Great service. Great view. Well attended restaurant and a pleasure to meet the owner/chef. Definitely make it a special night dinner while here. It's one of the many pricey restaurants in St. John but one of the few worth the cost. Make reservations if you want a beach view table, but the view from everywhere is great. I think many nights you can also walk in and grab a seat at the bar if you make a game time decision. read more

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Favorite on the island now. Has a beautiful beach sunset view and a really nice atmosphere. The butter and oil was great to start with and the duck confit might have been the favorite small plate, but it's not that small. The servers were super friendly and accommodating and it was an overall great experience. read more

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Perfect spot for a date night while on the island! I really enjoyed the decor and the layout of La Tapa Plage. You walk into a nook and boom, you're on the water. You can see the boats and island lights at night. They also played great Latin music, of all kinds. The service was amazing. We had a young guy who was a local. He loved living on the island and shared some facts. My husband and I enjoyed the muscles to start. They had a very nice lemon white wine sauce and the serving was just enough. We were left wanting more to be honest, it was very good! Next we had the paella. I liked this paella, I did, BUT, it was not flavored as an authentic Spanish paella. I was disappointed about that, but I still enjoyed the dish. It was a bit spicy, more like scratchy lol, but had lots of seafood and the rice was cooked perfectly (imo). My husband finished with a unique vanilla azafran dessert. I guess they used the azafran in the sorbet and not the paella . I did not like this ice cream. It tasted like soap to me lol. My husband really enjoyed it. Overall this was a great choice for date night and we didn't feel like we were caught in a tourist trap, so win win for us! read more

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Amazing food, vibe and service! Mussels are divine. Love the veal entree. Great place to have a cocktail and watch the sunset. The view is spectacular! read more

I came here with 3 of my friends on our last night in St. John and it was truly such a special evening. Lu was our server and she was absolutely amazing. Very cheery, helpful and sweet. The food was spectacular. We started with the mussels and tuna tartare and then got the fish of the day. Everything was fabulous, but the mussels are an absolute must. It's right on the water with beautiful views, upscale without being pretentious, and really warm/inviting. I will be adding La Tapa to my "can't miss" list of recommendations to any of my friends going to St. John! read more

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Very nice beachfront restaurant right on St. Cruz bay. The space is well appointed, very nice decor, etc. The location is ideal for catching a beautiful sunset on the bay... clouds permitting! We arrived without a reservation early in the dinner hour and the hostess seated us at a primo beachside table! Service was good, as was the food! Escargot, mussels and ahi tuna appetizers were delicious. The chicken and red snapper fish filet were good. The star of the evening was the sunset. We'd go back! read more

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While on the Mrs. Birthday trip we had dinner and really enjoyed ourselves since we had not been to the new location. We started with the bread plate with three different toppings for the bread. All were outstanding and well seasoned and presented on point. We then moved on to the octopus which was the star of the evening. I had the veal plates while the Mrs settled in for an Italian pasta seafood dish. The veal dish was very tasty but the seafood pasta dish was a bit flat in flavor. Great deal on a decent bottle of Spanish red blend ($42) and the setting was relaxing and beautiful. read more

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LaTapa is consistently good! Very nice views. Good service. Nice menu The Tuna is awesome! Dine here every year read more

Excellent food. Decent service. Excellent view of Cruz Bay. The four of us split two different salads, an order of bread, and the pasta and Paella entrees. The Paella entrée is meant for two. The food was yummy and we brought some of the Paella and Pasta home. We got a reservation on Open Table which was convenient. A little disappointed that the manager never checked on us. A bummer that the young man that was clearing the table dropped food on my white shirt. All we got was a sorry. This place has potential to be a 5 star place. read more

The evening was fantastic! Bartenders, waiter, seating view and the food was fabulous! 5 stars read more

This place had everything. The service was amazing, the views are unbeatable, and the food and drinks were DELICIOUS. I got the paella for 2, which i'd definitely recommend. I almost feel like it's a must-order if you go here. We also got mussels and a 3-dip appetizer. That was delicious. I loved the sundried tomato dip. I'm so sad I won't be coming back here unless im on vacation again... it was just toooo good to only have once. read more

