Restaurants and Nightlife
Note on tax/tip:
Restaurant taxes can be extremely frustrating in Cabarete. By law, restaurants are supposed to add 16% to the cost of meals for tourists, in addition to the usual 10%. Since this large fee often deters people from eating out, some restaurants choose not to adhere to the 16% ‘tourist tax’. As a general rule, the more expensive restaurants on the beach are the only places that charge the full tax. Once volunteers are established as a ‘locals’, these taxes disappear, but until then be prepared it is either pay or haggle. Note that paying with your card will inquire a huge fee (that is whatever the waitress chooses to tell you). Tipping is standard, but not as customary as in the States, at 10%.
La Chabola
Located near the entrance of the callejon, has a great 2-for-1 pizza special every day. Their food is reasonably priced and pretty good. They have karaoke nights on Wednesdays and sometimes our bachata band will perform!
Comedor Ambar and Comedor Oscar
Both great comedores to buy a big plate of rice, beans, and meat for 100 pesos ($2). Located inside the Callejon de la Loma (Comedor Oscar is next to the Catholic Church, and Comedor Ambar is just inside the entrance to the Callejon.)
Vagamundo Coffee and Waffles
Located on the west end of the highway in Cabarete, just across from the Supermercado La Rosa. This is a great place to hang out and get an iced coffee and use the great wifi. The waffles are amazing so this is a nice splurge.
La Casita De Papi
Good place to get seafood, it is on the beach and is pricier than most restaurants on the beach. Service is good and atmosphere is more relaxing than some of the other restaurants on the beach.
Claro Cafe
Unanimously voted by nearly all DREAM volunteers to have the “BEST FOOD EVER”, Claro serves excellent wraps, sandwiches, pancakes, frittatas, and other breakfast/lunch plates along with weekly specials. The ‘Chillachino’ is not to be missed (iced coffee blended with milk, Dominican cocoa, and crunchy peanut butter). 10% discount offered to DREAM volunteers. Located just past Janet’s on the same side of the street. Look for the Casa Blanca Hotel – it’s just off the main road in front of the hotel.
Empanadas
Not so much a restaurant, but the yellow stand in the Callejon with the umbrella overhead serves up deep fried goodness. Across from Tienda Reyna. Ham, egg and cheese empanadas as well as chicken are offered. On the way to the DREAM Center and can’t be beat for 15-25 pesos.
Fresh Fresh Café
This has become a new favorite for recent volunteers! Great spot to get access to wifi, while sipping on a delicious smoothie, or light and healthy snack/meal.
Gelato (French Alleyway & Ocean Dream)
Not to be missed – best homemade ice cream in town. 80 pesos per scoop but well worth it! Located in the “French Alleyway” next to Pomodoro’s. Also, a great place next to Gorditos in the Ocean Dream plaza.
Gorditos
The only fresh tex mex you will find in Cabarete! They have a very friendly staff. A great selection of tacos, burritos, and bowls to go with their delicious agua fresca. Good prices, a burrito or bowl with a drink runs about 350 pesos (after the tax is added in). Located in the Ocean Dream Plaza.
Kite Club Café
Great atmosphere on the beach and wonderful fresh food. They have salads, sandwiches, wraps that all include delicious veggies. Prices are reasonable and service is good. It is located right on Kite beach (a carrito or moto is recommended).
Luis Parilla
Luis has the most amazing grilled chicken you have ever tried, as well as inexpensive Dominican food. They are very friendly to DREAM volunteers. Prices are in pesos and fairly cheap (chicken runs about 150 RD). 4pm – 10 p.m. every day and serves dinner. Located near the entrance to the callejon next to Comedor Ambar.
Happy Family
Amazingly good food with variety. Very friendly staff and good service. Reasonably priced dominican food. Don’t leave Cabarete without trying their chicken cordon bleu! Right at the entrance to the callejon.
Mojito Bar
A great place for lunch or drinks, this bar is located on the beach after Call-a-pizza. At lunch time you can get a sandwich and fresh fruit juice for 150 RD and between 5 and 7 it is 2-for-1 mojitos. They’re so good they named the bar after them.
Ojo / LAX
LAX serves lunch and dinner. Happy hour specials from 5-7 p.m. Has great Happy Hour special on food as well (50% off pastas and pizzas or 100 peso hamburgers) from 7-8:30pm. Ojo nightclub is open Thursday through Sunday but has a very popular Latin night on Thursday. Located East of VoyVoy, two stories.
