As yearly Florida vacationers, my family and I are accustomed to the normal situations that arise when you are in Florida trying to get a table for dinner while on vacation- long wait, busy restaurants, somewhat lacking service. Â I would call myself incredibly patient when these sort of events occur. Â Unfortunately, on the night we went there, I almost lost that patience that I so proudly claim to have.
First, the restaurant takes reservations on Opentable, which I took advantage of, but as it turns out... it didn't matter one bit. Â We ended up waiting another 30 minutes AFTER my reservation to get a table. If you are going to use Opentable and take reservations, you MUST honor them and be prepared for what honoring reservations means. Â Not the greatest start.
Next, we're placed at a table and our server, Mary, came and took our drink orders and food orders very quickly. Â She is the reason this restaurant is getting the one star it is getting, as she was the only positive experience we had at this restaurant. Â She warned us ahead of time that the kitchen was backed up and put our orders in asap, while checking in on us and keeping our water glasses full and updating us on the status of our food every 15 minutes or so.
...fast forward about 80 minutes from when we sat down. We are still waiting, quietly but hungrily, and there are multiple conflicts surrounding us. Â First, there were tons of tables that were not bussed- just sitting there, with dirty dishes, while families with small children had been waiting outside for over an hour. Â We watched a family with small children wait for over 40 minutes just for salad and bread, and by the time it came out, they got up and left the restaurant because their children were so miserable and hungry. Â Second, there was a situation at a table behind us where a woman was infuriated with the bus boy and waitress (for reasons I know nothing about) and called the seat manager over to complain. Â Instead of then taking the bus boys and waitress away from the public eye to have the discussion, he decided to chastise them on the spot! Â Never, EVER, would I consider this a good idea. Â Now mind you, this lady was very loud and I would even say a little over the top with her frustration, but that is no way to treat your employees.
Finally, we do get our food, but when we do, my mother's fish is bone dry and my crabcakes were at least 50% filler. I think I'll stick to my native Virginia for the crabcakes from now on. Our waitress was incredibly apologetic and offered us key lime pie on the house to take home, which we gladly accepted. We still gave her a 20% tip since it was not her fault, but we bolted out of there as fast as possible, never getting a single apology from the management for the situation at hand. We got there at 7pm... and did not leave until about 9:45pm.
To top it all off, I got sick off my meal. Â I threw it up about 90 minutes after I ate it. The toilet and I were friends all night long.
Not a great experience at all, and I would say during the entirety of my week in Daytona Beach, it was the worst restaurant my family and I visited.
My experience would have been better if I had actually seen some manatees.
Lowlights: our server Dez was not at all attentive and I'm pretty sure he took a 20 minute smoke break during our dinner. The bread resembled Olive Garden breadsticks that were clearly frozen before arriving at the table. They advertised their scallops and shrimp as being 'marinated' in lemon oil or mango.. When they really meant they just give you a side of whichever you choose and you're left to self marinate at the table. Food was just ok. Â Fried food seemed to be the better choice.. Since its hard to mess up.
Highlight(s): only one. The dinner included a salad. Oh, and I did enjoy sitting by the water.. Even if the manatees were in hiding.
I'd recommend sticking to the outdoor bar for drinks only and eating somewhere else.
My husband and I have been to this place several times and try to get here when we're in town visiting family. I have to say, I've had better meals on previous visits, though the experience over all wasn't bad. This time we sat outside on the covered deck, instead of in the main dining room. The inside dining is nice, but we were there on a very rainy day and sitting outside watching the rain on the water was nice. The rain was very loud on the canopy overhead, making conversation a little difficult, but not a huge problem and not their fault. I had a FANTASTIC pina colada made with Sailor Jerry's rum; possibly the best part of my meal. The outdoor tables are high, bar-type tables with high stools. Comfy enough. My shrimp dinner started with a Caesar salad that was fairly basic (iceberg lettuce, TONS of grated cheese and lots of dressing) but I loved it anyway. The fried shrimp were ok - though a little rubbery, and served with remarkably unremarkable rice pilaf that tasted just like the boxed variety we make at home.
