An Expert's Guide to 2 Fools and a Bull in Aruba | Easily Explained
2 Fools and a Bull is the most popular restaurant restaurant in all of Aruba.
So much so, that it is also the hardest restaurant to secure a reservation with.
In this page, we will explain what 2 Fools a Bull is, what makes it so popular, and explain our own experience dining here.
What is 2 Fools and a Bull?
2 Fools and a Bull isn't exactly a restaurant, but an entire 3-4 hour experience.
It includes 5 and a half gourmet courses, and it's simply the best intimate dining experience on the island, with the best gourmet chef.
For this reason, it's often sold out a year in advance!
This is an adult only restaurant, which means it's intended for ages 18 and older.
If you're not a big planner for vacations, you'll want to consider making an exception once, to secure a reservation here.
Who Are the 2 Fools?
The best way to describe them is to imagine two people who absolutely love what they do, have spent thousands of hours mastering their crafts, and now love what they do even more (rather than getting burnt out).
They are absolute professionals in both their crafts as well as social skills, and have thought out every aspect of a visitor's experience from the beginning to the end.
This can even be sensed immediately from the moment that you're greeted outside, which provides guests with a unique sense of comfort.
It also allows guests to feel important and well cared for, as they're provided with the highest quality of service.
Fool #1 - Roger
Roger will be your host, sommelier, and guide throughout the night.
Any questions that you have can be answered by him.
You'll first meet Roger when it's your reservation time, as he will walk out with Erwin to greet all of the guests, and invite them inside.
Fool #2 - Erwin
Erwin will be your chef for the night, and all 5 (and a half meals) will be created and delivered by him.
Before every meal, Erwin will explain exactly what is on your plate, what makes it so delicious and what to expect.
What is the Experience Like?
How it Works
The way it works is you'll make a reservation ahead of time, and once you arrive, you'll dine with a total of 16 people for the night.
Everyone will be total strangers in the beginning, but will become great friends by the end of the night.
Both fools will open the doors at your reservation time, step out to welcome you and explain the basic rules, what you can expect, and where to go.
Once you officially enter the doors, you'll be greeted with champagne, and the chef and owner will introduce themselves, and go one by one around the room for all guests to introduce themselves as well.
After a few minutes of this, the owner will call everyone back in the room, explain what each appetizer, drink, and meal consists of, and then you'll eat in the U shaped bar.
You'll repeat this five different times, but the following rounds rather than an introduction, it'll become a casual conversation.
By the end of the night, you will be absolutely stuffed with some of the greatest food (and drinks) that you've ever had.
If you have any food allergies, you'll simply let them know ahead of time and they'll prepare your food around these restrictions while still keeping it amazingly delicious.
The Best Part
We genuinely enjoyed hearing both Chef Erwin and Roger inform us about the wine and food preparations.
Each dish was an experience, in both flavors and pairings.
They put a ton of thought into everything from the facility ambiance and lighting to the signs hanging up on the wall, to of course the exact pairing of food and drinks.
Wine Pairing
They offer 2 wine separate wine pairings:
- Their Regular wine pairing (Cost of $70)
- Reserve selection (Cost of $120)
We ended up going with their regular wine pairing, and it would prove to be a perfect taste for all of the food we consumed throughout the night.
Just like everything else that they do, 2 Fools and a Bull didn't disappoint during the wine pairing.
They present the wine in a very unique decanter, as Fool #1 uses his excellent sommelier skills to brief the guests on everything that they should know about the wine pairing.
What Type of Food Do They Serve?
This restaurant serves almost everything and anything, and are extremely flexible to work around dietary restrictions.
There were other guests who had gluten restrictions, and Chef Erwin tailored their food to be identical to the other dishes who didn't have restrictions.
This allowed those guests with dietary restrictions to not feel left out, and to still get their money's worth for the experience.
A Unique Aspect of 2 Fools and a Bull
Although it was our first time here, we met many other guests who had been there multiple times.
What we quickly found out that was super interesting is that they were never served the same food.
Rumor has it, that Chef Erwin keeps a book of every meal served that night, and when guests return they are never served the same meal.
There were guests who had been there five separate times, and had been served five different meals.
This fact alone is a great example of the lengths that this staff will go to, to provide guests with a unique experience.
What Food They Do Not Serve
2 Fools and a Bull does not serve vegetarian or vegan dishes.
How to Make a Reservation
You can make a reservation directly from their site.
To place the reservation, you'll have to input:
- Name
- Phone Number
- Number of Guests
- Credit Card Information
Know About the Waitlist
If there isn't a reservation available for the date that you'd like to visit, you can always add yourself to the waitlist.
In the event that a spot does open up (due to a cancelation), you'll be notified immediately through text/email.
When is 2 Fools and a Bull Open?
They're open during the week, Monday-Friday from 7 pm - 11 pm.
They're closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Restaurant Rules
There are only a few simple rules to follow and they are:
- No Kids
- No Drunks
- No Vegetarians
- No Phones (only allowed for pictures)