The Butcher by the Sea Aruba: A New Palm Beach Restaurant

There’s a new restaurant getting a lot of attention in Palm Beach: The Butcher by the Sea, located in the former Aqua Grill location right next to McDonald’s at the main Palm Beach roundabout.

This place had only recently opened when we visited, but it was already getting plenty of hype and some great reviews online. After checking it out for myself, I can vouch for them.

Great Hospitality From the Start

Our server Sylvie was fantastic—friendly, attentive, and extremely knowledgeable about the menu, especially considering how new the restaurant was. Service can make or break a first visit, and she helped get this one off to a great start.

Creative Cocktails and Crispy Calamari

You know Aruba Buddy has to start with a cocktail, and they have a really nice creative cocktail menu. I kicked things off with a couple of tequila and mezcal cocktails before eventually making my way over to the espresso martinis, like I do.

For an appetizer, we started with the crispy calamari. It was cooked perfectly with great crispy breading and served with marinara and grilled lemon—a very nice way to start the meal.

Tenderloin With Both Sauces

For dinner, we both went with the tenderloin. I added both the brandy peppercorn sauce and chimichurri so I could try them side by side. For sides, I went with the coconut rice while the lady went with the mashed potatoes.

I think we actually managed to opt out of dessert this time—which doesn’t happen very often.

A Beautiful Land-and-Sea Design

The restaurant itself is beautiful. They did a great job transforming the space, with a cool land-and-sea theme carried throughout the dining room. It has an upscale feel without losing that Palm Beach vacation vibe.

A Sister Restaurant to Patrizia’s

Here’s a fun fact: The Butcher by the Sea is a sister restaurant to Patrizia’s, the popular Italian restaurant with a location in Palm Beach and locations back in the New York area. With that restaurant experience behind them, I don’t think they’re going to have much trouble cutting the mustard here in Palm Beach.

The Butcher by the Sea was brand new when I visited, but based on our first experience, I’d say they’re off to a great start.

Have you checked it out yet? Let me know your thoughts—and follow along for all things Aruba!