DO NOT EAT HERE If I could give no stars I would! This is how it went: The short is - terrible service, terrible food, pathetic portions, view is the only good thing. Lunch, Christmas Eve Day, arrive at 1:20 pm, stand there aimlessly as staff walks by without paying any attention. After a few minutes a waitress gives us two menus and says go find a table. The place is half full and all the unoccupied tables are covered in dirty plates except for one table attached to some people eating so we ask them if we can separate the table, they kindly say yes. Ok I'm calm, the view is amazing out onto the water. It turns out this is all they have going for them. After a few minutes a mopey waitress comes over with a sad, pathetic face on making it clear she is pissed she is working on Christmas Eve. We order drinks, waters, avocado salad, wife orders salmon sandwich, I order red snapper sandwich. We order simple food thinking this is not the type of place to get fancy. Drinks come in a few minutes and then the long hard silence. At around 1:50 a plate with half an avocado and a couple of lifeless, disgusting pieces of salad. Literally 5 pieces of iceberg lettuce and 1, yes only 1 slice of tomato. This is the avocado "salad"! Ok, I stay calm as I enjoy the glass of sauv blanc, the view and my wife's company. It took until almost 2:30 for our sandwiches to arrive - uncooked French fries, and a sliver of red snapper on Cuban bread with soggy lettuce. We're starving now so we eat quickly and fed up with the place ask for the check from a random staffer walking by because our waitress is nowhere to be seen, not that I miss her happy face. After 10 minutes waiting for the check my wife and I have had enough. We walk up to the register and try and get someone's attention but none of the staff is giving me the time of day. My wife insists we should just walk out without paying. We should have. Finally our waitress shows up, her face unchanged. As she rings up the check and some of the other staff are near the register I start almost yelling about our experience, how it took almost an hour to get our food the check. He staff are literally ignoring my complaint, not even looking at me she puts the bill down. I paid and left no tip, I don't think I have ever done that. I am going to call the credit card company to cancel payment but I doubt they will. But that is how I feel about this place. I will tell all my friends here in Miami never to go here. read more

We ate here after the beach which is conveniently located on the beach @ Bill Baggs. The food is average but their beat dish is the churrasco and papaya/mango cheesecake. The service is good and prices reasonable (thou pricey) for the location. A added benefit is that they service beer & wine which is refreshing after a day on the beach! read more

My friend and I were in Miami for a day and wanted to eat somewhere unique and on the water. Lighthouse Cafe came up on a few lists and we decided to try it. The "incredible view" they say you get here it really just a small glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean, as it is within walking distance. It is not "on the water" as we expected. The seating is on plastic chairs and the place is nothing special. Everyone is coming from the ocean for a quick bite to eat and most of their menu is fish, which I can't eat right now due to dietary restrictions. We got to pick our own seating, but there were only two tables available at the time, both in the sun. We waited about 20 minutes before a waiter came to take our order. As we started ordering, the table behind us came available. We told our server that we wanted to switch tables to sit in the shade. He said "the table is dirty, you can't sit there." I looked at him puzzled and asked if he could get the table cleaned off; he said we had to wait until they got to it. After 10 minutes, we chased down a man who looked like he was bussing the tables and it was cleaned off. I asked the waiter what was good on the menu other than fish. Everything he recommended had fish. I said a second time, I can't eat fish. He proceeded to point out more fish items on the menu... We ordered frozen mango and lemonade drinks, mozzarella sticks, a cheeseburger, conch, and a piece of Key lime pie. The cheeseburger and conch came out, but the cheese sticks didn't. The conch was good, but it's hard to mess up fried food. The cheeseburger was a frozen patty and it tasted terrible. The bun was also rock hard. The condiments on the tables were very dirty, they had sand all over the caps. You would think someone would wipe those down every once in a while. Our waiter didn't ask how our meal was for 30 minutes, when he brought out the pie. I reminded him of our cheese sticks and he ran back before I could finish my sentence to put the order in. Once he brought them out I didn't even want them anymore. The bill was $40. He also wrote at the top of our receipt "15% Tip Not Included: $5.99" -- the nerve. The food is horrible and the service is worse. Go somewhere else, or if you're on the beach, bring your own food. The only cool thing about this place is the walk to the ocean and seeing the beautiful lighthouse its named after. read more

