Fresh Catch of the Day
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Driftwood Restaurant Aruba

4.6
·491k reviews·,

Driftwood Restaurant offers an authentic taste of Aruba with incredibly fresh, owner-caught seafood and a unique catch-and-cook experience in a charmi...

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Wed/Fri 18-21h

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Fresh Catch of the Day

Driftwood Restaurant Aruba

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

Driftwood Restaurant offers an authentic taste of Aruba with incredibly fresh, owner-caught seafood and a unique catch-and-cook experience in a charming driftwood setting.

4.6
(491k reviews)

"Exceptional place, food and service! All I can say is just wow!!"

TIP

Book Ahead

Reservations are highly recommended as the restaurant is popular and can get very busy.

Try the Catch of the Day

Experience local flavors with the fresh catch, often prepared Aruban-style with a spicy creole sauce.

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Quick Facts

Closed·Opens Monday 5PM

Cuisine

Seafood, Caribbean

Price

$$$

Phone

+297 583 2515

Address

Driftwood Building, Klipstraat 12, Oranjestad, Aruba

Insta-Factor

Medium

Highlights

Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Catch of the Day

Catch of the Day

Savor the freshest seafood, often caught by the owners themselves, prepared Aruban-style or to your preference.

Restaurants in Oranjestad and EnvironsAruba Fishing Charters | Best Deep Sea Fishing in Aruba 2023
Unique Catch-and-Cook Experience

Unique Catch-and-Cook Experience

Embark on a deep-sea fishing excursion and have your catch expertly prepared by the chef.

TikTokThe Best Restaurants, Cafes, and Places to Eat in ArubaAruba Fishing Charters | Best Deep Sea Fishing in Aruba 2023
Rustic Driftwood Ambiance

Rustic Driftwood Ambiance

Dine in a cozy, rustic atmosphere adorned with driftwood, where guests can even leave their mark.

Google Review
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Insider Tips

from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit

Lobster, Calamari, Shrimp Cocktail, and delicious garlic bread… you can’t go wrong! This wonderful place is called Driftwood. It is located in Aruba! I’ll drop the address below it’s worth the trip! 👌🔥🔥🔥 🇦🇼 Driftwood Building, Klipstraat 12, Oranjestad, Aruba #aruba #lobster #driftwood #travel #fyp
@mak_ava2020
12 likes • 478 views

Book Ahead

Reservations are highly recommended as the restaurant is popular and can get very busy.

Try the Catch of the Day

Experience local flavors with the fresh catch, often prepared Aruban-style with a spicy creole sauce.

Such a great experience! #fyp #aruba #fishing #charter #driftwood @DRIFTWOOD.CHARTERS.ARUBA
@christinenap
36 likes • 2.1K views

Ask for Recommendations

Servers are happy to offer personalized suggestions to enhance your dining experience.

Add Papaya Hot Sauce

Enhance your fish soup or other dishes with the house-made papaya hot sauce.

Tips

from all over the internet

Book Ahead

Reservations are highly recommended as the restaurant is popular and can get very busy.

Try the Catch of the Day

Experience local flavors with the fresh catch, often prepared Aruban-style with a spicy creole sauce.

Ask for Recommendations

Servers are happy to offer personalized suggestions to enhance your dining experience.

Add Papaya Hot Sauce

Enhance your fish soup or other dishes with the house-made papaya hot sauce.

What Travellers Say

4.6
(491k reviews)

Reviews Summary

Driftwood Restaurant is celebrated for its exceptionally fresh seafood, with many highlighting the "catch of the day" as a standout. The rustic ambiance and friendly service contribute to a memorable dining experience, though some note it can be a bit pricey for the portion sizes. Overall, it's considered a must-visit for seafood lovers in Aruba, especially for those seeking an authentic local feel.

"Driftwood was amazing. Everything screams Aruba and the food was so good. Their catch of the day is fantastic (but so as other stuff on the menu). Definitely make reservation in advance though. We saw a lot of people waiting when we were done."

Mei Mei Chan

"Food was delicious and staff were very nice. I had a reservation for 8 but they were able to accommodate me earlier. The place is cozy and feel like home."

Suany Gomez

"Driftwood Restaurant is a great establishment with a welcoming ambiance. The food was good. The crab cakes were definitely our favorite item here. Would surely come back for them as they were simply sublime. Do ask for the hot sauce as it was amazing with the crab cakes and the other items. The sangria was well made. The service was friendly, courteous, and attentive. Restaurant patrons were able leave writings on the walls to commemorate their visit and etch themselves into the establishment. Very cool aspect. Would definitely recommend when in Aruba."

