TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin New Orient restaurants at night?

The new "north of Pedro's restaurants are getting closer...would you venture to that area at night? There will be parking and supposedly lighting but would you feel safe? Obviously, the new ( old) places would have to be good enough to make you want to go...

If there was only one restaurant open, possibly not, but if there were several restaurants open, I would feel safe, up until 8 or 9, but not much after that, I don't think.. Although I personally don't feel that comfortable driving down the road that ends at Club O after night now. I personally would go the other way and go out through the Village.

I don't think we'll have an issue with safety but like you said, the restaurants and bars there would have to have excellent food and a very special atmosphere for us to consider going back at night.
We have our dinner habits in many other spots on the island and Orient Beach, for us, is essentially for sunbathing and meeting friends on the beach. We've never patronized any of the bars and restaurants north of Club Orient and it will probably continue this way in the future, unless, like I said, someone offers something worth going back after a day there. These new businesses will be located outside of Orient Village and I doubt they'll attract the local crowd at night. let alone people from other areas of the island but I could be wrong. Let's wait and see.

As for getting closer to completion, my next door neighbor was on the island last week and he told me last night that he heard several local people talk about completion of the construction (outside) around Dec 15.

I don't think anyone knows for sure whether or not they will be open in the evening. But with the road and parking being improved, and hopefully well lit, I would try it. They used to have a gate at the Club O end of the "road"; that would have to be gone. We either stay at Club O or in the village, so we wouldn't have to take the other way in. I know the feeling of driving in that road after dark.

We have had dinners on Friday nights at Andy and Cheryl's when they used to do that and have never had a problem there. Lots of parking right near the back door back then. I think everyone needs to wait and see what transpires there as it could be very different than what people are saying.

I was going to say something very similar. It didn't work out for Andy and Cheryl open at night. These restaurants open first thing in the mornings to accept the cruisers and the regular tourists...and then close late afternoon. Since they only usually have limited staff, staying open for dinner seems like it would be impossible to do...since even they need to sleep sometime. Same with the souvenier vendors in the shops. Sometimes there just isn't enough hours in the day. But...time will tell.

I agree, with the small staffs that these restaurants have, being open for 3 meals per day would seem impossible. However, I could see where one or more of them would have just a beach boy come in early and a bartender and then have more staff that came in around 11 or so.

I hope there are a few nights that some are open. It would be great to be able to sit by the water and enjoy a meal and adult beverage. I certainly wouldn't have any problems going.

Think about Calmos Cafe in Grand Case - busy in the evenings - I agree Grande Case attracts an evening crowd and Calmos is creating it's own vibe to appeal to a certain group
But think of that sort of concept on Orient Beach in the evening
Maybe not every night, maybe with a theme and music ...

Regardless we'll be trying each one this winter - looking forward [hoping] to get reports on the revived resto's / shops before we arrive in Jan

J&B

At night there is a gate across near club o & you can't get through you would need to go through orient village. Also new colour added to buildings. Sort of goldy colour. Will send photo. Chatted with a worker there the cement building is toilette & there will be showers. Also will send photo of those to Carol. Still haven't figured that out. Very busy at club o beach.

Looking forward to seeing the new pictures.