Over all it was ok, though past visits were awesome. We'll probably be back sometime, but I think we're taking it off the "gotta do when we're in Florida" list.
My husband and I stopped into the indoor restaurant for breakfast, they had just opened and we had a view of dolphins at our breakfast window. Our waiter was extremely nice and really on top of things. Fantastic service, and if we do go back it will be the indoor restaurant because it was great!
Review Source:We asked the front desk of our hotel for a seafood recommendation and sadly this is where they sent us. We had seen it before when we were visiting the lighthouse but hadn't stopped in.
We had high hopes as it seems like a nice enough place and it was...but surely there is better, especially for the price and quantity. No joke a 20$ plate of scallops came with about 6 tiny scallops and a small baked sweet potato. If it wasn't for the bread and salad? I would have been starving.
Pro? The views and the service but really, you can see the views without having to spend an arm and a leg on seafood that wasn't fresh.
We thought because this place was on the inter coastal the seafood would bet good. We were disappointed with the food quality . The Mahi was dry, tasteless and over cooked. The sandwich had the same amount of Mahi as the dinner but was about $5 cheaper. Really disappointed and won't good back. When asked how dinner wasn't we said fair and there was no response. I will say the clam chowder was great.
Review Source:Wow what a Great Spot for a Restaurant it could be , and Somehow You just feel so Taken Advantage of by eating here.
Yikes Way Way Overpriced,
Poor Poor Food,
Service was Okay and not that bad, its just the Food and Drink Prices and there is NO Way we are going back ,and The First Bad Thing I have to Say about Eating out
We didn't what too go there in the first Place by what others had told us, But Our Friends what ed to Eat Here and They even Said ,!!!Yikes
Hopefully the Owners will read this and Correct the Problems which there are many and DO The Right Thing!!!
This place has some of the worst service I have EVER had. Not only did it take over an hour to get our food (which was fish tacos, a club, and a fish sandwich) which lets be honest here, those don't take long to make at all. The fish sandwich was dry and cold, and the fish tacos were WAY over sauced and were soggy as hell. Then when I went to say something about it to my waitress all she said was okay and took my plate. No I'm sorry, no ill fix it, nothing. Just an okay. Not a would you like to talk to a manager. Nothing. AND it was still on my bill. It was outrageous. The restaurant maybe had 5 tables in it. By far the worst service I had ever had. The only thing that kept me here was the music. The band was great.
Review Source:We pulled into Daytona Beach and saw signs advertising "Shrimp Fest" and followed them to this place. We took seats at the outside bar.
First thing I noticed was that our server had to run to the other bar across the restaurant for virtually everything that was ordered: margarita salt, tequila, Sam Adams, ice. It was comical. Then he got our order wrong, which wasn't so comical.
I ordered the overpriced Shrimp Fest platter - $12.99 for six shrimp, cole slaw, a hush puppy, and cheese grits. I also ordered the $6.99 add-on for six additional shrimp to share with my wife. Â C---- punched in two complete platters instead. I didn't argue about it, but I should have.
First the drinks. The margaritas were very weak and very sour and small, even by Florida tourist destination standards. They were so bad, in fact, that I did something I rarely do, I ordered a bottled beer for my next drink.
The shrimp was all pre-cooked and served out of chafing dishes. There is no excuse for not cooking shrimp to order, even during a busy event like Shrimp Fest. Shrimp take little time to cook, and overcooking them is very easy to do. Cooking them and keeping them warm in chafing dishes ensures that your shrimp will be uniformly overcooked and dry. They were. Sadly, they were also tasteless and cold. Â Not only that, but we waited at least as long as it would have taken to cook them to order.
The cheese grits were instant grits with shredded cheese dumped in at serving. Again, real grits aren't that difficult to cook in batches, and taste so much better. The hush puppy was doughy, and the cole slaw was some shredded cabbage drowned in a disappointing dressing.
I was shocked at the number of smokers lighting up all around the restaurant. I've grown accustomed to smoke-free eating, and I like it. Luckily it was a windy day.