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It's a state park, what should you expect? I wouldn't plan on having the meal of your life. It's a good enough stop to get a burger or a hot dog with a soda. The scenery is beautiful. (The french fries are actually quite good!) read more

Great location, awsome view right next to the beach. Has everything to be a great place. so How bad can it be? ... Bad. Awfull!!!!!! Ordered a griled mahi mahi with fries. Fish was overcooked, dry, tasteless. Fries cold, made long. time before.... Service slooooow and careless... She just was not in a mood to work.prices are ok though. Avoid this place. Pack some food or drive somewhere else you'll be much happier the park has plenty of grills to cook outs. read more

Terrible service. The server there today saturday at 10:30am was so rude! We brought some visitors with us and we were so embarrassed. She had her hands in her pocket and when we asked her a question she wouldn't answer and look at us like we were bothering her. Management should be embarrassed read more

The best thing about this place is the view! We stopped by for a couple of beers and appetizers. The service was great, although it was pretty empty. A tiny bit overpriced, but definitely a step up from a food cart. Don't think we'd eat dinner here. Do as we did and buy a drink, an app or two (thumbs up for the friend yuca) and soak up the breeze and gorgeous views. read more

This is an amazing café. You can go to the beach and then enjoy lunch with a many sea food selections and Cuban food, The service is really efficient and nice. Enjoy. read more

Lighthouse Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Key Biscayne, Florida

Based on some of the reviews I was expecting a bad time, and instead had an excellent experience. Tips: be patient, relax, enjoy the weather, get a pitcher, and order Cuban seafood. With the right mindset this place is awesome. Stopped here on a Tuesday afternoon and it was pretty crowded but we were seated in a reasonable amount of time. Like many reviewers have said the service is slow, but you're also at the beach and can just enjoy a nice afternoon meal outside. We both got seafood specials, which were pretty damn good. Decent tostones and the sangria, while pricey, really hit the spot. read more

3 stars for existence in this wonderful, wonderful park. Food? 1 star. You shouldn't come to this park for food. Come for the beutiful beach. I came hungry and left full. While food was bad at best, I ate my grilled chicken sandwich, because the hole in my stomach was vast and there was no other place to eat. No complaints here. I was glad for this place. It fed us. Next time I visit I'll just make sure I bring my own food. Service was fine, and the view is great. Understand that you're eating at a state park and you won't be disappointed. read more

Lighthouse Cafe - Avocado Salad Seasonal, served without any irony at $6.95. When someone tells you that presentation doesn't matter, show them this picture. - Cafes Near Me - Key Biscayne, Florida

Order carefully. A beer would be a safe bet. Mediocre Cuban food and overcooked fish. The ceviche has been marinating so long it is also overcooked. Coffee is one step above gasoline. Three stars only for the location, view and the fact you can get a cold beer. read more

Service is horrible. Food was gross and grossly over priced. I went here by myself and an apathetic lady handed me a menu and told me to order at my seat. I decided to get the Lobster and Shrimp paella for $17. I was ready to order for about 10 minutes but no body came to help me even though there were only 4 other tables! I did my best to look clearly bored, but still no one came. So I thought, "Screw this!" I ordered to go at the counter and waited at the nearby beach. After I picked up my order, I ate at a bench. There was one decent sized lump of brownish lobster, a few spidery lobster legs and 3 or 4 shrimp. The rice was soggy and salty. I ate a few bites but stopped eating for fear of getting sick (I got a feeling that I won't sit well later). Such a disappointment. read more

Great spot on beach, fresh fish, tasty red sangria, good atmosphere. Service was also outstanding. read more

Lighthouse Cafe - Red Snapper - Cafes Near Me - Key Biscayne, Florida

My wife had a salmon sandwich. She said it was gross and the bread tasted like cardboard, probably the worst salmon sandwich she ever had. My daughter had a cheeseburger. I saw the burger bun was breaking apart, like stale bread often does. I ordered an $8 Cesar salad without croutons, because I'm allergic to gluten. A plate of lettuce which was turning brown on the edges was served with salad dressing on the side. No parmesan no olive oil, just some weird who knows what dressing on the side. Prime location but the food is totally rediculous. Pack your own lunch when going to this beach. You are warned. read more

Mediocre food, disgusting mosquito and spider filled bathrooms, $10 Minimum on cards (don't try to buy one ice cream...)

