I found Mario's website and their menu, but no prices. Can anyone give me an idea of the average price per entree?

We were there in march 06. I don't recall the exact prices but it is on the expensive side, around $30 and up but well worth the price. Food service and atmosphere were excellent!

Tom Wrote:
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> We were there in march 06. I don't recall the
> exact prices but it is on the expensive side,
> around $30 and up but well worth the price. Food
> service and atmosphere were excellent!


That would be about $30 on average per entree, right? The appetizers, sides, salads, drinks, wine, desserts, tax and services charges are in addition, no?... $150+ for two.

Ed

We ate at Mario's the beginning of this month (Aug) and were very disapponted. For years it has been my favorite and is often closed in the Summer when we go. It is expensive but has always been worth it. Not this time - I got the impression they have a new chef. We tried the Moulon Fue (spelling?) restaurant behind Cheri's in Maho and were very impressed - great food and great service. Best of all NO Euros.

~~ Once you've slept on an island, you'll never be the same ~~
2008 St Maarten Pics

Like most of the "white tablecloth" restaurants on the island, the food is not at a level commensurate with the prices. Going into my 10th year visiting and always staying in Grand Case, where most of these restaurants are, I have found that there is more sizzle than steak at the high end places. The prices are for the ambience and the views. The only explanation for the popularity of many of these places is that the patrons have not experienced a merely good continental restaurant in a major metropolitan area. Not one of this type of restaurants on the island would survive in a major market given the prices.

The best food I have had in St. Martin has been very reasonably priced or cheap with flavors that capture the soul of the island. Examples I would site are Kali's, FBBC, TOTT, Johnny B's and the carry-out from Bounty. I have had great Indian cuisine that is far and above the high priced places. The bistro style French cuisine is also good at several places in Marigot like Le Plongeoir but are not expensive.

So, I go to a place like Mario's once every trip or two for the romantic atmosphere...the food is secondary.

Just my .02.

Gregg

It's funny, we ate at Mario's when it first opened and a few times after that - yah, good food, over priced. The one thing I could never get use to was the attitude of the owner's wife (or co-owner). Man - I said "I guess I understand now the arrogance of the French" - then I found out they were from Canada.

The only time she mellowed was on a visit right after Luis took part of their restaurant away - she was happy to see anybody.

Gregg,

Funny thing. You've about echoed the sentiments I've expressed time and time again. We stay on the Dutch side and these days I wouldn't waste my time or gas driving to Grand Case for dinner - been there and can say done that back in the days when it seemed important to me to be able to say I had. And then I became older and wiser.

There are many excellent places all over the island that don't come close to the high-end restaurant prices and yet still offer excellent " fine dining opportunities" without all the fuss of dealing with Euros and one Eu = one $ or having to think about the French tipping structures or whether or not my credit card will be hit with extra charges long after the dining experience is forgotten.

But for me, the bottom line is, hey, we're all on vacation and to each his own. People can spend their vacation dollars anyway they want to but I'd rather have reasonably priced good food and not have to pay for l'attitude.

Last March we tried several of the Atlantis area places that get so many rave reviews, primarily because they were close to us. They were good but there was no atmosphere at all, IMHO. I don't come all the way to St. Maarten to eat indoors with all those beautiful ocean front establishments to choose from. I'd far rather sit on the outer deck at Chesterfield's or enjoy a beachview table at Antoines or dine at the marina in Marigot where there really is some atmosphere and all at prices that are remotely realistic.

And if that doesn't work, there are some incredible bars with burgers and such or take-out places with soul food to die for and there's nothing like dining alfresco on my deck high up at The Towers looking out over the golf course and the water with some soft music playing in the background.

But again, to each his own.

pat
:-) :-)

Pat,

I agree with your philosophy of "to each his own". However, I feel compelled to say that the anti-French remarks that you and others post on this BB say more about problems in the American psyche than the attitude of the European. I happen to LOVE the French Side of the island. I even love "l'attitude". I am fortunate enough to be able to stay at Le Petit Hotel and enjoy the refinement and quiet of Grand Case. I avoid going to the Dutch side except to arrive/leave and to gamble...and even then I go to the Princess so I can stay away from areas like Maho. Maho to me is repulsive and garish. Phillipsburg is a big shopping mall for the cruisers. My math abilities are very good so I have no problem with the "fuss" of currency conversion (I can handle the metric system too). As far as thinking about the "French tipping structures": hey, welcome to learning about a different culture with customs that are just as valid as ours. Some people even try to learn a language other than English.

In these times, I think that we should welcome the opportunity to immerse ourselves in and learn more about other cultures. What is familiar is not always what is best.

Gregg

As I said, Gregg, Been there, done that.

