The Cliff

Food	Service	Atmosphere	Value
7.11	5.89	7.26	6.74

Situated on top of a 3-meter tall coral cliff over looking the Caribbean Sea, this open-air restaurant has the food to match the beautiful scenery. Although The Cliff uses nothing, but the freshest, choicest ingredients and attracts such big names as Prince Andrew, the atmosphere is surprisingly casual. Make sure you look down during dinner because you might catch a glimpse of the sea life swimming by in the illuminated waters below.

October 2004

Just back from a short-notice decision to go and try "The Cliff", since the local whisper is that this, and the Restaurant at Southsea are the places to visit for the ultimate food experience...
We were not disappointed, the ambience was relaxing and elegant, with a memorable view down over the dining area and bay as you walk through from the entrance bar/lounge area, out on to the balcony seating area, where the setaing is comfortable and relaxing.
We both ordered a Bloody Mary pre-dinner cocktail - a habit in every restaurant we visit, and always a touchstone to the care in preparation that the staff put into your visit....it worked well, subtle yet strong pepperiness and rich and fresh tasting tomato juice - a good start.
To accompany the starters we each had a glass of the Perrier Jouet Grand Brut, which is the House Champagne, and they obviously know their stuff, a beautiful glass.
I chose the Tuna Tartare starter and was very pleased with the balance of flavours, and the palette of textures, from the miniature poppadom through to the velvety tuna.
My partner chose the Portobello Mushroom Salad with aged parmesan - again, a well-balanced flavour palette and satisfying choice.
The staff were without exception attentive and polite and completely professional - efficient without being obtrusive, and all very pleasant.
I had chosen the Cliff for this evening as I wanted an unforgettable experience, and with the main course, there it was on the specials menu....Kobe A-5 Steak.
Cooked medium rare, and unlike anything I have ever tasted before. Presented with a rich gravy -for the life of me I can't remember what kind-but that was not the point - this steak was more tender than the new potatoes it came with, and the wonderful creamy flavour is still with me 3 hours after leaving the restaurant. This really was one of my most memorable dishes ever.
My partner had the angus beef, which again was a fine example of its type, and beautifully cooked, with just a hint of saltiness to spice the flavour. We accompanied this with a glass of the wonderfully structured french red by the glass - yes, I should have taken a note of what it was, but all I can say is that its depth and intensity were a perfect foil to the gorgeous meats we were enjoying.
For dessert, after a decent interval, we both had the chocolate pudding with Mount gay sauce, which rounded of the meal in memorable fashion.
A great evening, at a venue which entirely lived up to its press and gave us a memorable night out.
Thoroughly recommended.

Simon Jackson - Sunday, August 10, 2008

I have to totally disagree with the review dated 28 April 2008. I was there on the 28 April 2008 with my new husband and his best man and wife. We had a fabolous evening, the food was fantastic, the waiters and waitresses were very attentive. No complaints at all. I suggest the writer of the review was somewhere else completely different!!

Mrs Crawford - Saturday, May 31, 2008

paul is genius. how he charges £60/70 per head for very average food is beyond me. it was poorly cooked and presented, something i would imagine i ate in the 90's.If as i read he has been on thr island for 25 yrs i suggrst he goes back to uk and see how food has progressed in 15 yrs as he is missing out on the updated recipes and products now available

- Monday, April 28, 2008

Fantastic venue and great Food. Whilst one of the very top places to eat in the Island there was a lack or personnel touch to the experience.
We had booked as part of our wedding anniversary and my wife was suffering from a touch of flu; we consequently skipped dessert and had coffee in the lounge. I quickly paid the bill and on final review discovered I had been charged $150 for a bottle of wine that we had not consumed. This annoyed me and somehow became my issue for moving to the lounge which they suggested.
After a forthright exchange in the reception the bottle and our wine was deducted.
So in summary night spoilt by exit, improvements canopes with cocktail, sweet offering with coffee, better use of fresh local ingredients
Would I go back ? Not sure

Harry - Saturday, April 26, 2008

Everything about my experience at the Cliff was fantastic! The setting is absolutely beautiful on a cliff overlooking a floodlit sea. The attention to detail is incredible from the background music (which, I usually can't stand but it was absolutely perfect) and the service was great. The flavours were wonderful - I can't remember the last time I had such incredible food! The puddings are also to die for! I strongly reccommend that you book early (we booked 2 months in advance in the shoulder low/peak season) to get a seaview table and arrive early for cocktails on the new terrace. I'm trying to think of something that would have made the experience better but it really was fantastic the whole way through.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

We were party of eight who dined a The Cliff in October 2007, we were so disappointed having dined here three years previous we found it had gone from the best to the worst dining experience we encountered during our stay. I did e mail on return home to voice our concerns.
Having read other reviews I can say that our experiance echoed that of Mr & Mrs Best dated July 27th.

