We tried to visit a few years ago but Gramma Dot's was closed while rebuilding after a hurricane. We were exited to be able to visit this time! The food was delicious, the service was excellent and the atmosphere is laidback vacation vibes. We ordered the blackened mahi tacos, conch fritters, and sampler platter. I also ordered the Blueberry Bay Mule cocktail and it was sooo good! read more

Gramma Dot's - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

We were visiting Sanibel Island and wanted a restaurant on the water. Gramma Dots is in the Marina, so there is sort of a water view. We had chicken fingers and the special of the day, Lobster roll. The chicken fingers were good (standard fare) and home made house chips. My husband said the lobster roll was good. Try the peach sangria if you go! Just watch your bill. We were told the Lobster roll was the lunch special at $23.99 but we were billed $26.99. read more

This restaurant is kind of off the beat and path. Located in a harbor on Sanibel, we didn't really even know about it until a local recommend it! So glad we went, the food and drinks were great! We ate outside for dinner and the sunset was beautiful! The restaurant is a little small so I would recommend going when the weather is good to eat outside! My only issue was the service. We had a waiter that was obviously very busy and it took over an hour to get our order in and another 30-40 minutes after we were done eating to get a check. If our service was better I would definitely give it 5/5 read more

Beautiful location on the marina. Excellent service attentive knowledgeable regarding menu and daily catch Started with Sippin Sundhine. Cocktails Ordered the daily catch.. triple tail which was succulent and prepared beautifully. My sister ordered blackened grouper and mom ordered the crab cakes. For dessert we had key lime pie read more

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What a great spot! If only it wasn't like 50 degrees and windy, we would have loved it even more! But we can overlook mother nature and just enjoy the comfort food here at Gramma Dots! I can imagine how crowded this place gets when it's in season and a gorgeous day. There aren't that many tables so plan accordingly. Parking probably also gets pretty tight. The restaurant is also situated right in the marina so there are plenty of boats that dock and dine as well. What a great location and fun place. Angelina was our server and she also had a friend that worked there, (I forget her name), from our home state of NJ and right from the Jersey Shore! The food was really good - - and Angelina had great recommendations and she was so helpful and patient with us. I started my meal with the great Miami Vice adult beverage. It was very good and they have a great selection of drinks -- both with and without alcohol. For lunch, I had the fried oyster basket. which was amazing. My husband had the Coconut Shrimp and he loved it as well. Both meals were cooked to perfection, hot and fresh and crunchy. And to top off our meal, Angelina said we had to try the Key Lime Pie. So glad we did, it was key lime perfection! The nice warm coffee was just what i needed to end the meal and warm me up. We will definitely be back next time we are in town. Thanks, Angelina for a great dining experience! Sanibel Island, we will miss you! Til next time. read more

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Delicious coconut shrimp basket and fish dip dish. Dip can med with fried saltines which are unique and yummy. Garden salad was okay but not a highlight. Great venue in the Marina overlooking the boats! Service was great! read more

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Gramma Dot's is one of our favorite spots on the island for dinner. Situated right in the harbor, it is the perfect island vibe with friendly staff and delicious food. We have bee frequenting Gramma Dot's for years and it never disappoints. A must try on Sanibel Island! read more

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Gramma Dot's is a Sanibel classic we've been returning to for more than 15 years. There's something special about driving into the marina, admiring the yachts and fishing boats, and then stepping into this tiny dining room -- it probably seats 25-30 people -- where the atmosphere feels like a cozy coastal cottage. We arrived last Thursday and the crowd outside was already soaking in the sunset with drinks in hand. Inside, our party of seven was greeted by Katie, who was incredible. She managed to take care of all of our orders while also mixing cocktails behind the bar -- never missing a beat. Seafood is the star here, but the beef selections are equally outstanding. Our group ordered a little of everything, including: * Key Lime Tuna Steak (ask for it lightly seared -- perfection!) * Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp * New York Strip * Filet Mignon * Peel & Eat Shrimp -- fresh and generously portioned Portions are hearty, everything arrives piping hot, and it all tastes like the island -- unfussy, flavorful, and fresh. If you have room, the Key Lime Pie is a must. It's practically famous on Sanibel for good reason. The intimate dining room, friendly staff, and marina views always bring back good memories for us. It's a place where you instantly feel like a regular -- even if it's your first visit. Plan on a wait during peak times, but it's worth it every time. We'll be back again on our next trip to the island -- some traditions you don't mess with. read more

