The Easterly — Restaurant in Saint Thomas

My family and I were looking forward to dining at The Easterly, a restaurant renowned for its upscale dining experience. Unfortunately, our anticipation was met with a series of disappointments that began the moment we arrived.

Despite having made a reservation for 7:45 PM, we were not seated until 8:05 PM, a delay that set a less-than-ideal tone for the evening. This was particularly challenging as we were dining with two young children, for whom waiting can be especially difficult.

Upon being seated, we found communication with our waitress to be a challenge; her rapid pace when explaining the specials made it nearly impossible for us to follow along, leaving us feeling disconnected from the full range of options available.

The service continued to underwhelm when it came to timeliness. After ordering our drinks, a wait of 10 minutes ensued before their arrival. This delay paled in comparison, however, to the 40 minutes we waited for our appetizers, specifically the mussels, to be served. Following this, our entrees took an additional 20 minutes to reach our table. Such delays are difficult to reconcile in a fast-paced dining environment, let alone one that prides itself on a premium experience.

Speaking of the dining experience, while The Easterly positions itself as a high-end establishment, the quality of both food and drinks was merely average, indistinguishable from what one might expect at any local dining spot. This mediocrity was all the more glaring given the premium pricing of the menu items.

The essence of a high-end restaurant lies not only in its menu prices but in the caliber of its food, the efficiency of its service, and the overall dining experience it offers. Regrettably, The Easterly falls short of these expectations. For the level of service and quality received, the price paid was disproportionately high. Based on this experience, a reassessment of value for money is imperative. I had hoped for an evening that justified the costs, but left feeling that a more satisfying experience could have been had at a fraction of the price.

In conclusion, while The Easterly aspires to high-end dining, our experience was marked by service delays and average culinary offerings that did not live up to the expectations set by its pricing or reputation. For discerning diners seeking a genuinely upscale experience, this visit was a reminder that high prices do not always guarantee...

To start we had passed by here a few times over the week we've been on island, and had read some reviews and decided for our last dinner before flying out this was our place to go.

Service: Ajani was our server and he was impeccable, he was very knowledgeable about everything the restaurant was serving and had wonderful suggestions for entrees. Although, Ajani was our server, there were many who stopped by our table to check on us through our dinner seating, whether it was to wipe the moisture our glasses left on the table to ensuring our water glasses were full to clearing dishes. Everyone was incredibly nice and didn't make you feel as if you were just another table, they were really personable and wanted to ensure you were happy.

Drinks: We started with Hibiscus Mojito and Sunkissed as well as a Prosecco with dinner. After dinner, we finished with an expresso with almond biscotti.

Food: Our starter (Hot Small Plate) was Citrus Pork Belly and it was very good. It had a nice balance between the lite citrus and the bold taste of the pork belly with a hint of crispness. For our entree as suggested by Ajani my husband elected to have the Woodfired Wahoo over orzo with a side of roasted wild mushrooms and he said the Wahoo was good portion and had a nice taste. I myself had Seafood Risotto also with a side of wild mushrooms. My risotto was very tasty with a decent flavor that accented the seafood nicely. I had a bit of worry about it, as a review I saw stated it was lacking in flavor, but I did not find that at all. For dessert, we chose to share a Chocolate Fondant, I found it to be quite flavorful. The cake was nicely dense in the center with a textured shell and it was paired with a nice light vanilla ice cream

Ambiance: The Easterly is located right on the harbor water but it is a very cozy contemporary coastal setting. I would absolutely recommend making this a stop at the very least once while visiting St Thomas.

Great job Ajani and Easterly staff and thank you for a...

The restaurant consistently impresses with its commitment to fresh local ingredients, especially notable in its seafood dishes. The ambiance, with its open-air setting and proximity to the water, adds to the charm, making each visit feel special. However, it's important to mention a few drawbacks. The first is the cost – The Easterly is quite expensive. Also, its open-air design means that, depending on the time of year, dining close to the water might attract "no-see-um" and other types of insects, although repellent is thoughtfully provided at the hostess stand. Our main concern, and the reason for our decision to stop frequenting The Easterly, lies in their billing practices. In addition to the already high prices, a mandatory 20% tip is added to the bill, which can be frustrating, particularly if the service doesn't match up but we understand why you would do that in large parties of four or more but not for a couple having dinner. More so, the imposition of a 4% "convenience fee" for using a credit card is making you have to carry a significant amount of cash to the restaurant and in our view, unacceptable. At such a high-end establishment, these costs should be integrated into the meal prices. This practice feels inappropriate for a business of this caliber and has influenced our decision to seek dining experiences elsewhere. Despite these negative points, The Easterly offers a wonderful dining experience. For those who are comfortable with the additional charges and carrying cash to pay for your meal, we recommend visiting for its exceptional food and ambiance. This balanced perspective will be reflected in our vacation guide currently under production to provide readers with an honest and comprehensive overview of what to expect at...