Ci Bo Ne — Restaurant in Frederiksted

My family and I visited this restaurant twice in one week. The first visit on August 17, 2021 was a delayed celebration for my birthday, and the second visit on August 20, 2021 was to celebrate my mother’s birthday.

August 17, 2021 Visit:

There were 3 of us for this visit. This was my first time visiting this restaurant. A friend of mine recommended it. I absolutely loved the ambience and there was live singing by a local musician. The appetizers and main entrées came out in a timely fashion. Our server was friendly and professional. I ordered the seafood paella. It was a bit salty but had a wonderful flavor. I loved the calamari appetizer. Everyone else enjoyed their appetizers and entrées. For this visit, I would rate it a four stars.

August 20, 2021 Visit:

Because of my good experience on August 17th, I decided to have our second celebration at this restaurant. There were 13 of us for this visit. My experience the second go around was not as appealing as the first time. While our server was professional, the ambience and the atmosphere were absolutely wonderful, and the same musician was there and provided live entertainment, there were significant delays in bringing out our food along with other issues. The appetizers came out about 30 minutes after we ordered. There was one appetizer that was ordered that we never received. There was a significant delay in getting the entrées to us. It took about an hour and a half for the entrees to come out. Also, there were several incorrect dishes that had to be returned. Another disappointment was when 2 entrees came out and the other 11 didn’t come out until about 45 minutes afterwards. My understanding for some of that delay was that they ran out of the garlic mashed potato. The problem is that when they cooked more mashed potatoes to complete our orders, we received plain, bland mashed potatoes that did not have one bit of garlic in it. The only reason most of us ordered the mashed potatoes was because it was supposed to be garlic mashed potatoes. This discrepancy just added even more to our list of disappointments.

Over all, The food tasted good, and the texture was nice but it was difficult to enjoy once the food finally came out because of how long we had to wait. The service could have been better that night for sure. We didn’t get any top up of water or asked if we wanted anything else to drink either.

This visit was not comparable to the first visit at all. Perhaps the issue is that this restaurant does not do a good job of accommodating large groups. I am not sure what the issue was but it is definitely something that the management and staff need to take a good look at in order to ensure that the service is as outstanding for only a couple guests as it is for larger groups. I would rate this second visit as two stars.

Keeping both visits in mind, I give this restaurant an average rating of...

We have eaten at Ci Bo Ne several times and considered it one of our “go to” places. After our experience on May 20, we will NEVER go to this restaurant again. We were informed by our waiter that our waiting time would be longer than usual which we were fine with. After over one hour, the waiter came to tell us that one of the entrees (lamb) was unavailable. By the way, the restaurant was about half occupied. There were more workers than patrons. So, you think the service would make up for the long wait and very delayed information about the unavailability of the lamb. We had to ask four times to have our water glasses refilled one time over a 90 minute time period. They finally refilled three of the four glasses, never returning to refill the fourth. Two salmon dishes were ordered medium rare. Both were well done and quite dry. When the waiter was informed, he said that he asked for it to be cooked medium rare and left the table. The chicken had a rubbery texture. We regularly tip at least 25% as we appreciate the hard work and hard times restaurant workers have experienced due to COVID. Needless to say, we left the least amount of tip that we have EVER left (10%). Our guests suggested we leave 0%. In retrospect, this is what we should have left. Upon leaving I expressed my disappointment and literally got a response of, “sorry.” On a positive note, the live music was good. Based on other reviews, this restaurant seems to be a hit or miss type of experience. There are so many fabulous restaurants on the island that are consistently great (e.g., Hamiltons, Flyers, Bombay, Galango). Suggest you spend your money wisely at any other restaurant than Ci Bo Ne. BTW, I have NEVER written a negative...

I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Ciboné last night, and it was an unforgettable experience!

I ordered the lobster and chicken Alfredo, and let me tell you—the Alfredo sauce was made from scratch, rich, creamy, and absolutely delicious. The portion size was just right, leaving me perfectly satisfied. My partner had the blackened snapper with broccolini and mashed potatoes, and every bite was seasoned and cooked to perfection.

To complement our meal, we enjoyed a crisp Prosecco and a passion fruit margarita that was both refreshing and flavorful—highly recommended if you love a tropical twist in your drinks!

The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with a perfect island vibe that made us feel right at home. We even had the chance to meet the owner, who was incredibly welcoming and clearly passionate about the food and service.

Speaking of service—top-notch! The staff and bartender were friendly, attentive, and professional. I also witnessed them deescalate a rude customer with grace and professionalism, which says so much about their level of experience and commitment to creating a positive environment for everyone.

I can’t recommend Ciboné enough! Whether you’re a local or just visiting St. Croix, this place is a must-try for anyone looking for amazing food, drinks, and atmosphere. We’ll definitely be...