Aruba Restaurant and Bar — Restaurant in England

Got kicked out of what I thought was a nice place on the sea front, after a doorman after asking me to follow him, then he accused me of being intoxicated, after just having just 1 drink!!!. Myself and my friends have been in there in the daytime for 1 drink to see the seaview, and we decided to go there in the evening. I went to the gents toilets, to be spoken to by a doorman who ask me to follow him, and took me to the entrance where 2 more doormen stood. They then to said I was intoxicated, obviously told by the 1st doorman who asked me to follow him. Absolutely ridiculous, as it's the 1st I've ever encountered an experience like this, and when I realised I'd be kicked out / ejected, I said to them that my friends are still inside. I called one of my friends and then they all came out. I was totally aware what was going on, and yes I had a few drinks throughout the day but I was tired from driving for 3 hours also, maybe why they thought I was intoxicated. I'm just wondering how many other people have been kicked out after just 1 hour in there, the question is don't you like people enjoying themselves, I certainly wasn't causing any trouble, other than trying to reason with one of the doormen after being kicked out, but I did apologize to as it wasn't directly his fault.

This review I sent to you people after my experience at your venue on the night of Friday 27th October 2023. I meet up with fitness friends each year from London and Portsmouth who we met on Fitness Weekends which held at Camber Sands, which now no longer happen under the same agent. We went to Brighton the previous year and had no such fuss!! We chose Bournemouth this year for us to meet up again, as I've had 2 very good previous weekends there on stag do's each time and both times we had alcoholic drinks without being accused of being intoxicated, and tricked, then ejected from a licensed trade premise like your club. I'm actually still amazed and unhappy that it did happen for one, and more due to to the fact I had deaths in my family, and friends, so I was trying to be happy. But really what is the point of me writing a review if you are not going to respond at all, as all I've noticed is that you mainly respond to customers good experiences, or maybe if someone has had a bad experience with the restaurant. I checked out with door staff I know with my experience and most just laughed and said it's a club what sells alcohol, what do they really expect people to be like, and that they would only eject for visually causing trouble, fighting, drug use and dealing and really being...

Dined here on Monday 17th June. Food was shockingly bad and overpriced, service lacking even though there was only 1 other table eating. I paid £17.50 for the worst poke bowl I have ever eaten. I don’t usually complain but I couldn’t believe how many problems arose from 1 simple order - the bowl first came out with salmon instead of tofu, this was then switched out (would bother some vegans), the dish had NO SAUCE/FLAVOUR WHATSOEVER - I had to ask for some soy sauce so I wasn’t just eating flavourless raw tofu plain rice and veg, then realised smashed avocado was missing from the dish (my sister asked for it for me, because I already felt awkward about fussing at this point), and then the cherry on the cake was when the bill came out with a £22 salmon poke bowl which I had to rectify (not something I like doing). The rice was also not sticky rice as advertised but the least glutenous, least fluffy, untasty boil-in-a-bag like rice. The thing that saved it was a mini sriracha I carry with me, and the fact I was hungry. The waitress was apologetic but for the high prices plus 10% service charge this is just unacceptable. Our waitress was also rather aloof- despite the lack of customers she rarely walked past close enough to call for, as if avoiding us. She also forgot to put a guacamole and chips order through and a side slaw, despite noting these down. However I largely blame the chef for our disappointing dinner. How are you not embarrassed to serve up a completely flavourless, sauceless poke bowl at that price? As for the other dishes we ordered - the stir-fried noodles with prawns was overwhelming sweet and had 5 small prawns for £22.50, and the vegan cheese on a pizza cost us an extra £4! You don’t get these rip off prices in London! We don’t mind paying luxury prices for great food and service but Aruba fell way short. My 1 star goes to the extensive cocktail menu, sea views, party vibes. Also has a “Kid’s Korner” with games for kids. All in all wouldn’t come back ever again, even for a fraction...

Booked tables at the restaurant 4 days prior to attending and advised them we were coming as a large group (2 households) including young children and a disabled child. On arrival at 7.35pm, the restaurant stated they didn't have the facilities for people in wheelchairs meaning the child was bought up in a service elevator through the stock room and made to wait 20 minutes.

We waited until 8.15pm for drinks to be bought over and this order was incomplete. Our food order was not taken until 8.40pm, over an hour after we had arrived. Made several complaints to manager (believe her name was Amber) and staff regarding food for the children and it wasn't until 10pm that the food started coming out. The food was extremely poor and cold, burgers were raw and half of the party were still awaiting their orders at 10.10pm.

Manager was extremely rude and unhelpful, even when asked if she would pay for or eat the food presented, stated she was vegan and wouldn't have ordered that anyway. She then argued that our booking was for 8pm when clearly email evidence proved to the contrary.

Absolutely shocking evening culminating in us leaving over 2 hours after we first walked in without eating. Staff were rude with clear communication issues which have been filtered down from the management.

Manager wanted us to pay £446 for meals ordered including additional service charge for service which was non existent. After a stand off, we paid for drinks and left.......children were not fed. *Would highly recommend avoiding this restaurant, absolutely disgraceful behaviour of staff at a time where hospitality sector including restaurants around the country are suffering due to the pandemic. Having read reviews later, it appears as though we were not the first to experience this and the issues...