Recently my wife and family when to Doc Ford's Rum Bar and…read moreGrille, on Sanibel Island. This restaurant is simply an institution on the island. It is without question a must do, when you're here. My family and I have been coming here for many years, and it only has gotten better each time. This location has two floors of seating, more importantly two bars you can sit at. After checking in with the hostess, our wait was only about twenty minutes. Once seated at our table all of us were ready to order. For drinks we ordered two rounds I got the Dark and Stormy for both rounds(Gosling's Black Seal Rum mixed with Gosling's Ginger Beer & a squeeze of lime) my ordered a mango and coconut mojito; my sister in law ordered a rum runner. We all loved our drinks. Drinks here are always made perfect. For an appetizer we shared the calamari. The breading was light and the calamari was tender. For entrees my sister in law and I ordered the Deep Water Mahi Mahi(Hand-cut mahi-mahi seared in sweet soy sauce, placed on a jasmine rice stir fry with a tropical vinaigrette) This dish is my favorite meal here. The mahi was tender, the sweet soy sauce and the tropical vinaigrette ties everything together. My wife ordered the Yucatan Shrimp with a side of jalapeño cheese grits. She gave me two thumbs up. My father in law Grouper Sandwich (Fresh grouper grilled, blackened, or fried. Served with Doc's tartar sauce on a freshly baked roll) He ordered his fried. He loves the grouper sandwich here and usually gets it. Again, this is another place we will always comeback to.

Since their move to the current location we haven't really been impressed with Doc Fords. We are…read morelifelong vacationers who have been coming since the 60s in my parents case and I have clear memories of the old location being great. The quality definitely slipped from that point when they moved 10 years ago. I never really understood why it continued to be such a popular spot. If you don't believe that we my previous review that's over 10 years old lol We returned for the first time since Ian 4 years ago and while the service is still very touch & go-our server seemed to be having a rough night. To be fair she had the table next to us that was like 12 seemingly college age kids who were really loud & obnoxious & who were also annoying us so maybe that's accounts for her mood. The food and drinks have really turned around. We came in the first night of our trip just to "check that it still sucks" but knowing it's an easy walk in without much of a wait in the September off-season and we were tired from all day spent in the sun & wanted it to be easy. But we were so surprised. The food was excellent. Fresh. Not clearly reheated (a common thing in the past). I asked for a mojito made with coconut rum rather than traditional rum and that kind of seemed to confuse our server. To be fore they have a coconut mojito that has a coconut cream in it but that's not what I wanted. After a bit of back & forth it came out as ordered and delicious (highly recommend trying it made this way-you'll never go back) We enjoyed our meal so much we actually went back for a midday drink and snack later that week. Unheard of for us. Had a really lovely conversation with a bartender who's been there forever about the state of things at the island. He remembered my drink order so I'm apparently notorious now lol. And once again the food orders this time was so good and fresh and hot (very hot-beware of you order fish fingers) So very pleasantly surprised! Whatever you changed in the past 4 years, keep it up! Where a lot of places seem to have gotten worse since Ian you guys improved on n a huge way and we look forward to coming back now

My wife and I were on our 50 Anniversary Trip and our last night on Sanibel Island we ate at…read moreTraders. Chef Mike is a home grown native of Southwest Florida. We started with an appetizer of crab dip. It was stock full of big lump crab meat. It was one of the best crab dips I have had! We had their special, Stuffed Shrimp with lump crab and lobster ravioli. My wife had a big bowl of gumbo. I am a singer/songwriter and when the waitress found out that I have 16 songs published on Spotify, she went and played all my songs on the restaurant's stereo system throughout the entire restaurant! We had customers come up as they were leaving to tell me they loved my music. It was a special treat!

Pros: Best seafood pasta I had ever had. Like, amazing and huge portions!…read more Cons: overpriced. So so so overpriced.

Great experience watching a World Cup game at Tiki Bar! Bartenders were friendly, food came out…read morequick, and drinks were strong! Definitely recommend the gator bites and the nachos!

What great service! Sat down right away (4:30) ordered drinks immediately. Server was excellent…read more(Krista - you need sit in her area). Menu was diverse. Highly recommend the grouper sandwich, sliders, and the pickle appetizer. Mixed drinks were excellent too.

I had not eaten here for many years but as we had three children with us and they have booths…read morethought I would give it another try. While they share a kitchen I do expect that the food may not be the same quality as Timbers next door. We had the shrimp and grouper baskets. The shrimp were over cooked and the grouper was very thin and dry. Fries were good, and the children's drink portions were large. Enjoyed the baseball memorabilia but don't think we will be back.

