Restaurante Jacarè Marbella — Restaurant in Marbella

The owner’s dream of blending Italian and Brazilian cuisine ended up more like a foodie identity crisis. The Brazilian churrasco? A tragic tale of dry, burnt, and aggressively salty meat that tasted like it had been marinated in seawater - each bite made me reach for my water glass. And the feijoada? Let’s just say even the black beans seemed sad.

On the bright side, the Italian buffet held its own! Fresh salads, surprisingly decent meatballs (which, honestly, outshone the grilled "charcoal surprises"), and pasta that didn’t disappoint. If only the whole place leaned into its Italian strengths...

Service was... well, let's call it unpredictable. The waiters seemed to operate on their own mysterious rhythm- sometimes there, sometimes vanished into thin air. And the meat carvers? Bless their hearts, they need a crash course in both knife skills and customer charm.

Now, the real star? The atmosphere. Gorgeous seaside spot, breezy, with a lovely park nearby. It’s a shame such a pretty place serves meat that’s downright tough and flavorless.

Final verdict: Gorgeous setting, tragic meat, okay-ish buffet - but let’s be real, nobody goes out just for a bowl of cabbage. We won’t be back, and unless you’re there for the atmosphere (and a side of pasta), I’d skip it.

Dear Jacaré Owner,

No need to apologize - honest reviews like mine will only help you improve faster. And let’s be real, this spot has too much potential to waste!

I do appreciate the honor of having two whole plates replaced during dinner. (One did sit there for 15 minutes, waiting for its grand rescue.)

I gave you the benefit of the doubt and tried the picanha and maminha - both charcoal and medium rare versions. Sadly, they were way too salty and chewy as hell. As for the sausages and pork? Let’s just say… I admired them from afar.

But hey, the meatballs and cabbage salad? Chef’s kiss. The wine? Solid.

Don’t stress - just call a few more influencers to drown me out. 😉

Have a...

Choosing this place for a special occasion turned out to be a big mistake.

During our visit, it quickly became clear that the quality was disappointing. The caipirinha contained hardly any alcohol, the meat was mediocre, and the buffet was cold. When we asked for at least some warm fries, the staff first just relit the small burner under the tray of the buffet instead of preparing fresh ones. Only after asking a few times they made new fries, which then took about 25 minutes and we were finished eating by then. All the other items were just re-heated by the burner under the trays, nothing was made fresh. The meat was also served within a very short time, which meant our €40 p.p. dinner was finished in about 30-40 minutes.

When a staff member asked if everything was to our liking, we honestly said it was mediocre. Shortly after, the manager, who was sitting at the table behind us eating and drinking wine, came over. He was clearly under the influence of alcohol and behaved extremely unprofessionally. He made inappropriate jokes that were not funny. His comment “Blondie is a bit angry with me” was downright disrespectful and made me feel very uncomfortable. From that moment on, things only got worse.

Later, he returned to offer us a complimentary dessert to make up for the cold food, again in a strange and unprofessional way. He seemed intoxicated. By then we had had enough and asked for the bill. He was clearly irritated, and as we walked out, I saw him making rude gestures and comments behind our backs.

All in all, a very disappointing experience, both in terms of food and service. The only positive note was the host at the entrance, who was genuinely friendly and welcoming. He would make a far better manager than the unprofessional clown we unfortunately had...

We visited Jacare Marbella for the first time last night and it was absolutely spectacular. The Brazilian style meats were a highlight, the picanha, in particular, was cooked to perfection and you can enjoy as much as you like, paired with a great self-serve salad bar. My girlfriend was also really impressed with the vegetarian options, the parmigiana and salads were excellent. To finish, the tiramisu was one of the best we’ve ever had, which makes sense with an Italian chef in the kitchen.

The whole experience was elevated by the atmosphere and hospitality. The owners and staff were warm, welcoming, and attentive throughout the evening, and the cocktails were fantastic, it’s the kind of spot you could easily visit just for drinks with friends away from the busier parts of the old town.

The restaurant’s setting is also beautiful, nestled in the park. We originally planned to go for a walk and meet friends after dinner, but we ended up inviting them to join us here for cocktails instead, and we spent the whole evening at Jacaré. The owners were incredibly generous with our group, which really made the night special.

Highly recommend this place for a memorable evening in Marbella, it’s definitely going to be a new regular spot for us on...