Loved, loved, LOVED! Not sure why all the bad reviews of this special place, but we had a wonderful, memorable time there. The food was absolutely fantastic! We chose the chef's menu and our party got to try the meat, seafood, and vegetarian offerings. They were all unique and delicious! Our reservation was for lunch and we were greeted by a lovely receptionist upon arriving. We checked in ahead of our reservation time and were directed to a waiting room. Afterwards, we were seated early in one of the tables overlooking the ocean. The view was spectacular! And the staff were friendly and professional! They allowed us to roam freely around the restaurant and snap many photos. Our dining experience was over a course of 2 hours and we were never rushed. Very lovely if you can go and experience at least once! read more

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No words can explain the magical place. The beauty it's capture by the people and the surroundings. read more

Grotta Palazzese - Italian Near Me - Polignano A Mare, BA

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For an almost $800.00 dollar meal for two people, the worst experience I have ever had at a supposedly fine restaurant. You are basically there for the experience and the ambiance, That's it. The food was great but the service, specially from the person who said she spoke Spanish and was born in Miami, she basically manipulated the situation. My wife and I informed her that we were going to take pictures, and that we would be right back to finish our wine. We even left our valuables at the table, not knowing that when we were coming back from taking pictures, they would had cleared our table and were trying to get to my bag, which fortunately I had tied to one of the legs of the table. Be very careful with this establishment, that other than where it is situated, the value for it is not worth the money you spend on it. read more

An unfortunately dissapointing experience. This restaurant is absolutely stunning. Situated in a cave in Monopoli, it truly is a site to see. Unfortunately the food really falls flat in comparison. The food is extremely expensive, at about 200 euro minimum per person. They're also incredibly strict about their reservation policy so make sure you read up on that. The service was okay and the host was rude. I am solely giving this place three stars for the beauty of the restaurant. read more

You go for the bucket list fine dining experience and forget about the cost. Its menu is limited to prix fixe choices or ala carte, which we did. The menu consists of fish, veal, spinach, some vegan options, desserts. The wine list is impressive representing many Italian regions. I enjoyed the spaghetti and veal, but this isn't the place for Michelin star food. I loved the large wine glasses, the meticulous service, and only hope we could have been blessed with a sunset. The sax player crooning us was a nice touch. Note: you need to walk down many steps to get there and there's no elevator. read more

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Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful view. The atmosphere is amazing. The services great friendly and attentive. Very pricy and not worth the price for the food. However, I would argue its might be worth the price for the atmosphere and location. read more

It's all about the gram. That perfect sunset, the perfect photo, the video of you coming down the stair and into the view of Adriatic Sea. When I say the perfect sunset, you need to come here during that time to get that golden hour photo. Once the sun is gone, it's all artificial lights and it's just not that impressive. YOU ARE paying for the experience and view. Before I dive into it, we don't have to worry about parking here. They would give you an address to arrive at, park your car, and have a complimentary shuttle/van ready to take us to the hotel. That was nice because as you get closer, the streets gets narrower and more pedestrians darting out of the alleyways. Plus, you would have a hard time finding close parking, unless you park a little East of the restaurant near the viewpoints. My friend and I usually opted for exotic and unusual experiences and glad we decided to come here. Service was, of course, on par and beyond. The bread/appetizer plate was really good, it might've been my favorite part. So they're set menu options for you to choose, but some of them you cannot mix! My friend is a vegetarian/vegan and I'm not. I wanted to ordered the one with the octopus, but I was not allowed to! She would have to order the same set menu as me and if not, I have to order the classic option. I wasn't too please to spend that much money and I can't even order what I want. Oh well, it was about $100 cheaper so whatever. AND I was not full! =/ Well.....the food was decent, really nothing to rave about. I was still bummed I didn't get the octopus dish I wanted and I definitely didn't want to pay $50 for just that dish. Overall, it was okay. I wouldn't recommend it unless you want that "gram" photo op and to say you've been here. You definitely can get better food elsewhere and 100x cheaper. The whole coast is full of nice view and it's at your leisure. read more

Our very personal opinion is that restaurant is a one heck of an experience! I been wanting to come eat in here and surprised my wife which she was amazed just like me; not only the views but the attention and the food! We were greatly happy that we had this experience and to US it was worth it. Very romantic with amazing views of the water coast. read more

