Sunsets in Aruba are one of my favorite times of the day, and what better way to enjoy the spectactular views than from Akira Back, the rooftop restaurant at the new St. Regis Aruba in the Palm Beach high rise area.
Perfect for special occasions and date nights, Akira Back is the latest addition to luxury cuisine on The One Happy Island.
Known for its sushi, seafood and steak, the premier destination at the St. Regis Aruba is the newest culinary outpost in chef Akira Back's empire which spans 25 locations across the world.
According to its website:
At Akira Back dining is elevated to an art form, where the highest standards of culinary excellence, unparalleled service, and an immersive atmosphere converge to create an unforgettable experience.Within these restaurant walls resides a mosaic of Chef Akira Back's heritage and life experiences - intricately woven with the threads of his culinary training.
The first thing I noticed after exiting the elevator on the penthouse level at the hotel was the INCREDIBLE view of Palm Beach.
Given the choice of indoor vs. outdoor dining, my dining partner and I made the obvious selection to sit on the terrace.
After all, we were here not only for the amazing food but also the SUNSET, which did not disappoint!
After enjoying the pristine sunset over the glimmering Caribbean Sea, we began our meal.
NOTE TO READERS: Akira Back served a limited menu when I visited the St. Regis in February 2025, and as of March 15 the full range of the eatery's delicacies is now available. For our first course, we started with sashimi from the Raw Bar.
Sashimi platter one was the Salmon Tataki for $38.
Served with crispy onion, mustard miso and kizami wasabi, this dish was an absolute winner.
The salmon was melt-in-your-mouth quality, and I was blown away by the savory sauce.
Sashimi platter two was the Yellowtail Carpaccio for $37.
Adorned with sliced baby jalepeno, roasted jalepeno salsa and a blood orange soy, this dish reminded me of the hamachi crudo at legendary Texas sushi outlet Uchi.
Next was the Hot Mess roll for $30, a sliced hand roll with tempura crab, avocado, sashimi poke, marinated seaweed and a spicy soy aoili.
The name of the roll comes from the plethora of flavors as well as the table-side presentation which includes a drizzling of the sauce over the sushi.
Finally, we shared the Seabass for $66, a gorgeously prepared, delicate filet cooked to perfection.
Nestled atop a bed of soy lemon butter, shiitake mushrooms and crispy leeks, this fish was DIVINE!
After dinner, my friend and I gambled at the new Casino at the St. Regis to try to earn back the money we had spent at dinner (a failed endeavor) and then strolled around the glitzy pool area, illuminated at night for full wow effect.
As the palm trees shimmied in the Aruban trade winds with the infinity pool in the foreground, I reminded myself that THIS IS LIVING!
Akira Back is open 7 days a week from 5 to 10pm; however, I recommend arriving by 6:30pm for the unforgettable sunset vibes.
To read more of my Aruba restaurant and activity reviews, click here to access my special Aruba section, which contains valuable and timely information for your visit.
To view the TikTok I made from my visit to Akira Back, click here.
Finally, if you love Aruba like I do, then please check out my new song "Aruba - C'mon Baby Let's Go," which already has over 60,000 plays on Tiktok.
My island anthem is now available on all streaming and social media platforms or you can find it on YouTube:
HAVE A GREAT TIME IN ARUBA!