Lima Bistro

Lima Bistro at Harbour House Aruba is a beautiful fine-dining restaurant with exceptional service. The staff is well-trained and knowledgeable about dietary restrictions, particularly celiac disease. The food, while generally good, had a few misses. The Ceviche appetizer was tasty but could have used more fish. The complimentary bread, including the gluten-free option, was excellent. The Sirloin Skewers with fries were also quite enjoyable. The Lomo Saltado, recommended by our server, was a clear favorite among our group. However, the Flank Steak was tough and the grilled romaine lettuce was inedible. Despite these minor drawbacks, Lima Bistro is a great place to dine with excellent service. We would definitely consider returning in the future.

In the interest of balance I’ve split my review in two The good: The restaurants location is amazing, the terrace outside is breezy, and romantic the inside is more bustling and vibey. We were there to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary we appreciate good food and this was our treat and in the main the food was delicious and well presented. The lobster risotto was excellent. The mahi mahi was perfectly cooked, the sweet potato and chorizo side was delicious. The host gave us a warm welcome. Our server knew the menu well and was able to help navigate gluten free substitutions and options. The not so good: we had informed the restaurant ahead of time that we were there for a special anniversary meal. But unusually for an occasion of this importance there was no mention made by the staff, no complimentary drink, no corny chocolate plate, not even a questions asked about our visit to Aruba; When a couple start a meal with a glass of Prosecco it’s usually because they are celebrating but sadly our server was all business. My starter was a beet salad. I roast beets all the time at home and have eaten beet salad in more than a few Michelin starred restaurants in my years so although not claiming to be an beet expert I feel at least placed to have an opinion. I was disappointed that the beets themselves were tasteless, watery and unseasoned, the chocolate flavour was too sweet and overpowering. This salad needed more salt and more chilli to not feel like a dessert. After the starter was cleared the server did not ask how it was but rather said “everything good!?” When I tactfully explained that the salad lacked seasoning I was told “to your taste..” I don’t appreciate being told how to feel about a plate of food. A sincere acknowledgment and an apology at the very least in this scenario is the correct way to deal with guests. We wondered whether it was a language issue, but we both speak Spanish well and after overhearing how the same server dealt with Spanish speaking guests we saw that although knowledgable some further training was needed with her bed side manner. After our mains which were delicious apart from the underseasoned overcooked Bok Choi we decided to forego another dessert and order a cocktail. I asked the server is they could make a Mexican mule, a pretty straightforward tequila based cocktail. I was brought a Moscow mule. Easy mistake to make if you’re not listening to the customer. I explained the mistake and was promptly told that the barman couldn’t make that cocktail but he could make a margarita. Baffling! Simply swap out the vodka for tequila. The cocktails that eventually came were fantastic by the way. By this time the restaurant was busy and you could sense the anxious looks in our direction, despite the earlier reassurance to take our time by a manager it was clear they wanted the table back so we didn’t stay for more drinks. When paying the cheque rather than apologising for the missteps the server was heavy on the cross sell to the sister restaurant. The restrooms looked like they were shared with other businesses as they didn’t fit the aesthetic and cleanliness of the restaurant. There was no paper towels in the female rest room. At this price point you’d expect decent hand soap and towels. It’s the details that make or break an experience at a restaurant and once ironed out this place could be a real gem.. but for now it’s a gem lettuce