Savaneta●●●●#3 of 22 Places to Eat in Savaneta

The Old Man and The Sea

Name: The Old Man and The Sea
Address: 356 Savaneta A, Savaneta Aruba, AW
Price range: $$$$
Rating: 4.5

★★★★½4.5 out of 5 · 412 reviews

upscale

caribbean

seafood

Photo: © Management via TripAdvisor

The Old Man and The Sea is a $$$$ caribbean & seafood upscale restaurant in Savaneta rated 4.5/5 by 412 TripAdvisor reviewers; walk-ins welcome.

About

The Old Man and The Sea sits on the waterfront in Savaneta, a quiet fishing village on the south coast. It's the #3 restaurant in the area out of 22, and the 2025 Travelers' Choice nod backs that up. The $$$$ tag and 4.9 atmosphere subrating point to the same thing: this is upscale romantic dining without the reservation pressure or crowd noise you get elsewhere in the village. The menu runs Caribbean, seafood, and international, and the kitchen holds a 4.4 food rating across 412 reviews. Service scores match at 4.5. The value subrating sits at 4.1, which is solid for the price tier — travelers mention it compares favorably to neighbors charging similar rates but delivering less. The setting works for proposals and anniversaries; multiple reviews call out the private, intimate vibe. Walk-ins are fine. If you want upscale Savaneta seafood without the fuss, this is the move.

At a glance

Area: Savaneta
Vibe: upscale
Price: ●●●●
Reservation required: –
Kid friendly: –
Cuisine: caribbean
seafood
international
Dietary options: —

How to decide

✓You want a private, intimate setting specifically praised for proposals without the crowds or noise issues affecting Barefoot Restaurant
✓You prefer avoiding reservation requirements while still getting upscale romantic dining, unlike The Flying Fishbone or Madame Janette
✓You're seeking romantic Savaneta dining with better value perception than The Flying Fishbone, which travelers call overpriced and overrated

You're traveling with children, since Gianni's Ristorante Italiano and The West Deck better accommodate families
You want multiple confirmed traveler endorsements across various aspects, as Barefoot Restaurant has four personal favorite citations

Unlike The Flying Fishbone next door in Savaneta, which three travelers criticized as overpriced and overrated, The Old Man and The Sea earns consistent praise for intimate proposal-worthy moments without requiring reservations. While Barefoot Restaurant attracts more repeat fans, it suffers from loud music disruptions that would undermine the private romantic atmosphere travelers specifically choose The Old Man and The Sea to experience.

Make a day of it

Tours & things to do nearby

Aruba Bob Snorkel & Scuba

Aruba Bob Snorkel & Scuba runs out of Savaneta, on the quieter south coast, and the #8 ranking among 200-plus water sports operators tells you they're doing something right. This is a half-day operation — four hours on the water — hitting both snorkel sites and dive spots depending on the group. The intensity sits at a 3 out of 5, so it's not beginner handholding, but you don't need to be a pro either. Expect to move between sites, not drift in one shallow cove all morning. The 2,160 reviews skew almost universally positive, and a perfect 5-out-of-5 average is rare for any outfit this active. Pricing lands around $75, which is middle-of-the-pack for a structured tour. If you're staying near the high-rises and want a change of scenery, the pickup logistics usually work out. Book direct through their system.

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Clear Kayak Tour

From $70 per person

The Clear Kayak Tour out of Savaneta is the top-ranked activity in this quiet south-coast fishing village, and the appeal is simple: you paddle a transparent kayak over shallow coral gardens and wrecks where visibility is high. The 4.8 rating across nearly 300 reviews suggests the experience delivers on that premise. It's a two-hour outing with a moderate intensity level, so you're not racing — you're gliding and looking down. Savaneta's waters are calmer than the windward side, which helps when you're trying to spot fish and formations through the hull. At $65, it sits in the mid-range for Aruba water activities. Tours go out with a guide, and the kayaks are stable enough that most ages can handle them. Book directly; the operation runs independently. If you want to see what's under the surface without getting fully wet, this is the straightforward option.

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Monforte Luxury Cruise

Monforte is a three-hour sunset cruise that leaves from Palm Beach on a pirate-themed vessel. It's ranked #23 among boat tours in Oranjestad and won a Travelers Choice award in 2025, but the real draw is the format: adults only, small group, four-course dinner prepared on board. You're not stopping to snorkel or racing around the coast — the boat sails, you eat, you watch the sun drop. The price sits around $100, which is higher than family-oriented water tours, but that's the trade for a quieter deck and plated service instead of buffet trays. The pirate theme is mostly aesthetic — rigging, dark wood — not costumes or entertainment. If you want active water sports or a longer daytime adventure, this won't fit. If you're looking for a low-key evening on the water with decent food and no kids running past your table, it's one of the better options on the island for that specific thing.

