Restaurant Guide
Where to Eat Around Bayahibe
The all-inclusive buffet is fine. But the best meals in this corner of the DR happen off-resort — in the fishing village, along the Casa de Campo Marina, and up the hill at the stone city of Altos de Chavón.
The Bayahibe / La Romana area splits into four very different dining zones. Bayahibe village is casual seafood at the water's edge. The Dominicus beach strip mostly belongs to the resorts but a handful of standalone restaurants are worth the walk. Casa de Campo Marina is upscale — reservations, dress codes, big wine lists. And Altos de Chavón is a Mediterranean stone-village setting where the food is good and the view does most of the work. Here's what's actually worth booking.
Bayahibe Village
Bayahibe · Italian Seafood
Mare Nuestrum
Cuisine: Italian-Dominican seafood. Pastas, wood-fire pizza, grilled catch of the day.
Vibe: Open-air terrace right on the Bayahibe waterfront. Boats coming and going, breeze off the bay, sunsets over the water.
Price tier: Mid — mains roughly RD$700–1,600 (US$12–28).
What to order: Linguine alle vongole, grilled lobster (in season), the whole-fish special, tiramisu.
Dress: Casual. Coverups over swimsuits fine at lunch; nicer-casual at dinner.
Nearest landmark: Bayahibe public pier — you'll see it from the boats.
Best sunset table: Ask for one of the two-tops on the railing facing west. Arrive by 6:00 PM — sunset is between 6:15 and 7:00 depending on season.
Bayahibe · Boardwalk
Captain Kidd
Cuisine: Caribbean grill — seafood platters, fried fish, grilled chicken, criollo sides.
Vibe: Casual, picnic-table feel, music spilling onto the boardwalk. Popular with dive groups after a morning out.
Price tier: Low to mid — mains roughly RD$500–1,200.
What to order: Plato del capitán (mixed seafood platter for two), grilled snapper with tostones, garlic shrimp.
Dress: Beach-casual, no expectations.
Nearest landmark: On the Bayahibe seafront walkway, just south of the main pier.
Cash and small bills: Card payment works but cash is faster, and small bills tip better. Bring RD$.
Bayahibe · All-Day Casual
Saona Café
Cuisine: International cafe — breakfasts, sandwiches, pastas, salads, fresh juices, and good espresso drinks.
Vibe: Indoor-outdoor casual; the after-dive coffee and breakfast spot for most of the village.
Price tier: Low — breakfasts RD$300–500, mains RD$500–900.
What to order: Tropical fruit plate with yogurt, mangu with the works (the Dominican breakfast), iced cappuccino.
Dress: Anything. Wet swimsuit at 9 AM is normal here.
Nearest landmark: Central Bayahibe village, near the dive shops.
Pre-tour breakfast: Open early enough (typically 7:30 AM) to catch breakfast before the Saona pickup buses leave the village.
Bayahibe · Sunset Drinks
La Punta de Bayahibe
Cuisine: Light bites and seafood — ceviche, grilled fish, fried calamari, plus a full cocktail bar.
Vibe: Sits on the rocky point at the south end of Bayahibe beach — the literal “punta” (point). Best sunset bar in the area.
Price tier: Mid — cocktails RD$300–500, plates RD$600–1,400.
What to order: Ceviche mixto, fried calamari, rum-and-passionfruit, a cold Presidente.
Dress: Casual; coverups fine.
Nearest landmark: Walk south along the beach until you hit the rocks. La Punta is on top of them.
Saturday-night merengue: On Saturday nights La Punta and the surrounding boardwalk turn into an open-air merengue party. Locals and visitors mix. Music starts around 9 PM.
Bayahibe · Hidden Gem
La Casita de Bayahibe
Cuisine: Italian-Mediterranean — homemade pasta, fresh fish, seasonal antipasti.
Vibe: Small, intimate, candle-lit at night. Italian-run kitchen, attentive service.
Price tier: Mid to upper-mid — mains RD$900–1,800.
What to order: Daily fresh-fish carpaccio, octopus tagliatelle, the lobster pasta (when available).
Dress: Smart-casual at dinner.
Nearest landmark: A few blocks back from the waterfront, on the village's main pedestrian street.
Reserve in season: Only a handful of tables. December–April, call or stop by in the afternoon for the same night.
Dominicus Beach
Dominicus · Italian Fine Dining
Tracadero Beach Resort & Restaurant
Cuisine: Italian — pasta, risotto, grilled seafood, wood-fire pizza, full wine list.
Vibe: Open-sided palapa right on Dominicus beach. The classiest non-resort restaurant on this strip.
Price tier: Upper-mid to high — mains RD$900–2,000.
What to order: Black-ink risotto with seafood, branzino al sale, homemade gnocchi.
Dress: Smart-casual; no swimsuits at dinner.
Nearest landmark: West end of Dominicus public beach, walkable from the Iberostar and Be Live resorts.
Resort escape: The most popular off-resort dinner in Dominicus — book a day ahead in high season, especially Friday and Saturday.
Casa de Campo Marina
Casa de Campo Marina · Spanish
La Bodega
Cuisine: Spanish-Mediterranean — tapas, paella, jamón ibérico, manchego, an actual wine bar.
Vibe: Tucked into the Marina's Plaza Portofino; dim, wood-and-leather, half wine bar / half restaurant.
