On the Sand restaurant Mango Bay resort — Restaurant in Phú Quốc

TL;DR: Overpriced beach restaurant with mediocre seafood quality and unimpressive oysters, charging European-level prices for market-standard food. The high cost is seemingly for the view and live music, potentially suitable for a romantic dinner.

Visiting this beachfront restaurant, I anticipated a delightful culinary experience but was met with disappointment. The first shock came with the bill – an astounding 3 million VND for a single plate and two drinks. This price point is on par with average European dining costs, which sets high expectations for food quality.

Unfortunately, the seafood did not live up to these expectations. The shrimps and lobster, staple items in a beach restaurant, were notably undercooked and had an overpowering sodium taste. This could be a result of their cultivation environment, but it certainly detracted from the dining experience.

The squid was another letdown. It wasn't cleaned properly, resulting in a bitter aftertaste that overshadowed its potential flavor. This is a basic culinary step that was overlooked, and it's something I would expect any chef to manage, especially at these prices.

On a slightly positive note, the oysters were good, though not impressive. They did not stand out in any particular way, which was a missed opportunity to redeem the meal.

The overall experience felt like paying five times the market rate for food that was, at best, of market quality. The added cost seems to be for the ambiance – the beach view and live music, which might appeal to those looking for a romantic dinner setting. However, for food enthusiasts looking for quality and value, this restaurant...

I was looking forward to dining at On the Sand for the vibe and view, but the experience was disappointing. We arrived after 9 PM and asked if they were still serving dinner. A staff member, who seemed to be the manager, confirmed that they were. However, once we sat down, the waitress told us we had to order everything at once because the kitchen closed at 9:30 PM. That was fine—we assumed it was just for food.

Then, shortly after bringing our food (in about 10 minutes), they asked if we wanted another drink since it was the last call. When we asked what time they actually closed, they said 10 PM. This was surprising because no one had informed us when we arrived that the entire restaurant would shut down by then. Had we known, we might have chosen to eat elsewhere instead of rushing through our meal.

The worst part was that while we were just starting our dinner, the waitress came over to ask us to pay the bill. After that, the staff left and told us they wouldn’t be serving anymore, but we could sit there if we wanted. It felt like they only cared about getting the last bit of cash rather than actually providing a good experience.

For a place that isn’t cheap, I expected much better service and communication. If they close at 10 PM sharp, they should make that clear before seating customers, rather than rushing them through the meal and making them feel like an...

Mango Bay resort and both restaurants are simply said: heavenly. The host at the reception, the staff, the food, the ambiance, everything is just A1. People are talking about the prizes, but what continu expect? Yes there are European prizes but what kind of experience can you buy for these amounts in Europe? Stop it. Lots of these big luxury resorts doesn’t have some soul in it. Yes it’s often beautiful, but also charmless and pompous. Mango Bay is so charming and romantic, it’s really open, quiet and so you can feel how much effort there’s put in all detail. It still feels authentic and like a small resort. I will bring my whole family next year because I know they will love it. It’s the perfect...