The best things I can say about this restaurant are that the parking is free and plentiful, and the bathrooms were pretty clean at 1:30 p.m. on a busy Saturday. Â The view was okay, but I'd trade a waterfront view for good food any day of the week.
i enjoyed my meal at this place. the catch of the day was very fresh and cooked nicely. the service was great. Â the only downside was i couldn't hear any of my friends because the music was so loud! i guess it adds to the ambiance but i wouldn't recommend this place if you're looking to converse with people in your party. otherwise - it's pretty good and you're bound to enjoy your meal.
Review Source:This place is nasty! My husband and I went here for dinner around 9 PM only to be told they were serving drinks and no food. The music was way too loud (like having someone bang a drum inside of your body), and when my parents went for lunch, they said they wanted to vomit. My mother's soup was cold and lumpy and it came from a can.
Review Source:I'm the kind of person that is like chef Ramsey, I like my food to be fresh and I expect it to be when I go to a restaurant especially when it's by the water. Everything was frozen food that had been dropped in a fryer. I can buy it and do that myself. On top of that the waitress messed up my order and I had to wait for my other plate. :/ waste of money and time
Review Source:Nice location. Good fish tacos--not too much. Chicken sandwich with banana/ mango mayonnaise is amazing!. I would never have ordered this, but my son did, and it is off the hook!
A few 4 star qualities, but maybe a touch pricy for what you get. Pretty good mixed drinks. I hate paying $8-9 for a drink that tastes like cool-aid, but these were pretty good. Waitress pleasant but could have been more attentive. too bad for her too--the bar bill may have been larger, meaning bigger tips for her.
I was not impressed with this place whatsoever. As a young adult (20s), I would not go here again. If you're looking for a tacky, touristy restaurant, then this is the place for you.
Food was cold and the drinks were awful. It was way too loud (screaming kids) and way too overpriced. Its only redemption might be the outside deck (I was inside), which overlooks the water. There are more unique--and better priced--places out there.
Very lively and lots of dancing with a great band! It's another one of those seat yourselves and we went on a Friday night so we had to wait a while beofre grabbing a table. Our server was friendly and quick. I ordered the shrimp & grits -YUM!!! My husband got the fish tacos and was really disappointed. He almost choked on the wasabi cream and jalapeno relish as there was way too much on there and the spice/heat factor was just way too much, even for him. The fish was friend and not even cut up, just thrown on the plate but he loved my entree! We'll be back next year!
Review Source:Service horrible!
Waitress extremely rude, didn't welcome us. Brought out of food, 3 minutes later asked if we were done and wanted dessert. The place was pretty dead at around 8pm where we were eating. She also knocked over one of our beers, said she's get us another one and then charged us for it?!??!!?
Food is overpriced, nothing special. Â Just your typical Florida seafood place that has fried fish, shrimp and oysters. Â No specialty items, NOTHING unique (except for rude service).
Really people, go somewhere else. Â This is just a tourist trap (why else would they have a gift shop in the restaurant). Â You can check out the harbor, dolphins, fish and NOT go to the restaurant.
This is a great place to eat outside, enjoy looking at the water, and ducking seagulls. I got the blackened mahi-mahi sandwich, with fries. It was surpringly good. In the Daytona Beach area it is difficult to find good restaurants, especially ones on the water that might be frequented by tourists that won't be back a second time. Â If you are in the mood to eat, on the water, and don't mind seagulls and lovebugs, give it a try.
Review Source:I found the food & atmosphere were great. I had the caribbean chicken sandwich...was perfectly seasoned n cooked. Â My hubby had the chicken tenders, they were also just right. We went for lunch, so, too hot to set out on the deck, but inside was nice by the big windows...2 dolphins entertained several times....;)
The staff were all very friendly. Â Will go back, next trip to Daytona.
I wouldn't call this place a tourist trap, but its not a NICE, TAKE YOUR GIRLFRIEND ON YOUR FIRST DATE kind of place. They make some good Mahi Sandwiches here.
