Hi,
What a great forum is this. I´ve got a lot of good advice on our upcoming trip (dive operator, appartment, shore/boat diving). Thanks a lot !

Next to diving, dining is a passion of us. I would be very happy if you post your top 7 (for every day 1...) list the best places to dine on Bonaire.
(i think this also might be very helpfull to other visitors of this forum).

Regards from a (today...) warm & sunny Holland.

Alrik

1.DONNA & GEORGIOS..2.PASA BON..3.DONNA & GEORGIOS..4.PASA BON...5 DONNA & GEORGIOS..6 PASA BON AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST 7 DONNA 7 GEORGIOS

Bambu
Salsa Restaurant
Pasa Bon Pizza
Bobbejans BBQ
El Fogon Latino
Maiky Snack (lunch only)
Cappriccio

Our Plan for 6/10-6/16 is:
It Rains Fishes, Donna Giorgio, Salsa, Cactus Blue, La Guernica, and Capricio.

Bobbejans BBQ
Bobbejans BBQ
Bobbejans BBQ
Bobbejans BBQ
Bobbejans BBQ
Bobbejans BBQ
Bobbejans BBQ

Bambu................... 9 stars. Good service.
Bistro de Paris..........7 stars
Capriccio ...............8 stars. Wine list!!!!!
City Restaurant (lunch)..5
China Nobo(good take-out)5
Garden Cafe(Veg).........5
La Guernica Fish & Tapas 7
Mona Lisa................8
Little Havana (after diner drink and cigar)

One might think that Monty like Pasa Bon and that Gord might like Bobbejans. I agree with them both

Additionally on my must do list are:

Antriol Catering, delicious local food.
El Fogon Latino (Their seafood chowder is the best, ask people from Maine that have eaten here.)
Richards, consistently good food and wonderful view.
Casablanca was another favorite though this might change to Patagonia as Pablo and Pablito were half of the reason I used to enjoy Casablanca. Then again, if the food at Casablanca remains as good as it was before, it would mean that I have two wonderful Argentinean Restaurants to enjoy. Ahhhh so much beef, so little time(I only visit Bonaire for 2 weeks) Oh did I mention that Casablanca's mushroom sauce was to die for? Am I right Kelly B.?

Yes, if I had to pick just one restaurant to eat at for a week it would be Bobbejans BBQ, its too bad I would get very hungry during the week.

Hey Tom or Bas, leaving tomorrow am where is El Fogon Latino, not familiar with the establishment, don't know street names either so that won't help....thanks

Monty, heading towards the airport from Kralendijk turn left at Lisa Gas, go straight until you arrive at the second four way intersection (I believe), China Nobo will be directly across from you on the right, take a right onto Kaya Nikiboko the next bar/restaurant on the right is El Fogon Latino. Enjoy!!!

Bas, are my directions close?

Thanks Tom, think i can find that, one other question while you're there, can't find a particular piece of dive equipment here at the last minute, where is a good equipment shop, looking for a light that you wear on your head at night to free the hands for a camera rig, preferably not the small pen lights that attatch to the mask but the ones with the head strap, thanks again...makes working sat easier when you're leaving early Sun am to go to paradise

Monty, Monty, Monty, you had me willing to help until your last sentence above, thhhhhhppppppfffffftttttt

Don't honestly know which shop to send you to for a Princeton Tec head lamp. You might want to try the dive shop at Bruce Bowker's Caribe Inn. If Bruce does not have one, the gentleman will surely point you in the right direction.

Wishing you safe travels, enjoyable meals and memorable dives!!

All the restaurants listed are great you can't go wrong with any of them. You should try Last Bite Bakery on the main street going thru town towards the northern hotels, just across the street from the back of Bonaire Oceanfront Apts. Annette has some of the best pastry's I have ever eaten, everything from breakfast pastries to Chocolate lava cake. It is a small place but great.

