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THE JOURNEY - To Culinary Excellence, Oranjestad, Palm Beach

THE JOURNEY - To Culinary Excellence

4.9
4.9
60 Reviews
$50 and over
International

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Innovative
Next to the 'Old Mill' in Aruba you'll find a unique new restaurant, 'The Journey'. Michelin star trained chef Patrick van der Donk (Amuse Sunset restaurant) has made a very intimate chef's table concept.

Credit card information will be required in order to hold reservation as well confirmation by phone.

Not your usual bar seating set-up! Here you are able to dine at you own separate tables and still have a view of the chef creating your 5 1/2 course meal for a max of 20 guests per evening.
Price $130 per dinner and $80 for the optional wine paring, small bar available.
The evening starts at our cozy lounge with delicious hors d'oeuvres and bubbles, inside at a small and stylish set-up the chef will prepare every dish in front of his guests taking time to invite his guests over for a chat, he might even ask to help plating his dishes which gives a truly extraordinary dining experience. The menu changes frequently, classic dishes with a twist prepared with the best ingredients.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    International, Contemporary American, French
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 7:00 pm–7:15 pm
  • Phone number
    565 0535
  • Website
    http://www.thejourneychefstablearuba.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Patrick van der Donk
  • Catering
    The Journey has its own catering company, Amuse Catering, with many years of experience. We have served many, from a big group of loyal locals to big events for the government, the Royal Dutch family and many other stars coming to the Island. Weddings events on the beach we also cater, set-up and organize.
  • Private party facilities
    The Journey is a unique spot for small events. Small Weddings parties, birthday parties or business events.

Experiences

  • Copy of Copy of Chef's Table

    $130.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    The stand-alone tables which seats only 20 patrons the five-course chef’s choice pre-fixe menu will take your taste buds on a world tour. Once you arrive at your destination, the exciting expedition begins with a toast of bubbles on the terrace. Inside, an amuse bouche showcases the chef’s imagination and previews the palate-pleasing experiences to come. You can opt to pair your courses with the sommelier’s expertly curated choice of fine wines by the glass, or order a bottle from the impressive wine list. With the open kitchen, you witness the chef work on his eye-pleasing creations. By the end of the evening you will have made many new friends as you have all enjoyed such an excellent shared experience of culinary bliss. Bon Voyage!
    Copy of Copy of Chef's Table Photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 60 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.9Ambience
  • 4.7Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
THE JOURNEY - To Culinary Excellence offers an unforgettable dining experience in Aruba. Guests rave about the "amazing food," "perfect wine pairings," and the personable Chef Patrick. With its intimate setting, exceptional service, and "Michelin Star quality" cuisine, this is a must-visit for refined foodies seeking a memorable evening.

60 Reviews

  1. Evan

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our meal at The Journey was amazing. The experience was fantastic start to finish. The personalized experience, the small group setting, The personal touches from the welcome outside with drinks and conversation to the breakdown of each dish by the chef was a wonderful way to add more context and excitement to the meal. The food itself was amazing, each dish was so flavorful and unique. My wife and I are not big seafood eaters but both agreed the snapper dish was our absolute favorite of the night. I would recommend anyone who wants to experience some of the best food in Aruba to go here. We are excited to come back next year and see what new exiting dishes there will be to try.
    THE JOURNEY - To Culinary ExcellenceResponded 2 days ago
    Dear Evan, Thank you for your kind words. We would love to host you again next year. Happy Holidays Team The Journey

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  2. Bobbi Jo

    VIP

    Tampa

    37 reviews

    5.0

    37 reviews

    Dined on December 17, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Oh my gosh. How welcoming “ The Journey” to Culinary Excellence. Perfection the food to wine pairing. Excellent , excellent, excellent. 5 courses and I never ever experienced such a Journey of food. They helped us with surprising our friends get engaged and she said “Yes”!! You must go and try reservations only 7 tables. We met the Chef-trained Michelin & his beautiful wife. Love Aruba we will be back.

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  3. Giampiero

    Caribbean

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 13, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a veritable culinary journey. Amazing and excellent quality

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  4. Hazel

    Vancouver

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 9, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had an amazing experience! Pictures don’t do justice. The taste was phenomenal. Chef Patrick’s love for his work definitely shows in his creation. The blend of flavors and spices were magic in our palate. We highly recommend everyone who visits Aruba to come to the “journey” to a have wonderful experience as well. Also, shout out to Jeremy for being so friendly, attentive and fun.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Las Vegas

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 4, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Such a special night with Chef Patrick and Jeremy. Everything was delicious and we appreciated their accommodating our dietary restrictions.

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  6. Christine

    Calgary

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on December 2, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Chef Patrick, Jeremy and Ada provided an amazing experience! We were greeted outside with a glass of champagne where we mingled with other guests. Upon entering the restaurant, we had our own table however the atmosphere was intimate and we were able to see the courses being plated. Every course was incredible- the flavours , textures and presentation. We highly recommend this experience. Chef Patrick is incredibly funny, humble and approachable. The entire team was genuine and fun to engage with. Thank you for making our evening special!

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  7. Jane

    West Palm Beach

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 2, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding!! Highly recommend - Chef Patrick, Ada, and team were delightful. Need to make reservations.

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  8. Shweta

    Phoenix

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 29, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had an amazing evening celebrating my husband’s birthday. Chef was able to accommodate our dietary restrictions and made our evening extra special and memorable!! Delicious food and beautiful ambiance. Thank you Patrick and Jeremy!!

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  9. Mona

    New Jersey

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 7, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We tried this on our most recent trip to Aruba and it's a must for refined foodies! Every course was delicious and we felt more than satisfied with the entire meal from start to finish. I must add that I am not much of a lamb fan, but the lamb dish served was unique and the best I've ever had. Chef Patrick and his staff were very welcoming and friendly and we felt very comfortable and entertained for the evening. Don't let the price discourage you from giving it a try!

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  10. Vic

    VIP

    Orlando

    24 reviews

    5.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on October 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of the top three meal experiences I've ever had. It might be the best, but I've eaten at some very fine dining establishments. The evening was incredible, with 5 courses after a champagne and amuse bouche before entering the restaurant. 20 people max, encouraged to mingle and make friends prior to, and during the intermission (yes, and intermission). The entire meal was at a wonderfully leisurely pace - from start to finish it took 3 1/2 hours. The food was incredible, and the chef came out and introduced every course and gave us a detailed description. There was also a wine pairing with every course, which entailed some wonderful wines. The staff was professional, super friendly, and knowledgeable. A pleasure to be served by them. And the chef clearly loves what he does, preparing each dish with care and the touch of an artist. I will definitely be back the next time I visit Aruba.

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FAQs

THE JOURNEY - To Culinary Excellence is rated 4.9 stars by 60 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Experiences are available.
Google Map for THE JOURNEY - To Culinary Excellence

330 L.G. Smith Blvd, next to the old Windmill, Oranjestad, Palm Beach 00000

Additional information

  • Cross street
    opposite of Riu hotel
  • Neighborhood
    Aruba
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 7:00 pm–7:15 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    International, Contemporary American, French
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Patrick van der Donk
  • Additional
    Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Gluten-free Options, Outdoor Smoking Area, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.thejourneychefstablearuba.com/
  • Phone number
    565 0535
  • Catering
    The Journey has its own catering company, Amuse Catering, with many years of experience. We have served many, from a big group of loyal locals to big events for the government, the Royal Dutch family and many other stars coming to the Island. Weddings events on the beach we also cater, set-up and organize.
  • Private party facilities
    The Journey is a unique spot for small events. Small Weddings parties, birthday parties or business events.
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