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    Lighthouse Cafe

    4.2 (588 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 2:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Lighthouse Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    LIGHTHOUSE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Lighthouse Cafe

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    Kristie N.

    World's best breakfast......to me it definitely is not lol. It's not bad though and I'd eat there again. Ate biscuit and gravy, wasn't that good. U can tell it's homemade tho and that's a plus. I wouldn't order it again and I'm a B&G girl. French toast was ok ‍. Potatoes were good but I think got the end of the bag lol. Service was good except they take for ever to give u the bill. And that was for everyone.

    We sat at the bar. It was busy but we were served right away. Good service. Our food.... not great. I ordered the French toast. It was dry!! The egg mixture didn't soak through. The edges and lots of the bread were dry. Thank gosh for butter and syrup. This was a special "vacation treat" for me and it was disappointing. I cut around the edges and ate the center. The bacon was good. My husband ordered waffles. They too were dry too! Overcooked. He ate half. His eggs and sausage were good. Maybe stick to the savory breakfast options

    Dj L.

    Best breakfast on the island, and they really do mean it!! The breakfast tacos were delicious, honestly some of the best I've ever had. The biscuits and gravy were great too, with a nice homemade gravy that really stood out. I also had the cranberry raisin waffle, which was a daily special. They offer rotating specials, and both of our entrées happened to be on the special menu! The coffee and juices were fresh, the service was warm and friendly, and the atmosphere felt cozy and homey. I would definitely come back!!

    Frittata
    Kimberly W.

    Great spot for breakfast. Busy popular spot so be prepared for a wait Good food split the oceans frittata. The toast with strawberry jam .. mmmmmm good! Good service

    Art wall
    Ludwin R.

    Food is always good and fresh, service was excelent and the place is very comfortable for big family

    Salmon gnocchi with broccoli
    Loretta C.

    amazing experience having dinner at Lighthouse Cafe's new location. The shrimp risotto and the salmon gnocchi were delicious. The ambience is really nice and it would be a great place for a cozy dinner. So happy they are serving dinner now. They change the specials and the desserts so be sure to check before you go so you aren't disappointed your favorite it's on the menu that day. We will just have to come back another evening.

    Dan B.

    We bicycled here (Yaa, the Sanibel Causeway finally reopened to bicyclists after almost 3 years after Hurricane Ian!) from Iona not realizing that it had just opened a few weeks earlier. It was originally located near the old Lighthouse but was damaged in Hurricane Ian. This new location is only about a quarter of a mile north of the main 4-way stop (heading towards Captiva). First time visit was Friday of Memorial Day weekend at approximately 9:30am and the place was packed! We put our name on the waiting list and about 20 minutes later we were seated. Besides their regular menu, they have daily specials posted on chalkboards on each side of the room. I decided to try their Avocado Toast with 2 eggs ($14.50), and coffee, black tyvm to drink. The avocado toast was extraordinarily good, pleasantly surpassing my expectations! It had feta cheese on top and the guacamole was seriously delicious! The eggs were cooked as I had ordered and the coffee was hot and aromatic. Second visit was Tuesday morning after Memorial Day weekend and it was not nearly as busy. We were seated right away. Again I decided to try a special from their board. This time I chose their Cranberry Pistachio Waffle ($13.00). The waffle was light and good and the cranberries added a nice taste! Service was friendly and on point - checking on us throughout our meals and making sure everything was to our liking. There's outside seating as well as inside - however this time of year air conditioning feels pretty darn good! Good food, friendly and pleasant employees, and reasonable prices are reasons why I'm going with 5 stars. I definitely recommend you check them out.

    Seafood Benedict
    Rob T.

    When we visit Sanibel island we always try to make it to the Lighthouse Cafe for brunch and we are always happy we do! Service and staff are excellent and the food is delicious. I highly recommend the Seafood Benedict. One of my personal favorites.

    Eli S.

