The terrace looks straight onto the yachts. Romero sits inside the Royal Yacht Club on the Aqaba marina, tables pushed close to the water, the Red Sea darkening behind the masts as the sun drops over the Sinai. The Romero Group, the Amman company behind Jordan's original Romero, opened it here in 1994, and it has been the address for an occasion dinner in Aqaba ever since. The kitchen runs Italian and Mediterranean with a long seafood list, from grilled Red Sea fish to seafood pasta, at JOD 15 to 35 a head.
The Kitchen
Romero is a Romero Group restaurant, the Amman hospitality company whose original Romero became a fixture of the Jordanian capital before the group brought the name to the Red Sea in 1994. There is no celebrity chef here; the kitchen's identity is the group's house style, Italian and Mediterranean with a serious seafood bias, executed consistently over three decades.
The strength is the fish. Aqaba lands its catch a short walk from the table, and the kitchen grills whole Red Sea fish simply, dressed with little more than lemon, oil, and herbs. The seafood pasta is the dish regulars order without looking at the menu, heavy with prawn and calamari. There is a respectable sushi list, unusual for a Red Sea marina, and a spread of hot and cold Levantine mezze that holds its own against the Italian half of the kitchen. Sayadieh, the spiced fish-and-rice dish of the Jordanian coast, is the local plate to order.
Mains land between JOD 15 and 35 a head, which reads as expensive by Aqaba standards and reasonable by Amman ones, helped by the city's tax-free status. The cooking is not the reason critics file superlatives; the setting is. But the fish is fresh and handled with care, and on this stretch of marina that is enough.
The Room
The room is the view. Tables fill a covered terrace over the marina, with an air-conditioned dining room behind for the summer months when Aqaba bakes. Lighting after dark is low and warm, the masts and water lit beyond the rail. Sound is easy: the loudest thing is usually the sea breeze and the rigging, and you can talk across a table without strain. Tables are generously spaced along the waterfront, less so inside. A casual seafront bar sits on the level above for a drink before or after. Dress is smart-casual; this is a resort marina, not a city dining room, and nobody expects a jacket. Time the booking for sunset over the Sinai mountains.
Best for First Date
Book the terrace at Romero for a first date when the setting can do the heavy lifting. Three reasons it works: the marina view at sunset is romantic without anyone having tried too hard; the easy noise level lets you actually hear each other; and the broad menu means a nervous orderer can always find something, from sushi to a simple grilled fish. Ask for a table on the water's edge, share a seafood pasta and a whole grilled fish, and let the light over the Sinai carry the conversation. It is the most reliably romantic table on the Aqaba waterfront. See more first date rooms worldwide.
Skip Romero if you came for cutting-edge cooking. The draw is the marina view and fresh fish, not technique, and service can slow noticeably when the terrace fills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Romero worth it?
Yes, mainly for the setting and the fresh Red Sea fish. Run by the Romero Group since 1994, Romero occupies the best waterfront position in Aqaba, on the Royal Yacht Club marina, and the kitchen handles whole grilled fish and seafood pasta well. It is pricier than most Aqaba restaurants but reasonable for the location. Come for the sunset terrace and the catch rather than for ambitious cooking, and it delivers what it promises.
How do I book a table at Romero?
Call ahead and ask specifically for a terrace table on the marina, especially for sunset, which is the seat worth having. Romero sits inside the Royal Yacht Club off King Hussein Street on the Aqaba waterfront. Weekends and holiday periods fill, so a day's notice helps; weekdays often take walk-ins. The upstairs seafront bar is a good place to wait if your table is not ready when you arrive.
What should I order at Romero?
Order the whole grilled Red Sea fish, dressed simply, and the seafood pasta, the dish regulars return for. The sushi list is a pleasant surprise for a marina restaurant, and the Levantine mezze are worth a few plates to start. For something local, the sayadieh, spiced fish over rice, is the coastal Jordanian classic. Pair any of it with a sunset table and you have the full Aqaba evening.
How much does dinner at Romero cost?
Most diners spend between JOD 15 and 35 per person before drinks, depending heavily on whether you order whole fish, which is often priced by weight. Aqaba's tax-free status keeps prices below what the same meal would cost in Amman. A couple sharing mezze, a pasta, and a grilled fish with soft drinks will typically land around JOD 60 to 80 in total before service.
Is Romero good for a first date?
Yes, it is the most romantic waterfront table in Aqaba. The marina terrace at sunset, the easy noise level, and the wide menu make it forgiving and atmospheric for an early date. It is less suited to anyone seeking a quiet, formal dining room, since the terrace is open and lively. Book the water's edge at sunset and the setting does most of the work for you.