Gramma Dot's - New York Strip - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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I was craving fried oysters ( good ones) and my research led me to this lovely restaurant right on the water. I heard they got busy quickly so I made sure to be first in line. Our sever said the oysters were good and particularly large that day so we said we would try them and then order lots more. We asked about the crab meatballs and she said they were her favorite so we had to have those as well. I was born and bred on the coast of Savannah and if it's one thing I know it's oysters. They arrived and it was clear that each oyster had been cut not into two, but three or four pieces and passed off as individual oysters. Not even dime sized. You could not taste the oyster pieces inside they were so tiny. The sad thing was that the breading was delicious and they were seasoned beautifully. If only we could taste some ( ANY) actual oyster! The crab meatballs were outstanding and we got two more orders of them. The tartar sauce was great. I didn't hate the poblano sauce, it would have been better served warm. The clam chowder had few potatoes and fewer clams. Watery. I also had a Caesar salad that was so over dressed I couldn't eat it. My partner thankfully will eat anything so it didn't go to waste. The wine was good, employees incredibly nice and I loved the space. Bathrooms were not functional, but there were alternative portable ones outside. One day I will find a good fried oyster in this state. For now, I go back to Charleston or Savannah where they are perfect. read more

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This place is LITERALLY one of my favorite places EVER and literally so nostalgic because I grew up going here as my first stop on Sanibel Island before entering our condo. I usually LOVE the grouper sandwich but today I tried the crab cake sandwich and LET ME TELL YOU! MMMMM chefs kiss!! read more

Food is fresh and delicious. Service was good considering they were slammed. Setting is better than most yacht clubs Absolutely worth a trip read more

What is a great restaurant, the best location, exceptional customer service, reasonably prices - sounds like the perfect place for a wonderful lunch with a view of the marina, unfortunately the food is lacking flavor and is anything but creative. Being we were spending the day on Sanibel Island we decided to find a spectacular restaurant on the water, after looking on Yelp we knew maybe we had found the best lunch restaurant on the island, the decision to eat here was even validated by a line of customers waiting on Gramma Dot's to open its doors - after finding a parking space we walked up to find that the line quickly disappeared and we were able to grab a window side seat without a wait. We were met at our table by our wonderful server Heather who was very friendly and made a few recommendations and answered all our questions before leaving to get our drinks. We ordered a Cheddar Cheeseburger and a Blackened Chicken Sandwich both came with chips, a pickle spear, some ranch dressing and a slice of melon and a wedge of pineapple - the food arrived fast as did the food service brand condiments, the presentation was simple and the food was cooked to the desired temperatures but it was beyond bland, the buns were room temperature and un-toasted, salt and pepper offered little help it was obvious the kitchen takes these portions from the freezer to the grill then plates it up and rings the bell for pickup without any quality control from a manager, so our meals were mediocre at best and we pushed it all aside after eating parts of it. This place was very disappointing no matter the rave reviews most must be from tourists who were overwhelmed by the beautiful setting and the Florida sunshine trust me it's not about the food here. With a name like Gramma Dot's one would assume something would be freshly made from scratch honestly it felt like I was eating food service food at an amusement park at best. I started this review referencing to reasonable prices but after eating I found no value here if I had to do it again I'd grab a beer and enjoy the view and move on. I'd give our server, the ambiance and the location five stars but the food drags down the overall rating in my opinion - it seems the new owners don't have the same passion or standards as the previous owners unfortunately... read more

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We went here expecting more of a fish shack experience (clearly I hadn't done my homework) and found a gorgeous marina with this quaint little restaurant. As we approached, we were worried that we were way underdressed but were pleasantly surprised that wasn't the case! At 2:30PM on a Sunday, this place was busy! We knew it would be good. I had the coconut shrimp and my husband had the tuna melt. He was pleasantly surprised by the tuna melt. It was not what you'd expect. The tuna salad and cheese had been heated but it was on an untoasted brioche bun. He loved it!! The homemade chips were good too. My shrimp were perfectly done, and so tasty. The two sauces that it came with were fire too! Great, laid back place to have lunch on a Sunday!! read more

