The West Deck Aruba: strandgrill in Oranjestad

My husband and I ate here a couple of years ago, and he specifically asked to come back for his birthday dinner. West Deck didn’t disappoint. The food, the drinks and the service were all excellent, and we watched the sunset from our table. Tip: I reserved six weeks ahead, and they confirmed two days before. If you want a sunset table, book early. Easy walk from the cruise port, too

Amazing dinner at The West Deck! Such a beautiful spot to enjoy a meal while watching the sunset—the views and atmosphere really make the experience. The food was delicious, and the cheese balls are an absolute MUST! Definitely don’t skip them. Great food, beautiful location, and the perfect setting for a relaxing dinner in Oranjestad. Would definitely recommend!

We arrived without reservations. The hostess said the wait would be 30 mins. We asked to get drinks at the bar. She said we can wait standing along the railing and someone would come take our drink order. Other dinners arrived after us and were told the same thing. No one ever came to take our drink order. Thankfully the wait was only 20 mins. I ordered the whole fried snapper. It was good but not worth the cost. I’ve had better for less. My husband ordered the fish sandwich and it was better than my dish. We were seated in a lower level dining area so there wasn’t a view of the water or sunset. Our server was nice.

Came a few times during our trip. Got local dishes and jerk shrimp and meat. Was delish. Jojo is a great server and so fun and bubbly. Will be back!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ West Deck served up a meal with a side of ocean breezes, live music, and views so gorgeous they nearly stole the spotlight from the food. The Seafood Duo was delicious, and the pan bati arrived warm, fresh, and ready to make friends with everything on the plate. Gloria’s spicy jerk shrimp absolutely understood the assignment. Flavorful, bold, and memorable. The regular shrimp, however, seemed to have taken a vacation day and forgotten to bring its seasoning along. The crab cakes were good but leaned a little too enthusiastically into the seasoning cabinet. The Sauvignon Blanc was perfectly drinkable, though it wasn’t exactly composing love songs in my memory. The chicken sandwich was tasty, and according to the toughest food critic at our table, a five year old, the grilled cheese earned a solid stamp of approval. A small hiccup in paradise was the water service. Our glasses sat empty long enough to start considering a career as desert landscapes. Fresh water finally arrived near the end of the meal, and by then we’d decided to skip dessert and continue our culinary adventure elsewhere. A word of caution for fellow sunburn survivors: the patio chairs and freshly roasted legs are not a match made in heaven. I later discovered there were more comfortable chairs upstairs that would have saved me from feeling like I was being gently grilled alongside the seafood. That said, the ocean view was a showstopper, the live music created an amazing atmosphere, and the overall experience was one of those vacation moments that makes you smile. Come for the scenery, stay for the vibes, and maybe ask for the upstairs chairs if you’ve recently had a close encounter with the Caribbean sun! 🌊🎶☀️🍤