Carte Blanche Restaurant image

Carte Blanche Restaurant

Restaurant

👍👍 Hubby and I had a lovely dinner on their official 1st day of 2.0! Really nice intimate vibe at this restaurant that offers 3-6 course/plates tasting menu in downtown Oranjestad. Amazing exquisite food prepared by Chef Dennis and service was attentive. Glen and Milly were so friendly and very pleasan... People often mention experience, wine, great, Aruba, Dennis, pairing, amazing, time, restaurant, Chef,


Address

Wilhelminastraat 74, Oranjestad, Aruba

Website

carteblanchearuba.com

Contact

+297 586 3339

Rating on Google Maps

4.80 (74 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 4 to 11:30 pm
  • Thursday: 4 to 11:30 pm
  • Friday: 4 to 11:30 pm
  • Saturday: 4 to 11:30 pm
  • Sunday: Closed
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 4 to 11:30 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: experience (31) wine (23) great (20) Aruba (19) Dennis (17) pairing (12) amazing (12) time (12) restaurant (11) Chef (11)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 GrAcIE W. 6 months ago on Google • 135 reviews
    Hubby and I had a lovely dinner on their official 1st day of 2.0! Really nice intimate vibe at this restaurant that offers 3-6 course/plates tasting menu in downtown Oranjestad. Amazing exquisite food prepared by Chef Dennis and service was attentive. Glen and Milly were so friendly and very pleasant to chat with. There are 10 dishes on the menu to choose from and we opted for the 4 course/plate with wine pairing. Below are the dishes we tried: -Beefsteak Tomato (interesting name for an octopus dish :P ) -Pumpkin Tortellini -Rosada & Shrimp -Sea Bass -Caribbean Rock Lobster x 2 -Veal Cheek -Skirt Steak Everything was so delicious and in good portion. Tasty tortellini, fresh seafood, perfectly cooked sea bass. I don’t know what magic Chef Dennis did on the spaghetti in the rock lobster dish, it was outstanding. And the veal cheek was absolutely phenomenal. The night exceed our expectation! We are visiting the island from NYC and have been to many tasting restaurants all over. Carte Blanche 2.0 is definitely one that I would recommend. Great value and incredible experience. If anyone is looking for a quiet intimate fine dinner or want to indulge on a special occasions, be sure to make a reservation in advance as there are limited tables. Glen, we will see you again on our next visit!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jonathan O. 2 years ago on Google • 29 reviews
    We have been going to Wilhemina since it opened but never made it to Carre Blanche because it is closed over Christmas and New Years. Well, we found ourselves back in Aruba early so we jumped on 2 seats and are happy we did. The concept is perfect, 12 adults at one large table (Covid-compliant) with a private chef cooking 10 feet away. Great food, great wine, met great people. Just a great evening. Dennis has handed over the cooking but stays close and Glen runs the show and knows his wines. Most people are repeat diners so book early. We had an amazing octopus salad to start, an absolutely stupendous truffle carpacio, snapper next and then 5-hour short rib with an Asian flair.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Thomas L. 1 year ago on Google • 86 reviews
    This review is updated with pictures from our 2017 dining experience. Hopefully it is better now. Let me start by saying my wife and I have been to Aruba many times. The food and wine at the restaurant was great, the customer service not so much. As the night went on (and after much drinking from the Chef and Glenn) their arrogance started to come out. Such a shame, could be a great place if the duo knew how to handle customers well and not ask the women for a lap dance. They were pretty arrogant with smart remarks to other couples as well. Lucky they didn't get a punch in their big mouth. Will not be returning and will go to 2 Fool's and a Bull instead next time. They should probably be careful who they talk to that way especially someone who's day to day is in the Internet marketing industry who can really hurt their business.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 JP C. 7 years ago on Google
    A perfect 10. Food, service, wine, surroundings. What a joy to dine like this. A MUST if you're going to Aruba.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Paul E. 5 years ago on Google • 305 reviews
    The Best restaurant in Aruba by far!! Glen and Dennis were great. Had some very funny and amusing converstions. I would highly reccomend this place to anyone who loves great food. Each dish was better than the one before.

