Lazy Flamingo 3

Nice option if you are on the north side of Pine Island for lunch.  Great Florida atmosphere with views of the marina.  The fried foods are all tasty, especially the oysters.  Nothing is spectacular, but also no disappointments.  Always had good service.

Service was good, but the menu is so limited. Why can't there be a decent side dish? The grilled grouper is good...so are the clams.

One of the only restaurants on the Northern end of Pine island, on the waterfront at the Four Winds Marina.

It is related to The Lazy Flamingos on Sanibel.

Inside is a nice ambiance, decent bar (you have to love the huge pit in the middle of the bar filled with ice and chilling beers). There is outdoor seating.

The two of us had conch fritters, fried clams, and Clams Marinara. The conch fritters were good, a little overdone, but tasty. There wasn't a special dipping sauce for them, just marinara sauce. The clams marinara (without the pasta) was good. The best part was the garlic bread, which The Flamingo is known for. It came with 8 little neck clams. The fried clams were the winner of this meal - large and succulent. Top off with 2 drafts and 2 bottles of beer.

Beer is more expensive by $1 for each a draft and a bottle than the rest of the island.

Total for the bill came to $48 with tax but not including gratuity.

The downer is that all dishes are served in baskets or on melamine plates - which I don't mind. It's a Florida thing. What I didn't like was that they served all of the dinners with plastic forks and knives. If I'm paying $14 for a meal and have to dig into clams, I want a real fork. I think the plastic ware cheapened the experience.

If you time it right, the "ferry" to go to Upper Captiva leaves from this marina and it can be a real people-watching opportunity on a Friday or Saturday.

Plenty of parking. Kids are welcome at dinner. Lots of flamingos hanging around on the walls.

If you are coming by water, turn in at Channel Marker #8 off the ICW. There is a sign on the marker to lead you to the Lazy Flamingo.