Fantastic view, over-rated food
 

Lunch at Dashene at the Ladera Resort on St Lucia.

Supposedly one of the best restaurants on the island, We found the food acceptable, but not anything to write home about. While the dishes sounded great on the menu, we had a hard time picking out the island flavors, and everything seemed to be sparkless--sort of like my quest for perfect crab cakes, where many a time there's not enough crab and too much cake.

Someone said the head chef wasn't around, so maybe that had something to do with it. But, I would go back and just lower my expectations on the food. The view can't be beat. Or, better yet, just have drinks at the bar upstairs.

As a general rule I try to avoid any restaurant with a view, especially if it rotates. I sometimes get seasick too!

In this thread, it sounds like view == way high up in a building or tower.

For a different take, I submit (in the good view with GOOD food category) Picasso at The Bellagio in Las Vegas. Right on the lake. Fountains go off every 15 minutes. Really cool to see. Oh, and the 11 original Picasso paintings on the walls don't hurt either. The food is out of this world. (just hope you have good luck in the casino.. ;) )

Worst and Best
 

One of the worst dining experiences I ever had came on a trip to Toronto, for Sunday brunch at the CN Tower's restaurant (currently it's called 360.)

*The waiter was surly and uninterested. He totally lacked customer service skills.
*Food was delayed and uninventive and cold.
*The only good thing was the view.

I have not been there lately. I'm relucant to do most high rise dining (maybe something about the altitude does something to the quality of the food.

Some of the better experiences:

*Encounter (ditto with my Big Bruddar PremEx) good food and good atmostphere.

*Binion's Horseshoe Steakhouse: One of the best, if not the best, view of Vegas and the strip. I thought the place closed but someone on Flyertalk said it recently reopened. Great steaks and worth the penny. Getting hungry now!

http://www.binions.com/dining.htm

And one more place that, sadly, is not with us anymore:

*Windows on the World: the first time I was there I was unimpressed. I was there a few months before THAT happened. Great steak and great atmosphere. Regret that I didn't get a chance to dine there again.

The view is great, the food is not
 

Hooters. Seriously.

Terrific view, marginal food.

Great view, great food at

- Chateau de la Chevre D'Or between Nice and Monte Carlo
- Highlands Inn, Carmel
- Petrus, Shangri-La, Hong Kong
- NY Grill, Park Hyatt, Tokyo

Echo this 100%, and also add that the same phenomenon exists on the Virginia side of the Potomac at Potowmack Landing in Alexandria. :(

But it is a nice view, not only for the water but also for the planes landing at DCA.

Go for the drinks, maybe a get-together of FTers, but don't actually eat there (or maybe just munch on appetizers).

Great view, so so food -
Tavern on the Green.
Windows on the World :(
Anything in Times Square.

I was just about to post about the Chart House. ;) Great view at night with the city lights, great view during the day especially for brunch. Excellent bisque and chowder and the macadamia encrusted mahi mahi is pretty yummy. Not too too expensive; overall great view and nice, ambiant dinner.

- Melissa

Montien Restaurant
 

Part of the "anything that rotates" category: 52nd floor rotating restaurant on the needle at Jomtien Park, Chonburi, Thailand.

NOT part of the Montien Hotel chain.

Buffet. Pay for buffet and elevator ticket before ascending.

If they didn't do this, NOBODY would eat there!

Back on the DC side, the rooftop bar on the Hotel Washington has great views of the Mall, Treasury, White House, planes descending over the Potomic, etc., particularly around dusk as the sunset yields to the lights. Last time I was there, the food was basic pub grub. (I have not eaten at the companion restaurant on the same level, so I can't comment about it.)

Detroit's newest
 

There's a new restaurant that opened last month in Detroit. It's called Seldom Blues Jazz Supper Club. It's located in the GM Renaissance building overlooking the Detroit River/Windsor Canada. The view and music is nice, but the food (all ala carte) is not worth the money.

www.seldomblues.com

I'll disagree with this one. Mrs. dchristiva and I dined here in late April 2004 and had a great meal, and a great view of the sunset.

Absolutely! How could I forget these two?

My personal favorite is Mama's Fish House on Maui. Terrific sunset view, right on the beach, and awesome food.

Well, I might submit the Flagstaff House in Boulder, Colorado for that list. Food is good, view is fantastic and the wine list is amazing.

Timothy