# Coco Joe’s seafood buffet - Marriott on St Thomas



## TravlinDuo (Jun 11, 2012)

Wanted to report our dinner experience tonight at Coco Joe’s, which is the beach restaurant on the Frenchman's Reef side of the Marriott property on St. Thomas.  We decided to treat the entire family to seafood buffet at Coco Joe’s tonight ($60/pp; served on Mon & Thu).  I can honestly say it’s been the worst meal we’ve ever had on any of our trips to St. Thomas.  The buffet was supposed to start at 6PM; lines were waiting and the food was finally unwrapped at 6:17.  By 6:35, the grill was not functioning yet to cook (actually heat) the lobster, causing frustration for those who came early specifically for the Caribbean lobster.  The reason the grill didn’t work is because no one had checked prior to the buffet to see if there was any propane.  While waiting for the lobster to be prepared, we ate a sampling of other offerings.  The oysters were warm, the peel & eat shrimp was undercooked, as were the shrimp and scallops in the watery seafood neuburg.  ALL of the “hot” dishes were barely warm; definitely not at the proper serving/safety temperature.   Then came the lobster….. found out it was pre-cooked in the kitchen sooooo long, that it was literally mush in the mouth.  We voiced our complaint to the server who then easily squished the lobster between her fingers; she took the lobster to the chef in the kitchen and when she came back she told us that he said “I don’t want to hear anything about it.”  The restaurant manager did in the end appropriately compensate us for the disastrous meal and we tipped the server in cash.  I would simply say… don’t waste your time going to the seafood buffet at Coco Joe’s.  It’s extremely over priced for the variety and quality of the seafood and there are many other quality restaurants on the island that you can get quality prepared seafood for a lot less per person.

Sue


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## MOXJO7282 (Jun 11, 2012)

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. That would have been us because we would have definitely tried a seafood buffet.


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## KathyPet (Jun 11, 2012)

When I traveled for my job I ate in Marriott hotels all over the country and while on vacation I have eaten in mAny more.  the food consistently ranges from bad to mediocre.  I avoid all Marriott restaurants now as much as possible.


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## EducatedConsumer (Jun 12, 2012)

That hotel is a DISGRACE, and their food service is even more disgraceful. 

The events you describe about the quality and punctuality of service are beyond amateur-like. It sounds like the hotel hired a drop-out from McDonald's to manage their food service.

If it were us, we would:

1. Refute the charge (any charge, no matter how small, and no matter what was left of the adjustments made by the Restaurant Manager) with the hotel;
2. Refute the charge with our credit card company;
3. Complain in-writing to Mr. Marriott's office in Bethesda;
4. Submit a detailed report to www.tripadvisor.com so other like-minded travelers can be warned of the hotel's food service.

Remember, the Restaurant Manager is part of the problem, not part of the solution. The experience that you encountered occurred under his watch.


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## lweverett (Jun 12, 2012)

I have never tried a buffet at Coco Joes, but the few times I have eaten anything there it has always been over priced and not very good.  With the exception of Havana Blue, the only decent meal I've had at the hotel was a buffet breakfast.


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## jimf41 (Jun 12, 2012)

This has been reported before along with the Pig Roast also at Coco Joe's. Like Kathypet I avoid eating at Marriott properties unless it's a quick sandwich or snack.


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## alexadeparis (Jun 12, 2012)

Next time try the seafood buffet on Mondays (?) on St John at the Caneel Bay Resort - pricey but good.


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## channimal (Jun 12, 2012)

I'd be careful of generalizations.  DW and I stayed at the Marriott in Grand Cayman and found the meals/buffets very good and worth trying.


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## KathyPet (Jun 12, 2012)

Not generalizing.  Just stating personal experience (of which I had A LOT).  Never had a meal in a Marriott hotel that I would rate as anything more than mediocre.  Not saying that there are no Marriott hotels that offer better than average meals just that I never had one.  Playing the percentages I don't eat at Marriott hotels if it can be avoided.


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