At the recommendation of a fellow beachgoer, we visited grandma Dotts. We ordered the seafood platter at the cost of $48 each. Everything on the platter except the crab cake was overcooked. The oysters were cooked dry. The shrimp were tough, even the grouper was overcooked on both sides, so it was like a piece of rubber. We were very disappointed as we were told. It was one of the best places around. We would never go back. Try Timbers, we ate there last night and it was great. read more

Was visiting Sanibel Beach on a whim and after some shell picking found this restaurant to be highly reviewed. It was at a very short distance from the lighthouse beach and there was ample parking. The place is gorgeous from the outside, water on both sides, plenty of vegetation around and has a feel of a Marina. We were seated pretty quickly and the menu is pretty much all seafood. We decided to go with the seafood sampler which came with 4 crab cakes, a few oysters, and coconut shrimps. The crab cakes were the highlight, plenty of flavor in it. The other dish was the calamari platter which came with crispy fries, a piece of melon and orange. The quantity was generous, however it since it is eeply fried food, you get filled up pretty quickly. Overall a nice place to unwind and enjoy so e quality seafood. read more

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The cutest spot for beautiful views, fresh seafood, and delicious food! To top it all off, the service was amazing too! We started with the buffalo shrimp and wow it was amazing! The shrimp was huge and flavorful. The perfect amount of spicy kick. I got the peel and eat shrimp and it hit the spot. Again, huge shrimp that was cold and fresh a what more can you ask for?! We finished it off with a slice of chocolate cake that was the BEST chocolate cake in my entire life!! I still dream about it!!! I can't wait to go back again. read more

My sister and I were seated as soon as we arrived. We sat indoors and enjoyed the beautiful views of the water. Our waitress was kind and attentive. I ordered grouper salad . It was amazing. We ordered the seafood sampler for an appetizer. The Coconut shrimp was the best I've ever had . Five stars for this restaurant. read more

Gramma Dot's - Seafood sampler . - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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If you're looking for a peaceful meal with a side of "did we just see a dolphin?", Gramma Dot's delivers both ambiance and accidental marine biology. Nestled in a marina so tranquil it feels like a Bob Ross painting, we were minding our own business when Flipper casually swam by. 10/10 surprise cameo. We opted to sit indoors because hangry waits for no patio--and thankfully, there was no wait. We were seated faster than you can say "clam chowder," which, by the way, was so good I briefly considered proposing to it. Thick, flavorful, and probably illegal in at least three states due to deliciousness. We kicked things off with the mahi mahi fish dip and fried crackers--because apparently, even the crackers get deep-fried here. Florida, you're unhinged and I love it. As for the entrees, the grilled shrimp, bacon-wrapped BBQ shrimp, and coconut shrimp were all a crustacean dream. They don't play around with portion sizes either--by the end of it, we were shrimp-stuffed zombies waddling out in defeat. Bottom line: Gramma Dot's is off the beaten path, but totally worth the detour. Just don't tell too many people--it's got "hidden gem" energy, and I'd prefer it stays that way so I don't have to wait for my chowder proposal next time. read more

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Gramma Dot's is definitely a keeper! It's a very quaint little restaurant. We ate outside. Helen was a sweet and delightful server. We ordered a chicken salad fruit plate and a grilled chicken sandwich with homemade chips. Both entrées were delicious. The grilled chicken was super fresh. One side of the restaurant had beautiful brilliant pink hibiscus. Hope you enjoy the photos. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

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We have been there several times and enjoyed ourselves. We have always been seated outside, which has beautiful ambience. The service has always been excellent, even when one of our acquaintances was extremely difficult. To the point I told her she was embarrassing me, but our waiter was very professional. The food has been delicious each time we are there! read more

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Been here many times, but today was a wonderful lunch and great service. We ordered different salads, but same special Garlic Parmesan Crusted Grouper added. It was yummy. And if you love coconut shrimp, their appetizer is 6 pc and is so yummy! read more

Gramma Dot's - Cesar salad w garlic/Parmesan crusted grouper. - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

First time back to our favorite restaurant since Ian and sadly it was not as good as before. Food was average - waiter was not in a good mood - I ordered a drink I never received, they brought the wrong meal out for our child and were very annoyed when we mentioned it, my salmon was a very small thin overly done portion with the tiniest bit of mango salsa that was chopped so small you couldn't get it up with a fork. This used to be fantastic seafood, now it is overpriced sub par food and disgruntled service. We hope it improves because the location is beautiful and it was always such a wonderful place. read more