J Wooding - Thursday, December 06, 2007

We booked in advance and got the coveted table 50. It's difficult to find words to express the experience but I can say it was superb from start to finish.
We started off with a couple of glasses each of Champagne on the upper terrace overlooking the restaurant and sea.
I really didn't think I would ever find a faultless meal as there is usually something, however minor, that could have been better. But I got perfection here at The Cliff. Every single ingredient was extremely high quality and seasoned perfectly.
I started with the snails which were presented in a puff pastry case with a chive cream sauce....delicious. Other half had the scallops which were juicy and cooked to perfection. He chose a lovely Chateauneuf Du Pape from the middle range of the wine menu. There is also a separate vegetarian menu and a daily specials menu, which combined with the usual menu probably gave a choice of perhaps 15 or more startes, mains and desserts, from simple to extravagent
We both chose the filet of beef to follow, which cut like butter despite being cooked medium to well done (tut tut). The accompanying sauce complented it and the rest of the plate beautifully.
Lastly I had the white chocolate cheesecake but didn't fancy he chocolate sauce it came with, so a delicious raspberry coulis was offered instead and it was divine. He had tiramisu.....which he always has in restaurants...some kind of strange comparison thing, and said it was the best he's had in a long time. Ice wine was also on offer for that are interested.
Overall, the setting can't be beaten, the service highly efficient and professional, the food is to die for and the bill........well, we felt it was pretty reasonable at £250. We've spent far more for a single meal at various other places throughout the world so felt it was really good value for money considering the overall experience. If we return to Barbados then we'll return to The Cliff

Lisa - Thursday, October 18, 2007

We have just returned from Barbados and our first visit to the Cliff which we were very impressed with. The setting is absolutely stunning as was the decor, it was nice to get valet parking (something we are not used to in the UK) and the staff were available but left us to enjoy our meal without unecessary interuptions. Due to our later booking we were unable to get a table overlooking the ocean however once we had finished our starters we were informed one had become available and chose to move. Overall the food was very good and there was plenty on the menu. It works out £60 head with tip which may sound a bit pricey but definitely worth it with the chance of seeing stingray or turtles while you dine. The only criticism i have would be the set price for the menu (2 courses for BDS$180) you have to have at least 2 courses. This is something we experienced a few times in barbados and it means that whether you have a vegetarian pasta or a meat dish you are paying the same price, also watch out for the bottled water £5 a bottle (barbados apparently has some of the cleanest water in the world so your better off asking for tap water). All in all a fantastic way to end your holiday.

Helen - Tuesday, October 09, 2007

I have eaten at The Cliff half a dozen times now and it is still, in my opinion, the best place to eat in Barbados.
The food is wonderful, the staff discreet and very efficient, and the setting is just incredible. Admittedly I have always booked well in advance and always had a waterside table, which has been a bonus.
The addition of the new bar upstairs makes a wonderful place to sit and have a drink before your meal, so arrive early.
I will continue to return to The Cliff at every opportunity I get.

Nicky Pearson - Wednesday, September 26, 2007

This was our first trip to Barbados, and from the start we were urged to visit the Cliff Restaurant. Prior to that we'd dined at South Sea (wonderful atmosphere, excellent food & service), and Daphne (excellent food, good service, OK atmosphere). We saved the Cliff experience for the end, anticipating that it would exceed our experiences to date on the island. We were woefully disappointed. The staff, from the distracted hostess, to the mechanical servers, to the absentee sommalier, we felt tolerated, not welcome. During the whole evening, one waiter smiled and made an attempt to connect. Everyone else was robotic, and somewhat inefficient. We received the wrong meals, we were promised clean napkins that never arrived, it took 20 minutes after we were ready to place our order. The menu was surprisingly predictable and out of sync with the climate. The braised meat, veal chops, cheescake and pannacotta were heavy offerings that would not have complimented the humid, tropical weather we experienced. We settled for the Thai curried tuna and the shrimp. THe portions were generous, but the quality of the ingredients and the plating (or lack thereof) was the calibre of a mid-range Thai family restaurant, with the selection of a $19.99 special. Along with that, we were served a basket of grocery store breadrolls, straight from the plastic bag, that you might expect to get at a family picnic!!! We skipped dessert beause we couldn't find anything (other than overpriced sorbet) that was light enough) or offerings that were inventive enough, to extend our stay a moment longer. To be frank, we were quite anxious to leave. Be warned that in order to reserve at the Cliff, you will be asked for your credit card, and even if you cancell ahead, you will be charged a minimum fee of $75. Compared to the outstanding food and service we experienced elsewhere on th eisland, including our own resort (The House) we wonder how the Cliff can sustain their success, if they don't pay more attention to what's happening around them and to how the standards are now being established by their competitors.

Mr and Mrs Bret - Friday, July 27, 2007