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Oranjestad●●●○#16 of 316 Places to Eat in Oranjestad

Restaurant Anno 1877

Name: Restaurant Anno 1877
Address: Wilhelminastraat 27, Oranjestad 0000 Aruba, AW
Price range: $$ - $$$
Rating: 4.9

★★★★½4.9 out of 5 · 359 reviews

upscale

french

international

Photo: © Management via TripAdvisor

About

Restaurant Anno 1877 occupies a restored colonial building on Wilhelminastraat in the center of Oranjestad, and the French-leaning European menu matches the setting. The #16 ranking among Oranjestad restaurants and near-perfect subratings across food, atmosphere, and service reflect what happens when a kitchen takes its time and the staff knows the menu cold. This is upscale without being stiff — the kind of place that works for an anniversary or just a night when you want to sit down and eat something that required actual technique. The Travelers Choice award and 4.9 overall rating suggest consistency, which matters when you're spending mid-to-upper-tier money. Value scores a 4.8, so portions and execution line up with what you're paying. Not a spot for toddlers or walk-ins when it's busy, but if you want a proper dinner in the capital without resort prices, it's a solid move.

At a glance

Area: Oranjestad
Vibe: upscale
Price: ●●●○
Reservation required: –
Kid friendly: –
Cuisine: french
international
european
Dietary options: —

Photos

Recent Pulse

What travelers are saying.

New

Low confidence

Travelers say Restaurant Anno 1877 delivers consistently outstanding French cuisine in a cozy colonial setting where Chef Linda and co-owner Annie personally check on every table. The execution is precise—escargot served in shells with garlic butter, chocolate soufflé that requires 20-minute advance notice, duck cooked to perfect tenderness—and the pacing is deliberately slow, with meals typically spanning two hours. You'll find repeat visitors who return multiple times per trip, praising the warm hospitality that feels like dining in someone's home rather than at a formal restaurant.

Standing out

Escargot prepared in shells with garlic butter praised as best many diners have had, including those who've eaten them in France
15 mentions
“The escargot was the best I've ever had in France or anywhere, served traditionally in shells”
Chocolate and Grand Marnier soufflés require ordering with entrees due to 20-minute prep time but consistently described as worth the wait
18 mentions
“The chocolate soufflé was the fluffiest of fluffiness, you must order it early”
Chef Linda and co-owner Annie personally greet tables, check on meals, and create warm family-like atmosphere
22 mentions
“Chef Linda visited our table twice and Annie hugged us as we left”
Duck breast and coq au vin cooked to precise tenderness, often paired with mushroom risotto in truffle sauce
12 mentions
“The duck was perfectly cooked and more flavorful than what we had at Wilhemena earlier”
Meals span two hours by design with leisurely pacing between courses, not suitable for quick dining
8 mentions
“Plan two hours minimum, the kitchen warns you but the relaxed pacing never drags”

Watch-outs

Service lapses on slower nights including forgotten soufflé orders and multiple requests needed for bread
1 mention
“We ordered soufflés early but were told they forgot to submit the order after our entrees”

Tips from travelers

Order your soufflé when placing your entrée order—it requires 20 minutes to prepare
Reserve ahead as the restaurant seats only 10 tables maximum
Budget two full hours for the meal; the kitchen deliberately paces courses
Don't rely solely on Google Maps for directions as downtown Oranjestad roads have changed to one-way

Maybe skip if: Skip this if you're dining with toddlers, need a quick meal under 90 minutes, or prefer casual beachfront settings over intimate colonial interiors.

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Beautiful view from the deck, on cruise ship nights.

Oranjestad●●○○© Management via TripAdvisor

The West Deck

The West Deck sits right on the water at Governor's Bay Linear Park in Oranjestad, a casual spot where the harbor breeze does most of the work. The #15 ranking among Oranjestad restaurants tracks with what the subratings say — the atmosphere (4.8) pulls slightly ahead of the food (4.6), which tells you the location isn't just backdrop. The menu splits between American, Caribbean, and seafood, so you can go fried snapper or a burger depending on the mood. It earned Travelers Choice in 2025, and over 5,500 reviews have landed on 4.6 overall. Service runs at 4.7, which means you're not waiting forever for a refill, and the mid-range price tier keeps it accessible without feeling like a tourist trap. It's kid-friendly if you need that, though plenty of adults stop in solo for a beer and conch fritters at sunset. No reservations required — walk up, grab a table if one's open, and you're set.

casual

american

Oranjestad●●●●© Management via TripAdvisor

Barefoot Restaurant

Barefoot sits right on L.G. Smith Boulevard in Oranjestad, claiming the #37 spot among local restaurants and a 2025 Travelers Choice award. The upscale Caribbean-seafood-international menu runs at the top price tier, but unlike Madame Janette or The Flying Fishbone, you can walk in without a reservation — which is the entire appeal if you're staying in Palm Beach and want something nicer without the planning. The catch: noise. A neighboring club sends music across the dining area often enough that conversation becomes work, and beachside tables don't always deliver the views you'd expect at this price point. The 4.6 food rating tells part of the story — experiences vary more than they should. Service and atmosphere both score higher, so execution on those fronts is steadier. If spontaneity matters more than guaranteed quiet or sightlines, Barefoot works. If you're after the romantic beachfront meal without interruptions, Passions On The Beach handles that better without the sound bleed.

upscale

caribbean

Tomahawk 42oz. for 2, sliced at your table.