Service was awesome! Dog-friendly patio right on the marina next to the boats. I got the 12 oz Ny strip with shrimp - perfectly cooked medium rare, just as I asked. Shrimp was huge and delicious. read more

I came back and had an even better experience. Tonya was our server and was great, even while dealing with obnoxious, highly drunk boat people. This time I got the peel n eat shrimp basket and it was fantastic! I got it with the delicious homemade fries. We finished off the meal with key lime pie and it was so good! The ambiance was wonderful as always. In fact, even better than always- we saw jumping dolphins! So fun. read more

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Best meal on vacation! We grabbed a drink at the bar well we waited for a table. My mango colada was delicious and strong - couldn't ask for a better combo!! We got sat at a 6 top table indoors, which was okay because it was toasty outside! Hands down the best coconut shrimp ever! They were huge and the dipping sauce was out of this world. Highly recommend! Husband got the buffalo shrimp 8/10 Dad got the chicken sandwhich 7/10 Brother got the hog fish sandwich (special of the day) 8/10 Mom got the ceaser salad with blake's shrimp 7/10 read more

Gramma Dot's - Mango Colada & Mango Beer - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Great location and dog friendly outside. Food was OK but pricy. Service was good. Would go back.

The Mrs and I rode our boat over for an early dinner as we have not been back since they completed all of the Ian repairs. They did a nice job bringing it back to mostly the original setting of pre hurricane Ian. We sat at a table towards the back and were greeted by our server, Angelina. What a nice young lady who is a great ambassador for this establishment! We started with a couple martini's that were perfect. The Mrs had the grouper fish and chips while I had the seafood platter. All of the seafood was cooked perfectly and generous portions. The crab-cake on my platter was all crab and just enough filler to keep it together. We had the key lime pie and it was divine so we took a whole pie home as the whole pies are frozen. If you want true old Florida seafood in an old Florida setting highly suggest this gem. read more

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The place opens at 11:30am. We got there at 11:25am and there was a line of about 30 people. As soon as the place opened, they seated everyone within 5 minutes. Our server was very sweet and welcoming. She took our orders quickly and brought us drinks right away. She also refilled our drinks twice during the hour that we dined. The food was ABSOLUTELY delicious and came out quickly. We had scallops, fried grouper, grilled grouper, and fried oysters. Every dish was 5 STARS. We'd highly recommend this place and look forward to dining here again. It's a small place, so come early if you don't want to wait 30+ minutes. As we were leaving at 12:30pm, they had another line of people, and we heard the wait was 30-45 minutes. read more

Grabbed a bite with family while visiting the area for the holidays. The island is in bad shape still after the storm, but Gramma Dot's is still operating. The power was off when we arrived so we drove around until it came back on. My family loves this spot so we had to eat here since we drove all this way. We sat outside since I had my little Frenchie dog with me. They were kind and brought him a doggy water bowl. The food was good and fit our cravings for the day. I tried the coconut shrimp my dad ordered. They were just ok. I ordered the blackened grouper sandwich. It was good but I had hoped for a little more flavor. Overall it was good. read more

Gramma Dot's - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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I definitely recommend this restaurant. The service was pretty quick and good. There are many inside tables and outside tables that is in a beautiful marina. We saw a dolphins and manatees. I highly recommend going here. The food was great. I had the New York strip steak. It was delicious. It came with a skewer of shrimp on top. I really liked all the meals came with a chocolate cup with fruit in it. It was all very good thank you. read more

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$115 for lunch for two people. Food was good but not great. They won't allow substitutions and you can't have fries as a side - only as an appetizer for $6. Ranch is served instead of tartar sauce for fish and they do not have tartar or any other sauces. Service was terrible. Waitress was not attentive and was in a sour mood the entire time we were there. Location is really nice but not enough to make up for overpriced food and poor service. read more

Amazing location right on the dock! You can walk all the way around the restaurant and see the boats. They also have a refueling station right in back. Just know that they have a line waiting to get in right at opening time! I started with a killer frozen pina colada! I also had the curry lobster salad and fruit plate (which was fresh and tasty but needed some more bread or chips or something to eat the lobster salad with), my daughter had the kids fish and chips which she loved, but the star of the show were the fried oysters my mom and grandma had. They were so fresh and melted in your mouth! Overall, great little place. read more

Gramma Dot's - Curried lobster salad and pina colada. - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

