We came to the Keylime Bistro to get one thing- Key Lime Pie, of course!!…read more Honestly, it was quite expensive. $10 per pierce- buttt when we saw the size of the slices, you at least get a bang for your buck. We also just walked in after dinner one evening and one of the servers got us rang up and got our dessert pretty quickly which was nice. The key lime was lovely. It was the right amount of tart, along with the whipped cream and some tart raspberry /lime syrup and it was a splendid combination. It was the perfect dessert to enjoy after a nice beach day and staying in paradise on Captiva. Can't speak for the actual food but the restaurant is super adorable and has half indoor and half outdoor seating and it's really nice. Plus, great key lime pie!

Every year since 2004, with the exception of 2020 and after Ian, we have visited Captiva and always…read morehad lunch at the Keylime Bistro! We absolutely loved that place!! We were so happy to see that they rebuilt and the outside, in particular, looks almost the same! We have always ordered the crab cakes, spinach salad, and Keylime pie. My friend, who lives here, also ordered a Keylime martini. First of all, our waiter, Sal, gave her an outdated menu, so when she ordered the martini for $10, she was charged $15. Then the crab cakes came and they now look like they came from Costco. We asked Sal if they were made in house, and he said they were. Really? Today we ate at the Fresh Catch on Ft Myers Beach. I am posting pictures of the 2 crabcakes from Keylime. which cost me $18.00 and the 3 crabcakes I bought today for dinner at the Fresh Catch Bistro on Ft Myers beach for $15.00. If you're reading this, you decide which ones you wanna buy.

This is by far my favorite place to have dinner on Captiva Island. The food is excellent and the…read moreService is wonderful. We went twice in one week.!

My wife and I were tired of the same 7 restaurants that we seem to visit every time we come to…read moreCaptiva. The fact that 3 of those 7 have been permanently (or semi-permanently) shut down notwithstanding- we finally decided to explore a few new places. Sunshine popped up in Yelp! and it sounded interesting and looked like a cute little place (according to the wife) If you're not specifically LOOKING for it- you'll easily miss it, if that makes sense. It's located right next to RC Otters (their outside seating seamlessly segues into Otters' outdoor tables) and there's very limited parking. They do, in fact, have their own parking lot but, due to hurricane rebuilding construction, it's quite difficult to figure out the maze-like separation of fencing and one-way arrows, ha ha! Once we found a spot and wandered over to the restaurant, the hostess/waitress (and, I suspect? part owner?) came out to greet us. We were seated -outside at our request -at a nice table underneath an outdoor pavilion-style area. Ceiling fans were abundant and the air was redolent with the aromas of cooking from more than just one or two kitchens! My wife and I ordered the Focaccia bread with roasted garlic and a balsamic reduction, and the Lobster Bisque. The bread was-- JJ Walker style-- DY-NO-MITE! And the two condiments really worked well with amazing bread. My wife's soup was fabulous- it came in a crock baked with a puff-pastry shell over the top. Each bite composed of savory pastry, large chunks of lobster meat, and a sherry-sweetened seafood cream broth. We cleaned our respective plates with much sharing and crumb-making! My dinner was the Chef's take on Paella. It was very interesting- adding capers, Kalamata olives, and artichoke hearts to the standard shrimp, clams, chicken, and Chorizo, served over tender rice. My wife's dish was the star of the show- she had the fish special: Chilean Sea Bass with a Sweet Thai chili sauce served over blah blah blah with a side of whazzawhoozit. I'm sorry- the fish was SOOOO good that I've forgotten what else was on her plate! Either way- the piece of fish was absolutely enormous and the sauce was just fabulous. I'm fairly certain there were a few shrimp gracing the plate as well, but again- THAT FISH! We were both so insanely full that we didn't even think about perusing the desert menu. I'm sure that whatever they may have had on offer was fabulous but we just couldn't eat another bite. The service was impeccable. The food was to die for (That FISH!!! That SOUP!) and even the ambiance was totally "island time!" Sunshine Cafe is now on our rotation for next year! I highly recommend stopping in for a bite if you have the opportunity! EDIT: as noted in another review- my wife ordered the Sea Bass "special." While we never saw the special on the menu (it was read off to us as we sat at the table) we were also NOT informed about the "Special surcharge." It was $22.00. Look- I'm not a cheapskate. I don't usually look too closely at the prices while we're out dining on vacation. I'm a ridiculous tipper. If the service was decent- I'll always give 20, 25, even 30%. NOT all that long ago, I gave a $100 tip on a $200 bill. BUT- backdoor and hidden charges make me wildly upset. The Sea Bass was amazingly good. But it was $70.00 instead of $48.00 thanks to the "special surcharge". I took 2 stars off for deceptive pricing. I WILL examine the next check very carefully. I do NOT include tax and surcharges on the amount that I tip on. This will be reflected in my next tip, as well. Grrrrr!