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The new location gives a great feel of ambiance. The chairs need to be more comfortable. The artichoke needed more of the fondue sauce. We had it the week before where the sauce was in the middle as well in some of the leaves. All the entrees were well prepared. We ordered the bread basket at the additional cost which arrived at the table in the middle of the entree. A second basket of bread arrived near the end of our meal, which we didn't order;BUT was charged for. I felt embarrassed to complain over a $4 overcharge when I was willing to pay fora $300 for dinner. read more

It's amazing when something is good and then it becomes 10 times better. Everything great about La Toppa is still there but now the location is 10 times better. People wanting romance, you will definitely get it as you look down to the ocean. The service is as good as you would want it to be but then again, I'm certain I am being redundant from past review over five years ago. It just doesn't get much better on this island. And of course it will not be cheap as it will never be cheap when you're in an island But forget about that and just enjoy all the great things that you work so hard to come to. Bon appétit read more

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Hands down the best food I had on St. John (yes, better than all the other places you are thinking of!). I had a seared tuna over a polenta cake with various sauces and oils, and my mouth dropped at my first bite. I also had the flourless chocolate cake for dessert and that was equally amazing. The owner/chef, Alex, is incredibly talented, and the vibes are impeccable. Don't miss this culinary opportunity on St. John! read more

Beautiful location right on the beach in Cruz Bay...meal was excellent! Highly recommend dinner at La Tapa when you are visiting St John! read more

La Tapa Plage - Rib Eye Special - Spanish Near Me - Saint John, Virgin Islands

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What an amazing meal!!! I was excited to return to LaTapa since they moved to their new location on the ocean front! One of my favorites the artichoke was event better than I remembered. I decided to have the mussels too before the most fantastic pasta experience! It was a challenge to decide on a dessert-but went for the flan...paired nicely with a great glass of Sauvignon blanc. Nicely matched with the food was a great staff with top notch customer service! A definite must place to have dinner when on the island of St. John. I am looking forward to returning when I return to the island. read more

La Tapa Plage - LaTapa Restirant - Spanish Near Me - Saint John, Virgin Islands

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What an amazing dining experience for our first night on the island. La Tapa was recommended from friends who had been years before, so while walking through town we decided to see if they had availability, and indeed they were able to accommodate if. Ironically this was their first night back open after hurricane season, and Covid restrictions. With a few outside outside patio tables and a small dining room they were following Covid guidelines with tables being spread out and employees and customers required to wear masks as applicable. After reviewing the menu we decided to start with a few starters before the main entree. We started with the bread and trio dip spread, gazpacho and the cauliflower soup. The bread was so fresh and paired perfectly with the three dips offered. Although I am not a huge gazpacho fan one of the best I've ever tasted, so fresh. As for the cauliflower soup, pure perfection. Puréed just right with a light cream texture. Entrees includes Cobia, Tuna and Pasta with Shrimp. The fish was so fresh and all dishes were plated beautifully with just the right accompanying sides. And, we did enjoy a bottle of wine that paired very well with the food. Overall, if you are looking for a nice dining experience, with amazing food, and excellent staff be sure to check out LaTapa! read more

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I can t say enough great things about La Tapa. Thanks to Alison, Julia and the entire La Tapa staff, I had the most incredible dinner after a long (cinnamon Bay) beach day. When I arrived, it was just before the first seating and it didn't seem likely that I would get a seat given all the names on the list. To my great fortune, Alison (maître d'hôtel) said that she had a last minute cancellation. The rest was history. I was seated along the outside patio area that is inches away from the side of the road. I had so many people looking at my food as they drove by. I actually had one guy and his wife circle back to ask me about the shrimp I ordered. The shrimp was amazing. Everything was amazing, and the chef needs to be commend. The presentation of each dish was spectacular. Again, I can't say enough great things about La Tapa. La Tapa has a hit on their hands, and this was very clear give the streams of customers. Also, evidenced by those passing by wishing to make reservations. If you're so lucky to be visiting St. John, I would highly recommend three things. The first would be for you to make a reservation at La Tapa. The second would be to try the chocolate espresso martini. The third would be to make a reservation and tell Alison and Julia I said hi. read more