  • 5/5 Celine H. 5 years ago on Google • 94 reviews
    This has so far been the highlight of our Aruba vacay! We love the two guys who put this on, and they encourage everyone to talk and get to know the other guests. The food was FANTASTIC, everything was impeccable. We loved watching the chef put the meals together right in front of us, not that I could ever replicate any of them lol. The wine pairings were fantastic, and they had no problem pouring more and more if you liked them. This is a must visit when you’re in Aruba!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Marni A. 6 years ago on Google • 288 reviews
    I've been to Michelin star restaurants before, so all I can say is the food is good. We were in the waitlist and got the call, so of course we said yes! I had the wine pairing with the menu. Some things were a bit questionable like having pork belly with red wine before going back to fish and white wine. The wine pairing was really good though. At the beginning of the meal, it felt really rushed, as I assume many USA Americans come here to dine and are used to eating fast rather than savoring their meal. As soon as the chef split everyone into two groups, the pace slowed down a bit. I am still used to eating a lot slower, though. If you expect it to be a quiet dinner, then don't come here. It's filled with loud USA Americans. Luckily the couples who sat next to us were more refined than the other guests. It was a great experience, but I would not go here again for that price. I would rather go to a proper Michelin restaurant.

  • 2/5 marina s. 1 year ago on Google
    Hello Aruba Foodies My review on Carte Blanche DONT GO!! I usually don’t post negative reviews for any restaurants, but this time I decided to maybe save some of you few hundred $$$ Where do I begin? Carte Blanche used to be one of my favorite chefs table experiences, but for the first time in many years it was a huge disappointment We did not see the chef prepare anything, there was not a view of open kitchen as they advertise, in fact we couldn’t see much of anything. We were seated in a bizarrely dark garden which completely negates the purpose of being able to enjoy the food presentation of the extremely expensive meal. We were using cell phone flashlights to look at our food. Again, bizarre. And outrageously unprofessional even though we mentioned that it’s very dark. Good thing they name the dish, because I couldn’t see anything The dishes alternated between being underwhelming, mediocre and stunningly bad. A lamb dish was served completely raw and not well trimmed. Not a single dish we remember that we liked. Maybe if the chef could see what he was plating he would realize it wasn’t serve-able. He definitely had a vision that a table of shmucks would pay him $$$. Let me mention that I don’t know who was cooking, but not the original chef and owner Dennis, and I wish we knew that. We were not as harsh as should have been at dinner because there were other people and we did not want to cause a scene. Once the nausea of paying $400 for this “experience “ somewhat receded, we reached out to the maìtre d‘ with polite , but blunt and honest feedback. He didn’t apologize. He didn’t deny that it was not a chef experience or the food was not so good, he instead said that “it looked like you were having fun” I don’t know how he saw anything there but I told him I’m not paying to make friends. He told us to f…. Ourselves, that was that
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jaregs 6 years ago on Google
    Hands down the best restaurant on the island. No questions asked; as the creator of the 16 person 5 course tasting dinner, they hands down do it the best. Food and service is of the highest standard, and none of their imposters put a candle to them.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lou R. 4 years ago on Google • 42 reviews
    This our second time. here and it is just as amazing as it was 4 years ago. I am glad to see they are doing well and it’s Same owner Dennis who is also the chef . Glen his right hand is also still there and They are a great team . Entertaining, funny and knowledgeable. The food is amazing and so is the service. Have sent many people here and never a disappointment. Can’t wait to go back .

  • 5/5 Cassondra W. 4 years ago on Google • 40 reviews
    Every year we visit the island we are sure to go to Carte Blanche. Dennis and Glen truly create an exceptional environment and experience. The small semi circle seating creates a sense of intimacy while encouraging you to socialize with the people around you. The plates offers a variety of new foods as well as truly ingenious ways of preparing and pairing them together. The wine pairing brings out flavors you didn't think would pop and overall the entire experience is fantastic. We have been going for 5 years and we look forward to it each and every year!

  • 5/5 Samantha F. 1 year ago on Google • 21 reviews
    This is a very late review since I was here for my 1 year anniversary back in 2019 but this is by far the best meal I have ever had. This restaurant is perfect on a plate. I wish I could travel back to Aruba to have this meal again. (Stupid Covid) It was that good.