Andy, thanks for mentioning Annette's Last Bite, I can't believe I blanked her out. Monty, Annette also puts up some delicious lunches that are great to take to the beach

Now I am going to whine for the Molten Lava Cake Andy mentioned for the rest of the day, goodbye

Richards
Pasa Bon Pizza,
Wils Tropical Grill
Bobbiejans BBQ
Cactus Blue
City Cafe
Cappricio
Just our humble opinion

Pasa Bon Pizza
Wil's
Patagonia
Bobbejan's
El Fagon
Donna and Georgio

ok I know that is just 6 but Lost Penguin is no longer there for Eggs Benedict!

Richards, Pasa Bon Pizza, Donna and Georgio,
Casablanca, Patagonia, Old Inn, Bobbejan's. Thats my story and I'm sticken to it!!

Wil's
Wil's
Wil's
Cappricio
Donna and Georgio
Bobbejan's
City Cafe

Our seven

Mona Lisa
La Flamboyant
Rum Runners
Patagonia
Richards
Den Leman
Cactus Blue

On our definite to do list next trip Wil's tropical grill, El Fogon Latino and Bambu

Bobbejans was VERY good!

Cappriccios is our favorite! One of the main reasons we decided to come back (besides the diving of course!)was this restaurant - but of course she was on vacation that week and was closed :-(

Donna and Giorgios is good as well.

Pasa Bon Pizza is excellent!

Capriccio, Bistro de Paris, Cactus Blue, Donna and Georgios, Mona Lisa (when it's open) Bambu, Patagonia.

Jim, you have good taste!

Lions Den
Rum Runners
City Cafe
Richards
Mona Lisa
Green Parrot (gosh i miss that place)
Rains Fishes

Only one place for serious foodies;

Will's Tropical Grill - outstanding - one of the best places I've ever been - including many Michelin starred places in UK, Italy and France.

We were in Bonaire for 2 weeks last December and ate out almost every night - we went back to Will's three times including a special for our last night $100 per head and worth every penny - make sure you try his home made Gravad Wahoo in Smoked black pepper or his personal take on Cookies and Cream!!!!!!!!

The man is a genius and deserves his own Michelin Stars!!!

Jerry, I like the Little Havana thing. Their music is good too. Nothing like a good brandy or Couvessier and a Romeo and Julieta after a good day. Muy bueno.

We just got back Saturday (10+trip)
We enjoyed the following:Donna & Giorgio, Capriccio, It Rains Fishes, Bistro de Paris, Vespucci and La Balandra. We were disappointed with ZeeZicht (we ate there often on previous trips) and unimpressed by Cactus Blue. Also went to a "Bar B Que" at Sand Dollar not good or worth the $$$.

Mona Lisa
Wil's
El Fogon
Bobbijans
Patagonia
Casablanca

Cactus Blue
Mona Lisa
Lion's Den
Casablanca
Pasa Bon
Capriccio's
City Cafe

Thanks Alrick, I have been looking thru postings for everyone's favorites, as we leave for our first visit and honeymoon on the 23rd, and next to diving, eating is our favorite hobby.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, and as we are staying at B/O Apartments we look forward to having the Last Bite Bakery right across the street. Diving out front, bakery in back, I may never come back home......

Again, excellent post for us newbie's, might be the best seven pages I have printed. We got Susan's book months ago also thanks to all the great BTer's.

Patrick

My wife and I will arrive in a week, so I followed this post with MUCH interest.

For what it's worth, here's my tally of the named restaurants, and how many people mentioned them (some comments survived the cut-n-paste):

votes restaurant
----- ----------
8 Bobbejan's BBQ
8 Cappriccio
7 DONNA & GEORGIOS
7 Pasa Bon Pizza
6 Mona Lisa (when it's open)
5 Cactus Blue
5 City Cafe (or Restaurant?)
5 Patagonia
5 Richards
5 Wil's
4 Casablanca
4 El Fogon Latino
3 Bambu
3 Bistro de Paris
3 It Rains Fishes
2 La Guernica Fish & Tapas 7
2 Last Bite Bakery
2 Lion's Den
2 Little Havana (after diner drink, cigar)
2 Maiky Snack (lunch only)
2 Rum Runners
1 Antriol Catering
1 China Nobo(good take-out)5
1 Den Leman
1 Garden Cafe(Veg).........5
1 Green Parrot (gosh i miss that place)
1 La Balandra
1 La Flamboyant
1 Old Inn
1 Salsa Restaurant
1 Vespucci

Great thread guys! This will help even us guys who have been coming to island for 13+ years. Thankfully food in Bonaire is varied.