Price tier: High — tapas US$10–22, paella US$45–65 for two.
What to order: Paella valenciana, jamón plate, pulpo a la gallega, a glass of cava.
Dress: Smart-casual; long pants for men at dinner.
Nearest landmark: Plaza Portofino, central Marina.
Reservations matter: Casa de Campo restaurants generally require a dinner reservation, especially in season. Most accept reservations via WhatsApp through Casa de Campo guest services.
Casa de Campo Marina · Asian
Chinois
Cuisine: Pan-Asian — sushi, dim sum, Thai curries, wok dishes, a full sake list.
Vibe: Sleek modern dining room and outdoor terrace overlooking the Marina yacht slips.
Price tier: High — mains US$22–55.
What to order: Black-cod miso, dragon roll, crispy duck, Thai green curry.
Dress: Smart-casual; resort-elegant in season.
Nearest landmark: Marina waterfront, near the yacht slips.
Sunset table: Ask for an outside table on the Marina side at 6:30 PM — the sunset light over the yachts is the most photographed view in Casa de Campo.
Casa de Campo Marina · Seafood
Pelícano
Cuisine: Caribbean seafood — fresh catch, ceviche, grilled lobster, criollo classics done well.
Vibe: Marina waterfront, breezier and more casual than the other Marina restaurants. A favorite of yacht crews.
Price tier: Upper-mid to high — mains US$18–45.
What to order: Whole grilled snapper, ceviche de chillo, garlic shrimp, plantain chips.
Dress: Smart-casual; nautical-relaxed.
Nearest landmark: Marina's Calle Barlovento, near the slipway.
Lunch is the move: Same kitchen, lighter wallet hit. Lunch portions are still generous, and the Marina vibe at midday is great.
Casa de Campo · Beach Club
Beach Club by Le Cirque
Cuisine: French-Italian beach-club — salads, carpaccio, pasta, grilled fish, full cocktail program.
Vibe: The Minitas Beach club restaurant — loungers, umbrellas, sunshine, palm-shaded terrace.
Price tier: High — lunch mains US$25–45, full beach-day with food easily US$100+.
What to order: Beef carpaccio, tagliatelle with shrimp, the seafood-tower for two, a frozen daiquiri.
Dress: Resort beach-elegant — coverups OK at lunch, no swimsuits inside.
Nearest landmark: Minitas Beach, the main Casa de Campo guest beach.
Day-passes: Non-Casa de Campo guests can occasionally book day-passes through the front desk. Lunch reservations alone usually grant access during dining hours.
Altos de Chavón
Altos de Chavón · Italian
La Piazzetta
Cuisine: Northern Italian — fresh pasta, osso buco, risotto, an extensive Italian wine list.
Vibe: Inside the stone village, candle-lit terrace overlooking the Chavón River canyon. The most romantic dinner in the region.
Price tier: High — mains US$25–55.
What to order: Tagliolini al tartufo, osso buco alla milanese, tiramisú.
Dress: Smart-casual to elegant; long pants for men at dinner.
Nearest landmark: Altos de Chavón's central plaza.
Sunset timing: Altos de Chavón is at its absolute best at sunset. Book La Piazzetta for 6:30 PM — arrive at 5:30, wander the stone village and the amphitheater while the light is good, sit down right at golden hour.
Altos de Chavón · Mexican
El Sombrero
Cuisine: Mexican — fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas, tableside guacamole, a strong margarita program.
Vibe: Stone-walled interior with a covered terrace; mariachi music some nights. The most kid-friendly of the Chavón restaurants.
Price tier: Upper-mid — mains US$18–35.
What to order: Tableside guacamole, fajitas mixtas, chicken mole, a frozen lime margarita.
Dress: Smart-casual.
Nearest landmark: Just off the central plaza in Altos de Chavón.
Pre-concert dinner: If you're seeing a show at the Altos de Chavón amphitheater, El Sombrero is a 2-minute walk and accepts pre-show reservations easily.
Altos de Chavón · Italian Trattoria
La Caña by Il Circo
Cuisine: Italian trattoria-style — pizza, pasta, antipasti, gelato. Sister restaurant to NYC's Il Circo.
Vibe: Stone-arched dining room and breezy terrace looking out over the river canyon.
Price tier: Upper-mid — pizzas US$18–28, pastas US$24–40.
What to order: Margherita pizza from the wood oven, spaghetti alle vongole, burrata appetizer.
Dress: Smart-casual.
Nearest landmark: Altos de Chavón main plaza, across from the amphitheater entrance.
Lighter alternative: If La Piazzetta is booked out, La Caña is the next-best Italian in the stone village — less formal, equally good views.
La Romana City
La Romana proper — the working city, not the resort — has a small but worthwhile dining scene if you want to get off the tourist track.
- Don Quijote — Long-running Spanish restaurant in central La Romana. Paella, Iberico, big wine list, classic-formal service.
- Trigo de Oro — French-style bakery and cafe; pastries, sandwiches, and good coffee. Best breakfast in the city.
- Shish Kabab — Long-running Lebanese-Dominican spot — kibbeh, hummus, shawarma, plus the usual criollo lineup.
Walk-in strategy for Casa de Campo: If you can't get a reservation, walk into the Marina around 5:30–6:00 PM and ask the hostess for a bar seat or an unbooked table. Less popular nights (Sunday–Tuesday) usually have room. Dress as if you'd booked.
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