Great view, standard beach food. The lobster bisque is basically puréed lobster and tomato soup. The salmon burger had maybe a one ounce piece of salmon. read more

Lighthouse Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Key Biscayne, Florida

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Lighthouse Cafe offeted some of the best food for the price in Miami! Service was quick and prices were great. Food was perfect after a day at the beach. Malena, our server, was very friendly and helpful. Before leaving Bill Baggs park grab a quick meal at the Cafe. read more

Excellent Fish Snapper Sandwich with fries or salad for $9.95 add a beer and you are sitting in paradise! Ocean Front without a care in the world . The lighthouse is right next to you along with raccoons , Squirrels, exotic birds dining along side with you, and the very best Bill Baggs State Park can offer ... visit Key Biscayne and find out for yourself... read more

I went to the Lighthouse Cafe at Cape Florida on Sunday, 8/17/2009 and it was disappointing. First came the charge for entering the park even though I was only going to eat and leave the park after I went with my family of four and ordered simple fair from the menu. The view was quite pleasant, we could see the ocean from out table although it was a short distance away over the dunes. The wait staff and the kitchen was very disorganized as out meal came out of the kitchen piecemeal (no pun intended) one meal at a time. I ordered the Cheeseburger and my son ordered the steak sandwich both were ok although my cheeseburger was quite small for the price and the french fries were under cooked, so much so that I would say the fries were raw as I had to send them back. Did they give a new order of fries? No they dump my picked over order back into the fryer and served them back to me! Could this be a Florida Health Department violation? Maybe. The ketchup was a dark maroon in color instead of being bright red something the Florida Health Department should check. I ordered water for my boys since they do not drink soft-drinks the wait staff brought out bottled water, my guess is that the establishment does not serve a simple glass of ice water since they don't make any money on a simple glass of water. Would I go there again? Yes if I were at the beach and had nothing to eat or drink. Don't waste your money there! Miami Guy. read more

Looking for a different beach experience, then this the place. Conveniently located beachside you don't have to go far to enjoy good food. Here you're not subject to the typical fast food or food-cart scenario found at many beach locations but instead fresh seafood and side dishes. Give it a try read more

Me and my friend made a beach day down in Key Biscayne by the Lighthouse. We were so hungry and thirsty and this little restaurant was our life saver! I ordered the grilled pork with french fries and plantains and my friend the grilled fish. We both really enjoyed our late lunch and were almost 2 hours on their little restaurant pavilion. The service was friendly and on point. The french fries were a little overcooked, but besides this we enjoyed our food and visit. read more

The best lobster bisque I've ever tasted. The shrimp ceviche was great and the margaritas were great. There's a view of the ocean, and you can watch the sunset. The lobster is fresh. I was very impressed! read more