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Savaneta●●●●© JamesO131 via TripAdvisor

The Flying Fishbone

The Flying Fishbone is on the beach in Savaneta, and the setup is adults-only French-Caribbean fusion with tables literally in the water at high tide. That #2 ranking among Savaneta restaurants comes with the second-highest review count in the area, and the 4.9 atmosphere score reflects the whole point of coming here — it's romantic in a way that feels less engineered than the high-rise strip options. The food is seafood-forward, competently done, though the 4.3 value score tells you what you need to know: people debate whether the setting justifies the tier-4 pricing. Service scores well, the French influence shows up in the preparations, and the Caribbean ingredients keep it from feeling like imported fine dining. Reservations are required. If you're booking sunset, know that earlier seatings before 7pm can mean harsh direct light — the magic hour matters here more than at indoor spots.

romantic

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Reserve

Savaneta●○○○© 50lesliew via TripAdvisor

Zeerovers

Zeerovers is a fisherman's shack on the water in Savaneta, and it's about as straightforward as eating gets. You order fried fish by the pound from whatever came off the boat that morning, grab a picnic table on the pier, and eat. The 4.6 value rating makes sense — prices are low, portions are generous, and the seafood is fresh because the boats are right there. The #4 ranking in Savaneta and the 2025 Travelers' Choice award reflect consistent execution more than anything fancy. The atmosphere is open-air Caribbean casual, which means plastic chairs, ceiling fans, and pelicans circling overhead. Service is quick once your order's up, though weekends can stretch the wait. Families do fine here — it's loud, relaxed, and kids can watch the fishing boats come in. Bring cash if you can. The line moves, but it moves at island speed. If you want tablecloths or a wine list, this isn't it. If you want good fried fish without the markup, it is.

beachfront

seafood

La Tavola By Anate

La Tavola By Anate is tucked into Pos Chiquito, just south of Savaneta, and it's running a perfect 5.0 across food, atmosphere, and service — which is rare enough to notice. The Travelers' Choice nod and the #1 spot in the area aren't accidents; this is upscale Italian done right, with a vibe that manages to feel both polished and relaxed. The value rating sits at 4.9, which suggests the mid-to-high price tier isn't inflated. What stands out is the consistency. Seventy-eight reviews holding a flat 5.0 means the kitchen and front-of-house aren't coasting. It's also marked kid-friendly, so you're not stuck choosing between bringing the family and having a proper meal. Reservations aren't required, but given the numbers and the size of the area, calling ahead probably saves you a wait.

upscale

italian

Torn between this and somewhere else? Settle it →

Stay nearby

Savaneta

EVA Resort Aruba

EVA Resort sits on the quieter south coast in Savaneta, away from the high-rise strip. It's a small property — #2 among B&Bs and inns in the area — but the 40 reviews land it at a perfect 5.0, with service and cleanliness both maxed out. That's the kind of consistency you get when a place is small enough to actually care. The subratings tell the story: location, sleep quality, and rooms all sit at 4.9, with service hitting perfect marks. Value comes in at 4.9 too, which suggests you're paying for the attention and not inflated resort fees. Savaneta itself is a fishing village with a few local spots and easy access to the less-trampled beaches on this side of the island. If you want something intimate and well-run without the Palm Beach scene, this is the direction to look. Just know it's small-scale by design — don't expect a sprawling pool complex or nightly entertainment.

Savaneta

Driftwood Gardens

Driftwood Gardens is a small B&B in Savaneta, the fishing village on Aruba's quieter south coast. It ranks #4 among the five inns in the area, but the subratings tell a different story—perfect scores for rooms, cleanliness, and value, with service close behind. Six reviews isn't a massive sample, but when everyone agrees on 5/5 overall, that consistency means something. The price level is budget-tier, which checks out at around $200 a night for what's listed as a hundred-room property (likely a data quirk—Savaneta B&Bs tend to be much smaller). No beach out front, but they run a shuttle. No casino, no swim-up bar, no kids' club—this isn't a resort complex. The vibe is intimate and quaint, the kind of place where you're staying in a neighborhood instead of a tourist corridor. Walkability is limited, so plan on a rental car or being comfortable with taxis.

Savaneta

Anate Beach Apartments

Anate Beach Apartments sits in Pos Chiquito, a quiet stretch on the southern coast near Savaneta. It's a small operation—one of only two B&Bs in the area—and the perfect 5.0 scores across location, cleanliness, service, rooms, sleep quality, and value reflect what happens when a place keeps things simple and does them well. Direct beach access means you step out and you're there, no shuttle or road crossing required. The vibe is intimate and low-key, not the high-rise hotel strip experience. With around 100 rooms it skews larger than the typical guesthouse but still feels quaint given the area. It's not all-inclusive, no casino, no kids' club, and the walkability here is limited—you'll want a car to move around the island. That said, if you're after a quiet base with direct sand access and stellar execution on the basics, this is exactly that.

Similar tables

Savaneta

The Flying Fishbone

Savaneta

Zeerovers

Source: TripAdvisor · view on TripAdvisor →

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Review summaries are AI-paraphrased from public traveler reviews.

The Old Man and The Sea