Maritana

Service was amazing but the food was not worth the price. Being a nice restaurant at the Don Cesar provides a great ambiance but this was interrupted by a rowdy kitchen.Food was quite underwhelming considering the prices paid for it. We ordered the sea bass and the shrimp linguine. The sea bass was quite tasty but the linguine actually came out luke warm which was very concerning. The staff quickly made a replacement of this upon letting them know but it really begs the question: what is happening in the kitchen for something like this to be brought out?Be sure if you do decide to check this place out that you book a reservation in advance as the time slots will likely fill.

Before I begin my review I want to say that this place is very upscale and pricey so be prepared to drop a bundle here. From the excellent hostess to table service, all the staff was courteous knowledgeable and fun! My daughter has a gluten sensitivity, and our server was extremely knowledgeable as to what the kitchen can prepare and pointed out what was available, which was many, on the menu for people with gluten issues we ate all her recommendations and were not disappointed.The restaurant was beautiful on the inside, and although we dressed for dinner, it seem to be OK to dress casually as well since it was located inside a beach resort. I will definitely eat here again for another special occasion, as it was quite pricey, but quite worth it as well .

The Maritana restaurant is nestled into the Don Cesar, and my guess is that most people eating there are staying at the hotel. As far as michelin-style experiences go, it isn't quite that. The food is very good, but the prices are soaring for what it is. You're talking $21 for an Old Fashioned. We had the beef carpaccio, scallops, foie gras, and one more thing I can't remember. Ive had very similar at places like Brick and Mortar, Edison, Rooster and the Till for MUCH less. And in fact, better tasting, more inventive, more experimental and novel. The ambiance was far more casual and had a much odder sense of decor than I was expecting. For the prices, I would have wanted a more romantic experience. It was, instead, mildly nautical. I didn't get it. The disappointing thing is that it didn't feel like a chef-owned place that's trying new things, experimenting with flavors, attempting to delight customers. It felt like a copy of something...If you're staying at the Don Cesar, and you have a lot of money to throw away, I'd say it's worth a try. But if you're willing to drive 15 min across a bridge, you're going to get much better in downtown St.Pete for 2/3 of the price.

Celebrated my birthday at Maritana Saturday evening. What a true delight! The ambience is elevated and approachable, in the tropical hotel. Overall service was extremely pleasant and top tier from arrival to departure! We started our evening with nibbles. The Lobster bisque was a rich flavorful bowl of deliciousness served and poured at the table. Such a beautiful presentation! The Maryland soft shell crab appetizer was tasty and very fresh. The bread basket was forgettable. Our two entrees were delicious but the roasted duck breast was the standout over the swordfish. The duck breast was prepared to perfection with a excellent sear. Thankfully the portion was large enough to share a few bites with my bf. We truly enjoyed our first visit here and look forward to returning soon.

3.5 starsMy husband and I recently honeymooned at The Don Cesar in St. Pete's Beach, FL. When I did research about some must-do activities in the area, Maritana was suggested many times as somewhere that people must dine. I was happy that the restaurant was IN our hotel. I made reservations ahead of time. A few days later, I received a call from the restaurant saying that they just scheduled a rum pairing dinner for the night we had reservations. They asked if we wanted to attend the dinner or if we wanted to move our reservation to another night. I asked if I could call back because I was out and wanted to speak to my husband about it. We also had already planned a few other restaurants, activities, reservations, so I wanted to check. When I got home, I had an email that my reservation was cancelled. I ended up rescheduling for another night, but the restaurant never really seemed that packed during our stay.The food was very good. I think the octopus was a little over-salted, but for the most part, we really enjoyed. I do think the restaurant is a bit overpriced. We went to another incredible, pricier steakhouse in the area and got way more food that was EXCEPTIONAL for less.Also, we went on a Wednesday evening at 7:45. It wasn't too crowded, but there was a large group of older women who were extremely loud. Because of the acoustics of the restaurant, the sound carried A LOT. We were very happy that they left before we received our entree. To me, when you're in a really nice restaurant where you're paying top dollar, you shouldn't have to encounter that. It would have been nice to hear music instead- live or piped in. I will say- the service was really great. The hostess and server genuinely cared and spoke to us about our trip and congratulated us on our recent wedding. We were stuffed and didn't want dessert, but our server still wanted to do something special for us so she brought out champagne and truffles which was a nice touch.

We had high hopes for this restaurant. After visiting the Don several times over the last couple years we decided to eat here. I could have done without it. The oysters and octopus were good. Our party ordered the filet mignon and expected our steaks to be cooked perfectly, however that didn't happen. We ordered our steaks medium but they were all medium well, no pink at all. They also lacked seasoning. The food was not impressive, we went to another local steakhouse several days later and had phenomenal steaks, half the cost. The decor is chic and modern. Our waiter was fine, nothing bad but nothing spectacular, like they claim. For four we paid almost $500 and it definitely wasn't worth it. We would not return.

I've never been a big believer in fine dining but I will not lie, the food here was very good. Make sure to make a reservation to guarantee your seat though! You also get complimentary valet when you eat here unlike the other don restaurants! My girlfriend and I came here on a friday night and were seated right at our reservation time.To start we got mock tails that were absolutely amazing! They had strong blueberry flavor which I loved and was too caught up in them to take a picture. Very pretty nonetheless.For an appetizer we got the venison which was pretty good, but be wary that it's only 4 pieces. It comes over s blackberry sauce and slaw wit blackberries. The meat was very tender and I enjoyed it thoroughly.For my entree I got the filet mignon. The filet was typical of a filet, and cooked to a perfectmedium rare. It came with a quail egg which was small but filled with flavor. I didn't like the green purée-esque dots around the plate but that's on me. The potato was amazing!!! It was lightly fried on the outside but absolutely delicious and soft on the outside, one of the best i've had.My girlfriend got the duck breast (not pictured) which came over some medley of vegetables and it was also delicious! I personally like a more asian-style duck but this did not disappoint at all and it was spectacular.Finally, we got the Dulce Apple Whiskey desert. The green ball is like sorbet and taste strongly of green apple. The bread pudding is a simple apple bread pudding. The star of the show is the apple log. The outside has the texture of the outside of a klondike bar and it's filled with a delicious apple filling. Genuinely the best apple dessert i've ever had.Overall loved the experience! A great place for fine dining with a brilliant atmosphere.

It has it all going on. Consistently good food.Service is top notch.Ambiance makes want to come back.So we will go back and try the features next time. And bring some friends.One of the best experiences in Florida period.

A celebratory dinner at the Don Cesar in Saint Pete Beach Florida. Well served by Zaron. We enjoyed the specialty cocktails, mine, a Manhattan, my husband, an old-fashioned, and the wine recommended by Zaron to go with our individual dinners.My Iberico pork and my husband's Corvina were outstanding and we enjoyed the seasonal pumpkin dessert.

Such great atmosphere and service. The staff are very well versed in their menu and attentive to all needs that may arise. Thank you for a great experience.