Harbourside Bar and Grill is located at the marina of the South Seas resort. We went here on 4th of…read moreJuly. We were seated promptly - the hostess and waitress Yany were very nice. Service was quick and that was appreciated as we wanted to see the fireworks right after. My son had the cheese pizza which was goods I had the piccata - it was ok, could have been more flavorful and lemony. They serve garlic knots up front. We had a coffee with chocolate and whipped cream for dessert which was yummy. Note for future: you can probably see the fireworks from the outside tables.

Super friendly staff. Well mannered, enthusiastic bartender who paid much attention to the details…read moreof his concoctions. The bar area was our favorite spot. A mature clientele filled the restaurant. A few grand babies scattered throughout. Wasn't our first choice, but perfect for seniors , and those who enjoy historical venues. We appreciated its charm and history. The menu was impressive and the desserts we observed at a few tables looked delightful. 3.5 stars

First time going there, it was a wonderful experience. Very nice servers, very patient and…read moreexplained the menu, me and my family were very satisfied with this place. It was kinda pricey, but worth the price. Food was freshly made and very delicious. Our server Anais was very helpful and gave wonderful service. Definitely worth the trip and money. Will be coming back.

Wow! Everything about this place was great! The food, the drinks, the ambiance - It was a great…read moreexperience and I don't know why I haven't been here before. A couple things to know - go with an appetite, and make sure you get desert! I had the filet mignon with Risotto and the Red Velvet. The husband had the Prime Rib and cheese cake.