Aninda Z

What People Like

Incredibly fresh seafood, often caught the same day.
Unique catch-and-cook fishing excursions.
Warm and rustic driftwood ambiance.

What People Dislike

Can be a bit expensive for the portion sizes.

Frequently Asked Questions

The restaurant's owners are fishermen who often catch the seafood themselves, ensuring exceptional freshness. They specialize in dishes like Atlantic king crab and Caribbean lobster.

The Best Restaurants, Cafes, and Places to Eat in ArubaAruba Fishing Charters | Best Deep Sea Fishing in Aruba 2023

Yes, Driftwood offers a catch-and-cook experience. You can go on a deep-sea fishing excursion with Driftwood Charter Yacht and have your catch prepared by the chef.

TikTokThe Best Restaurants, Cafes, and Places to Eat in ArubaAruba Fishing Charters | Best Deep Sea Fishing in Aruba 2023

It is highly recommended to make reservations in advance, as the restaurant is very popular and often has a waitlist.

Google Review+1

The restaurant features a rustic, nautical-themed ambiance with natural driftwood decor. Guests can even carve their names into the walls.

Aruba Restaurants Near the Cruise TerminalGoogle Review

Popular appetizers include escargot, crab cakes, and garlic bread.

TikTokGoogle Review+1

The 'catch of the day' is often recommended to be served Aruban-style, which means pan-fried and topped with a spicy creole sauce.

Restaurants in Oranjestad and EnvironsGoogle Review

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Thanks to its robust offerings, Driftwood is widely considered the best seafood restaurant on the island. Here, marquee dishes range from Atlantic king crab to Caribbean lobster, while standard options include coconut-battered shrimp and the catch of the day, often hauled in from the sea by the restaurant’s owner. For an even fresher meal, opt for the catch-and-cook experience: Driftwood Charter Yacht offers deep-sea fishing excursions, after which the house chef back at the restaurant will prepare whatever you’ve caught.

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Opened in 1986, this rustic nautical-themed restaurant is owned and operated by the Merryweather family. It's justifiably famous for serving up the freshest catch of the day caught by the owners themselves. Typically they recommend the fresh fish be served Aruban-style for the best local experience (that means panfried and topped with a spicy creole sauce).

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Located in the heart of downtown Oranjestad, Driftwood is one of the oldest standing restaurants in Aruba, and for good reason!. They serve great seafood and traditional Aruban delicacies in a rustic ambiance of their natural driftwood dining room, making for a true local dining experience. PS – Driftwood has their very own fishing charter, so as you can imagine, what they catch is what you can expect to find on your plate, now that’s sea-to-table goodness!

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Fresh Seafood Restaurant owned and founded by Local Fisherman "Herby Meryweather" also founder of World Famous Driftwood Restaurant. Thankfully, these … A very cozy place with a very Peruvian-style decoration, an ideal place to start with a pisco Sower and order a mixed seafood cebiche and very fresh fish and continue with a sautéed beef tenderloin. Our prime cuts and freshly-caught seafood are the stars of our menu, complemented by flavorful sides.

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Located in the heart of downtown Oranjestad offering great seafood and typically Aruban delicacies in the rustic ambiance of the natural driftwood dining room. Furthermore all dishes are prepared with an Aruban touch and accompanied by pan bati, our famous Aruban corn bread. Enjoy the freshest fish, biggest shrimp, or the most succulent Caribbean lobster amid the rustic ambiance of the natural driftwood dining room.

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This restaurant has specialized in seafood since 1986 and all seafood served in the restaurant is actually caught daily by the owner. The Aruban style dishes have kept diners returning to enjoy the ambient natural driftwood dining room together with the mouthwatering cuisine prepared by a talented local chef. The menu includes traditional Aruban dishes, the freshest fish, biggest shrimp and most succulent lobster.

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Authentic Aruban seafood doesn't get any fresher or better than the fare at this rustic restaurant tucked away on a side street. Keeping with its name, this cozy venue is full of gnarled driftwood posts and slats laced with ship lanterns and Captain Nemo underwater helmets. The owner wakes up early every morning, hops on his boat, and stalks the coast for your dinner.

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The walls were plastered with driftwood and it felt like a being on a ship with steering wheels as lamps (minus the sea sickness)!. I ordered the chicken with tropical citrus sauce and wish I had the recipe for that sauce!. Josh tried the Aruban meal - fresh catch of the day with potato and veggies.

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