    Very nice cafe the owner welcomes you (handsome guy). We were a big group but they accommodate us in less than 30 minutes ( the place was packed). We ordered the farm omelette, eggs Benedict and I ordered a vegetable omelette superb. The coffee tasted great. Service was also very good. We recommend if you are in Sanibel.

    Craig T.

    Stopped here for brunch. Absolutely loved the vibe, workers and food. I got a omelette which was amazing! Throw in some toast and potatoes and it was a win. Others got the grouper sandwich and they loved it. Good stop for sure.

    Seafood Benedict!

    Had a blast... my wife and I have visited lighthouses around the world and states and were delighted to see many photos of some we have visited on walls. But, on to the food which was delightful. The server worked with us and we split a Seafood Benedict plate (without the Alfredo but additional Holandais) and it was delicious. Will order again next time we are on island.

    Bloody Mary

    The service and ambiance of the light house cafe are close to the old place. Food is nothing to write home about and their bloodmary's are subpar for the price. However it's still a staple of Sanibel.

    Cross-stitched lighthouse hanging in the dining room

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    4 months ago

    Lighthouse is a great, fun place to go to. Local crowd, bar area has entertainment. Food and service always very good.

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    1 year ago

    Love this new location. Food and service are still outstanding. The homemade jam served with toast is excellent.

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    10 months ago

    The food and service were awesome! I ordered the eggs Bennie lighthouse style and my husband had the omelet both were large and delicious.

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    Page 1 of 15

    Lighthouse Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Lighthouse Cafe

    Will it reopen? Loved this place.

    Can you get there by boat? Docks available?

    Although this restaurant is not on the water, there is a boat dock with other amenities several blocks away.

    Do they take reservations?

    They do allow you to call and get your name on the wait list in advance. They're really good about that.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    As good as it gets, & our best meal & drinks on the island!…read more We had expert server Nick & were so happy with him! He was extremely personable, fun, & sooo efficient at his job! He treated us like family, & took such good care of us. We started with cocktails: Miami Vice, Pina Colada, & a Pain Killer at Nicks suggestion. They were all delicious. Next up shared appetizers of smoked fish dip & crab cakes. I usually dislike crab cakes, but I wanted to eat all of them. The smoked fish dip was delicious too & whoever thought of frying the saltines is a genius! For our meals we each got a lunch for dinner platter which was plenty of food with the accompanying house made chips & super ripe fruit. Two of us got the coconut shrimp. They were large, fresh & delicious, very heavy on the batter. The pineapple dipping sauce was perfect with them. Two in our party got salmon & said it was excellent. They ate every bite of it. One of us devoured his lobster roll with great enjoyment. The only non- seafood eater had what he described as a really good burger. He's like Mikey from Life cereal, he hates everything...so that's very high praise for the burger. For dessert we shared both the chocolate cake & key lime pie. I usually don't like Key Lime pie because it's almost always too sweet. But theirs is amazing. Dense, creamy & very tangy, with grated lime zest all throughout the pie. The cake was delicious too. There wasn't a bite of anything left. The ambience is great. Very nautical with lovely views. The exterior is very pretty, & inside it is cozy, casual & approachable. The a/c works really well too. The servers were all cheerful & the other diners seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was such a great overall experience. Highly recommend!

    Great marina setting for this top notch seafood restaurant on Sanibel Island…read more You won't regret if you choose any of the fresh seafood entrees on the menu including either Mahi-Mahi or Grouper. I like that you can also order from the lunch menu while adding an appetizer to enjoy for dinner. Ample parking adjacent to the restaurant is plentiful and convenient.

    Photos
    Nice space
    Nice space
    Key lime pie
    Key lime pie
    Marina

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    Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille

    Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille

    4.2
    (1.7k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    We had a great celebration for Father's Day at Docs Fords on Sanibel! Loved the blackened chicken,…read moreCuban sandwich and flatbread and topped it off with brownie ice cream sundaes! #lovesanibelback

    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.

    Photos
    Inside bar
    Inside bar
    Typical paella pic off the web... get the idea?
    Typical paella pic off the web... get the idea?
    Oysters!