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We ended up here for dinner after beach day at trunk bay and cinnamon beach. Finally a place to sit down and get to enjoy this restaurant with a nice view of the beach. We sat at the bar since we didn't have any reservations. Kaylie was our bartender and she whipped us up a special of the day passion fruit margaritas which was not too sweet so that makes it excellent. The French bread and dips here was amazing . We ordered the mahi and the yellowfin tuna dishes and it was delicious. Everything turned out to be good we walked out so fulfilled. This is an upscale restaurant so expect the price to be on the high end side. It's worth every penny. read more

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My wife and I went to St. John's for our 40th anniversary. We asked some locals about the best restaurant at Cruz Bay and La Tapa repeatedly came up -- and for good reason. The restaurant is right off the marina and the sunset that night was spectacular. The food and drinks were equally great, and the service was even better. We started with drinks. I had an aperol spritz and my wife had a mojito. Both were great and we didn't feel at all rushed. After our drinks, we had salads (Caesar and Josephine's garden greens). We also shared a French Baguette with three sauces. The salad and bread were the perfect combination to start the meal. For our main meal, my wife had muscles (small, which I like, and tasty). I had a veal dish -- which was a bit overcooked. Veal can be easily overcooked. It's expensive -- even by St. John's standard. But for a special night it was well worth it! read more

La Tapa Plage - Veal dish - Spanish Near Me - Saint John, Virgin Islands

Such a beautiful space, amazing service and delicious food. Couldn't ask for a better experience. Only negative, the mahi was a little bit overcooked, but otherwise everything was perfect!!! read more

Great paella and charcuterie!!! I would love to come back and sample more of the menu. Service was good and the margaritas were great! read more

La Tapa Plage - Spanish Near Me - Saint John, Virgin Islands

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Full disclaimer, we found La Tapa from a novel my mom had been reading that's based in St John, and it mentioned La Tapa as having some of the best mussels ever. So we had to come try it out for ourselves. The mussels absolutely lived up to the hype - they were some of the most flavorful/interesting mussels I've ever had. If you get any appetizer at La Tapa, the mussels were an 11/10. Everything else we ordered was delicious and very fresh as well (they have a rotating menu weekly), although the mussels and grilled artichoke appetizers really took the cake. And the sunset views were stunning, with the sun going down behind St. Thomas. read more

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Wonderful dinner! Really a beautiful meal that you could tell was made with care. I started with the mozzarella, eggplant, arugula salad, and the greens were incredible. Fresh and tasty. hubby Had the Gorgonzola Caesar and it was really good also. After that was the octopus and squid ink pasta and the mussels for me. Pasta, homemade, and the octopus simply perfectly prepared nicely spiced, and the mussels were very good - an old old recipe I'm told. Hubby had the steak it was delicious. Cooked perfectly, thick, and tasty. For dessert I had the flan, and it was wonderful creamy, delightful mouthful, Special shout out to our excellent server Zack! And to the Zack's mom for raising such a wonderful young man! Thank you Tapa for an evening I will remember. See you next year! read more

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L Tapa is great! It's a beautiful location, overlooking Cruz Bay beach, and gorgeous design. We sat at the bar, where lovely Lila took care of us for the evening. She was incredible, chatting with us and other customers while turning out drinks for the whole restaurant. The mussels are to die for, and the langoustine pasta is top notch. We opted to skip dessert, instead having an espresso martini that was made right in front of us. This is a must-visit, and we will be back. read more