Thanks for compiling the list, Bob M. You can NIX The Green Parrot as it's long gone as are those good ol Parrot burgers Sadly facility was destroyed by freak wave years back; man do we miss that place too!!!

Was digging in a "junk" drawer in the kitchen and I found an old yellow book of matches from the Green Parrot; new and never used (don't smoke anyway)! Made me smile HUGE that I still had that!

Wave didn't destroy our memories of the fun we had there with Sara and Jim & the old gang!!!

Kobi

Ok...hopefully it is not too late to add our favorites.

Pasa Bon Pizza!!!
Bobbejan's
Patagonia
La Guernica
Richards
Wil's Tropical Grill
Casablanca

Pasa Bon Pizza
Bobbe Jans
Lions Den
City Cafe - call for dinner reservations early in day.
Richards

Hey Kobi - do you have any of the drink stirrers left too? I still have one from the Green Parrot but now I get them from Lion's Den - or at least I used to - don't know if they still have them or not.

I have to add our favorites - only 6 but we repeat several of them when we go for 2 weeks:

Bambu - love the service and food !
Cappriccio - wine and food !!
DONNA & GEORGIOS - food always good
Cactus BLue - great owners,food,variety & value!
Papaya Moon - good food,large portion,happy hour!
Pasa Bon - great after a nite dive!

Great ! What a messages... This is soooo helpful. Thanks a lot for everybody above (and everybody who is going to post after this message.

I hope it will be a even longer thread !

Looking forward to see you all in october on Bonaire (we are there from oct 25 for 1 week)

Alrik

Mara, Lion's Den stopped having those cool drink stirrers this past winter. We have a collection too. Seems they got so pricey, restaurants aren't using them anymore, I do know you can buy some in some of the town shops though... Shame, my son loved them in his virgin pina coloadas.

Darn - I was afraid that was going to happen. Everyone in the family kept one in our log books - we have the kind that have a full zipper around them. I was just in the dive closet last night and saw a sterrer in a cubby hole - gosh I sure enjoyed getting them.

Me too, Mara, Our group of BT'rs tried real hard to convince the owner to start up them again. He got a chuckle out of the fact that they really left such an impression on his guests. Who knows, maybe when I go back in August, he may have some!

Here is the inside story...The man who used to import them, John Ortman, lived in Quito and had a condo at Sand Dollar. He used to sell them to Sarah at the Green Parrot. When the parrot was washed away, Kurt from Lions Den took over the drink stirrer duty. John sold his condo and only visits on occasion. Perhaps, Sarah will get them for the Chibi Chibi. I will ask Kurt when I see him what the story is.

Thanks, Michael! We sure gave Kurt a hard time about not having them anymore! It would be nice to have them again.

I didn't realize that Sara at the Divi was the same Sara from the Green Parrot until Michael educated us this most recent trip down.

Chibi Chibi has the best bacon cheese burgers around and now I know why! The Green Parrot influence!!

Divi/Chibi used to have cute wood carved pink flamingos in their drinks but I have not seen them in a while...still there? I have a bunch of them at home and use them for different types of decorations and fun. cb

We got a couple of drinks at Rum Runners that came with cute little wood carved animals--a green parrot and a fish. It was during Happy Hour and they said the drinks were 40% off. Each one was $8 after the discount. Call me cheap, but I thought that was pretty high for HH prices!

Well my top 7 restaurants are:

Papaya Moon
Mambo Jambo
Pasa Bon Pizza
La Quernica
City Cafe
China Nobo
And the little stand on the Boulevard for the nice wraps with steak or chicken

Dear Jane,

Are you sure you where there during HH.
A cocktail (with the wood carved decoration if available) is $ 7.50 ex OB during regular hours.
during HH it's 4,50.

1. It Rains Fishes (huge portions and killer margaritas)

2. Cactus Blue (awesome margaritas and apps)

3. Pasa Bon Pizza

4. The burger joint next to City Cafe' (forget name... great burgs!!)

**I did not get to try enough places to give more then my top 4 (others I tried were just so-so - but I am going back in Nov and hope to add more on my list!!)