VoyVoy
Great food (Dominican, Caribbean, wraps, sandwiches, burritos, etc.) with specials 4 nights a week. Don’t miss the Mojitos here either. Monday is karaoke night and Friday is Just Dance night. Staff is extremely friendly. At Vela windsurf school, past Onno’s on the beach.
Restaurante China
Decent and inexpensive Chinese food. Lots for less than 150 pesos. Serves lunch- dinner from 12-10 p.m. On the street beside Sandro’s and across from Panaderia Dick. 16% tax.
Pollo San
Inexpensive chinese food open late at night. Across the street from Helado Bon.
Panaderia Dick’s
Great bakery with great service. Closed Wednesdays, and closes at 2 p.m. Sunday. Full breakfasts, coffee, tea, pastries and bread served from 7:30 a.m. to around 4 p.m. In the center of town across from the Plaza del Patio.
Friends
Serves sandwiches, salads, smoothies, omelets, and crepes. Open for breakfast and lunch. Next to Panederia Dick.
Kahunas
Kahunas is the Canadian sports bar on the beach, located between VoyVoy and Onno’s. They have an all-around menu with sandwiches, pastas, burgers, meat dishes, tacos, quesadillas, pretty much anything you may want! Atmosphere can vary on what sports game is going on and how busy it is, they have a pool table and wi-fi as well so it’s a pretty good place to be.
Onno’s Bar
Generally identified as a nightlife hub as opposed to a restaurant, Onno’s nonetheless has an extensive menu with lunch specials and happy hour food deals with drink specials all night. They sometimes have their pizza window open on the side, good pizza, not too expensive and is open late. Food is good, though service is sometimes slow. On the beach.
Pomodoro’s
Great, fresh Italian pizzas and pastas – the best food on the beach. A bit pricey, but service is generally good. On the beach at the end of the “French Alleyway”.
Yoshima Sushi
Great, fresh sushi served up by a friendly owner for amazingly low prices. Serves lunch and dinner. Located in the Ocean Dream Plaza, across from the entrance to the Callejón right next to Gordito’s.
Restaurant taxes can be extremely frustrating in Cabarete. By law, restaurants are supposed to add 16% to the cost of meals for tourists, in addition to the usual 10%. Since this large fee often deters people from eating out, some restaurants choose not to adhere to the 16% ‘tourist tax’. As a general rule, the more expensive restaurants on the beach are the only places that charge the full tax. Once volunteers are established as a ‘locals’, these taxes disappear, but until then be prepared it is either pay or haggle. Note that paying with your card will inquire a huge fee (that is whatever the waitress chooses to tell you). Tipping is standard, but not as customary as in the States, at 10%.
La Chabola
Located near the entrance of the callejon, has a great 2-for-1 pizza special every day. Their food is reasonably priced and pretty good. They have karaoke nights on Wednesdays and sometimes our bachata band will perform!
Comedor Ambar and Comedor Oscar
Both great comedores to buy a big plate of rice, beans, and meat for 100 pesos ($2). Located inside the Callejon de la Loma (Comedor Oscar is next to the Catholic Church, and Comedor Ambar is just inside the entrance to the Callejon.)
Vagamundo Coffee and Waffles
Located on the west end of the highway in Cabarete, just across from the Supermercado La Rosa. This is a great place to hang out and get an iced coffee and use the great wifi. The waffles are amazing so this is a nice splurge.
La Casita De Papi
Good place to get seafood, it is on the beach and is pricier than most restaurants on the beach. Service is good and atmosphere is more relaxing than some of the other restaurants on the beach.
Claro Cafe
Unanimously voted by nearly all DREAM volunteers to have the “BEST FOOD EVER”, Claro serves excellent wraps, sandwiches, pancakes, frittatas, and other breakfast/lunch plates along with weekly specials. The ‘Chillachino’ is not to be missed (iced coffee blended with milk, Dominican cocoa, and crunchy peanut butter). 10% discount offered to DREAM volunteers. Located just past Janet’s on the same side of the street. Look for the Casa Blanca Hotel – it’s just off the main road in front of the hotel.