This was our third time to this restaurant over three visits to the island. Unfortunately we had high expectations based on our previous visits. Nothing was the same or better. We were 5 people and our total bill was $540. The young man who was our server was newly returning to the wait staff. We had 2 vegans in our party and in the past, this restaurant was accommodating. That is not the case now. We had to wait 10 minutes to get water then we ordered drinks which took forever because on a busy Saturday night, they had only one bartender. This bartender screwed up our martinis which is the easiest drink to prepare. We ordered one round of drinks which arrived with the bread and appetizers. The only tasty, well prepared and value for money were the appetizers which in fed the tuna tartare, 3 small beef skewers and the baccalaureate and lobster croquettes. The vegans had salad. The waiter described a delicious vegetable ensemble for the vegans as a second course. Nothing that he described was in their dish. In fact, each fish was to include half an artichoke with sauce which he forgot to tell the chef which he told us upon serving the main course. The 1/4 each artichoke arrived for each vegan after we all finished our main course. The waiter thought he was being kind by stating that he won't charge us for the artichoke. We ordered a second round of drinks after we finished our appetizers which arrived after we finished our main courses. My sister no longer wanted her martini and sent it back. He said that he would have to clear it with his manage to not charge us for it. I had the paella which was tasteless, nothing like the last. I wanted the special of Red Snapper. When I ordered it, I was told 10 minutes later that there are none left. I was surprised because it was early in the evening. Finally, dessert arrived. It looked like we received desserts plopped on a dish in a diner. I understand that it is a new chef owner. Maybe the chef should consider getting an experienced partner who knows how to run a restaurant that wants to be a high end, gourmet experience because La Tapa has certainly lost that feel now. There are lots of wonderful restaurants on the island, SKiP thus one until they get their act together. read more

Wow this place was so good! The waitress was very helpful in explaining everything on the menu. I love that they use so many local ingredients from the island. The menu was very different than a lot of places in the area, which was refreshing. One of (if not) the best meals we had on St John. read more

Always good services. Excellent atmosphere. They could use a little more variety on their menu just in case there might be a non-seafood lover in the group. read more

All the food was amazing! View was fantastic! Service was very attentive. Highly recommend for dinner! read more

La Tapa Plage - Spanish Near Me - Saint John, Virgin Islands

Reservations are an arrangement guests make in advance to confirm a table for their party at a specified time. Apparently, making reservations at La Tapa does not guarantee anything, so I suggest skipping here if you want to be sure to secure a spot for dinner. I had reservations at La Tapa for a party of ten made months in advance, but received a call from the manager the week of our trip asking if I could switch to another day. I had already had reservations and plans for the other days of my trip. This left me scrambling to find another place to accommodate our large party at the last minute. There was no offer to help given the bad situation this business put me in. The reason they did this: I was told they had a person that asked to have the restaurant for a private party. I am still not sure how the other person was not told it was not available, since they already had a reservation on the books. Do not leave it to chance that you will have your reservation respected. Go anywhere else. The dining scene on St. John is wonderful. read more

We had a wonderful birthday celebration at La Tapa. They were able to get us in earlier than our original reservation. The drinks were excellent and the food was as well. Highly recommend. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in St. John - love the vibe in this little spot and the food is fresh and so good! Great menu with lots of interesting dishes. During busy season, get here early or see if you can call ahead to reserve. Enjoy! read more

La Tapa Plage - Artichoke, salad nicoise - Spanish Near Me - Saint John, Virgin Islands

My handsome husband and I had a great dinner here on 4/16. We made a reservation the same day and could only get in at 5:30 (kind of early), but were able to snag a table overlooking the water, which was so nice. Lena took fine care of us and we split 2 apps and an entree, plus had tasty drinks. Would definitely come again for the service, ambiance, and shareable food. read more