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

We discovered the Shipyard last year and has become one we look forward to each year now! We…read morerecently visited again and it was just as good as we remembered! Shipyard is located at Tween Waters resort. There are actually a couple of restaurants at this resort, but they are open to everyone, you do not need to be staying here. We did make a reservation but it is not needed. Inside is on the smaller side, not a lot of tables. It can get really busy during peak seasons. They do have a bar with seats and this time we went early and had some cocktails and apps before sitting down. My only issue this time, was we did make a reservation. They sat our party of 5 at a table for 4 with a chair on the end. We were very cramped. We did ask for a bigger table towards the back but were told it was for a group of 14. I get that HOWEVER, we were finished eating, paid and left before that group of 14 even showed up. We could have gotten a better seating arrangement. My sister sat on the end and we were extremely tight at the table. The chairs are also not hip friendly so I was extremely uncomfortable the entire time. This restaurant does offer great sunset views with all their open windows. Captiva is known for their beautiful sunsets. At the bar, we ordered cocktails and 2 apps. For appetizers we got the Drunken Shrimp which are large peeled Gulf Shrimp, cooked in a zesty sauce of beer, chili sauce and butter with bread for dipping, as well as friend Calamari. I did not love these shrimp to be honest. They had a weird sweet flavor to them. They were gigantic shrimp though, but I would not get these again. For drinks my husband ordered a Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned, which he enjoyed. I ordered the Key Lime Pie Martini which had Vanilla Vodka, Coco Lopez, Key Lime Juice, Graham Cracker Rim and I loved this! I got it last year as well and just as good as I remembered. My sister ordered a Rum Runner which she loved and my mom, ordered a Cosmopolitan. She enjoyed this too even saying it was the perfect color! IYKYK at the table I also ordered an espresso martini and my husband ordered one as well but with Casamigos Reposado tequila. Both very good! For food myself and my mom ordered our favorite item on the menu, I think about this dish and will probably get it each and every visit. It is the Sesame Blackened Salmon which is pan-seared sesame blackened Scottish Salmon with coconut rice, crisp stir-fry veggies, "Red Pepper Jam," and sweet soy. 100 out of 10!! My husband ordered the Salmon Club which was Grilled Scottish Salmon on sourdough toast with pineapple tartar sauce, sugar-cured bacon, lettuce and tomato. It was very tasty and really good. He enjoyed it. In the future though he would ask for the tarter on the side, it was pretty heavy and hes not a huge fan of tarter. My dad ordered the Grouper Sandwich which he got friend. It had lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion and pineapple tartar sauce served on a brioche bun, he did ask for the tarter on the side. It was very tasty. My sister was the only one who did not enjoy her meal and actually sent it back. She ordered the Grilled Grouper which was Served on coconut rice with Piña Colada butter, pineapple salsa and vegetable medley. It was also one of the most expensive items on the menu. It was a really sad serving of grouper, and it was ice cold, as though it had been sitting for a really long time. Overall, I would highly recommend this location. This has become our first night tradition and we will visit each and every year. Add this to your list for sure!

The Shipyard is located at Tween Waters resort. You do not need to be staying here, in order to…read moredine here. The restaurant has a nautical theme throughout with buoys, boat ropes, lanterns and more. We did make a reservation but it is not needed. We arrived early so we decided to go sit at the bar and have some drinks and appetizers. Once seated at the bar we were greeted quickly by the bartender. We put in our order asap. For appetizers we got the Drunken Shrimp (Large peeled Gulf Shrimp, cooked in a zesty sauce of beer, chili sauce and butter with bread for dipping) and Calamari For drinks I ordered a Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned, my wife got a Key Lime Pie Martini ( Vanilla Vodka, Coco Lopez, Key Lime Juice, Graham Cracker Rim), my sister in law ordered a Rum Runner, my mother in law ordered a Cosmopolitan. The calamari was hot, crispy and light. The Drunken Shrimp has a nice mild spice and the shrimp large a succulent. The drinks were delicious and potent. We finish our appetizers before our table was ready in the main dining area. Once the buzzer went off we headed to our seats. Our server greeted us warmly and we knew exactly what we wanted so we put the orders in. We got second round of drinks. I got a Casamigos Reposado Espresso Martini, my wife got a regular Espresso Martini, mother in law ordered another Cosmopolitan. I ordered the Salmon Club (Grilled Scottish Salmon on sourdough toast with pineapple tartar sauce, sugar-cured bacon, lettuce and tomato) This was delicious. The sourdough toasted, salmon was well seasoned and hot, the only thing I should have asked was to put the sauce on the side; My wife and mother in law ordered the Sesame Blackened Salmon (Pan-seared sesame blackened Scottish Salmon with coconut rice, crisp stir-fry veggies, "Red Pepper Jam," and sweet soy) they said they enjoyed the meal. Quote the salmon is perfect; my father in law ordered the Grouper Sandwich (Your choice of grilled, blackened or fried fresh Gulf grouper with lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion and pineapple tartar sauce served on a brioche bun) he have it a 10 out of 10; my sister in law ordered the Grilled Grouper (Served on coconut rice with Piña Colada butter, pineapple salsa and vegetable medley) she unfortunately didn't like her meal. The grouper was cold a tough to chew. That was a bummer but staff was apologetic. All in all we will return to the Shipyard for sure.

my husband and i don't drink alot but if we do, we come here! always a great vibe, great…read morebartenders, great drinks. the live jazz players are incredible and really set the mood. we love the owner, he's so talented at singing. will always stay loyal to this place! love it. we also love the old charlie chaplin and mary pickford films!!!