  • 5/5 James K. 7 years ago on Google
    It was an amazing dinner. Perfectly timed. Great cuisine. Great wine. All in all a wonderful experience. Would highly recommend but call and book several months in advance.

  • 5/5 Johannah R. 5 years ago on Google
    Could not have asked for a better experience! My husband and I had such a wonderful time! You do have to make a reservation very very early in advanced, but we had no issues. In fact, Glen was waiting outside for us when we pulled up and knew exactly who we were. You definitely need to be ready to eat anything, but nothing came short of excellent. Everyone was so nice and ready for a good time. One couple have been going to Carte Blanche for 8 years and couldn't express enough how wonderful it was. We will be making a reservation the next time we are back in Aruba!! Thank you for such a great time!

  • 5/5 Alduan T. 5 years ago on Google
    This was one of the best dining experiences of my life! My wife and I had a blast! Great food, great service and awesome experience!

  • 5/5 Janet G. 5 years ago on Google
    I have been here 5 times and it is the best experience!! Amazing food, wine and ambience. I can’t recommend it enough! I love the intelligent interaction with Glenn/Dennis which flies over some ppl’s heads. Totally cracks me up! Don’t hesitate— You. Must. Go.

  • 5/5 Scott R. 5 years ago on Google
    This place is an experience, We made our reservation as soon as the books opened up for our early April visit, sometime in October. We arrived a little early and we were promptly greeted and escorted to a waiting area and offered a glass of wine. after about ten minutes all of the twelve guests had arrived and we were taken in and seated. we sat at a bar, seating is limited to 14 people (MAX). and we were introduced to our Chef and the Sommelier. We were given a brief synopsis of the meal and the wine (for those of us who opted for the optional wine pairing) then the Chef went to work. We were five courses of some of the best food I have ever eaten. You don't get to pick off of a menu, you just get what the Chef prepares. It was all good and by the fourth course I could not finish it all. Then the fifth course came(Dessert). We had a wonderful time. The proved to be the most expensive meal I have ever paid for, but it was worth it. We will try to make it back on our next visit. Also we made our reservation well in advance, but the couple next to us was lucky enough to make theirs early that day. Cancellations do happen so have your Concierge check for you to see if you might be able to get in.

  • 5/5 Frank P. 6 years ago on Google • 6 reviews
    For anyone who rated this amazing restaurant poorly or complained about others attending, I'd suggest trying again. This is my favorite restaurant in Aruba and potentially overall. Chef Dennis is a phenomenal, friendly chef and Glenn is a great host and really compliments Chef Dennis. The food here was impeccable, flavorful and perfectly portioned. We had the pleasure of trying Chef Dennis's braised short rib. It was hands down the best short rib I had ever had, and when I complimented it, Chef Dennis gave me another helping. For the wine lovers out there, I'd suggest the wine pairing. It is definitely worth it and compliments this amazing meal perfectly. Please a do yourself favor and book this restaurant on your next trip to Aruba. I know I will!

  • 5/5 Anton K. 5 years ago on Google
    I will start by saying that yesterday's dinner was my 4th time eating at CB and each one is better than the one before. If you are in Aruba, I would put Carte Blanche at the top of your list of restaurants to go (But be sure to make a reservation a few months prior, as they are always booked) for an outstanding dinning experience that you will never forget. Watching Dennis and Glenn in action, is like watching the culinary version of Cirque du Soleil. They truly are artist in their own right (Hector is also a great addition to the team!) The food is magnificent and the wine pairing is spot on. The conversations are always fun and the atmosphere is magical. Do yourself a favor and be sure to go at least once!

  • 5/5 Jose S. 5 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Good (Original) Bien

  • 5/5 randy b. 4 years ago on Google
    The best dinning experience hands down! As always Dennis and Glenn have out done them selves..

  • 5/5 Shauna C. 2 years ago on Google
    5-STARS to Carte Blanche for a superb chef’s table 5-course meal in a restful garden atmosphere. Our hosts were informative, attentive, and fun, and Chef Reese’s creations were delicious. Do the wine pairing - you won’t be disappointed. This is a top restaurant and if we return to Aruba for another holiday, we will definitely reschedule.