It seems impossible, but if you ever tire of the island cuisine that dominates the menus of most of St. John's restaurants, La Tapa is an excellent change of pace. Don't get me wrong, the menu is still rife with fresh seafood, but it isn't limited to mahi, tuna and conch fritters. At La Tapa, you can dig into langostinos a la plancha, tender duck confit, whole roasted snapper and perfectly cooked hanger steak. The plates are all bright and beautiful, with the salt cod rosti and the seared yellowfin tuna being particularly appealing to both the palate and the eyes. It is substantially more expensive than many of the meals you can get around here, but they've got to fly in those mussels (perfect with the house-baked bread for dipping) from PEI, and that costs plenty. Two words to the wise: 1. Bring friends, so you can taste more of the menu. 2. Don't attempt to faceswap with the painting on the wall next to the biggest table. It will steal your soul, Ghostbusters II style. read more

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Outdoor seating, short walk from cruz bay ferry and friendly efficient service...what more can you ask for?! Oh right, delicious food and oh yes they have it!! We didn't make a reservation and came straight from swimming in trunk bay. We were definitely not dressed to the nines and were looking for a nice dinner before heading back to st thomas. We were quickly seated on a sidewalk table which is nice for people watching but note there's a lot of traffic on this st. Ordered myself a painkiller and it was really strong...they did offer a to go cup at the end of our dinner since we had to catch our ferry, nice touch! *grilled langostinos w. chipotle-lime aioli: there are no words for how delicious this was...pictures don't even show how tasty and light and just oh so good this was. it was salty but we devoured this dish *escargot, leeks, shiitakes, garlic, viogner & cream: very very rich dish...so creamy and indulgent. It was a delicious start but a somewhat heavy finish. wonderful dish but for the hot weather it was a little heavy *linguine, lobster, shrimp, maitake mushrooms, pine nuts, arugula and light mushroom cream: sooo good and actually light considering this was a pasty dish. topped with more wonderfully tasty langostinos and with some spicy arugula adding a nice kick of flavor and some lovely pine nuts. deliciously delightful we were too full to enjoy dessert so we had to take my painkiller to go to make the next ferry fun, highly recommend for dinner and this is a place you really want to sit back, relax and take your time savoring your meal read more

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Visited here our last night on St. John, at least for a few months. The atmosphere is great. Bustling with constant tables turning over and waitstaff trying to keep up. And the waitstaff does a very good job of keeping up. So, why only 3 stars? The appetizers were very good. We did the charcuterie & the bread with 3 spreads to start. I think we should have stopped there. The main courses were OK. Pretty, but nothing special as far as taste goes. Shrimp dish was ok. Meat dish was way overdone. For one of the most expensive restaurants on the island, I just expect more. read more

This was our last restaurant we went to before leaving St John! LOVED! The paella was out of this world and would 100% recommend any day. It's definitely filling and perfect for two people. read more

La Tapa Plage - Paella! - Spanish Near Me - Saint John, Virgin Islands

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This place has fantastic ambiance overlooking the bay. The food was underwhelming though. My mahi mahi was overcooked and tough as well as the rice. My friends steak was served well done instead of medium rare. Had to send it back. The wine and service were pretty good though. read more

Bread and butter tasty. Paella was outstanding, as was the Mahi. Ordered dessert. Apple tart with vanilla ice cream was one of the best we've ever had. Only reason we ranked four stars as opposed to five was the flourless chocolate cake left a little to be desired. Dry instead of moist and a bit chilled like it had been stored in refrigerator. Otherwise a gorgeous setting and excellent service. read more

A stylish Spanish restaurant in the heart of Cruz Bay serving a variety of small plates. We almost had to miss our reservation (flat tire on the rental) but were saved by the leasing company delivering a loaner car and even calling the owner of the restaurant to "un-cancel" our reservations. We were greeted warmly and seated right away in a cozy corner table. The menu features a variety of hot and cold tapas divided into three categories-appetizers, seafood and meat-and the also offer a modest selection of main course sized dishes including paella. The menu leans heavily toward the gourmand with items like pork belly, octopus and sweet breads, and while those were a bit exotic for our tastes, we were able to find items we enjoyed including field greens with pecan crusted goat cheese, cheese board and cod croquettes. They also have a very nice wine list. If you are looking for a nice gourmet meal with wonderful service set in a cozy vibrant setting, you should give them a go. read more