La Perla — Restaurant in Marbella

Really, REALLY bad.. location/interior nice but they clearly do not understand how to run a restaurant. Which is a true pity because it has plenty of potential.

First of all, service takes ridiculously long while there are 5-6 waiters walking around. The restaurant was not even full and only 4-5 other tables were occupied. Staff was not really friendly, some even rude or could not speak English and definitely not skilled enough. The waitress who served us forgot lots of things and also unforgettable things like serving two of five sushi starters while the rest needed to await another 10 minutes, some main courses at starters, etc.

Food quality was bad, undercooked french fries, quality of all meat dishes and the paella with lobster dull, no flavour at all. Lobster overcooked.

I think the biggest fail is the general waiting time, we have seen multiple tables leave or wanting to leave as it took so ridiculously long to even welcome them at the table or serve a first drink. Understandable if there would be only one server and too many tables but this place has only a dozen tables and plenty of staff.

With the right management and better trained staff this could be a great place so hope they will work on this.

ps. the live music is also a major issue or at least the volume as we could not even talk with each...

The good stuff: Great location, nice deco, nice ambience, nice views by the beach, polite and trained service.

The bad stuff: nice but nothing special food, especially for the price, and ok, the quantities are minimal. This is NO gourmet food. It is comfort food wrapped in tiny quantities and overpriced. There is nothing creative in octopus and potato puree even if it's nicely executed. If you want to overprice the food, and put ultra small quantities, you need to bring in a chef who has something to show. Otherwise it's just pretentious. We left hungry.

We opened with cocktails. They were OK. Not the best, not the worst. Strong and decent. Then, we ordered salmon and the octopus. Both were nice, but the food was so little I was done in 3 minutes. So, two cocktails and two "media raciones" for 85€. I'm willing to pay, but give me at least something to remember. I have eaten in gourmet restaurants and the experience I is something completely different. The offerings here just do not excuse the price/quantity.

Would I go again soon? Probably not. Although it would be so easy to make this a place to remember, I am afraid that the Marbella/Puente Romano hype won't allow this. It's primarily a...

Dining at this restaurant was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. The atmosphere strikes a perfect balance between elegance and warmth, with a modern Mediterranean touch that makes you feel instantly at home.

The service was flawless — attentive without ever being intrusive. Every member of the staff seemed genuinely passionate about what they do, offering thoughtful wine pairings and detailed explanations of each dish.

As for the food — simply outstanding. Each plate was a masterpiece, both visually and in flavor. The ingredients were clearly of the highest quality, and the chef’s creativity shone through in every bite. The seafood was fresh and perfectly cooked, the meats tender and bursting with flavor, and the desserts… I’m still dreaming about them!

Whether you’re a Marbella local or just visiting, this is the place to go for a truly world-class dining experience. It’s rare to find a restaurant that delivers on every level — ambiance, service, and exceptional cuisine — but this one does so effortlessly.

A well-deserved 5 stars. I can’t...