Empanadas
Not so much a restaurant, but the yellow stand in the Callejon with the umbrella overhead serves up deep fried goodness. Across from Tienda Reyna. Ham, egg and cheese empanadas as well as chicken are offered. On the way to the DREAM Center and can’t be beat for 15-25 pesos.
Fresh Fresh Café
This has become a new favorite for recent volunteers! Great spot to get access to wifi, while sipping on a delicious smoothie, or light and healthy snack/meal.
Gelato (French Alleyway & Ocean Dream)
Not to be missed – best homemade ice cream in town. 80 pesos per scoop but well worth it! Located in the “French Alleyway” next to Pomodoro’s. Also, a great place next to Gorditos in the Ocean Dream plaza.
Gorditos
The only fresh tex mex you will find in Cabarete! They have a very friendly staff. A great selection of tacos, burritos, and bowls to go with their delicious agua fresca. Good prices, a burrito or bowl with a drink runs about 350 pesos (after the tax is added in). Located in the Ocean Dream Plaza.
Kite Club Café
Great atmosphere on the beach and wonderful fresh food. They have salads, sandwiches, wraps that all include delicious veggies. Prices are reasonable and service is good. It is located right on Kite beach (a carrito or moto is recommended).
Luis Parilla
Luis has the most amazing grilled chicken you have ever tried, as well as inexpensive Dominican food. They are very friendly to DREAM volunteers. Prices are in pesos and fairly cheap (chicken runs about 150 RD). 4pm – 10 p.m. every day and serves dinner. Located near the entrance to the callejon next to Comedor Ambar.
Happy Family
Amazingly good food with variety. Very friendly staff and good service. Reasonably priced dominican food. Don’t leave Cabarete without trying their chicken cordon bleu! Right at the entrance to the callejon.
Mojito Bar
A great place for lunch or drinks, this bar is located on the beach after Call-a-pizza. At lunch time you can get a sandwich and fresh fruit juice for 150 RD and between 5 and 7 it is 2-for-1 mojitos. They’re so good they named the bar after them.
Ojo / LAX
LAX serves lunch and dinner. Happy hour specials from 5-7 p.m. Has great Happy Hour special on food as well (50% off pastas and pizzas or 100 peso hamburgers) from 7-8:30pm. Ojo nightclub is open Thursday through Sunday but has a very popular Latin night on Thursday. Located East of VoyVoy, two stories.
VoyVoy
Great food (Dominican, Caribbean, wraps, sandwiches, burritos, etc.) with specials 4 nights a week. Don’t miss the Mojitos here either. Monday is karaoke night and Friday is Just Dance night. Staff is extremely friendly. At Vela windsurf school, past Onno’s on the beach.
Restaurante China
Decent and inexpensive Chinese food. Lots for less than 150 pesos. Serves lunch- dinner from 12-10 p.m. On the street beside Sandro’s and across from Panaderia Dick. 16% tax.
Pollo San
Inexpensive chinese food open late at night. Across the street from Helado Bon.
Panaderia Dick’s
Great bakery with great service. Closed Wednesdays, and closes at 2 p.m. Sunday. Full breakfasts, coffee, tea, pastries and bread served from 7:30 a.m. to around 4 p.m. In the center of town across from the Plaza del Patio.
Friends
Serves sandwiches, salads, smoothies, omelets, and crepes. Open for breakfast and lunch. Next to Panederia Dick.
Kahunas
Kahunas is the Canadian sports bar on the beach, located between VoyVoy and Onno’s. They have an all-around menu with sandwiches, pastas, burgers, meat dishes, tacos, quesadillas, pretty much anything you may want! Atmosphere can vary on what sports game is going on and how busy it is, they have a pool table and wi-fi as well so it’s a pretty good place to be.
Onno’s Bar
Generally identified as a nightlife hub as opposed to a restaurant, Onno’s nonetheless has an extensive menu with lunch specials and happy hour food deals with drink specials all night. They sometimes have their pizza window open on the side, good pizza, not too expensive and is open late. Food is good, though service is sometimes slow. On the beach.
Pomodoro’s
Great, fresh Italian pizzas and pastas – the best food on the beach. A bit pricey, but service is generally good. On the beach at the end of the “French Alleyway”.
Yoshima Sushi
Great, fresh sushi served up by a friendly owner for amazingly low prices. Serves lunch and dinner. Located in the Ocean Dream Plaza, across from the entrance to the Callejón right next to Gordito’s.