I had the absolute pleasure of dining at The Del Mar Restaurant yesterday evening, and from start to finish, the experience was nothing short of exceptional. The food, the ambiance, the service—everything came together to create a truly memorable night.
Upon arrival, I was immediately struck by how beautiful and relaxing the setting was. The soft earthy tones of brown and stone created a serene, welcoming atmosphere even before we stepped inside. We were warmly greeted by the team and introduced to our service staff: Poohi, Gady, and our server Indwy. From the very beginning, it was clear we were in great hands. The entire team was professional, friendly, and impressively knowledgeable about the menu.
What really stood out was how intentional Indwy was about learning our preferences. Rather than just pushing popular items, he asked thoughtful, open-ended questions to better understand our tastes before offering personalized recommendations. That extra attention made a huge difference—and the suggestions he gave us were spot-on!
We started with a few appetizers: the watermelon salad, snapper tacos, crab salad, and grilled octopus. Each dish was a visual and culinary delight. The watermelon salad, which we might not have chosen on our own, turned out to be a standout—refreshing, flavorful, and with a beautifully unexpected grilled note. The crab salad was incredibly fresh and seasoned just right, and the grilled octopus was tender and delicious.
For our entrées, we shared the squid ink pasta, the 16 oz steak, elote, roasted potatoes, and the catch of the day, which was a perfectly blackened snapper. Everything was cooked to perfection. The steak came out exactly as requested—medium rare with a flawless sear—and the squid ink pasta was rich and full of bold flavor. The snapper was fresh and expertly prepared, while the sides complemented the mains beautifully.
Dessert was another highlight. We tried the cookie ice cream sandwich, the key lime pie in a jar, and the coconut crème brûlée. Our favorite by far was the cookie sandwich—made in-house, and absolutely incredible. The key lime pie was also a standout; the freshness of the ingredients and the from-scratch preparation really shone through.
The only slight letdown was the coconut crème brûlée. While it was visually appealing, the flavor leaned more toward coconut cream than fresh coconut, and it could’ve used a touch more sweetness to bring it together. We rated this dish a 6/10, but it was the only minor misstep in an otherwise stellar lineup.
Throughout the evening, Indwy was fantastic—attentive without being intrusive, always making sure our glasses were full and that we had everything we needed. A special shout-out goes to Mr. Alcy, the food and beverage manager, who made the rounds personally to greet guests and ensure top-tier service. His leadership clearly sets the tone for the team.
All in all, The Del Mar Restaurant delivered an outstanding experience. We rated the night a 9.8 out of 10, with the only issue being the crème brûlée. From the ambiance and service to the expertly prepared food, it was one of the best dining experiences we’ve had in a long time. We’ll definitely be back and we’re already looking forward to it!
Thank you Indwy, Mr Alcy and team for such an amazing experience! Certainly a must try for all visitors and locals in the...
Read moreOne of the most beautiful dinners I’ve had on the island. Pristine private beach with excellent views from any table. Excellent service. I’m talking PROFESSIONAL 5 star service. Excellently prepared food. We each had steak and pork and they were both phenomenal! I was so impressed with the entrance to the restaurant, it’s what I imagine my dream home would be. Beautifully manicured landscaping, rock walkway, and beach. We have already booked our next trip in 6 months and will be staying at this resort. It’s immaculate! Wear nice clothes, keep the kids in check, and everyone be on their best behavior! This isn’t an establishment for cussing or upset kiddos. Keep it classy! It was quite expensive, about $250 per person, but that was with a few cocktails. The entrees are very reasonable under $100 per plate. You’re paying for the environment, food, and service. I’d gladly call this a white glove service! Our server, and I’m so so sorry I don’t remember your name, was absolutely excellent. But I overheard the gentleman on the grill talking about wines IN DEPTH and various servers around us greeting guests and talking about the menu and I have to say it’s been our best experience on the island. Once again I just have to say the environment was astounding. Guys, wear a collared shirt and some slacks. Look good! Get your lady something light, or white, and comfy. The breeze is as beautiful as you are and the wait staff are happy to take some beautiful pics for you (just be sure to slide them some cash if you ask them to take a pic… it’ll get you better service and makes you look good to your lady). Be on your best behavior. Make reservations! Especially around sunset! Check your weather apps for sunset time or just google it. Do it 2-3 days in advance but don’t hesitate to try for late minute rezzies! You never know who canceled or...
Read moreA $2,000 a night hotel restaurant. NOT 5-Star at all don’t be confused with the other ratings. We ordered the whole fish grouper option at $150 for two. It took two hours before we all received our food. There were 12 of us with a large bill. Their answer for the wait was the whole fish took a long time to cook. No problem two couples ordered it but it would have been nice to know it took a long time. As a frequent fish eater of all kinds from sushi to cooked I know it doesn’t take that long and I know what grouper taste and looks like. Two of us couples ordered same size and same fish. Both cooked the same, blackened. Ours was raw in the middle. I tried to cut into it and mangled the filet. I brought this to the servers attention and she was polite and I requested a refund and ordered the grouper filet instead for y wife and I. Because it took so long to cook the whole fish we ordered the filets because our other 10 friends were about done eating. We received the filets. They were almost as bad. OVERCOOKED. I tasted my friends grouper filet and whole fish for comparison and our new filets were awful. The real question is did they cut the untouched side of the fish and serve us the filets cooked twice???? No manager intervened or offered any sort of solution when I told the server we couldn’t even finished the filets. With everyone else done eating we decided to not even bother. Part of not bothering on the filets was the posturing of the manager while he walked around and made eye contact with me but didn’t bother approaching the table only talked to the server. The place was empty on a Friday night but I guess we know why now. Never will recommend the hotel or restaurant. Disappointing to say the...
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