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    Oysters!
    Cielo Restaurant

    Cielo Restaurant

    4.2
    (312 reviews)
    0.4 mi
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    We had visited this restaurant over ten years ago and we're excited to see they reopened after the…read morehurricane. With reservations for a birthday dinner we were a little early but seated right away in a busy dining room. I ordered a Shrimp Livornaise with housemade pasta. The dish was tasty and the shrimp were large but the pasta was minimal and just ok. We split a Cedar salad and saw a $5 charge on our bill for the kitchen splitting the salad, of which we were not informed when ordering. Also our bill included a 3% "COST OF DOING BUSINESS" charge when first presented, not knowing if we were paying by Cash or Credit card. Not the same experience as our first visit.

    We had a decent dinner here. They've remodeled since we were here last -- over 10 years ago…read more Luckily, they didn't suffer much damage at all from Hurricane Ian. But as we left, we both said to each other that something was off and we wouldn't be back. I can't put my finger on it exactly. It didn't help that they charge an extra fee for doing business (!) that was on the bill presented to us --even before they knew whether we were going to pay with cash or a credit card -- and that they had a splitting dish charge of $5 (which I had them remove; as it was never explained, only offered). Or that they never acknowledged my husband's birthday. But they did have our reservation correctly and we were seated immediately. The room is large and airy and open. But it's also without any warmth or personality. The large loud table of young couples seated next to us -- who didn't know what most of the menu items were -- didn't help. Our service was okay, too. But here again something felt a tad off and fake. We started by sharing a caprese salad. We added extra balsamic glaze. For our main dishes, my husband had the shrimp Livornese. Large shrimp served with olives and capers in a tomato sauce. The pasta was skimpy and he doubted that it was housemade. I had their salmon. It came with mashed potatoes and a couple asparagus spears. It was good. For dessert, we had the berry cobbler without the ice cream. It was disappointing. And would have been better served hot -- not barely lukewarm. I'm glad we came back to try them. Now we know.

    Photos
    Dining Room
    Dining Room
    Cielo Restaurant
    Dining Room

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    Lighthouse Waterfront Restaurant

    Lighthouse Waterfront Restaurant

    3.8
    (451 reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$$

    Maybe it's hubs' military background, but the man is all about strategy. His game plan was to…read morefigure out the perfect dinner spot where we could catch an epic Sanibel sunset, then still have enough time to roll over for a hallmark view of the July 4th fireworks. Mission accomplished. Lighthouse Waterfront is huge with a big dining rm on one side and another section closer to the left overlooking the outdoor deck sitting right on the water. If you're chasing sunset vibes, this deck is where it's at. We started with a dozen meaty oysters and a hot crab dip with crispy wontons to dip. For our main plates, hubs ordered the thick-cut bone-in pork chop and loved it while I went with the seasoned grilled swordfish. I had the Dubai Chocolate cocktail and I'll give them props for that pistachio rim and the dark chocolate drizzle.....that Hershey's syrup crap. The only downside was it could've packed a punch. But then again- between my recent trip to Miami/Ft Lauderdale and now Sanibel...I haven't had a drink that would know the shit out me here. No offense. Anyhow, to wrap things up, we shared a slice of key lime pie. That's basically mandatory when you're down here. It was good, but honestly, the real treat was watching that Sanibel sunset. Service was ok- I just wished our young server was more present. On the plus side, when he'd showed up, he made sure to help at any given moment. We finished dinner, headed out to the deck and soaked in every second of the sunset before making our way to catch the fireworks elsewhere.