Thirty-four years of at least yearly St. Martin/St. Maarten vacations have shown me just about all there is to see of both sides of the island and again I say, "To each his own!" Perhaps when you've visited the island a little more you, too, will see it as being Caribbean first and the fact of French or Dutch as additional facets that add more to its allure, both sides having their pluses and their minuses.

If you perceive my comments to be anti-French that's unfortunate because they truly weren't meant to be. But that's okay because I think your descriptions of Maho and Philipsberg were pretty telling as well.

For the record, I understand the math conversions, Frenchside tipping, etc. and my French? Well, I wouldn't want to try to give directions or teach beginners, but I think I can handle 'please', 'thank you', 'good morning/good evening' along with very basic conversations, just for starters. I've managed to absorb a bit of that foreign culture, too, you see.

Over many years and many trips we've experienced both sides of the island and personally I seek the peace and serenity of my Dutchside retreat but I always feel a little sorry for those who really believe all there is to the Dutchside is Maho and P'berg. I don't bother with either very much and I'm not a gambler so the casinos aren't part of my game plan but for those who enjoy those aspects of the island, Amen. I'm glad they're there for those who wish to partake. And likewise, Orient Beach while not my cup of tea, certainly has appeal to many so for them I'm glad it's there, as well. I'd personally far prefer a quiet day at Mullet or Friar's, but again, that's my personal preference and I wouldn't say either is better or worse than the next person's.

But we stray from the point of this post which was really about Mario's, wasn't it? And again, IMHO, I find it to be as over-rated as many of the Grand Case locations. I'm not asking anyone to agree or disagree - just stating my personal opinion.

pat
:-) :-)

As far as thinking about the "French
> tipping structures": hey, welcome to learning
> about a different culture with customs that are
> just as valid as ours. Some people even try to
> learn a language other than English.

Well, actually, the tipping structure of a lot, if not practically all of the expensive french side restaurants aren't valid, at all. The difference between french side St. Martin's treatment of tipping and the traditional treatment of tipping in the french culture, is significant.


If your question is: how is it diffferent? Use the "search" feature, above, and search tipping; you'll get a ton of information on the subject.

St. Martin, (french side, not dutch side) has developed their own tipping method through a certain deliberate semantic confusion (to the benefit of themselves, and the extra cost to the customer) between the trems "tipping" and "service charge". This is the problem that was referred to, above.

If you knew little more about the "French Side", you'd realize that this is (the double tipping problem) common knowledge.



In these times, I think that we should welcome the
> opportunity to immerse ourselves in and learn more
> about other cultures. What is familiar is not
> always what is best.
>
> Gregg


Believe me, most everyone on SXM bulletin boards is acutely aware of this concept and way out ahead of this learning curve to which you refer.

If they don't care for a certain general attitude on the french side, it's not necessarily from a lack of scocial/cultural understanding, it can be from a feeling that there's a disagreeble attitude that's over and above what you're talking about; or they just don't care for the french manner, and there's no reason they should.

Ed

Finally somebody is taken notice!

I lived on the island for almost 20 years and in all my years on the island I never experienced a restaurant with the same bad attitude the owners have at Mario's.

The last time I went there was in 1994 and while waiting for a table, we had a reservation that was not honored, however we decided to wait for the table, no problem. After 15 minutes of waiting at the bar we chose from the wine list a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino, very reasonably priced, and asked if they could open it while we were waiting. THe answer was such a rude "No, we do not have the time to open a bottle of wine for you". I was very pissed and that was the end of it for me.

Ed, Good points well stated. 'nuff said

I haven't been to Mario's in a couple of years, but never had a bad experience there. Then again, I never had an amazing one there either. The two main reasons I don't frequent it are: 1.) I don't feel like having to call from the US before I leave in order to ensure a good table 2.) The restaurant is about as far a drive from Oyster Pond as anywhere on the island and really doesn't offer me anything I find closer.

In recent years, a number of excellent places have opened on the Dutch side to enhance what was already there. Not only does the wider choice of restaurants make the island more appealing to me, but it also has prodded a number of French Side restaurants to offer the 1:1 for cash rule, rather than lose customers to the Dutch Side. This makes sense as well, since many of the distributors and vendors are on the Dutch Side and deal in USD anyway. Granted, some places have raised their prices to offset the "loss." However, a number of them have not. I've also been "confused" at times with the tip structure in some Dutch restaurants which add a "service charge."

The main rule of thumb is whether one feels the total dining experience is worth the price paid. That will vary based upon individual budgets, hometowns, and tastes. I've eaten both on the cheap and the expensive end, but only rarely have felt ripped off.

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The last time I went there was in 1994 and while waiting for a table...

I assume that you are taking a guess at the year, but Mario's wasn't open in 1994.

Hmmm, didn't realize Mario's didn't open til the spring of 95. What a year to open, and a few months later to get hit with "Luis"!!

Pauline