The location was really nice, and the evening weather was a nice sunset. We were given the choice to sit outside, and did. Then the food choices.... The catch of the day and most of the seafood choices were overpriced. $50 and above, for fish (standing menu and catch of day)...that is a bit exuberant.. We had a Table of 4, for a 93yr old mom's birthday celebration. I mentioned it to The hostess, and she said that they would "do something special". The rest of the menu and resulting food was standard fair and average quality, at best. A good ole gulf rain storm blew thru, but we and the other 3 outdoor tables elected to sit tight and dine in the 15-20 rain storm, under the very small table umbrellas (smaller than the table they are over) ... larger umbrellas is a recommendation for the restaurant. They should cover the entire table and the seats. The wait staff all stood in the doorway and peered out as we dined in rain. ... more attentive wait staff is a recommendation...grab an umbrella and come check on your customers, is a recommendation for the wait staff. I asked the hostess if they could do something for our birthday girl, when they were seating my party, and she said "oh yes of course, We can sing and we'll give her a nice cake too". We each had a standard menu-item or salad, with a fish or oyster add-on and a glass of wine. Birthday girl had a margarita. The wine came in plastic cups... like we were drinking in the parking lot at 7-11. Wine quality was on par with the plastic cups.. The wine choices were average or below, USA wine. Margarita tasted like straight-up food lion lime-ade. When the cake came, the staff was too afraid to venture out in the rain, so they put a slice in a plastic box and plopped in on the table... no happy birthday or congratulations for turning 93. The chef, manager, owner, nor head waiter didn't even come out to say thank you to those who braved the rain, nor the 93 year old. Treat your customers better, like you're VERY appreciative that they are there. Make sure they are truly enjoying the food (the atmosphere is a given)... ....otherwise stop trying to be a restaurant, you're just a bar... read more

Great service from Nick. Beautiful relaxing dinner. Great food. Steak & shrimp-amazing. Highly recommend read more

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Great seafood spot on Sanibel Island. We went early on a Sunday evening and were told there would be a 30 minute wait for outside but were given the option to eat at a table by the bar. We took the inside option. Our server Nick was absolutely fabulous! He recommended the bacon wrapped shrimp which was our favorite dish and should not be missed. The coconut shrimp were also good and the fish and chips (which was grouper) was just ok as it was a bit dry. Nick was ever so kind and took time with each of his tables even though he was really hustling and even mixing drinks himself. We would return to this restaurant just to be served by Nick again! Thanks for a great, fun, and entertaining experience! read more

Great view and good food. The food Came out quickly and so did the drinks. We enjoyed the stories of Henry the bird that is known to the restaurant. The waitress was not overly friendly or warm but did get us in and out timely. We had seafood and chicken options and everyone enjoyed their lunch choices. The view or the marina really makes this restaurant. We have come Multiple times and would still leave as a option to Come again read more

The restaurant has a great view. Not real impressed with the food. It was just ok. Not worth the extra money for the view. Service great lunch menu was pretty basic read more

We have been coming to this place since the 90s and it NEVER disappoints! NEVER. In fact, when we visit Sanibel even for a short time, we go twice. ABSOLUTELY! Their grouper "anything" is amazing and a must try especially the blackened grouper on a Ceasar Salad = YUM! Cocktails and service are well worth the wait. Highly recommend! read more

We stopped in after biking on Sanibel. It's a great little spot located in a marina. The service was friendly and efficient. I had the spring salad with salad with grilled chicken. The chicken was juicy and tender. We tried the homemade potato chips They were thin but tasty. We loved this hidden little gem. I even found a FB Sanibel shell by the tire of my bike! A great end to the day! read more

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We got there and it was just, the hostess told us we could order drinks at the bar. The bar is L shaped and there was a young lady helping a couple with drinks. Me and my boyfriend stood there for 10ish minutes before a group of ladies walked by and immediately got drinks. (Maybe racially motivated. They were white-- I am brown). As I was getting flustered from not getting service at the bar, we thankfully got seated. Our server Helene was wonderful. Thus this place getting 3 stars because her service was OUTSTANDING (5 stars) But the interaction at the bar was awful (-3 stars) and made me feel like an unwanted guest. Helene was attentive and made sure she checked in on us at every portion of our time there. The vibe here is very casual. Throughout our stay there there were screaming babies and kids running around. So be ware. Food was pretty good, great portions! read more

Gramma Dot's - Twin lobsters - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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