Is the food really that good?

**DreaminofJamaica2010** · September 28th, 2009, 09:38 PM

I've been doing a lot of research, reading this board and other travel forums.

Time and time again reviewers are commenting on the food...all I can say is it must be REALLY good! I'd hate to go to a resort for a week with bad food.

Things that stick out from research:

- food is great
- staff enjoy their jobs and take pride in their work
- every guest is treated as equals
- reviewers can't wait to go back!

I am looking forward to the day i am one of the reviewers posting a positive review about CSA...only 6 more months!

**smoo72** · September 29th, 2009, 08:35 AM

It is actually good. I think it gets comments so much because food at all-inclusives generally is pretty poor. To have edible food at an AI is huge. Is it as good as we can get at home? Well, I guess that may depend on where you live. I live in the Chicago suburbs and am spoiled rotten with the great food available to me. Is the food superior to what I can get here? No. Is it superior to any other food I've had at any other resort? Yes...by far. This includes AI's in other parts of Jamaica (different company), Mexico, Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.

**Bkhiattky** · September 29th, 2009, 08:46 AM

The food is better than good, it is fantastic IMO. You will definitely not go hungry. Try new things!!

**jon1963** · September 29th, 2009, 09:29 AM

I keep going back to Couples just because they are that way, it is all true. The staff is great, all guests are treated the same, the food in great, and we do want to return.

Couples Resorts is different from all the others, that is why Couples is so great and people keep coming back.

I have been been to the other resorts (non-Couples) and some have a class system base on the room you book, the staff are not happy, and the food is just OK. That is why you see those comments in the reviews.

**wileeandrr** · September 29th, 2009, 10:29 AM

Can't wait to go back to CSA or CN next August!

**Caligirl78** · September 29th, 2009, 10:51 AM

It's all true! I thought the same way before we went to CN in May. We got there and we felt like we were "home". Every employee takes pride in how they treat the guests and make sure to make you feel welcome. We didn't have a single complaint while we were there (other than we had to actually get on the bus to leave). Can't wait to go home again, already planning another trip soon!

**dondonntx** · September 29th, 2009, 11:03 AM

The food really is that good. I am a very picky eater. I tried so many different things that I never would at home. Everything I ate was so good. My husband was very shocked that I tried anything.

**Blondie** · September 29th, 2009, 12:16 PM

One of the things that I thought was interesting on our last trip, actually two things.

The first is what the bus driver had to tell us, he said that of all the resorts in Jamaica, Couples has the highest repeat rate. Which really says something.

The other thing was the repeaters dinner. I remember the first time we visited CN, it was in early August 2005 the night of the repeaters dinner you could see through the windows, there was only about 4 couples there. They set up just one long table to seat everyone. This year when we were there about the same time of the year will filled the restaurant. And when we were there during high season, there was not enough room inside so the dinner was set up outside near the pool.

My point, just in the few short years that we have been going to Couples, there have been more and more repeaters. So it must be something, either the food, the staff, the locations or all of the above.

**Mzambo** · September 29th, 2009, 12:57 PM

Been to both CN and CSS LOVED the food at both, here are some pic's from CSS

**dirtleg** · September 29th, 2009, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Blondie

My point, just in the few short years that we have been going to Couples, there have been more and more repeaters. So it must be something, either the food, the staff, the locations or all of the above.

And consider that many repeaters do not even attend the dinner. We are booked for our fourth trip to CSA next June and we have not attended the repeaters dinner since the first one we were invited to, on our second trip.

The food really is good. Try things you would not normally have access to at home. There are many Jamaican standards available at all meals, in all the restaurants. Sea food, fruits and vegetables, meats and even baked goods cooked with a Jamaican flair. It really makes the trip special.

**ken&gina5** · September 29th, 2009, 02:16 PM

Just from our experience with CSA, your research analysis is right on

. CSA in 11 days !!

**Chris** · September 29th, 2009, 03:56 PM

Is the food that good?

Yes... yes it is...

**mattnsharon** · September 29th, 2009, 07:20 PM

Better than most AIs. Breakfast and lunch are really hard hard to screw up though, so it really comes down to the dinners and what you like - and like someone else said, what you're used to. If your typical night out is Plataforma or Prezza you probably won't be super impressed, but if you are a more middle of the road eater it will be fine. Best way to describe it is a little better food than Friday's, in a much more romantic atmosphere with better service, no screaming kids, and no trying to figure out the tip when it is over.

