Hi - I'm looking at anniversary dinner locations for August. I made reservations at the Flying Fishbone, but then I found out our hotel (Marriott) offers a private sunset dinner on the beach and you can add a guitar player and photographer as well.

Any thoughts on one versus the other?

Thanks,
Zil

I guess it depends on what you like. My husband and I went for our 10th anniversary and, what with folks crawling over us to get photos , we coulda stayed home with the rugrats! If private dinner is in your price range, go for it. I should mention that, on the same trip, we had a nice, private-ish table at Pincho's with a spectacular view of the sunset and more reasonable prices.

P.S. Here's my Flying Fishbone review from Restaurants Aruba, hope it helps:We had our 10th anniversary dinner here last week. The setting is very beautiful, the service and food quite good until about 20 minutes before sunset. With our perfect view on the west side of the beach, we were constantly interrupted by a flow of diners seated elsewhere surrounding our table to take photos -- even interrupting our meal for us to snap a photo of them! Plus, the waitstaff is constantly stopped to take photos, slowing service. We'd go back for the food and overall ambiance, but insist on being seated upstairs on the deck or on the east side of the beach for privacy

Let me tell you my story of the Flying Fishbone. My fiance and I decided to have a romantic dinner with the sunset and our feet in the water under our table. It was his birthday and we were engaged the day before so we thought it would be a good place since our bell boy said it was great. Well, we walked in and was seated at the waters edge. The table was slightly tilted in the sand and my chair was too. I was just so excited to be there that I didn't even think about what could happen if the chair tilted too far. I sat down and proceeded to take off my flip flops and roll up my white pant legs one at a time. While I was rolling up the second one my chair fell all the way over dumping me into the water, hitting my shoulder and elbow on the rocks in the water. I was so embarrased that I couldn't stop laughing everyone was in shock I think just as much as me. I was soaking wet and my top even came down and exposed myself.( I didn't know this til later when my fiance told me, he just ran to my rescue and pulled it back up for me, I was so embarrased I didn't even notice that. The waiters just gave me a towel to dry off with didn't help too much. We stayed and ate anyway. Was very expensive, the only thing they did for us was take off the 2 drinks we had that were 8$ a piece, and oh they said don't worry you aren't the only one that this happened too, you probably were about the 27th. Anyway my elbow still hurts a month later. After that wonderful story, I wish you a Happy Anniversary and I suggest you try Sunset Beach Bistro or The Tulip. The Tulip was very good and not so expensive. Madame Jeanettes was good too.

Oh - Sorry about your elbow. That doesn't sound like much fun.

Thanks for the feedback on the many photo takers too. I totally forgot that everyone wants a picture at sunset.

And I appreciate the other restaurant recommendations as well. I have been trying to put together a list so that we don't wander aimlessly around the island in search of food each night.

Zil

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zilgags And I appreciate the other restaurant recommendations as well. I have been trying to put together a list so that we don't wander aimlessly around the island in search of food each night.

Some other great threads with info on restaurants:
Flying Fishbone
Pinchos -A Must Dine!
Sunset Grill / Lg's
Italian Restaurants?
LG Smith's
Suggest your FAV Restaurant and Bars
best Italian
Dining at Sunset
Aruba dining report March 2008
fine dining
Marina Pirata
Dining at Sunset
Flying Fishbone and more
Wacky wahoo's or other good seafood?
inexpensive restaurants
Can you recommend a good seafood restaurant please?
Daniel's Steak and Chop & Gianni's
Poll: Your favorite place for steaks
List of restaurants

Our personal favorites in no particular order:
Gasparito
Sunset Grille
Chalet Suisse
Marina Pirata
Flying Fishbone

Up next to try:
Passions
Promendade
Pinchos

Aruba Bound! ~ Hoosier Kitties ~ Our-Cruises ~ Blogging to Aruba
Back to paradise Trip #18

My suggestion is Madame Janette's...if you don't prefer to be on the beach for your dinner. The food is quite good and if you make a reservation and request outside the experience is very nice......better yet try a few and make the anniversary dinner a long one...............

Aruba, my home away from home !!

Lisa, Your up next up restaurants are all P's...are you doing the alphabet around the island. Now that would be a unique approach.

Cindyo

Girls at the Maid of the Mist- Toronto
Boat ride to Rennaissance Island
Next Aruba trip in

I would go with Flying Fishbone myself, however, if privacy (you would have your own table at the Marriott) and convenience (FF is an expensive/long cab trip from the Marriott) are the most important factors influencing your decision, I would choose the Marriott. You may also want to look into the Hyatt as they have a "Pampered in Paradise" dining package at their hotel that sounds very similar to what you are describing at the Marriott.

My husband and I went for our 1year anniversary to Aruba (hubby 1st trip and my 4th) LOVE ARUBA!!
We did arrange to spend one romantic night at Flying Fishbone ( was enjoyable for the most part) but had few setbacks - a little girl was helping others take photos and was in water only to get bitten/ stung by something in water . .I didn't see anyone from restaurant rush too much to get a ambluance to help her or know what exactly bite her - other patrons were the ones to come to mothers help for her dghtr.. my meal was dissappointing as I was wanting the LOBSTER only to find out they were "out" and also "out" of other local seafood dish . . only hightlight to our dinner was the sunset and our dessert that was decorated in a platter stating "happy anniversary" . . .- nice touch...
OUR FAVORITE PLACE that we actually had our "anniversary meal on our exact anniversary day" was at the amazing and wonderful -- Madame Jeanettes - YOU HAVE TO GO!! OMG- the lobster/crabmeat skewers for appitizers were to die for . . the atmosphere and waitstaff was superb! Hubby wants desperately to go back to Aruba only to go to the restaurant and come home .. hahahaaa
I'm debating on if I want to go again to Aruba for this year annivesary or try another caribbean island as I just can't get enough of the caribbean being from the northeast - need to have sunshine when the winter comes upon us here up North .. ugh
So - in my opinion - go to both places but flying fishbone first as you will enjoy MJ soooo much better . . .trust me..
Happy Annivesary and Enjoy!!!

This is a great resource. Thanks.

I'm stuck on the private dinner idea and emailed the Hyatt to find out about theirs too as the menu looks a bit more flexible.

Zil