Restaurant/bar reviews - Crown Point

[Julia D]

We ate A LOT while we were in Tobago - the food was definitely a highlight of our trip. See below for some opinions.

Golden Star - we ate here on a Friday when they have their weekly bbq. The fish was delicious and there was a range of salads and vegetables, buffet-style, to accompany it. There was a live steel pan band ouside as well. If you happen to be in Crown Point on a Wednesday, you HAVE to go to the talent contest here ($25TT) - it happens every week and is the Tobagonian equivalent of pop idol. It's televised and includes a number of other acts, besides the talented people singing such as a best-dressed competition and the option for members of the audience to get up and sing/do comedy routines/dance. After the show, there's a party with dancing til the early hours. A great night out!

Bonkers - we were a bit disappointed with this place. We'd heard good things, but found the food was a bit average and not particularly good value. It was also really empty when we were there so the atmosphere was lacking too.

Marcia's (639 0359)- bit of a trek to get to (on Store Bay Local Road - keep heading east past Bonkers for a good 15/20 minutes), but absolutely worth the walk! We had an excellent cream of corn and pumpkin soup, served with garlic bread and then kingfish in creole sauce with ground provisions. The desserts sounded great, but unfortunately we were too full to try them! The best place we ate at in Store Bay.

Sunday School, Buccoo - fun night out, but were glad we'd arranged with our taxi driver that he'd pick us up at a specified time/location. Worth going if you're in the area on a Sunday.

[Brett]

We found the food at Kariwak Village to be quite excellent offering local specialities. Our meal consisted of bread, soup, salad, choice of fish or meat, vegetable dish and potato dish, and choice of dessert. The coconut ice cream was to die for.

[Richard M]

We ate at the Kariwak last Friday (25th Nov), I would agree with Brett that the food was great, the starter and main course were self service from a buffet and the dessert was ordered, I had lime pie with coconut ice cream and it was delicious. Unfortunately the service was awful !
We ordered drinks when we arrived and didn't get them for over 20 minutes when we were already on our main course, this on it's own wasn't too bad (although I would have preferred to get my own drink at the bar and would recommend doing this).
When I asked for the bill I looked at my watch as we were going back to Bonkers for a cocktail, it was a full 20 minutes later before another waitress came and asked if we wanted the bill I explained we had already asked for it, at the same time the table beside us asked for their bill. The waitress returned and apologised for the delay to the table beside us (!!!) and said the bill was on it's way, I told her it had been us who were waiting . Anyway another 10 minutes and still no sign of the bill. My cocktail was beginning to seem like an unrealisable dream so we got up to leave and paid at the desk on the way out. I could understand if the waitresses were rushing around busy but they were nowhere to be seen, possibly out back having a chat.
What really makes me laugh is that for this there was a 10 % "service" charge added onto the bill !
Thankfully we experienced nothing like this on all our other nights out, there's laid back relaxed service and then there's just plain ingnorance, in my opinion keeping customers waiting over half an hour when they want to move on just to print a receipt is the latter.
I will post a review of the restaurants I would recommend (all the others I visited) when I get a chance in the next day or two.

Richard

[Cornelia Montgomery]

Your report gave me a chuckle because you got very good service. Relax. There is an interesting thatched roof over your head, while you are waiting for the check.Try to figure out how it was woven. After dark, what pressing engagements do you have? While I'm eating my dessert, I try to figure out where all the others diners are from. Mostly, it's England, but there are Germans, Swedes, and the occasion Americans, like me and my husband.
The worst wait we ever had was at the Sea Horse. We waited for more than 2 hours for a dessert and check. We were surronded by English people, who began hitting their water glasses with their silverware. We joined in.
I'm sure that no longer happens.
I've probably eaten at the Kariwak 20 times in seven vistits to Tobago. It's one place where I've always been greeted with a smile. With one young waitress, we talked about the limitations of living on a small island.

[Richard M]

After dark is when my important engagements begin

[John Fox]

Dillons - Having enjoyed eating there a few years ago and reading reviews here about their lobster we were so disappointed this time round. We went early evening , only two other tables in use, and yet our food had obviously been cooked earlier it came that quick. In fact my wife and I had a main course and pudding in 40 minutes flat !!!!!! Dreadful and very over-priced.

Bonkers - went there for a lunch time Burger and Chips - yummy with Ice Cold Carib on Draught. All freshly cooked for 6 of us and the waiting was well worthwhile.

Bamboo Mile - I have reported under that heading - great place.

Further away at Stonehaven the Sea Horse continues to provide a great evening - expensive yes but well worth it for the quality and ambiance.

[Bryn]

I agree....Dillons was HORRID. Overpriced and itty bitty portions. We were quoted a price for lobster and when the bill came it was $40 more than the quote. Definitely not recommended.

Bryn

[Steve Wooler]

Nice to agree with you on one, Bryn.

I haven't been to Dillons for about three years. Apart from the fact that the fish dishes have never been up to the standards I would expect from a specialist fish restaurant (and when compared to much cheaper restaurants in the area), I've always been a little concerned that the final bill seems very much higher than I would expect from the prices listed. Mind you, I find that charging rip-off prices for drinks and extras is becoming the norm in Tobago. Anyway, apart from that, I damned if I will pay top-class restaurant prices for not-so-special food served in a wooden shed. Its such a shame, because the premises could be made really atmospheric if they hung some fishing nets, lobster pots and other fishing paraphernalia around the place. Walking in there, I always get the feeling that they don't care about the customer and just want to milk you for as much as they can. Maybe I'm being unjust, but charging top dollar for very little is going to make people feel that way.

[Marcus Hartnell]

For myself and my wife the best restaurant on the island we would suggest is the cafe coco the food is great and the staff are fantastic but best of all the service is the best the Manageress Maggie is a great help and very proffesional and would bend over backwards to please.

[Nikos]

We don't really eat fish and can't comment, but what happened to us at Dillon's last summer has never happened elsewhere, ever. My partner had to wait a long time for her "baby lobster" dish, and we complained; so when the bill arrived they told us that they wouldn't charge us for the lobster at all! Incredible, but true.

[Roland Siebenhorn]

Just found the bill of our visit at Dillon's from December 2005.
One grilled Lobster with garlic butter and vegetables for two people, a bottle of Chilean Chardonnay, a bottle of water and two tequilas for 480 TT. The Chardonnay was 125 TT.
We aren't lobster experts, but found the lobster delicious and the bill not too expensive, compared to what you would pay for that arrangement in Europe.

[Andrew Melling]

To add to the Dillons impressions, we too visited in early December 2005. For one of the starters, we ordered a main course starter size portion, yet when we received the bill were charged full price. On querying this, we were told that we had to pay full price since it was on the menu as a main course!

We also found the staff surly and disinterested, although the food was delicious!