Gourmet Dining at Sandals Montego Bay
Rebecca Jones2.7.20All-inclusive resorts are wonderful, because everything is provided for you. Food, Drinks, Entertainment, Activities – a great way to spend your vacation is with everything included. But what if the food is sub-par and you’re stuck eating it for a week? Luckily for my husband and me, that was definitely not the case at Sandals Montego Bay. We had wonderful dining experiences throughout our recent stay, and I want to share some of the dinner highlights with you.
Cucina Romana is located on the second floor of the main building. This restaurant offers a great view of the water during the daytime, with the sea breezes greeting you. Cucina is open for breakfast with no reservations needed, but reservations are required for dinner here. You can make this and any other dining reservations you desire, once you arrive onsite. One of the highlights for me was the open kitchen, where you could see the food being prepared. Breakfast was good, just kind of your normal eggs, pancakes, etc. Dinner was excellent. I enjoyed the minestrone soup and lasagna, while my husband had the salad and spaghetti with clams. We both felt like the portion sizes were a little small, so don’t be afraid to order two entrees if you’re a hearty eater.
The Oleander Room is located on the ocean side of the main building, on the first floor. There is indoor and outdoor seating available – we chose indoor because the sun was already down by the time we arrived. There is a large table that seats about 10-12 guests in this location, should you be traveling with a large group, or meet a lot of new friends you want to dine with! Earlier during our stay, we spoke with someone at another restaurant, and he recommended the Oleander Room for their lamb chops. I have to say, he was right! They were delicious, perfectly prepared, and the rosemary sauce was fantastic. This meal was very close to my favorite of our stay.
Soy is a sushi restaurant located near the Beachfront Village, on the street side of the building. Featuring indoor and outdoor seating, this location offers a multitude of choices for even the pickiest of eaters. I normally am not a fan of sushi, but I was able to find several things that I truly enjoyed, and even found myself wishing we could go back for more, later in our stay. You will find Sake cocktails on the menu, and I really enjoyed the Sake Cruise, with vanilla vodka and pineapple and cranberry juices. For an appetizer, I ordered the edamame and the wonton soup, while my husband raved about the tuna sashimi. He said it was one of the best he’d ever had. The sushi rolls are ordered 4 at a time, and like everything at Sandals, you can have as much as you want, so order as many varieties as you want, as many times as you want. We had the California Roll, Crispy Philly, and Salmon Lover. Everything is prepared as you order it, so it’s as fresh as can be. We sat outside, but if you choose a seat at the bar inside, you can watch as your dinner is created. 
The highlight of our stay had to be dinner at Butch’s Steakhouse. This restaurant definitely lives up to its reputation, and I can see why you need a reservation to dine here. I’d try to eat here every night if I could! Located next to Soy, near the Beachfront Village, Butch’s immediately draws you in with its oversized, personal snapshots of Gordon “Butch” Stewart, the founder and owner of Sandals Resorts. I can’t just recommend one thing here – try it all! My husband and I shared several of the appetizers, including Golden Fried Crab & Bay Scallop Balls, Crab & Corn Chowder, Cast Iron Garlic Shrimp, and Crispy Goat Cheese Salad. The crab and scallop balls were delicious, and we really enjoyed the garlic shrimp. For our main course, we both chose the Surf & Turf, because who turns down lobster and filet mignon when it’s included? We couldn’t decide on a dessert, they all sounded really tempting, so we ordered one of each. White Chocolate Pie, Willy Wonka Brulee (complete with caramel popcorn on top!), Warm Apple Slice, and the Lemon-Poppyseed Shortbread all lived up to their descriptions. I thought I would love the Warm Apple Slice since it came with ice cream, but I have to say, the White Chocolate Pie stole my heart that night.Food is an important part of any vacation, and at Sandals Montego Bay, you will not be disappointed in your choices. For more information about this or any other Sandals resort, please reach out to your favorite Wishes agent. If you don’t have one, I’d love to work for you. I can be reached at (325) 733-8399 or Rebecca@wishesfamilytravel.com. I hope to hear from you soon!