TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Emilio's

This is Tom's wife, Lisa. I am not sure if this is ok to post...We have been going to St.Maarten for at least 40 years and stuck with the reliable restaurants, trying at least one new one each year, this time down we went to Emilio's. I had never heard of it. It is right down the street from the Belair and the round about. It is an amazing experience! I loved the estate, the history, the attention to detail from the wait staff and the food presentation! The prices were reasonable. Wish we had known about this gem earlier. Wanted to share our discovery.

This is Tom. Lisa and I do not always agree on restaurant choices so here is mine. My take on Emilio's, a couple miles from Belair, not far from the Carrefor roundabout, is a unique dining experience, first rate in every sense. Beautiful setting, facinating history, terrific service and wonderful food. The prices were steep (imo) but if you know what to expect (and in our case we had dinner for 4, two had a drink and a glass of wine). The tab was $400+ with 18% service charge.

Glad you enjoyed it. I've never been that impressed with it, but glad you found a place that you liked.

The one time we went there it turned into a one and done. Service was just so so and food left a lot to be desired.

Glad you had a good experience. It's been getting a lot of mixed reviews.

Surprised you hadn't heard of Emilio"s, as there have been quite a few posts here, although none recently. We went a few times and really enjoyed it, but after Dino left, our experience wasn't good, and we haven't been back. Glad you enjoyed it!

Friends I travel with tried it once and really liked the setting but for me, there are too many mixed reviews, and I am not a fan of the owner.

Yes $400 is steep

100pp including tip is not steep for fine dining. I love the ambiance of the place. There was a time the food was up and down but now hearing things are back to being very consistent.

Norman and Su’s son Kyle and his wife Jasmin own LaChingona in Jordan Village, very good Mexican “street” food. They ran the Hurricane Bar at the airport after Irma. Plus they have other family ventures. I think Talula Mangoes on the boardwalk is theirs as well.

Pretty sure they do own Talula Mangoes, unless it has changed hands.

100 pp does sound steep to me because I don't find the place to be romantic fine dining. For us the food was just okay.

Last year when dining at Le Cigale the couple at the table beside us heard that we'd been coming to the island for almost 50 years. They said they too had been on the island almost that long and asked if we'd ever eaten at Emilios to which I said it wasn't the best we've had on island. As we were leaving our waiter whispered to us that the couple were the owners of Emilios and that they were taking note and asking questions about the chef, food, etc of Le Cigal.

That probably didn't make the owner of Emillios very happy. 😉

Well, from the look on the woman's face I'm sure it didn't. Yet she didn't ask me why I didn't like it. We were still seated and the conversation could have continued so I could really stuff my foot into my mouth but it ended there. Hubby did say that La Cigale was excellent and now at the top of our list but that's it.

"Yet she didn't ask me why I didn't like it"
That's suprising as I would think she would want to know to make corrections.

Sounds like she expected a compliment, and was surprised when she didn't get one.

I think you're right. It was a lesson for me to, in the future, not offer any views, good or bad, to strangers.

One never knows to whom they are speaking. Years ago I used to post under a different name that sounded French and every time I posted compliments about French restaurants I got a bit of flack from some here. One day, at a lolo, I met a couple whom I won't name and they thought we were new to the island and started making restaurant recommendations . Then they suggested I go to traveltalkonline for info. When I said I was already registered there as Celeste Fuisse, the woman's response was YOU're Celeste? Conversation was awkward after that and they soon left.

I'm with you, $100.00 PP is on the steep side and I'm not cheap at all, not when it come to GOOD service and quality dishes!!! But this place gets to many mixed reviews for me to drop that kind of coin. Considering this isn't DelMonico's or Morton's!!! This sounds like you are paying for the ambiance and the view. Much Like Bamboo that friends went there for the second time and will not return, we loved it. Maybe we'll stop by for a drink and an app!!!

Bamboo was fabulous the first two years we went there, but island friends whose opinion we respect have said that it's gone downhill too. It's a shame that the really great places don't stay great; at least many of them.

I have to laugh at this; as I had a similar experience here on the forum. I sent someone, who I thought was new to the island, a PM about how service and tipping work on the French side. He completely reamed me out; they had been coming to the island for decades, and always tip an additional 20% or more on the French side. Up to you, Buddy!

Just for clarification, Tom ordered a filet mignon, and desert, cocktail and wine, I got an app, main, desert, cocktail and wine, The other 2 people got apps, mains and desert and 2 bottles of water. That's not bad . IMO.
Lisa

Colour! You look great without makeup. Like the new pix.

Had to laugh at this !!! Somehow, even without the make up like Gene, people still come up to me on the beaches and say:"You're Colour1!!!" Louise took that picture at Chez Leandra last oct-nov!!! It's definitely one of our happy places!!! Don't mind me for showing off my new smile!!! LOL!!! Glad you like the new avtar pixx!!