Jenn

What-A-Burger

Richards
Cactus Blue
Pasa Bon Pizza

For us, these rose above the rest last December

I remember a rather "stiff" tab at the Rum Runners for two drinks during happy hour as well. I wonder if the staff occasionally takes advantage of strangers?

Mara,
Sorry I missed your ? about the drink stirrer critters!!! Thanks Debbie for updating that they aren't given any longer...bummer! I did ask in April at Kurt's & they said they didn't do them anymore

I have quite a few from the "old" days and believe it or not they are on top of my printer's drawer that hangs on the wall LOL. I see it EVERY time I walk down the stairs!!

Mona Lisa
Richard's
City Cafe
Papaya Moon
KonTiki
Rum Runners
It Rains Fishes

Just returned from the Caribbean (not Bonaire this time) so here's our nomination for a top-ten restaurant: If you're from anywhere in the Southwest or anywhere for that matter - there's just something about Mexican food when you're really hungry and you're in a festive mood - Papaya Moon takes care of that lust on Bonaire. Food, ambiance, staff - all great!

And then there's Pasa Bon...

No one has posted on here in a while, and we have a lot more people who have been to Bonaire. So, let's see how things stand now...
Here's mine:

1. Donna & Georgio's
2. Donna & Georgio's
3. Casablanca
4. Garden Cafe
5. City Cafe
6. Rum Runner's
7. Pasa Bon Pizza

Cactus Blue
Richards
City Cafe
Kon Tiki
The Rib Factory
Bobbe -Jans
Bistro Paris
Lions Den

I surely dont mean to be a cynic but the meat on bonaire is like leather, no matter where you eat. maybe i`m spoiled w/ the best steak houses anywhere and the best pizza. I did however enjoy the pie at a small place. I believe the owner was from canada and it was the pasa bon. But whose goes to bonaire to eat anyway? w/ at least 3 dives a day......gimme a bag o chips and a cocktail and it crib time.

Steven, I hate to be a cynic but you don't know what your talking about. You must not know anything about beef or you would know what and how to order it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Easy Patrick, remember your blood pressure!

Okay boys... back to lists
From our trip in Sept - a lot of places were closed for holiday ....

La Guernica (my absolute favorite!)
Karels (drinks on the pier w/finger food - plenty to eat great atmosphere)
Rum Runner (thank you for the special treatment)
BobbeJans
Casablanca
Cappricio's
Papagayo (used to be Lost Pelican still has eggs benedict & Hubby Loves EB)


* Great thread - let's keep it going!!

sorry patrick, maybe i hit a bad week........but I really was not impressed and trust me......I can do a 40 oz ribeye or p house med rare n/p. seriously though we went to this arg grill, it was tough. nothing like a peter lugers or other great NY steak houses or even NY prime in Myrtle beach. we`re going to try out some of the places on peoples lists. Im sure we`ll find a place........the more you go the more places you try......have a good night

Ya know, just like NY, Santa Barbara, or any place else in this world you can't judge by one dinner, one time. Although, I'm sure you did more than one arg place, one night
I can't wait to get back to Bonaire to try a few more places and return to La Guernica

O.K., I'll play.

1. Lion's Den
2. Bobbe Jans
3. Pasa Bon Pizza
4. Mona Lisa
5. Lion's Den, gotta go more than just once!
6. El Fagon Latino
7. Patagonia

Last Bite Bakery for great lunches and desserts a must too!

Here's my list (in no particular order):
1. Wil's Tropical Grill
2. Pasa Bon Pizza
3. Bistro de Paris
4. La Guernica
5. Casablanca
6. Bobbe Jans
I can't come up with a 7th... I guess I need to go back and try a few!

where is Will's

Tina, Will's is downtown on the road that eventually goes North. I know that doesn't help much...lol! anyone, what's the name of that main road???

Will's address is Kaya L. D. Gerharts #9. It obviously is not oceanfront, but the best garden dinning we have found on Bonaire IMHO. Will and his wife Sue really do a nice job. Enjoy!