Places to stay off!! Restaurants, bars, etc. Advice to visitors, foreigners etc..

Antonia Cantillo

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May 30, 2012
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Hi everyone!
Just wanted to create a post where to share experiences (GOOD and BAD) of different places in the DR. This way other foreigners (living or visiting) can benefit and beware of places ready to rip you off!!

First i will like to recommend a beach bar at Cabarete: Mojito bar at Kite beach is the best! Great cocktails and sandwiches made out with fresh ingredients and very affordable prices! its not a fancy place but the good quality and nice friendly service keeps you coming! Great happy hours from 4 to 7 p,m

Belgium Bakery: for a quick snack or dessert!Good quality and ok prices! Friendly service! Love all the petits fours!

Places to stay off!!

Pomodoro Pizza: Awful and rude service, the food is ok but the fact that made us hate the place is they rip off their costumers by charging an extra percentage to their prices, which are already very high (inflated). This was the only restaurant we saw charged this extra price.

Alis restaurant: The dominican woman serving there was incredible rude, first we had to call her several times to come take our order, then they took almost 1hr to serve our dishes and when we dare to complain she told us next time she will just tell us they will take 1hr to serve us (incredible rude!!), No sorrys just plain arrogance!

Hexenkessel: Here we ordered a fish that was not available so the girl (server) came and suggested us another one. We accepted and then saw the one she suggested cost twice the price of the one we ordered originally! Funny thing was the fish was the same kind (one was fried and the other floured- apanado) definately a very fishy restaurant don't u think?
 

DavidZ

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Aug 29, 2005
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www.vipcigartours.com
A few comments...

Mojito Bar is on the main beach of Cabarete, not Kite Beach...directly next to Pomodoro, I agree 100%, it's one of my favorite spots in Cabarete.

Most of the restaurants on the main beach of Cabarete charge the itbis and service (16% and 10%) separately...not just Pomodoro. i.e. Jose O'Shay's, Papi's, Casa del Pescador, Miro, Emerald Beach Club, etc...

I've eaten at Ali's dozens of times and never experienced bad, slow or rude service, but no place is perfect...

Hexenkessel...was pretty good years ago, haven't been there in years because there are too many other better places...but it's still the only place in the center of town open 24 hours...good for something to eat after the bars close...

If you're looking for a good pizza/pasta place, try Ahorita Pizza across from Ocean Dream...great food at about 1/2 the price of Pomodoro (and the taxes are included in the price).

Probably the best deal in Cabarete (great food, excellent prices) is Los Locos d' Enfrente...on the road into Callejon de La Loma...they're closed on Tuesdays and only open until 6:00 pm, and the food sometimes takes a while as there's only one chef and he takes his time to put out quality food...but it's definitely worth it! IMO, of course...

Also, for a great, quick meal (Mexican food)...lunch or dinner, try Gordito's in Ocean Dream plaza...and decent sushi at reasonable prices next door at Yamazato...
 

redserge

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Jan 30, 2011
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In El Cortecito ,Punta Cana, I love Posada De Gladys for Dominican food (the fried chicken amazing) and the service is relaxed but there is so much going on around you so it does not seem like a wait, the food is good and very well priced. I love to sit and watch the dominoes games going on. The other spot is Nam Nam they make the best sandwiches around very well priced and all home made ingredients! Then there is Danny"s Sports bar, the food is good moderately priced and they have karaoke nights as well great french fries, burgers and chicken strips. They open at 500pm till whenever. The French Cafe another relaxing daytime spot has amazing coffee's and juices and desserts all at great prices very well made and fresh products.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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Most of the restaurants on the main beach of Cabarete charge the itbis and service (16% and 10%) separately...

it's 18 plus 10 now :(
and many restaurants will charge full 28% when paying with CC and only 18% when paying cash.
 

drstock

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Oct 29, 2010
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I hate the practice of adding the 28% over and above what is stated on the menu as a nasty surprise when you get your bill. To me, they should add it in when stating prices. And in certain places I could mention the waiting staff seem somewhat less than pleased if you don't then give them a cash tip as well.

Ali's - I'm personally not keen as are a number of nearby residents for various reasons.
 

DavidZ

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Aug 29, 2005
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Unless you see "IMPUESTOS INCLUIDO" on a menu, you should assume they will be added to the bill....as is the law in the DR, and the standard practice pretty much everywhere in the country except in some restaurants on the North Coast, and most colmadones and cafeterias.
 

