Dining at an all-inclusive resort can be a great experience. Not having to deal with making decisions after you make the first one—"go to a resort"—can be liberating. But what if you get cabin fever? Or what if you're on a beautiful island crowded with resorts you're not staying at? Here are some of Bora Bora's best dining experiences for you. One thing to bear in mind is transportation from island to island. There are plenty of shuttles, but you'll want to make sure you grab one in time to make your reservation.
Bora Bora Yacht Club
Bora Bora Yacht Club is well-loved, and a little more affordable than some of the other famous restaurants in the area. If you're in Bora Bora, you're probably either not thinking about money at all or trying hard not to. If that second one is you, you may want to check out the meals at the BB Yacht Club that'll only run you around $80. Not that the yacht club is any slouch—swordfish carpaccio sits alongside red tuna tartare, pecan-crusted lamb, and many other island favorites to form a formidable menu you won't soon forget.
Bloody Mary's
Bloody Mary's lets you pick your seafood or meat fresh and specify your level of doneness before you're even seated. The sand floor adds to the island ambiance, and the dock across the street has great views of the sunset over the ocean. While you're still paying Bora Bora prices, the entrées are a little more reasonable than some of the resort restaurant options. Plus, the portions are as generous as the food is delicious.
Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges
Lagoon Restaurant sits in the St. Regis Lagoon on Motu Ome'e looking out over turquoise waters towards Mt. Otemanu. Entrées range from $45 to $60, and while you don't have to be staying at the St. Regis Resort to dine here, the dress code is still "resort chic." Like much of the island's cuisine, Lagoon Restaurant specializes in an island-seafood-meets-French-cuisine milieu.
Restaurant St. James
From New Zealand lamb to mahi mahi, Restaurant St. James offers well-prepared local flavors. Tucked into an unassuming shopping center, St. James is widely regarded as one of the best meals on the island. Known for their service—and the view of the sunset over the water at dinner—St. James is a great place for a phenomenal meal. Swing by for the lunch menu, or if you really want to treat yourself, check out the VIP table that offers a tasting menu from chef Temauri Foster.
La Villa Mahana
If you're looking for something truly out of the ordinary, try La Villa Mahana. Just make sure that you make your reservation early—the restaurant's seven tables can book up months in advance. Chef Damien Rinaldi-Dovio mixes French cuisine with local flavors for an exquisite experience inside a homey locale filled with French Polynesian art. The five-course Menu Exotique provides a relatively (for the island, at least) low-budget option at around $120 per person, but if you want to really go crazy, you're certainly in the right place to do it.