Since we love to visit this beach ('el farito' or 'little lighthouse for Miamians), couple of times when hunger strikes and you didn't bring enough or any food with you, that's the nearest and almost only one option to eat 'close' to the sea... Here we go: Prons 1-The location is fantastic, although not exactly 'on the sea' but you get a scenery sight of the beach with the lighthouse in the background and a lot of green (trees and vegetation) and a nice sea breeze flows through the place. 2-The seating area is mostly under roof, although in one occasion we got seated in a table under the sun, which for us was fine. 3-Whether you are at the beach and get hungry or just visit the place, there is ample parking. 4-If you want to have some beer, forget about Presidente or Stella Artois and instead order Budweiser (no free advertisement, please): Although Bud is not among my favorites, at this restaurant it cost you less and it comes in a 16oz cold frozen aluminum bottle, not a 12oz glass bottle which will get warm quickly! Cons 1-Depending when you visit, it could take forever to get a table; in our case we have been extremely lucky never had to wait to been seated. You can walk there and be seated immediately like happened to us, or stand waiting for a table for over 20 minutes. We visit the location on Saturdays around 1:30 pm or 2:00 pm but before and after got packed. 2-Also your experience there heavily depends whoever is your waiter/waitress; on our last visits our waiter was a young Cuban guy who provided good service and was very polite, albeit twice had to remind him to either bring us another round of beers or an appetizer...Next to us was a family of 4 European tourists and their waitress was a lady; being seated before us, we were eating our appetizers while they still had no drinks on their table! They stood up and left, could hear the gentleman yelling with the cashier about the service! 3-The system to get you a table seems disorganized. 4-Food is not bad but nothing out of this world; portions are small and prices hefty. 5-Although not annoying for us it might be for some patrons: If you sit next to the deck wooden fence, a squirrel might approach you and will not leave unless give him couple of your french fries; then of course will come back for more! This place is mostly a cafeteria that sells beer and thrives in its location for making business; I know there is another place closer to the lighthouse named 'Boater's Grill' but have never visited. Do not expect a gourmet experience or a 5 star restaurant service; basically you pay (and a high check by the way) just to sit on the deck, guzzle few beers and nibble on some calamari or shrimp while enjoying the beautiful landscape... read more

I've been coming to the Lighthouse Cafe for years, and I'm always struck immediately by the view of the beautiful ocean. It's wonderful to sit near the water, drink a cafe con Leche, and eat everything from croquetas to empanada to lechon. This is by far my favorite spot in Miami. But I've never thought about the Lighthouse as a place for a wedding until I attended one, and now, I can't imagine a better place to say I Do. The wedding had a space for a live band, a beautiful table, and all the dancing one wedding can handle. Plus, I ate the food prepared by the Gonzalez family. If I could do it all over, then I would probably get married there. The photos, man, the photos with the colors from the sunset... Wonderful. read more

I enjoyed the seasonal avocado salad and a side of red beans and rice... Very good... The avocado was massive and perfectly ripe! read more

Lighthouse Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Key Biscayne, Florida

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Extremely disappointed with how Rafael spoke to our family. He made us feel like low class thiefs. My sister arrived 30 minutes prior to us arriving and told her to get us the 2 chairs with an umbrella and that we would split the cost of $20. She went ahead and set up while I arrived. She, of course, left almost immediately because the weather (it was raining). I understande the non transferrable situation, trust me I get it. It makes sence. BUT I WENT HALF with my sister and was treated like a criminal. Ive been here many times before and I have tipped Rafael every single time but not after today. More than likely nothing will get done. But seems like a training is in order on how to speak to people and EMBARRASSING them in front of everyone. Ps. I know its not the cafe but his uniform has lighthouse cafe on it. read more

Best sea food ever and best chef !!! ALFONSO !!!!! You have to come with the family and have the best food ever. read more

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Great Restaurant, right on the ocean. Amazing view and vibe. The food was awesome, I ordered a whole snapper, fried, and I asked to meet and appreciate the chef because it was great. I'm definitely coming back every time I'm on this beautiful island. read more

This restaurant is a pathetic example of what a restaurant is supposed to exemplify. First, the food: We ordered two hamburgers. Simple enough. But not only did it take one hour and ten minutes for the hamburgers to arrive, the hamburgers also arrived cold, and tasteless. Oh, yes, they also looked like they were prepared on a hot sidewalk, and were then stepped on. Second, the service: Non-existent. None of the servers spoke English (what else is new), but they also didn't give a damn about our complaint about the wait ("We're very busy"). They could have brought us some chips while we waited 70 minutes for our food, and could have re-filled our water glasses. But they didn't do either. Third, the kitchen: Admittedly, this is a beachfront café, but the kitchen is disorganized (to say the least), and understaffed. So, unless you are dying of hunger, and will eat anything (which is what you will get), don't eat at this restaurant. Instead, consider eating the lining of your pants: It will be tastier, and served faster, than the fare that they offer at the Lighthouse Café. read more