I love this place. The esthetic and the scenery definitely took me back to the Roaring 20s. A great…read morelounge for handmade cocktails. I recommend getting there early as seating is limited. Did not stay long enough to order a drink but I will definitely head back.

For those who have been to Trader Sam's at Disneys Polynesian Resort…read more... Picture that, but less theatrics. Ie Great Vibe, same style tiki drinks, the menu book is fashioned in the same leather bound style... I actually took a break from my phone and watched the bar tenders make the drinks.. I already plan to come back. For those reading...it's true what everyone else is probably already saying...if rocking up in a big group...come super early or else you will be waiting and hour or more. I got lucky as it was just me.

In the land of happy hours and mediocre drinks it was refreshing to find a place like this down in…read moreBonita. These folks understand the meaning of craft cocktails, complete with making as many of their own ingredients/mix-ins as possible. We were lucky as we were able to just walk in and pick any table we liked at 8pm on a Wednesday. I guess it can get quite busy at times. The chartreuse colored chairs and gorgeous stained glass lights told me instantly that we came to the right place. They have an extensive cocktail list, but that didn't stop me from ordering something not on the menu. They had no questions or problems making it. My spouse also ordered something not on the menu that was recommended to her by someone that had it once here before when it was one of their seasonal specials. Once again, not a challenge for these master bartenders. Everyone was upbeat and clearly enjoying what they do. Looking forward to getting back the next time I'm in Bonita.

Just had awesome fish tacos (cobia) at the Pink Elephant. Always in search of better than average…read morefish tacos and they did not disappoint. Plenty of meaty fish similar to mahi. Delicious topping & sauce. Highly recommend. They come 2 per order and they split them on plates for us since we just wanted a snack (only went in for a drink). The onion rings were also way above average, crunchy and delicious! Austin the bartender is really sweet and keeps the customers happy. Enjoyed sitting at the bar so he could serve us again. Don't recommend going on a holiday weekend though. What were we thinking? Well the beach had no parking and the streets were very busy. Glad we found a place to park at the pink elephant. We just wanted a little beach outing for vow-renewal "anniversary." Wink. Probably going again soon on our engagement anniversary!

Hostess was great, food was good, but the service was poor. After we received our entrees, no one…read moreever came back to check to see how it was or if we needed anything. Our table was cleaned and the waitress came back and asked if we wanted another round of drinks, we said no thank you, she said "okay your dinner will be out shortly". We already ate !!!! We are drinking coffee and waiting for our dessert and they brought us out more bread The atmosphere was very nice. I think they gave the waitress too many tables.

Recently my wife and family when to the Green Flash Waterfront Restaurant, located on Captiva…read moreIsland. This is one of the more unique restaurants. Situated on the waters of Roosevelt Channel, the Green Flash overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway, the waters of Pine Island Sound, and Buck Key. The Green Flash can be navigated by boat and is located southwest of Marker 38 on the Intracoastal Waterway. Once we checked in with the hostess, we were taken to our seats immediately. The entire dining room overlooks the Intracoastal waterway. It's such a beautiful sight while dining. When our server came and greeted us, we were ready to order. My sister in law and I ordered the Pan Seared Diver Scallops- with a saffron lemon cream sauce. For sides I got polenta and she got spaetzle. I thought the scallops had a nice sear. The saffron lemon cream sauce was delicious. My wife ordered the Seafood Sampler(Oyster Rockefeller, Fried Scallops, BBQ Shrimp wrapped in bacon, Steamed Shrimp, and Fresh Fish Filet) my said she enjoyed her meal. I asked her what the fish filet was, she didn't know but it tasted good. My mother in law ordered the Captiva Salad(Mix baby greens, mandarin oranges, asparagus, artichoke hearts, smoked salmon, pan seared scallops, seared shrimp, and blue cheese) She always gets this dish every year. Tonight she said it's still her favorite. My father in law ordered the peel and eat shrimp. He gave me thumbs up needless to say the dish was good. Green Flash is always a stop for us while in Captiva. We shall return for sure.

