OCCO Marbella Restaurant — Restaurant in Marbella

We were a party of four (two Swedes, one Canadian, one Japanese). We're all well traveled, thus we understand and are in tune with the unique service standards in different parts of the world (one can expect a certain standard while dining in Ginza, Tokyo, vs. say, a casual diner off Interstate 55 in the U.S.). Keeping this in mind, we were open to a new experience.

We arrived about 15 mins ahead of our reservation, were seated at our table, and begun to unwind, taking in the attractive surroundings (the decor and ambience in this place is tasteful, and rather astute).

Moments later, a gentleman arrived offering us champagne, and wine. We politely declined (it was early - we had barely sat down). I'm not even sure if we had time to really get comfortable and hang our jackets (on our seats - it seems coat check isn't available or at least wasn't offered), one of the staff came over, held out a card processing machine, with 680 Euros tapped in, and in a rather coarse tone stated "Who's going to pay for this?" (or something to that effect). We were all taken aback - and thought "What is this guy talking about? We haven't even ordered a drink yet".

Apparently he was collecting a mandatory deposit, informing us "because some people walk out, we need payment in advance". It felt quite odd, and somber to see his approach. We were unaware of such a policy, and were only planning to stay for dinner (this was New Year's Eve, we had plans elsewhere for the rest of the night). We were informed they had a special menu for the night (makes sense, no problems there), but his hostile and combative tone just instantly derailed our mood to dine here. A person with the slightest interest in providing their esteemed guests with a quality experience and service would have stated "Are you aware of our New Year's dinner policy? We require an up front deposit, which will be credited (or refunded) towards your bill. Is this alright?" Had he approached us like this, we would have had no issue.

However, after seeing our surprise (we really had no idea), he became instantly confrontational - speaking over us, cutting us off mid sentence, with an increasingly hostile tone. He went as far as suggesting we're imbeciles and took out his cell phone to show us some credit card charges on his phone and said "Look, this is how you check if your credit card has charges on it. Check your card, to see if you paid this fee up front during the reservation".

We remained calm and polite, and respectfully asked to speak to someone else. The central issue here was his behavior, it felt as if we were dealing with a mob-style shakedown: 'pay up, or else'- was the feeling we got.

He left our table, and we just sat there looking at eachother, dumbfounded. We didn't have a chance to look at a menu, barely hung up our coats, and some member of the staff is demanding we pay them 680 Euros "Now".

Of our many years dining all over the world, this was an experience unlike any other.

Fortunately, one member of the staff (Jonathan) noticed the bewildered looks on our faces, approach our table, and politely asked if there was an issue. We explained the encounter, we noted we understood that there may be a per person fee for the New Year's event, but voiced our complete dismay with the hostility we faced from the earlier staff in presenting guests with the information. Jonathan was respectful, apologized, and we elected to leave and seek another location for dinner.

In all fairness, if everyone on the staff behaved with the professionalism Jonathan had, we would have stayed, and had a wonderful time. However, it was the crude, confrontational approach of the earlier staff that deflated us completely and left us with no desire to return here or recommend this to anyone.

For a restaurant that prides itself on premium food and dining experience, the 'service' aspect of that experience, has a long way to go, at least in respect to some...

Absolutely NO COVID-19 precautions or normal hygiene procedures!

I booked a table for two, having clearly explained that it was my partner's birthday and requesting that we would get a couple of sparklers when we ordered dessert. It was indicated to me that they were busy, but eventually the receptionist came back and told me they could squeeze us in. The anticipation grew! We were a little disconcerted upon arriving, to observe that NO ONE was wearing a mask! Not the people arriving and moving between tables. More surprisingly NO member of staff, including the hostesses at the entrance, waiters, barista had a mask on! In short NO ONE wore a mask! Nor was there the slightest effort to maintain a social distance! Neither did we see any hydroalcoholic gel!

We felt uncomfortable because we were the only ones wearing our masks. This is not only important but fundamental considering the COVID19 contagions that continue unabated. Particularly in this area!

