The Cove beachside trap revealed: skip the overpriced grill night buffet and get real value by ordering tom yum and green curry with attentive staff
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Stop overpaying for atmosphere alone: how to get more value at The Cove Restaurant
Quick value snapshot
- Rating: 3.5 out of 5 from 18 reviews — middling overall with sharp highs and some notable lows.
- Location context: sits inside a 5-star resort, which explains premium pricing and occasional service expectations.
- Daily hours split into breakfast 6:00–10:30 AM and dinner 6:30–10:00 PM.
Angle 1 — Menu math: a la carte beats the Tuesday buffet
One guest flagged the Tuesday grill and bbq buffet at roughly 1200+ baht per person as expensive and poorly stocked. Two menu prices from other guests are public: Tom Yum Kung at about 400++ and Khao Pad Gai at about 250++. Adding those two dishes totals roughly 650++ baht, substantially lower than the buffet price and backed by multiple positive reports on those exact items. Practical takeaway: skip the advertised buffet unless you’re targeting an all-you-can-eat experience; ordering 1–2 well-reviewed a la carte dishes will likely deliver better food for less money.
Angle 2 — Timing strategy: when to go for full value
The buffet complaint noted dishes running low midway through service, with little replenishment even a couple of hours before closing. That pattern implies the risk window is during later dinner hours on theme nights. Actionable rules: arrive near opening at 6:30 PM if you want the widest selection during dinner, avoid Tuesday theme-night buffets altogether, or favor the breakfast window (6:00–10:30 AM) when themed shortages are unlikely.
Angle 3 — Service is uneven but can be leveraged
Reviews show a clear split: some diners report slow kitchen response and unrefilled stations, while others single out servers who delivered attentive care. Specific staff names received praise for attentive service; asking politely for the same hosts at booking or on arrival raises your odds of prompt attention. If you spot early signs of slow service, escalate politely to a manager immediately instead of waiting for issues to compound.
Angle 4 — Drinks, view and pet policy: trade-offs you can control
Several guests praised the drinks for quality while noting prices trend higher, and one review explicitly calls the restaurant dog friendly and beachside — atmosphere you pay a premium for. If you value the view but want to limit spend, order one quality cocktail to share or choose non-alcoholic options; limiting beverage spend is the single most effective way to curb the bill without losing the beachside experience.
Practical money-saving checklist
- Avoid the Tuesday grill and bbq buffet unless you’ve confirmed replenishment during your reservation.
- Prioritize ordering praised a la carte items such as Tom Yum Kung (≈400++) and Khao Pad Gai (≈250++) to get higher-rated food for less than buffet cost.
- Book a 6:30 PM seating to catch full dish availability or switch to breakfast hours to avoid dinner-theme shortages.
- Request the well-reviewed servers by name at reservation time to improve service reliability.
- Control drinks spend: share premium cocktails or choose lower-cost beverages to protect the bill from vertical price creep.
- Pay with card or NFC to avoid cash handling and speed up checkout; the restaurant accepts credit cards and NFC payments.
- If you’re visiting from outside the resort, factor in resort pricing into your comparison shopping and decide whether the beachside view is worth the premium.
Bottom line
The Cove delivers great dishes and a memorable setting when you choose wisely. The biggest budget traps are themed buffets and drink choices; the biggest upside is strong a la carte value in core Thai dishes and servers who genuinely improve the experience. Use the timing, ordering, and staffing tactics above and you’ll get resort-level ambiance without throwing money away on under-stocked buffets or expensive drink tabs.
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7.857154, 98.290741
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