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I honestly don't understand how this restaurant has a Michelin star. The food was flat-out awful. Every dish felt like it was trying way too hard, but none of it actually tasted good. The flavors were all over the place, the portions were tiny, and half of it was either overcooked or cold. Nothing felt fresh. The main course was dry and bland, like something you'd get at a bad wedding. The dessert tasted like it had been sitting in the fridge for a week. Not one thing made me want to take a second bite. If this is what passes for "fine dining," the system is broken. I came in expecting something great -- I left hungry, disappointed, and shocked this place is even open. The service was slow and the waiters were very nice. The setting is absolutely breathtaking. Dining inside a cave overlooking the sea is something truly special -- the ambiance alone is a 10/10. Unfortunately, that's where the positives end. The food was terrible. Every dish was disappointing -- bland, poorly cooked, and clearly not made with care. For a place with this much hype and a Michelin star, the quality was shockingly low. The service felt rushed, and nothing about the meal matched the beauty of the location. Grotta Palazzese is perfect for photos, but if you're coming for the food, prepare to be let down. read more

We went to this restaurant tonight to celebrate my husband's birthday. We knew it was expensive, (minimum set course was 195 per person, not including water, wine, or coffee,) but we thought it was worth the splurge being that it was this amazing cave restaurant. It was absolutely not worth the splurge! Our food came cold, second course was so salty. My husband could not even eat it and never once were we offered a cup of coffee with dessert or anybody coming to our table to ask how our dinner was. The restaurant was mostly empty on a Sunday night (I can understand why being the food is so under par)! If you are looking for a beautiful restaurant, this is the place, if you are looking for a good meal, this is not a good choice! read more

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We have traveled a lot through Italy and this is the most expensive,pretentious,awful meal we have ever experienced! The place is gorgeous but the food is horrendous!!! Only the presentation is good That's it! We spent $300 per person plus a normal Wine for $140 Outrageous! read more

Ok so let's be real... the price for the dinner is definitely for the price of the view. Which is worth it in my opinion to go once, because the food is also great. We were visiting on vacation with a group of 8 and they sat us right by the water -- the view was spectacular. It set the tone for a romantic setting... which ended up in me getting engaged! The 4 stars is because I expected another course or two for the price you're paying and especially with smaller portions. I would recommend coming here at least once in your lifetime, especially if you're a tourist. When are you gonna get this million dollar view again? read more

Grotta Palazzese - Just part of the view! - Italian Near Me - Polignano A Mare, BA

I went to Polignano A Mare specifically to eat in the Grotta (Cave) Restaurant. Unfortunately, due to bad weather the restaurant was closed for the season. The hotel itself was nice. The room I stayed in was great, it had a sea view. If you don't have a sea view I would say the cost wouldn't be worth it. The Sea lounge restaurant was terrible. They were still serving the same menu for the Grotta and the same prices (90 euro per person) which was ridiculous because the restaurant itself was mediocre and the food was terrible in comparison the the price, not the mention how poor the service was. A birthday note was on the reservation and we did not get treated very well in the restaurant. They served raw shrimp for the first course... I could do that myself, and that's not very safe in my opinion. The served a mediocre ravioli stuffed with crab for the 2nd course. The 3rd course was seared Tuna, and 1/2 of the plate was spoiled and tasted like old, fishy, tuna. Fresh tuna should NEVER taste fishy especially at 90 euro per person. The dessert was a disgusting custard with melted cream on top. My husband was furious and complained to the manager so they brought a plate of desserts with a candle and a bottle of prosecco to the room. That was a the only plus to that dinner experience. My recommendation, see the cave, it's great but don't waste your money eating at the restaurants. If I ever get the chance I'd like to go back during lunch in the summer. I've heard the lunch is a better experience and when the cave is open for seating, the view is like not other. read more

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This review is for the restaurant A total tourist trap, and a waste of time. The waiters that we had did not speak English, they were knowledgeable about the menu and could not describe it at at a high tier restaurant such as this one that charges €280 for a set dinner you would expect an English speaking waiter who can describe the dishes. Our waiter could not describe the wine either. I understand if a restaurant can't afford a sommelier but they should at least train their waiters into the basics of the most popular wines. And at these prices, they should most assuredly be able to afford a Sommelier! Our waiter had no clue. The food was both bland and with a poor presentation. And if you are paying this kind of money, you would expect that you'd be able to have the ability to sit in the first row of tables overlooking the Adriatic sea. However, they don't tell you that those tables are reserved for a hotel guest and local Italians. So you have no chance of enjoying the view. This is a total rip off. Show the terrific pictures of the Adriatic sea from the restaurant, but don't allow your diners to sit there. What a joke. Moreover, when I asked if they have an à la carte menu because I wasn't interested in paying €280 for myself and another €280 for my Wife, they said of course we have an à la carte menu but regardless of how many dishes you get from the à la cart menu , there's a minimum charge of €250!! So if you even just get a salad you're charged €250. I think it would've been simpler and quicker, if they simply took out a gun and robbed me. This is a total rip off and a tourist trap!!! 1) you can't get a table of the front row -if you're not a hotel guest. Nowhere do they say that on their website. One would expect a beautiful view of the Adriatic sea if you're paying €280 per person. But you don't even get the view that's in all their promotional photos. 2) the waiters are invisible. They rarely come to your table and they don't speak English (At least the waiter we had.) 3) They are not trained in understanding wines that they sell. 4) they have a scam saying that you can order form an à la carte item, but it's the same price as the fixed menu!!! This is a scam! 5) the only benefit of this restaurant is to take a few Instagram pictures. But I'm sure you can find less expensive alternatives to do that. read more

