The tiny (by American standards) village of Grand Case boasts no shortage of restaurants. Many are on the bay side and offer commanding views of the water while dining -- so a restaurant would have to be much better than average to attract diners to the landward side of the street, sans view. La Villa is that restaurant: the decor is pleasantly old-fashioned but nondescript -- but the food? C'est magnifique! And the service is impeccable; the owners visit each table personally, and genuinely seem to enjoy welcoming patrons to their establishment and making sure they are well taken care of. Prices are reasonable, and the 49 euro prix fixe dinner gets one an appetizer, main dish, and dessert, with only the lobster adding a surcharge to the price if you select it. Order the chocolate cake with molten center for dessert -- it's worth the extra ten minute wait!

We ate at all the top rated restaurants on our week in St. Martin, but were somewhat disappointed by the #1 restaurant according to TA. The food was good, but the service was impersonal at best. The staff catered to people they knew, and never looked us in the eye, which made the meal certainly not our best!

We had a nice dinner.
The onion soup is very good and can be shared because is big!
The lobster plate is excellent too.
The plates in general are big and the service is very polite and efficient. Their coco rum is delicious!

A store owner on the Dutch side recommended this Grand Case restaurant and we were not disappointed. The owners were very charming, food was delicious, and they offer a 49 euro prix fixe dinner that had many choices and was quite filling. If you pay cash, euros = dollars, so you don't feel ripped off on the French side. The owner was also honest enough to tell us that a 15% service is ALWAYS included in meals on the French side, by law, even if the restaurant does not break it out as a separate charge on your bill. Many restaurants aren't that honest. The staff was very attentive, and the restaurant has a lovely look to it. Definitely worth a trip.