Oranjestad●●●●© Management via TripAdvisor

L.G. Smith's Steak & Chop House

L.G. Smith's sits inside the Renaissance Mall in downtown Oranjestad — you take the elevator up, which sounds odd until you walk out onto the waterfront terrace. It's been the upscale steakhouse anchor on the island for years, and the #14 ranking among 316 restaurants in town reflects consistency more than flash. The menu is straightforward American steakhouse fare done at a four-dollar-sign level. Service scores highest in the subratings, which tracks with the formal-but-not-stuffy approach. Food and atmosphere both land at 4.6, and the Travelers' Choice nod for 2025 suggests they're holding the line. The value subrating sits at 4.4 — fair given the price tier and the setting. It's not a kids' spot, by design. If you want a proper steak dinner with a water view and you're staying at the Renaissance or walking around Oranjestad after dark, it works. Reservations help but aren't mandatory.

upscale

steakhouse

Torn between this and somewhere else? Settle it →

Stay nearby

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Bucuti & Tara sits on the quieter stretch of Eagle Beach, and it's adults-only by design. That #1 ranking among Palm-Eagle Beach hotels isn't decorative — the numbers back it up across location, service, and cleanliness, all sitting at 4.9 out of 5. Sleep quality and rooms both land at 4.8, which makes sense once you see the property: low-density, beachfront, built for the kind of guest who wants the sand without the pool party soundtrack. Back-to-back Travelers Choice Best of the Best awards in 2025 and 2026 confirm what the nearly 11,000 reviews suggest: people return, and they tell others to book. The price level is top-tier, and the value subrating reflects that — still solid at 4.6, but you're paying for the category it occupies. Service scores mirror the location and cleanliness ratings, meaning the staff-to-guest ratio shows. If you want Eagle Beach access without family chaos and you're willing to spend accordingly, this is the benchmark property.

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Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa

Manchebo sits on a wide, quiet stretch of Eagle Beach, right where the sand gets softer and the crowds thin out. The #4 ranking among Palm - Eagle Beach hotels makes sense when you look at the subratings — location and service both clear 4.8, and guests consistently mention the beach itself as a reason to stay. The resort skews boutique rather than high-rise, and the vibe follows: low-key, adults-focused, with a spa that actually gets used. The price tier is top-end, but the value score holds at 4.5, which suggests people feel like they're getting what they paid for. Rooms are spacious and clean, though the 4.5 room rating means they're comfortable without being flashy. The Travelers Choice Best of the Best award for 2025 puts it in rare company — fewer than 1% of properties worldwide get that designation. If you want Eagle Beach access without the mega-resort apparatus, this is the pick.

Oranjestad

Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort

Renaissance Wind Creek is the only resort in downtown Oranjestad, which means you're walking distance to restaurants and shops instead of being marooned on a beach strip. The real draw is Renaissance Island, the resort's private cay — flamingos included — which you reach by complimentary boat shuttle. It's a genuine differentiator and shows up in the 4.4 location subrating. The #2 spot among Oranjestad hotels reflects consistent execution across the board: service, cleanliness, and sleep quality all hover around 4.3. Two consecutive Travelers Choice awards suggest the formula holds. The room rating sits a notch lower at 4.0, which tracks for a property this size in an urban footprint — you're trading space for location and island access. If you want a resort experience but also want to be in the capital, this is the only option that does both. The flamingo thing is real, not a gimmick, and day passes for non-guests sell out fast.

Similar tables

Oranjestad

Barefoot Restaurant

Oranjestad

Aquarius

Aquarius sits on L.G Smith Boulevard in Oranjestad, a few blocks from the cruise terminal. It's the #5 restaurant in town out of 316, which puts it ahead of most of the waterfront spots tourists default to. The 4.8 across service, food, and atmosphere all land in the same range — consistent execution, not one strong suit covering for weak links. The menu is international, leaning casual, and the kitchen handles variety without spreading too thin. Travelers' Choice 2025 and a 4.5 value rating suggest you're not paying resort premiums for the location. It's kid-friendly if you're traveling with family, but the vibe skips the loud-and-bright theme restaurant feel. No reservation required. Walk-ins work most nights, though weekends near cruise ship days can fill up the front tables.

Oranjestad

Source: TripAdvisor · view on TripAdvisor →

Photos by individual contributors as credited above.

Review summaries are AI-paraphrased from public traveler reviews.

Restaurant Anno 1877

The West Deck

Barefoot Restaurant

L.G. Smith's Steak & Chop House

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort Aruba

Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa

Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort

Barefoot Restaurant

Aquarius

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort Aruba

Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa

Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort

Barefoot Restaurant

Aquarius

Fresco