**Ron & Rosa 25** · September 29th, 2009, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by mattnsharon

Best way to describe it is a little better food than Friday's, in a much more romantic atmosphere with better service, no screaming kids, and no trying to figure out the tip when it is over.

Holy moly, that's hardly a ringing endorsement. From the way a huge majority in here have described the food at Couples, I can only deduce three possibilities from your comparison:

1. You've really underrated the food quality at Couples.
2. You hold Friday's in much higher esteem than I do.
3. That same huge majority I mentioned have unsophisticated palates.

I'm banking on it being option one.

**Papa_Smoke** · September 30th, 2009, 07:57 AM

They have FOOD at Couples? I never get past the bar!

**Bocodo** · September 30th, 2009, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by Papa_Smoke

They have FOOD at Couples? I never get past the bar!

What do they serve at the beach grill? I presume Burgers, Hotdogs, Chicken and Pizza? Can you get a steak or sandwiches?

**steverandlinda** · September 30th, 2009, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Ron & Rosa 25

Holy moly, that's hardly a ringing endorsement. From the way a huge majority in here have described the food at Couples, I can only deduce three possibilities from your comparison:

1. You've really underrated the food quality at Couples.
2. You hold Friday's in much higher esteem than I do.
3. That same huge majority I mentioned have unsophisticated palates.

I'm banking on it being option one.

I think it would be enlightning to see people's overall impression of the resorts food and their hometown. I would hypothesize those of us who live in rural area are more inclined to rate the food higher then those who live in a metro area.
As good as the couples food is, a "Fine" dinner at Couples cannot compare to a "Fine" dinner in a metro area resturant
Thay is not a fair comparison but compared tomany other AI couples has increidble food

**KrisJamie** · September 30th, 2009, 09:44 AM

Not touching the "Friday's comment"...

The food is horrible...please place all food in foil and ship it directly to me overnight. I'll take care of it for you.

**Wally** · September 30th, 2009, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by mattnsharon

Best way to describe it is a little better food than Friday's

WOW! I can't believe someone actually said that! That is actually an insult to the wonderfiul food at Couples resorts. I cannot agree less!

We have been to CN twice and CSS once. I rate the food at CN as excellent 98% of the time. CSS is excellent only 80% of the time. But..there is so much food and such a big selection at Couples that you can always find someting excellent.

**jcjcnj** · September 30th, 2009, 10:58 AM

Went to Fridays once. Waiting on trip number three in Jan. Enough said!

**jackielstrange** · September 30th, 2009, 11:19 AM

If you go to the website and click on which resort you are going to at the bottom left corner it says Dining & Restaurants and you can view menus from each one.

**landj** · September 30th, 2009, 12:55 PM

I completely disagree that it is not fine dining. I would put our experience at Otaheite at CN two years ago against any Ritz or Four Seasons. I am very familiar with "fine dining" on a global scale--Otaheite hit that mark easily. That said, two years prior to that the food and dining at CSA was good for an AI, but moderate overall.

**Mestralle** · September 30th, 2009, 01:15 PM

Wow, Fridays? I have two fond memories of Fridays, and neither of them had anything to do with the food.

No, you generally can't get a steak for lunch, but you aren't limited to hot dogs and hamburgers. Jerk specials, salads galore, and then there are the patties!

Are you always going to love what you order? Probably not, but if you don't like it, nobody's going to force you to clean your plats. The portions are small, served in courses in the old-school European fashion. If you want to be like Sally in "When Harry Met Sally," they'll accomodate you.

The beef isn't quite up to what you'd find in the nicer steak houses in the States, but it's very good nonetheless, and I have eaten, quite literally, in many of the top restaurants in the world. The sauce doesn't sound good to you? No problem, mon! You don't want the fruit compote on the creme brulee? Again, no problem, mom!

Even the worst, most biased and (I suspected) fabricated negative reviews on Trip Advisor don't rip on the food.

**Mzambo** · September 30th, 2009, 01:35 PM

This one is just killing me. Otaheite & Cassanova compared to Friday's...... Are you kidding me????? Seriously?????

Again, look at the pic's above, presentation alone........ Not to mention service and flavor.

We have been to a couple other major All Inclusives where you were given fake mashed potato's in their so called 5 star's, so while we were at those other AI's with our kids, all I kept thinking was "I want Couples"...... My daughter was seriously sick of hearing it.

We felt CSS was right up there with CN, although Otaheite is a very special dining experience, and even CSS's room service Filet was pretty outstanding.