Going out to dinner as a couple always works, but some nights call for something more than booking a table, ordering two dishes and heading home. Palma has restaurants and cocktail bars for almost any occasion; that’s why, when you’re after a different kind of plan, it might make more sense to find a place where dinner can stretch on without needing a second stop lined up.
At Arlequín, that’s exactly the idea. You can start by sharing a few dishes, move on to one of the signature cocktails and, if the night calls for it, play a round of one of the board games or head over to the arcade machine. There’s no need to plan it all out before you go: the fun is in letting the night take shape as it goes.
Starting with shared plates always makes for a livelier night
When it comes to a date-night dinner, ordering several dishes for the table has something particularly comfortable about it. It lets you try more things, keeps neither of you locked into just one choice, and gives the meal a more relaxed, informal feel.
Arlequín’s menu is very much designed with this kind of dinner in mind. A good way to start might be sharing the Angus beef picaña tacos, made with chipotle mayo, radishes and fried capers. If you prefer something more classic but still full of character, the homemade oxtail croquettes with piquillo peppers are another easy option to put in the middle of the table.
There’s also room to step outside the usual. The pulled chicken bao buns, served with Japanese salad and sesame mayo, bring in different flavours without making the meal feel too heavy.
If you’re more into seafood, the menu shifts registers quite a bit. The prawn tacos with avocado cream, red cabbage, chilli and mango combine fresh, slightly spicy flavours, while the scallops with avocado, parsley and coriander sauce, gratinated with parmesan can work really well if you’re after something a little more special to share.
It’s not about ordering half the menu. Two or three dishes to share are enough to put together a varied dinner and still leave room for what comes next.
And after dinner, there’s no need to look for another spot
This is where a cocktail bar that also serves food comes in especially handy.
You finish dinner and that “so, where do we go now?” conversation doesn’t come up straight away. You can stay right where you are, keep talking and move straight on to the cocktail menu.
At Arlequín, the cocktail side of things has plenty of personality too. The house works with a modern, visual style, with combinations that steer away from the more predictable cocktails. The website itself describes them as unique, exclusive creations made with top-quality products and premium brands.
So a good idea as a couple can be ordering two quite different cocktails and sharing them.
For something fresh and fruity: Thinking About You
Thinking About You blends Absolut Raspberry vodka, watermelon liqueur, lemon, rose water, raspberries and Schweppes Pink tonic.
Ingredient-wise, it’s an option that can suit you especially well if you like fruitier, more aromatic profiles. The raspberry and watermelon bring a softer side, while the lemon and tonic help balance it out.
It’s also one of those cocktails that can work perfectly either to start the evening before dinner or to carry on afterwards with something fresher.
If you’re after something tropical: Masquerade
For those who prefer more tropical flavours, Masquerade combines Malfy Arancia Gin, Aluna Coco rum, lemon, passion fruit and grapefruit tonic.
The mix of coconut, passion fruit, citrus and grapefruit makes it clear this is a creation quite different from a traditional mixed drink.
It can be a good choice if one of you wants to try something new without necessarily going for overly intense profiles.
To finish with something more complex: Monkey Crush
If you’re after a cocktail with more character, Monkey Crush changes the register completely. It’s made with Four Roses Bourbon, Amaretto, lemon, Amarena cherries, chocolate bitters and vegan egg white.
Deeper notes come through here: bourbon, almond, cherry and chocolate. It can work especially well at the end of dinner, almost like an extension of dessert, for those who like to finish the night with a more intense cocktail.
And if you feel like comparing, ordering one fresher and one stronger lets you try both and turns the menu itself into part of the plan.
There’s room for dessert too
If you’re still hungry, the menu has several desserts made for sharing.
The Cheesecake Brûlée with caramel ice cream is probably one of the easiest options to share if you’re fans of creamy desserts. Another option is the passion fruit and mango tart with crunchy biscuit and meringue, which plays with much fresher, tangier flavours.
For those who want to go straight for something more indulgent, there’s also the Cookie Brownie with pistachio and caramel ice cream.
A date-night dinner doesn’t necessarily need to end with “a dessert each.” Sharing one and then moving on to cocktails fits much better with a night that still has some way to go.
Something can happen between one cocktail and the next
One of the things that sets Arlequín apart from a conventional dinner is that not everything revolves around the table.
The venue has board games and an arcade machine that can come into play at any point in the evening. You don’t need to go in planning to play: they’re simply there as one more option.
On a first date, they can help break the ice a little. If you’ve been together a while, it might just be an excuse to compete for a bit and step out of the routine.
The interesting part is that you don’t need to book an activity or plan anything in advance. If you feel like it, you play; if the conversation goes another way, you carry on chatting over the table.
A plan that can start well before dinner
Arlequín opens from 5:00 pm, so the plan doesn’t necessarily have to start at nine at night either. According to information provided by the business itself, the atmosphere is quieter during the early hours and gradually evolves toward couples and groups as the night goes on.
That makes for a more flexible date: meeting for a first cocktail in the late afternoon, sharing a few dishes afterwards and letting the plan run on without worrying about switching venues.
In a city like Palma, where a night out often means linking together a restaurant, a bar and another spot afterwards, being able to do it all in the same place is pretty convenient.
A date without too many rules
Maybe that’s the best way to understand a night at Arlequín.
You don’t have to choose between restaurant, cocktail bar or entertainment. You can start by sharing some picaña tacos and bao buns, move on to a Thinking About You and a Monkey Crush, and finish trying the Cheesecake Brûlée while you decide whether there’s still time for a game.
Or do exactly the opposite.
A good date doesn’t need every step written out in advance. Sometimes the only thing that matters is choosing a place you feel like staying in.
Frequently asked questions
Where to have a date-night dinner in Palma de Mallorca?
If you’re after something different, it can be worth choosing a restaurant where, besides having dinner, you can carry on with cocktails or some kind of activity without changing venue.
What dishes can you share at Arlequín?
The menu includes options such as Angus picaña tacos, homemade oxtail croquettes, pulled chicken bao buns, prawn tacos and gratinated scallops, among others.
What nightlife does Palma have after dinner?
If you don’t want the night to end right after dinner, one option is to choose a venue that also has a cocktail bar and some form of entertainment. At Arlequín you can carry on with a cocktail, play one of the board games or have a go on the arcade machine.
Where to have dinner and cocktails in Palma?
Arlequín combines dining and cocktails in the same venue, so it’s possible to have dinner and then carry on with one of the cocktails from its menu.
What to do in Palma when it rains?
An indoor plan combining dinner, cocktails and some kind of activity can be a good alternative to terraces or walks. Arlequín also has board games and an arcade machine.