The food was good, but it did not warrant the price tag - you'll find better food elsewhere. The service was on par with what you'd find at a local Chilli's, pretty disappointing. The view is impressive! But again, for the price, I recommend you go take pictures near the edge of town and skip the restaurant. This is the most expensive dinner we've had and we've been to multiple Michelin restaurants around the world. read more

Ignore the negative reviews! They made me a bit nervous for no reason! We celebrated my husband's 60th birthday here last night and it was an experience that will not be forgotten! If you reserved a table here, all of the policies are very clear on the website. You are definitely paying for the ambiance which is understandable as there's no place like this! The staff was efficient and friendly enough and they even remembered we had a birthday. The saxophone player was a great touch. The food was above average and honestly better than I expected. We had an amazing one of a kind, once in a lifetime evening so don't hesitate-GO! read more

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This is a beautiful location - but there are a great many restaurants with a beautiful location in Puglia - but the food was mediocre and the prices were truly insulting. The cost was literally 4-5 times higher than equivalent food elsewhere and the location doesn't justify this -- in short, this is a tourist trap. It was particularly insulting that, after charging EUR 195 for a 4-course prix fixe, the restaurant charged EUR 10 for a bottle of mineral water and EUR 20 for a glass of wine; I guess they weren't making enough money with the set menu. It was also annoying to see that several of our fellow diners were "influencers" spending their evening taking selfies of themselves - this is exactly the clientele that this place should attract. Which is exactly why the rest of us should avoid it. (I should mention that the restaurant was pretty accomodating in letting us rebook, without penalty, to avoid some bad weather. So, that was one good thing.) read more

The view is absolutely gorgeous. The restaurant is beautifully set. Ambiance is nice. The food is mediocre at best! It's not bad but I've had $20 meals all over Puglia that are a million times better. The service you would expect to be on another level for the price tag but all the waiters do is bring you your food. They don't try to add to your experience like most high end restaurants do. The price for two people was 460 euros. We had the "cheapest" tasting menu and the cheapest bottle of wine. If the cost had been 100 euros instead, I would give it a 5 star review. Context is everything!!! read more

We were looking forward to this beautiful restaurant with the most breathtaking view. What could go wrong? Quite a bit. The negative experience began upon arrival, we arrived a little before our reservation time and they had a man at the door that would not let us in until the time of the reservation. When we finally arrived we were seated and loved the view, it was magnificent! Shortly after arriving we saw a family arrive and one of the guests was wearing flip flops. I was very surprised because we received an email with a list of expectations...one of the rules was a dress code and sandals were not allowed. It also stated that if we stayed longer than 2 hours we would be asked to leave or charged. We had a chance to review the menu and they had several preset menu options. I understand that the Chef has designed a very specific menu and culinary experience, so this was understandable. However we all had to pick the same option. We went with the flow and all agreed on one of the choices. This should have been disclosed when we made our reservation. If they had the time to send us all of their rules then they should have also disclosed the menu choices. The food was bland at best, we were very disappointed. The risotto tasted like Chef Boyardee(canned food) and the dessert looked and tasted like the Dirt dessert option at Friday's. After lunch we were not offered coffee or an after dinner drink. I also had to inquire about our $328 deposit. The waiter told us, with an attitude, that tomorrow they would credit that back to my account. Why did they not just deduct the deposit from the total bill? Fancy wannabe, but miss the mark at every opportunity. We spent over $1000 for 4 people and with the exception of the beautiful view, the experience was a great disappointment. Don't waste your money! This place is a tourist trap! Another negative observation was the handicapped bathroom, see the picture! Wow! And the center piece is even chipped! read more

Tourist trap. Charged us €700 for 2 starters and 2 mains between 3 people. Prices on the menu are deliberately confusing. Service was terrible. Constant stream of jet skis entering the grotto with music blaring. Burly security guards in the entrance presumably so that nobody complains. Utterly contemptible in every way. read more

