TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Daily Herald 'best of' is out!

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Gotta say, there are some clunkers in there, but many of them seem to be 'right on' this year. Starting off with best new restaurant, Bamboo House and best place for breakfast, Reveil Matin!

Pretty solid "Best of" list. In the best live music venue list who is the guitarist in the Soggy Dollar Bar photo? I believe we've seen him at The Hole in The Wall and would like to track him down on our spring visit.

Clunkers = Dominos for best pizza!

Avantika. Best High End restaurant. Good but I wouldn't call it High End.

One can disagree with some individual choices, but as I said, I think this year's picks are, on the whole, much more on point than in previous years.

BK number 2 for best burger?

Sale and Pepe our personal friend Chef Davide , two years in a row.

I believe mostly local people vote, so that could explain that, as well as the pizza vote.

Every year this list just seems more and more like who spent the most in advertising or who will buy the biggest Thank You ad after being named “ THE BEST”! Sure a few are logical , but It’s just not a credible list and just another pay to play scheme. IMO.

Kind of like TripAdvisor reviews and ratings. Take them with a grain of salt.

Or Jeff Bergers site.

And that would be correct also.

Do I have this right, the voting is for residents of the island??? Because if it was up to us, the visitors. This list would look a lot different!!! A LOT DIFFERENT!!

I didn't vote this year, but in past years, it was open to anyone who wanted to vote. I would assume that was the case this year.

Correct, locals, visitors, tourists, you name it and one could vote.

We got to do a better job if we have a vote next year!! Spaghetti house not even in the top three??? "What the funk" not in the top three??? SMYC not in the top three??? And no "Best auto rental company"??? Clunkers??? That's putting it mildly on that list! There's places on that list you couldn't pay me enough to set foot in!! Our favorite "shop" owners need to know that we are behind them One hundred percent! This is not the reflection of that!!

That's the beauty of these polls. Your favorite shop owner or car rental may not be the same for everyone. And in reality it is not "our island " but a place we are all lucky to enjoy.

Well said.

We went to the Bamboo House last night with some old friends. Our first time there, it has an amazing atmosphere but a bit pricy. $10 for valet parking or take a shuttle from down the hill. We shared the Chicken Sate app and Filet dinner which were excellent. Great jazz music and vibe last night for Gatsby night. https://www.bamboohouse-sxm.com/

Valet parking was $5 in December. Still worth it at $10, in my opinion.

So, to be clear, if you want to valet park, you just drive up to the restaurant and pay to have them valet? Are there good signs to show you how to get there?

Yes, an experience not to be missed.

Yes Carol correct. It's a little tricky there are two roads up, you have to take the left side. It is one lane only so backing up or down the road is common.

Yikes. OK. I think we will just take the shuttle.