We were also surprised when we were invited to be seated at our table for two, it was actually a tiny square table. Barely the space to fit two small plates, cutlery, a couple of glasses and a couple of bottles. The first reaction was to look at each other and wonder if we should leave… We started by ordering a couple of cocktails. The disappointments continued with a more than mediocre presentation, cheap feeling glassware and meagre poorly presented contents. We had already made our list of mezzes and selected the main course… so we passed-on our order and requested a bottle of water and another of wine. By that time, we had to remove our phone/masks from the table because there was no room. Our cocktail glasses were removed leaving space for a small plate to be squeezed onto the table. The solution was to bring out a folding trestle on which to put a large naked plastic tray… making a bridge between our table and that of our uncomfortably close neighbours.

Our food began to arrive, as did theirs, and the tray quickly became full. Everything about it was simply rushed, cheap and unpleasant, to the point of affecting the appreciation of the food which in that state of mind was mediocre. Even the pouring of the wine was unceremonious and left a trail of drops on the tablecloth and closely packed tableware. We were eventually served our main course. That was “almost” the final straw. The menu described our choice “Lahme Mishvie” as “Grilled marinated beef skewer with Armanian (Misspelled!?) salad and choice of rice or Batata Harra”. The plate was of a size compatible with our table, onto which unfortunately we had consolidated a couple of the smaller mezze dish we were still working on. No worries. The contents of the small plate however were astounding.

Finally, my partner requested some baclava for dessert, while I decided to settle for the rest of my wine. So they brought us my partner's dessert, together with a hot chocolate fondant that we did NOT order, while a rather sweet girl waved the three sparklers and vanished with a "happy anniversary, long live love". Pitiful. Completely deluded we asked for the bill. Naturally they charged us 12 euros for the chocolate cake. We were so eager to get out of the place that we didn't care to argue with a staff member who didn't wear a mask. At the bottom of the bill in large capitals “SERVICE NOT INCLUDED”. The waiter reminded us of this when he brought the credit card device. “How much do you want me to charge?” It was not his fault. As a curtesy we handed him his 10% in cash and left. We feel duty bound to report that this is a place where health regulations are completely IGNORRED.

We left with a bad taste in our mouths and concerns about the likely COVID risks of such an irresponsible...

What was meant to be a special evening turned into a disaster, and I feel compelled to warn others.

First disappointment: I called ahead to ask if valet parking was available, and the lady on the phone assured me that it was. Upon arrival, however, there was no valet service whatsoever. We were forced to park up a steep hill and walk down — an extremely inconvenient and careless misrepresentation, especially considering I was in heels. For a venue that claims to be upscale, this is utterly unacceptable.

Secondly, we had chosen this restaurant because of the show about which I called about prior to my reservation. To our shock, it turned out that shows are held every evening — except the one we booked. Not only was this never mentioned on the phone, but the staff acted as though it was simply our bad luck. Transparency clearly does not exist here.

The service, however, was the breaking point. Our reservation was for 22:45. By 23:00 — a mere fifteen minutes later — a waiter loomed over us in an aggressive, almost hostile manner, pressuring us to order immediately because, as he put it, the kitchen would “close NOW.” The tone and body language were pushy and rude, completely shattering any sense of refinement.

As if that wasn’t enough, at 00:15 — with food still in our mouths — the same waiter returned to almost demand by asking if we were finished because the restaurant was “closing.” By then, staff were circling around us and the table next to us, hovering, glaring, and clearly trying to bully us out the door. I have dined all over the world and have never witnessed such unprofessional, inhospitable behavior.

Instead of an elegant, memorable night, we were left with frustration, discomfort, and a bitter taste — and not from the food. This establishment misleads its customers, pressures them through their meal, and treats them like a burden rather than valued guests. For a restaurant that pretends to be high-end, the reality is shockingly poor.

I would strongly advise others to think twice before booking — unless you enjoy being rushed, misled, and treated with zero respect. There are way more up scale restaurants in Marbella with the right service!!

The food...