This was the priciest meal (and not necessarily the best with regards to food) that we had in the entire Puglia region. However, it's not always about the price or the food, it's about the entire experience! I have dined in many fantastic places in the world, but I have never dined in a cave. Actually, the thought of eating in most caves would be repulsive, as they are dark, dank and full of bat guano. However, this cave is a stunning place to dine. We got there just after sunset, as it's difficult to get a reservation during sunset, but I can imagine that the lighting and views would have been spectacular. We had pretty low expectations for the food, so we were pleasantly surprised when everything was actually pretty tasty, especially the Bon Bon filled with mousse for dessert. The other dishes were good, but made to appeal to lots of different palates. For example, in the pasta with monkfish, the monkfish was totally over powered by the added bacon and pecorino. Both the bacon and cheese were actually unnecessary to the dish, but everything is better with bacon and cheese, right? Overall, it's a dining experience that I'm glad I had and would recommend that everyone who has the opportunity, to do it once. read more

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This place is a dream- no wonder it's considered one of the best restaurants in the world. The view is absolutely breathtaking. It's like a dinner and a show. We enjoyed the free shuttle from their designated parking lot. The service was amazing and the food was really something out of this world. My husband and I both opted for the Seafare Tasting Menu, which was a lot of food. Every dish was elevated and exquisite. This place is top notch. read more

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Certainly not 3 Stars. I rarely give 5 stars for anything. But one cannot compare apples to apples here. is true there are so many great restaurants in this tiny town that it is difficult to compare one against another. Taking everything into consideration people, places and things this was truly an experience extraordinaire! We read the reviews and had low expectations of the food, knew it would be expensive and high expectations on the atmosphere. We booked so we would be there when it opened for dinner, requested a table on the main floor AND asked the waiter to serve us slow. This along with a bottle of Rosé yields a once in a lifetime experience. We ordered the three course pre-fix. It was $150 Euro. Per person. Can't really remember what I ate because I was so entranced with the restaurant, the live Jazz saxophonist, the extremely attentive service and the breathtaking atmosphere BUT IT WAS GREAT! We sat at the front of the cave right next to the Adriatic Sea below the aged rocks above and watched the day turn into night, the swallows in flight, a sailboat drift across the horizon, waves lap the base of the caves.., A DREAM COME TRUE! I'm sure one can spend much less and have the same experience. Just go for drinks and appetizers. But if you can... GO! read more

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I only gave it 2 stars strictly for atmosphere and views. Price for the quality of food is insane. The food is fufu garbage. Don't waste your time. Go to Monopoli and have a great meal. I was born and raised in a Barese background. This place is not worth the ridiculous price. read more

The location is amazing, the ambience is good except for all the photoshoots going on; the food is okay (but definitely not for that price range), and the service is a poor man's idea of high-end, which is also valid for the experience as a whole. read more

Grotta Palazzese - The restaurant - Italian Near Me - Polignano A Mare, BA

This restaurant is an absolute joke. They wouldn't let us in with kids even though our reservation said that we have kids and we booked in the first shift, oh and we were confirmed three times the same day. They did the same thing to a couple saying their table got lost when they had a note from the manager with a confirmation and sent them away. You know what we all had in common? I will let you guess, but it rhymes with face. The woman at the reception was absolutely unbelievably rude and some guy that worked there called us liars when we showed them our reservation. Just a waste of time. read more

Ten stars for this outstanding hotel and exceptional staff that deliver amazing service at every moment . i would like to thank the Manager and Arianna, Enza, Gianvito, Carmen, and Francesco for the Exceptional Service during my stay here. It felt like a second home and definitely would return. Grazie Mille, Miss Joycie read more

The view is gorgeous and the food is very good. It is overpriced but you're paying for the view for sure. The service is okay, however we waited 30 minutes for the cheque. A huge plus is they will let you sub out things in the set menu, if it's not the main dishes. The drinks are reasonably priced to make up for the food being expensive. read more

Food was amazing! However you can still get amazing food at a much lower cost elsewhere. We loved the view overlooking the ocean. It was a special experience! read more