My husband and I went to the beach on a Monday and decided to have lunch here before heading back home. I would say the restaurant was about half full so I was hopeful the service wouldn't be too bad,WRONG! We waited a full hour for our meal to arrive, I ordered a tuna Caesar salad and my husband ordered a fish sandwich. The fries were undercooked and he also reported his fish was "dry as hell". Our server was very apathetic, looked like he was actually bored with his job and not friendly or attentive. When he finally delivered our meal (and after I had made it clear several times we needed to be served as I had to pickup a grandchild) then, and only then, did he mention the fact that only one cook had shown up for work. If we knew this from the beginning we would have skipped lunch. I don't recommend this establishment, the service sucks and the food is def. not worth the $$ read more

Absolute HEAVEN!! Bill Baggs state park is already a little slice of heaven and this restaurant located inside it is no exception. My seafood paella was one of the best dishes I had while in Miami! I still think about that meal! The service was really slow, and normally I would lower my rating to a 4-star because of it, but since the surroundings are so beautiful, we didn't mind waiting. read more

STAY AWAY. Horrible service, unworthy food. We waited 1.5 hrs for our food until we decided to leave. The only thing we got was one appetizer that was not good, overpriced, and small portion. The waitresses were kinda rude, denying responsibility and saying they couldn't do anything about it (maybe talk to the kitchen?). Several other group came in 45 minutes after us and got served first (similar orders)! The house white wine was the worst wine I've ever tasted. read more

Our server ignored us for about 30 min then when I politely asked someone who our server was - she gave me attitude! The only reason I didn't get up and leave was because I was with my mom and she really likes the tostones here. Will definitely not be back. read more

Long wait to be served and there was barely anyone there. Had a shrimp basket and I'm pretty sure the basket tasted better than the shrimp. Avoid! read more

This place was awesome! Very casual, in the middle of the beach. I got the Large fried red snapper. It was quite big! Good enough to share. Very well cooked. I like my fried fish crispy on the outside and this place got it exactly right. Our waitress was very nice and helpful. I would definitely come back again! read more

Great atmosphere right off the water.. very casual and perfect to take a break from the beach to come grab a bite! Good shrimp, Mahi mahi, and salmon & love the rice and beans.. good service too! read more

Can I give this place half a star? I always always look at reviews before I go places, but since key biscayne has limited options - we decided to give it a chance. The service is terrible - the waitresses are not friendly or helpful. We waited an hour for chicken fingers and shrimp. How can that possibly take that long? Don't go here. read more

The Lighthouse is the best place we know of for fresh fish and excellent service. The fresh squeezed juices are perfect. The park location in front of the ocean is the perfect place to enjoy your meal. read more

Want to know how it feels to be invisible? Just go to Lighthouse Cafe. My family and I basically had to seat ourselves since the hostess failed to acknowledge our presence. Then after waiting 15 minutes to be waited on, we decided to just leave. In those 15 minutes two tables got their orders taken and drinks served... Those two tables were seated AFTER us. The restaurant wasn't even that busy. It was slow enough for the waitress to chitchat with dishwasher in an attempt to avoid serving our table. It was just a horrible experience that put a huge damper on what was supposed to be a fun day at the beach. read more

I don't know about my review/ranking. It's really 2.5 quality. Mostly bc it's, you know, actually there which is tons better than if it wasn't. The quality of the food is ok. Good for beach/park food though anything but the apps or sandwiches is way overpriced for what it is. Again, I'm glad something is there at all. The snapper sandwich I had on Cuban bread was cooked well but really nothing sensational at all. The fries I had on the side were less than...suffice it to say, I could've made better ones at home. Took us a really long ten minutes to get the attention of a server even though there were less than ten other patrons at less than four other tables. My mom really loves this place but I think it's just that idea that it's even here and that it even exists since she's been coming to el Farito for the good part of three or four decades and begging that they'd set up something, anything that caters beach food under the shade. read more