I like the food here. Anything you order is going to be better than any other restaurant in the area.
Don't forget to take your leftovers and feed the fish from the pier.
Typical tourist trap type restaurant. At least it's cleaner than Down the Hatch and it has a pretty nice gift shop when you're looking for something to bring for your friends back home. I found some nice soaps in there for our bathroom here too. lol.
I must say the view is really great, and the coconut shrimp is fairly good, so it's not too bad. But another sort of "margaritaville wannabee" type place. But that's OK--it's how they stay in business. The food isn't terrible, I've just had way better food elsewhere for the kind of $$ they charge.
You're really paying for the atmosphere more than anything, I think.
I give it 4 stars not because of the food and atmosphere, but really because I can take leftover fries from my companions' plates and feed them to the swarms of catfish along the dock.
I've been there 3 times while on vacation with my wife's family, and eating outside by the inlet with the live music is the only way to go here. The food is not good enough to actually eat inside. The outside deck and music scream Floridian cheesiness, but I'm pretty sure that's why you would come here (that's why I do). They also have an eclectic playground for the kids.
The food is mostly OK with some gems. There is plenty of non-seafood fare. If you want the best bang for your buck, get the Mucho Nachos. Say "No" to the philly cheese steak. Coconut shrimp are good. Last time I was there, I got blackened mahi mahi that was very tasty, and was possibly cooked over hickory. My wife liked the grilled scallops.
In the end, with the picturesque sunsets and breezy deck, feeding the ravenous catfish while listening to broken down versions of jimmy buffet songs...I'm not sure I care what I'm eating...but a nice fruity drink can come in handy.
Okay, I reviewed this place early in March, and didn't give it great reviews. BUT . . . once I heard from friends that they had a new chef who'd turned the place around, I gave it another shot. And I'm so glad I did!
I've been back twice, since, and have been pleased both times. Seared ahi tuna arrived cooked perfectly to my request (warm and rare) and in a generous portion. The side salad proved huge and was more than your typical "salad in a bag" style of side dish. The freshly made vinegarette dressing was delish!
Now . . . the New England clam chowder, oh, my! The "bowl" could have easily served two--and did--as my husband devoured what I couldn't finish. Plenty of perfectly diced carrots, celery and potatoes rounded out the generous amount of clam in the creamy chowder.
On our return trip, the burgers were perfectly cooked (mine very well done, his medium-rare), and the fries were awesome. Our son's chicken sandwich was out of this world. I'll definitely order it sometime soon.
Kudos to the new chef! You've managed to turn around the service (never had to ask for drink refills), bring the food up several notches, and the new arrangement of tables on the deck allows for room to move. Thanks for doing a great job!
We took a water taxi to the restaurant (the boat ride is nice). The restaurant is the furthest top on the water taxi so we decided to go to it. The water taxi had some coupons (always searching for a bargain) and the place was right on the Inter Coastal Waterway, so the setting is great. They had quality food and pleasant service. Worth the trip over. Don't forget the Key Lime pie if you go....d-lish.
Review Source:This is an average place with a great location. Â I have been here dozens of times though, and will still go back. Â I give the deck and food/drink 4 stars. Â Typical fried bar fare is good, and the drinks are decent. Â The live music, torches and atmosphere make it a fun place to have a drink with friends.
The inside restaurant I have never been impressed with. Â I find the food average at best, and the prices sky high. Â Decor and ambiance is touristy, but hey, it is a tourist area. Â I give the inside 2 stars, putting it at 3 overall.
If you are looking for some bar type food and a few beers while the sun goes down over the intercoastal, by all means give this a shot. Â If you are looking for a nice sit down dinner, skip.
This is a great place to go out and have seafood if you're tired of the typical Red Lobster atmosphere. While certainly not stuffy, the place is a bit more upscale than your average Daytona area restaurant, with prices to match. I tend to prefer smaller, homier restaurants, but the food here is really quite good so I have to recommend it. There's and outdoor bar and giftshop as well, though I haven't spent much time at either.
Review Source:
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