    So very disappointed. This used to be our favorite place to bring out of town guests. Not…read moreanymore. Where to start. 1)Our servers were amazing. 2) Drinks - pathetic. $16.00 for a lime martini that tasted like a melted popsicle and was a total of 6 oz. Tasted no alcohol. 3) crab dip a 3 inch skillet of carb dip with 10 small pita chips. No taste at all and $19.00. 4) shrimp with garlic and butter over linguini - it was basically pho soup. $28.00. 5) and the best of all. Lobster Mac n cheese. It was macaroni with (I kid you not) seafood bisque over top and a small ramekin of Parmesan cheese $50.00. The man playing music (nice island vibe) in the corner was so loud I could not hear my husband across the table. In fact most asked to move to the other side but it was closed off or outside because it was so loud. Did I mention it was 95 degrees. 5 or so parties were seated after us, and while we were not at all in a hurry, every one of them received their meals prior to us and left before we received our food. Our server felt bad so she offered us some bread for the extra wait. (Shouldn't that be standard). We didn't complain and paid the over $150.00 bill plus a nice tip and the 3% charge for using a card. No manager came to ask how the meal was and at this point we were over it. Asked for a take home box and left. I can also tell you the menu was extremely limited. No crab dishes, no scallop dishes? A seafood restaurant not anymore? What happened? New management, owners? And yes we've been there since IAN so can't blame the hurricane. We will only visit Lobster Lady from now on. I sound like I just want to complain but I don't. I know it's off season and don't ever expect perfection. This was worse than horrible. Beware. It's not what it once was. Sadly! Sorry no pictures mostly out of shock but the water feature that used to be so picturesque outside was green algae.

    Photos
    Lighthouse Waterfront Restaurant
    Jumbo Shrimp
    Jumbo Shrimp
    Outside of the building

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    Outside of the building
    Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant

    Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant

    4.4
    (137 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    We have dined here a few times over the years when we stay in Sanibel and it's always been very…read moregood. This past Saturday night this was the best place in the world To be, if not for the attentive caring and thoughtful staff my beautiful wife would have lost her life. Thank you for paying attention for seeing things that I was incapable of seeing and taking action to get EMS there as quickly as possible, life-saving measures were taken to save her life and if not for YOU She would not bee here, we are grateful we really were bummed we missed out on the crème brûlée so we will definitely be back to finish our anniversary weekend dinner blessed

    We saved Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant for our final dinner of a weeklong trip to Sanibel Island,…read moreand it ended up being one of the highlights of our entire vacation. Every seat in the restaurant was filled, which tells you everything you need to know. Make a reservation because this place is incredibly popular. The service was outstanding from start to finish. Our server was warm, attentive, and somehow managed to provide exceptional service despite the restaurant being completely packed. The entire staff made our last night on the island feel special. We forgot to take photos of the appetizers, but trust me, don't skip them. The fried green tomatoes were the unanimous favorite at our table and an absolute must-order. Crispy, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. We also ordered the conch fritters, which our family always seeks out whenever we're in Florida, and these were honestly some of the best we've ever had. The crab cakes were delicious as well, but the fried green tomatoes and conch fritters definitely stole the show. For my entrée, I ordered the Quinoa Steak Salad, and I was shocked by the size. The portion is enormous and could easily be shared by two people, or even serve as a family-style salad for three or four. The steak was perfectly cooked, and the combination of quinoa, avocado, fresh vegetables, and cheese made it both hearty and refreshing. Several people at our table ordered the evening special, the blackened snapper over mushroom risotto, and it was phenomenal. The snapper was perfectly cooked, flaky, and full of flavor, while the creamy mushroom risotto complemented it beautifully. It was easily one of the standout dishes of the evening. The honey glazed salmon was another favorite at our table. The braised short ribs were rich, tender, and beautifully presented. One person in our group ordered the stuffed lobster and thoroughly enjoyed it, mentioning both the flavor and the generous portion size. The fish tacos were good, but with so many exceptional dishes on the table, they simply weren't the standout. Between the exceptional food, generous portions, outstanding service, and lively atmosphere, this was the perfect way to end our week on Sanibel Island. It's easy to see why every table was full. If you're visiting Sanibel, make reservations in advance. This restaurant is popular for a reason, and after dining here, we completely understand why. Five stars. We can't wait to come back.

    Photos
    Indoor seating
    Indoor seating
    Stuffed shrimp
    Stuffed shrimp
    Outside of restaurant

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    Outside of restaurant

    Lighthouse Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated August 2026

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