  • 5/5 Marta M. 1 year ago on Google
    Really GREAT overall experience. We dont plan meals in advance during our trips so we put ourselves on waiting list. A few days later Glenn called because there was a cancellation, he is truly in top of the waiting list. The 5 course dinner was great: high quality, well elaborated, generous portions. Very tasty, not your tipical tasting menu. Big 14 people table, everyone was polite, fun and interesting to interact with. I totally recomend the gastronomic and social experience in a beautiful venue.

  • 5/5 pete a. 1 year ago on Google
    This is the best fine dining experience bar none! We have been coming here over the years and appreciate the Carte Blanche OG touch by chef Dennis and glen! Yes, you will pay up for the experience but at the end of the day you get what you pay for! PS… there is other business models on the island that we have patronized but this establishment does it the best!

  • 5/5 Joel R. 5 years ago on Google
    It's an experience not to be missed. Exquisite food and service. A very expensive but worth it evening.

  • 5/5 Annette F. 5 years ago on Google
    Great food and Wine pairings. Dennis and Glen were great. Unbelievable experience for foodies.

  • 5/5 roger s. 4 years ago on Google
    Our favorite restaurant in Aruba. Glen and Dennis are an amazing team, offering a dining experience like no other. Trust me when I tell you the quality of food, service, and friendly atmosphere will be the highlight of your trip. The most fun and entertaining dinner experience you will have in Aruba if not anywhere in the world!

  • 4/5 Sandra M. 5 years ago on Google
    Great experience

  • 5/5 Denise K. 4 years ago on Google
    This is an amazing experience, costly but really worth it. Nothing like it in Aruba. Reservations needed long in advance, only 14 seats per night.

  • 5/5 Michael I. 4 years ago on Google
    An absolute must for couples and foodies if you're visiting Aruba!

  • 5/5 Jason K. 4 years ago on Google
    One if not the best meals I have ever eaten in my life...what an experience to indulge in some amazing plates of expertise and design...an amazing dinner with my wife and friends!

  • 5/5 Miranda B. 4 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Nice ambiance, nice service and special tasty cocktails and good food (Original) Leuke ambiance, fijne bediening en bijzondere lekkere cocktails en goed eten

  • 5/5 Ronald Ayrton M. 4 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Very good (Original) Muy bueno

  • 5/5 Kevin H. 4 years ago on Google
    Unbelievable food..great people..Denis and Glen are the best. If you come to Aruba, it's a must visit.

  • 5/5 Jane Whitehill L. 4 years ago on Google
    Bring Your Appetite. Buy the wine pairing too. Delicious. I couldn’t eat it all. Hubby, the pickets eater in the world, loved it. Good thing as he paid the bill. Actually for five healthy courses we thought the price fair. Wine pours were like four or five ounces. Yep, it is a great dining experience while in Aruba.

  • 5/5 Scott E. B. 3 years ago on Google
    Absolutely the BEST food & service om the island!

  • 5/5 Jonathan T. 3 years ago on Google
    Incredible dining experience. My wife and I were on our honeymoon and had an incredible time. The food was top notch, taste and the creativity wise. Wine pairing was just as good. Glen’s the man as well. 10/10

  • 5/5 Robert B. 3 years ago on Google
    Carte Blanche once again exceeded all expectations. An amazing experience with great surprises and perfect wine pairings. They have found a great way to work around the Covid 19 difficulties and even though we can’t wait to get back to the bar seating and watch the magic happen it was still a top notch meal. Highly recommend and we can’t wait until the next time!

  • 5/5 Jim M. 3 years ago on Google
    Extraordinary dining experience, heightened by the wine pairings. The service was superb.

  • 5/5 Edward S. 4 years ago on Google
    The food is amazing! The chefs are awesome and it is a great dining experience. However, it will cost you about 500 usd for two with the recommended wine pairing.

  • 5/5 Collin P. 4 years ago on Google
    Unbelievable experience. Foods I never thought I would try ended up being the foods I can't stop raving about. Glenn and Dennis are masters of their craft.


Call +297 586 3339 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Credit cards
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Small plates
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✗ Takeaway

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