The Sanibel Grill is a sports bar through and through. It has lots of random sports memorabilia and…read morefun Sanibel-related license plates all over. There's numerous tv screens to watch all the games - some booths even have their own screen. Aside from the sports decor, The Sanibel Grill has a very similar menu to Timbers Restaurant next door - I'm pretty sure the two are one and the same and share the same kitchen. I ordered the Grouper Fish tacos. You can get them blackened, fried, or grilled. I opted for fried. Note that the Sanibel Grill is known for their signature cornflake crunchy batter - but the grouper fish tacos are the lightly breaded bites and not cooked in their signature batter. The grouper was nicely cooked - tender and delicate bites. They used corn tortillas, which didn't fall to pieces while eating, but they were pretty flimsy (it was easy for a grouper bite to roll out). The tacos are served with rice pilaf topped with black beans which was on the bland side (nothing to write home about). I would've liked a hit of lime to add to my tacos, but the waitress never came back to check on us. Service is minimal. This is bar service all around. My friend ordered the combo basket (Grouper and fried shrimp) and comes with a side of fries and cole slaw. You can hear the crunch - I can see why it's their signature. My sister ordered the shrimp scampi with rice pilaf (she was hoping for pasta but that was not a side option - it's either rice pilaf or potatoes - smashed, French fried, or sweet potato fries). It also came with fresh green beans. The shrimp were nicely cooked and super buttery. She also ordered the crab bisque which was creamy and had good crab flavor, but I wouldn't say it was overloaded with crab meat. We finished the meal with a slice of Florida's signature key lime pie. The slice was small but had giant key lime flavor. It was very sweet but this was my favorite key lime pie slice from our whole trip. The Sanibel Grill gave us average food and average service. No military discount here.

Lazy Flamingo is finally reopened! After the hurricanes a couple of years ago, this location was…read moreclosed as they rebuilt and recovered. I was so happy that it reopened again and we could not wait to get here! We did not have a reservation and did not have to wait for a table. The night we went must have a been a good night since it was not very busy. We do usually go for lunch but decided to do dinner this year. My family is very traditional and know what we like. We started with clam chowder and the garlic bread with marinara. The clam chowder, OMG this is so creamy, delicious, thick and so yummy. It's almost like a sauce it's so good. It is our favorite clam chowder around! The garlic bread is also delicious, it is crunchy, garlicky and delicious. If you want the marinara it does cost extra and honestly it is good but you can live without it. We actually dipped the garlic bread in the conch chowder. I've also tried the conch chowder also very good but very spicy. I ordered my absolute favorite dish, which is the steamer pot. It's 2 dozen steamed clams, in a steamer pot which comes with butter to dip. I think on its own, you might be hungry but adding the soup its a perfect meal. The steamer pot is actually on the appetizer menu. These clams are so delicious, served hot, with old bay. Honestly I could eat double! My mom ordered the fried shrimp and my sister ordered the buffalo shrimp. They both liked it but were not thrilled with the breading. The breading on both was very sweet and very strange for fried shrimp. My husband ordered the mahi tacos and where he loved the flavor and taste, the portion was very small for the price. He only got 2 and served with a small side of rice and beans. He enjoyed it but said he would not get it again. I do feel this is worth going. I think their prices have increased since re opening and portion sizes have decreased. My family strayed from their usual items and did not overly enjoy it. Next time they said they would stick with what the know is good. The vibe here is very chill and laid back, almost like you are in the hull of a ship. Its a very chill spot. Lots of beer selections as well. I definitely think you should add it to your list to check out.

The Lazy Flamingo is a Captiva staple and you'll find it on Periwinkle Way…read more We have been coming for many years. The atmosphere here is low key, which is especially great if you're coming straight from the beach. When you enter the restaurant you definitely get the sense of low key. The staff all wearing Lazy Flamingo t-shirts, that they sell to customers. Once we were seated our server came with waters and menus. We told her all of us were ready to order. For the table we got the Flamingo Garlic Bread with marinara. We always get this and it's delicious. For my entree I ordered the Shrimp Tacos (Lightly fried shrimp on flour tortillas with crisp slaw, topped with house-made mango salsa, & drizzled with a spicy cream sauce. Served w/black beans & rice) The shrimp was hot and well seasoned. It had a little too much breeding though. Loved the spicy cream sauce and mango salsa.The black beans were made perfectly. For drinks got a Land Shark. It paired well with the tacos; My wife ordered the Clam Chowder to start with and she loved it. For her entree she ordered the Pot (2 dozen select oysters or clams or combo, steamed in beer with special spices, celery, onions, all in their own fresh juices) This is here favorite meal here. Tonight it was still delicious. My mother in law ordered the Clam Chowder to start with as well. For her entree she ordered the Shrimp (Plump, pink, breaded (our own) prawns. Served w/cocktail sauce & French fries. She said the breading on the shrimp was a little too much; My sister in law ordered the clam chowder to start with as well. For her entree she got the Buffalo Shrimp (Six of our plump fried shrimps tossed in you of mild or hot buffalo sauce, Served w/celery & bleu cheese. All in all it was a good dinner. Again we come here every year.

The service was impeccable!!! The pizza from the pizza oven…read morewas great! Amazing sunsets! Highly recommend. Our bartender, Brianna, did a superb job. The servers, Jose, Cody, and Amit were all very friendly. Great experience.