The Green Flash is located on Captiva Island and has been a great lunch spot for our family for…read moremany years. In recent years we have been going for dinner and where my whole family enjoys it, I just do not love it. I cannot seem to find the item I really love. However, the views alone are fantastic, especially on a sunny beautiful day! The entire back wall is all windows so everyone is looking out on the water and boats pulling up and docking to eat. They have a private parking lot which is small and can get really crowded. They also are located on the second floor so you can use the stairs and ramp or head to the back and take the elevator. There is a bar right inside when you first go in and can just visit to sit at the bar. We made a reservation and it was challenging to get one. We had to adjust days and they were very busy. I would recommend a reservation unless you want to wait or have a small party. Our server was very nice and polite. She seemed a little overwhelmed and did not refill waters or anything. However she was so sweet when my mom did not like her cocktail and wanted a different one. My husband and I ordered espresso martini's which were delicious, my mom tried a cosmo and did not like it, so she also switched to an espresso martini. They start by bringing you warm sourdough bread and butter. I love any meal that starts with bread! My husband and sister ended up ordering the same, they ordered the Pan Seared Diver Scallops- with a saffron lemon cream sauce. My husband chose polenta for his side and my sister got spaetzle. The scallops had a nice sear and the saffron lemon cream sauce was delicious, however, it was small and one of the most expensive items on the menu. My husband was still slightly hungry. I chose something new and got the Seafood Sampler which had a Oyster Rockefeller, Fried Scallops, BBQ Shrimp wrapped in bacon, Steamed Shrimp, and Fresh Fish Filet. I was looking at the BBQ Shrimp on its own but after speaking to the server, that only came with 5 shrimp and for a couple of dollars more, I got the sampler. It just seemed like a better deal. It was good to be honest. I did actually enjoy my meal. The fish was a little cold and I did ask for butter to dip the shrimp, that took awhile so most of my food was on the cooler side. Nothing came out piping hot which was a disappointment for me. I gave my oyster to my mom. I also chose the scalloped potatoes as my side. I think I just want a baked potato and they don't have that! My mom ordered the Captiva Salad which is Mix baby greens, mandarin oranges, asparagus, artichoke hearts, smoked salmon, pan seared scallops, seared shrimp, and blue cheese. She loves this dish and has gotten it a few times. My dad ordered the peel and eat shrimp, which he loves. Its simple and plain for his stomach. I will say that all the food was coming out fast but nothing was extremely hot which was weird. Their prices can be very high, it was well over $250 for our family of 5. I know its fish and seafood, but to me, to have luke warm food and pay over $250 is just not worth it. My sister did have to send hers back for being cold cold and the owner did come over which was nice. I kind of thought he would give us a free meal or take some money off, but he did not. It took a bit for her to get her meal too so we all ate slower which again didn't help with the temp. I just felt for ice cold scallops the recovery could have been better. MY favorite part of this restaurant is the bathrooms. They are weird and unique. The men's bathroom (I sent my husband in to check it out) has a one-way mirror. As they are using the bathroom, they can look out onto the bar! WHAT! It's so funny to me. The bar only sees a mirror and have no idea that the bathroom is staring at them! The women's bathroom has a mannequin when you walk in. It literally startles me every single time. I have no idea the story behind this, but it makes our family smile and laugh every single time! All in all, this is a great place. Its unfortunately not my absolute favorite on the island but it is for sure in the top. I know this is a spot we will visit each year. The views and the food are really what makes this a fantastic restaurant.