. We found this to be true on our last visit and a complete repeat when we gave it another chance this visit. It's too bad because it's located very conveniently in the middle of the Divi Golf Resort. The Sunday prime rib dinner was well prepared and tasted fantastic, but was ruined by some confusion about the buffet that we were unable to clear up with highly inattentive servers who got our order wrong, never check back on our meal, basically ignored us , and then expected a tip. The plastic chairs and tables don't ruin it, the service does. In February 2024 it's $49 per person for prime rib dinner, plus automatic 15% service charge with the expectation of a tip on top of that. Breakfast is $29 per person. I can't tell you anymore than that because we're not...

I wish this dinner was a better experience. The restaurant is on the beach in front of a hotel/resort. The restrooms are locked without a key-card for hotel guests, which makes good sense. The bar in the restaurant was supposed to have multiple key-cards which upon request would be handed to patrons if needed. At one point, my wife and I both were among 5 people all asking the bartenders for a single key-card we could all use...the bartenders didn't have them 'I don't know....someone has card!' and rather than providing a solution, merely kept on making drinks until people became angry. That was resolved, someone came out of the restroom, door got propped open. Other things that could have gone better: two people in my party (including myself) ordered the surf and turf special. Vegetables in the side were clearly microwaved, one carrot was liquid. We were told the specials came with dessert and a glass of wine by one of our two waiters. Wine came as I was half way through my steak. Main water had to explain that dessert was not included. That was a different special. But...but...but...he went ahead and removed it from our bill knowing his counterpart told us it was included and took our order. Guys... if you told us it was included and aren't charging us for it, don't explain it and give us the story so we somehow feel like we received more than we were supposed to. Great ambiance. Good drinks. Food was an C+ considering the price. I won't return. Azzuro, Huriducari, Moomba and Pelican Pier are much...

The Good: the view, if you get one of the tables near the beach; and the waiter's service. (Think his name was James- a large baby-faced guy with lots of tattoos on his legs. He timed everything right, was polite and friendly- generally did a great job.)

Not-So-Good: the food. The sesame-crusted salmon was cooked into oblivion with black sesame seeds literally piled all over the top at least 0.25 to 0.5 inches deep. So much for "crusted". The salmon didn't look or taste pan-fried or seared. It was more like boiled or even microwaved. It was pretty bad.

The bread was a little stale around the edges, like it'd been setting out.

The crabcake and goat cheese appetizer was better- especially the goat cheese portion. They got the warm goat cheese with arugula and apricot sauce right. The crabcake wasn't terribly good, mostly because the crab meat was way too processed. No lumps of meat in them- all finely shredded. The crabcake wasn't great, but it was edible.

I drank no alcohol and my bill for entree, appetizer and 2 sodas was $61. The checks all say that 15% service charge is included, but then go on to say if you leave a "gratuity", it is much appreciated. They should really change this wording to be more clear. Am I screwing the waitstaff over by not leaving a tip? In the end, I left a tip because I'd rather not screw workers over after they've done a good job. That whole spiel about the service charge on the checks is really...