We were here a few times. It's located on the Marriott property, on Punta Rassa, which has limited…read moredining options. But in spite of that, the sunset and water views are some of the best around (check out my pics and their background views). The service was fairly prompt. We visited here as a "chill" place for watching the sunset, dolphins (each day they hung out at the new dock below) and the channel boating activity. You can see our beverages: refreshing and cold, see pics, perfect for Florida weather. The salads were fresh and vibrant. The Carnival on flat bread was tasty. The Angus Burger with cheese, hit the spot, as did the crisscross fries - they were very crunchy. The Street Tacos were the hit. They were larger than traditional street tacos and the flavored red pepper aioli added the rich punch to the avocado and blackened Mahi Mahi. This was a good low vibe, sunset watching location.

Kava has been part of Pacific Island culture for centuries, long before it ever showed up in the…read moreUnited States. It started as a communal drink shared during gatherings, ceremonies, and quiet moments between people who valued connection and calm. At some point that tradition drifted into Western culture, eventually creating the whole "kava café" concept. I honestly don't know when it became a popular thing in Florida, and I'm not sure anyone does. It just feels like one day you started hearing about them, and the next thing you know, these mellow little kava spots were popping up everywhere. What I do know is that my experience at Kava Culture was so unexpectedly good that I found myself saying something I never thought I would. I told them I wished they served Matcha Lattes because if they did, I'd start coming here a lot more often, even though I live a fair bit away. As someone who doesn't do cannabis, CBD, THC, or anything in that world, I walked in with curiosity and walked out feeling pleasantly surprised. The vibe, the calm, the atmosphere, and the way everyone there seemed genuinely relaxed made the whole experience feel refreshing. It didn't feel edgy or strange or outside my comfort zone. It just felt good. Real, grounded, and easy. And honestly, that alone says everything about why this place won me over.

I stopped by Kava Culture Kava Bar on a Thursday morning. I had visited a different coffee shop the…read moreday before and had such a great experience that I found myself on an unofficial coffee tour that week. From the outside, the place looks really cute and well-decorated. Just a heads-up--it's the second door, not the first one. I accidentally walked into the office before realizing I was in the wrong spot. Thankfully, a friendly gentleman working there opened the correct door for me. Inside, the vibe was calm and welcoming. The space was nicely decorated, with a clean bar setup and people enjoying their drinks and conversations. It looked like they also had some merch in the back, which added to the cozy coffeehouse feel. I was greeted by a bubbly barista who asked if I knew what I wanted. I didn't, so I reached for the menu and immediately felt overwhelmed. There was a lot to take in, and it wasn't very intuitive. Thankfully, the barista was helpful and offered to make me something based on my preferences. I told her I liked my coffee strong and plain--no sweet flavors or extras. She ended up making me an iced coffee with a bit of simple syrup. It was great. The flavor was rich, the coffee was perfectly balanced, and the color told me everything I needed to know. I am not someone who likes a cup of creamer with a splash of coffee, so I was happy with how it turned out. I gave this place four stars. The only reason I didn't give five is the menu setup. It could definitely be more digestible. When I came back that weekend with a guest, they had a hard time figuring out what to order too, which confirmed it wasn't just me. That said, I do plan to return. The space is nice, the staff is friendly, and the coffee was worth the visit. With a few tweaks to the customer ordering experience, this place could easily become a go-to.

Good food, good drinks, good service. Then why only four stars? Because it's hot. There's no ac in…read morethere. Just fans. I went around 8:30pm and it was just hot. I liked how there is live music. Even better that the live music's volume wasn't so loud you couldn't hear the person next to you or your own thoughts.

When on vacation to Fort Myers last week, Manny had recommended this restaurant…read more Know that it is pretty much all outdoors so you're eating outside, but they have a portion that is covered in the main restaurant, but all the walls are open. There were three of us and we ordered a wedge salad, ceviche, snapper, and some other shrimp plate. We all liked our food very much! I would definitely return!

Beautiful spot right on the water with a comfortable sports bar feel -- easy place to settle in…read more Great selection of drinks, too. The standouts: the black bean dip and the macadamia crusted grouper. Both worth ordering. We'll definitely be back, and hopefully snag a table outside next time.

Given the reviews, we decided to give Doc Ford's a try after a day of shopping. The atmosphere was…read morefun! The staff were friendly and the food was good. I truly enjoyed the Yucatán Chicken sandwich! It was juicy and scrumptious. We would definitely filet visit again the next time we visit Fort Myers.

This was a great place from service to food and really they had me right away when the fries came…read moreout so crispy and fresh! They also do a fun birthday surprise and ask everyone to sing to you!!

Came here on a Saturday evening with about an hour before close around 8PM and they close around…read more9PM. I think they had a lot of people come in and asked if we could be sat at the bar which we complied. I was told this was the original CheeBurger. There used to be some other franchises, but this is the original. I ordered the island time cheeseburger, which had guacamole and a pineapple inside it was a very juicy burger and quite good. I also ordered a mango milkshake, which was also very tasty. On the screen, they had Savannah Bananas playing, which was quite entertaining, and the burger was actually really good. Cooked well tasted really great but I was also pretty hungry since it was around 8PM. A friend ordered some onion rings and fries. Those onion rings are addicting. They're very good and made with real onions and had such a nice crunch. I would definitely order that again. Overall great meal and the staff was very nice.