Île Saint-Barthélemy Restaurant Tips by Geisha_Girl

Le Select: Cheeseburger in Paradise

For the Jimmy Buffet fans out there, this lil' local joint has become somewhat of a landmark as it is most famous for being the place where Buffet allegedly was inspired to write his famous song about....Cheeseburgers in Paradise!

It's owned by the "unofficial" mayor of St. Barths and attracts both locals and visitors alike.
We stumbled upon it as we were looking to take a shopping break in downtown Gustavia and grab a quick bite and cold beer.

It's a VERY casual atmosphere with their tables and plastic chairs set up all around the little courtyard that sits outside the steaming hot grill. Behind the counter the team cranks out orders and the cook sweats over the grilled burgers and hot dogs in that sweltering, balmy Caribbean afternoon.

The burgers and hot dogs were pretty good and be sure to combine them with an ice cold Caribe beer and Ti Punch.

It's a great place to grab a quick cheap (relatively cheap to the other surrounding restaurants). They accept US dollars and Euros and a lunch for two could run you about $20USD.

A great place to people-watch!

Favorite Dish: The Cheeseburger in Paradise, of course!

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Downtown Gustavia

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: American

La Plage Restaurant at the Tom Beach Hotel: Pleasure to the Eyes and Mouth

What was nice about traveling during the 'low season' is that you could pretty much walk into any of the renowned restaurants on the island without a reservation, and still manage to get a table.

La Plage restaurant at the Tom Beach Hotel had a very cool atmosphere and the night we were there, the local band "Papagayo" performed. They were actually quite good and added a little island flavor to a lot of well-known American hits.

The menu selection was mostly seafood and pasta dishes---that French and Caribbean flair that you saw a lot around the island. The portions were generous so if you decide to order the delicious tuna sashimi salad, don't order the yummy lobster fettucine because you won't be able to finish it!

The restaurant is located inside the very chic Tom Beach Hotel that has its own private beach in Plage St. Jean. After dinner, you can take a stroll and dig your feet in the sand.....

Favorite Dish: Everything we ordered was delish----be sure to check out their creative daily specials!

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Located inside the Tom Beach Hotel on Plage St. Jean

Price: US$41 and up

Rating: 4

Theme: Seafood

Nikki Beach (by Day): Be Cool......

Nikki Beach is an institution. All of its international locations are placed strategically in some of the most luxurious jet-setting havens in the world: St. Tropez, Marbella, Marrakesh, Miami.....They're known for their luxuriously hip decor and sophistication.

They say the Nikki Beach in St. Barths happens to be one of the smallest, most exclusive and most "infamous" property in this international 'lifestyle' chain. I can imagine during the high season from December-January, it caters to the infamous celebrity crowd.

Nikki Beach actually owns 3 properties on the island---the beachside "Nikki Beach" which is where we spent most of our days, lounging on their beds with our cool drinks and munchies before dipping in that warm, tame blue water----and 2 other locations in downtown Gustavia: Casa Nikki which is their nighttime club, and The Strand, which is their ultra-chic restaurant and champagne bar with what they call, "The Sexiest View on the Island."
The Strand was actually closed for renovations during the time we were there, but I often heard rave reviews about it.

Favorite Dish: During the day, Nikki Beach has a DJ playing and offers a full menu with their delectable sushi items and great appetizers. Their mojitos were a little on the 'too sweet' side for my tastes, but they have a full bar and can mix any type of cocktail you want.

Their wait staff all were extremely friendly and even offered to serve your cocktails out in the water while you swim!

Note: It's $50USD to rent the beachside bed all day

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Located on Plage St. Jean

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: Eclectic/International

Website: http://www.nikkibeach.com

Nikki Beach (by Night): Still Cool.....

Nikki Beach slightly shifts gears when the sun sets and what you experience during the day with the casual flip flops, and lounging on the bed turns into a bit more elegant atmosphere.

In the evenings, you can still dine on the beach, but you're seated on a table and having dinner by candlelight with the waves quietly crashing beside you.
They often have "theme nights" at the restaurant and we happened to be there during Brazilian night where their chef was on the grill dishing up some delectable slabs of BBQ'd meats.

They have an excellent wine selection and their fresh fish and pastas were wonderful.

Favorite Dish: We enjoyed the Cuba Libres! ;-)

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Located at Plage St. Jean

Price: US$41 and up

Rating: 5

Theme: Eclectic/International

Website: http://www.nikkibeach.com