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An amazing ambiance made up for mediocre service and an assembly line type menu. It is a spectacular setting indeed. The dining room is set inside a naturally created set of caves. The waves from the Mediterranean Sea crashing against the rocks below made the ambiance very special. However, we were less than impressed with the service level expected with the luxury level pricing. Seconds after we sat down, the waiter blurted out " what would you want to order"? No greeting. No introduction. We asked for a wine menu. After 5 minutes he returned with an Ipad. We reviewed the ipad offerings, made selection and waited for 5 more minutes. He finally returned but by this time the Ipad had gone to sleep and needed to be awakened with the code. He took the wine order. He never returned to inquire if needed anything. He did not ask if we wanted additional wine or water. A revolving door attitude was prevalent with the entire service team Now for the menu. The menu is arranged via pre arranged groups and appropriate prices for that group of items. For example , the first group is the Gold category. Another group is the Vegetarian and yet another is Land and Sea. Not my idea of high end dining. We both ordered the Instinto option for 195 Euro each. On the other hand , The food was excellent. We were very impressed with the ravioli and the sea bass topped with Rape. Outstanding quality and superb presentation. We truly loved the " right out of a movie" ambiance. We just believe that the service level is not consistent with the final $500 Euro price tag. This restaurant could be so much better with a service team that elevated the dining experience. Nonetheless, we are pleased to have experienced this amazing venue. read more

Grotta Palazzese - Dinning room - Italian Near Me - Polignano A Mare, BA

This was a great experience for the atmosphere. The view during dinner was beautiful, but we were lucky to get a table right next to the railing. The price was astronomical and the quality of the food was far below expectations. The service was extremely slow and it was not worth a trip just to go to the place. If you happen to be in the area sure, but make sure to make a reservation. read more

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For anyone contemplating whether this is a tourist trap vs a must visit spot in Puglia.... Think no more. Go ahead and enjoy the experience of siting within the coastal rocks with the most picturesque views, primed for your adventure. The food is standard (just have a look at their menu), the wine list is exquisite (top-shelf options but local Puglian white for 65 euro too), and the cocktails are plentiful. Grotta Palazzese is a must visit when your in Puglia if you're looking for a special place. Not a masseria... not a trattoria... this is something different that's hard to come by wherever in the world you decide to travel. read more

Not sure which was worse, the food, the service, or the price. Felt like I was being sold a time share when they explained the menu.. there's a lot of amazing places in polignano a mare, unfortunately this is not one of them. read more

Don't waste your time. This is a tourist trap with food that tastes like rotten baby food.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY - My experience was disappointing. Service was rushed at first, but then the staff became unresponsive for the rest of the evening, making it hard to get any help or even drinks. The food was average and overpriced, with small portions that were not cooked well. Overall, the experience fell far below expectations due to the slow service and mediocre quality. Was 300 euro per person what a joke. read more

My husband made reservations to celebrate my birthday and everything was Amazing! Amazing saxophonist with an Amazing view! Very Romantic

Simply amazing! Looks exactly like the pictures you see online. We felt like we were in a postcard. Service was friendly and food was good (but honestly not the best I had in Italy). Worth it for the views alone. We never were told to order three courses or any pre-fixe menu. I think this may have to do with the fact we had my husbands Italian cousin with us. For 5 adults and 3 kids we spent about $500 USD, this was with appetizers, desserts and drinks. The kids had regular adult portions. If you sit towards the inside of the grotto there are pigeons flying around everywhere which was pretty disgusting. I arranged our reservations online and had to reserve our spot with a credit card. If we cancelled our card would have been charged. Also, there are a lot of stairs to get down to the restaurant. My elderly father in law had a little bit of a rough time with the stairs. read more

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This is a 5 star experience, staff worked together so that 5 servers each played a part in a wonderful lunch (dinner was booked solid for the week i was here). It is my first time in the Region and my request for local wines and foods was met with superb expectations. Booked online, received a lengthy email in Italian language that i could not read, so tried to show up an hour early. It was a very hot, 95F, summer day and there is a dress code so i was quite uncomfortable to start, then I got in local traffic..... ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE PARKING ON THE CITY SIDE STREETS, Permit, toll or locals only. FORGET IT. Frustrated, i just went to the restaurant and asked the maitre'd who then told me the email had details to their ...WAIT FOR IT... private parking lot. Duh....looks like they knew about it and already had a solution. Still, I was a little bit frazzled and perspiring heavily...SO WHAT CAN TURN THIS AROUND TO BE 5 STARS? The Grotta was cool, the staff were nice and they guided me to a perfect lunch. The suggested wines were excellent and the tip to buy per glass allowed me to sample 4 pairings rather than a single bottle read more

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Absolutely the worst food in Italy...rent a boat to see the cave it will save you money and any stomach challenges.

It was a big ripoff unfortunately. You really wanted it to be a fantastic meal to match the spectacular views but we came away feeling completely irritated & hungry. They hustle you in & out unlike anywhere else in Italy. Save the €700 euros for two & go dine ANYWHERE else! Atmosphere: 10+ Food: 1 Service: 1 Value: -5 read more