Mauricio

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Nov 18, 2002
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I hate the practice of adding the 28% over and above what is stated on the menu as a nasty surprise when you get your bill. To me, they should add it in when stating prices. And in certain places I could mention the waiting staff seem somewhat less than pleased if you don't then give them a cash tip as well.

Ali's - I'm personally not keen as are a number of nearby residents for various reasons.

Actually if you want two tip your waiter for good service you should add it beyond the 10%. The 10% is divided in different manners by each restaurant among the employees, sometimes in equal parts, sometimes only between service employees, many times includes staff and even owners. And in the worst case the owner or manager doesn't pay it at all. In many places salaries for waiters are at minimum, the 10% is used by employers to give their lowest paid employees a few thousand pesos more each quincena without having it count for liquidation, TSS, etc.

Lately they are suggesting to remove the 10%, this will mean that the salaries will have no go up and likewise the prices. You should just see the 10% as a surcharge to the in general very reasonable prices in restaurants in DR and if you feel like tipping, do it extra. The food or the service has to have been very very bad for me not to leave a tip beyond the 10% legal service charge.
 

suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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I'm used to tipping 20% in The US and I still feel uncomfortable leaving less than that, but I've learned that another way to see it is that since they're already adding the 10% as a tip plus the 18% ITBIS it really comes out pretty close to the same amounts I would pay in The US (20% tip + 6% taxes). The one thing that bothers me about paying the ITBIS is to know that most of it will stay either in the pockets of the business owners or the pockets of the politicians, but that's a different issue altogether.
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
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In Las Terrenas, stay off "Casa Azul", very bad & unfriendly service. You can get good pizzas in various other places...
 

Antonia Cantillo

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May 30, 2012
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I hate the practice of adding the 28% over and above what is stated on the menu as a nasty surprise when you get your bill. To me, they should add it in when stating prices. And in certain places I could mention the waiting staff seem somewhat less than pleased if you don't then give them a cash tip as well.

Ali's - I'm personally not keen as are a number of nearby residents for various reasons.

okay i am just a bit confused about why some restaurants charge you for that % ITBIS + %TIP and others don't. What does the law say in this matter. Also if the 10% surcharge is the tip it means its just suggested to leave as a reward for good service for the waiters and one can choose to pay it or not depending on the service you had.

Some restaurants have good prices and don't charge you these extra taxes on the bill but other restaurants with incredible high prices on the menu like the ones on the beach don't include them when you can see from far the prices are exaggerated! That makes no sense! to me its just fooling people!:disappoin

Please share reasons not to like Alis as it will help to enrich the post! thanks
 

bizzyboneizo

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Aug 31, 2010
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i could of been washing dishes because of the itbis and tip. they talked me into eating there and when i said thats will be the total cost of the meal of course they said yes but then they pull that bull crap were i ended up paying more i was like damn i only came out with a certain amount of money every day like around 700 pasos because i was pick pocket once i was so mad.
 

drstock

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Oct 29, 2010
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I am well aware that the 28% is added by law - all I am saying is that the restaurant should be transparent and add it into the prices on the menu, as they always do in Europe. I know that adding the "little surprise" on the bill is normal in the USA and I don't like it there either!
 

Celt202

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May 22, 2004
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If you ever stop by Jos? O'Shay's in Cabarete chat up the bartender "Frank". He's a world class raconteur.

Splash some holy water on him and watch what happens.

Great Fun!

:laugh:
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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ok, 18% ITBIS is added by law. why is it not included in the price is also beyond me, i find it idiotic. in poland and in the UK the food costs exactly as much as the menu states and that's how it should be.
now, the 10% service charge is, as i understand, a kind of a safety net. i am pretty sure the workers never see a penny of that and it all goes directly into the owner's pocket. and for a reason. this is what goes towards christmas salary and liquidation, eventually.

as far as the actual tipping... i come from a culture where you do not tip. so i do not obsess on leaving whatever money on the table, like many americans do. here in DR i top depending on the service and the product. if i am having a coffee only and it costs 40 pesos i may just give the 50 bill and walk away happy. if it costs 50 pesos then bad luck, i leave 50. in supermarket comedores i leave nothing. in restaurants i sometimes round up and sometimes leave about 10%, depending on the change i have. in colmados nothing. in fast food places nothing.