Hidden gem on Singer Island, especially if you snag a bar seat…read more
The Islander tiki bar sits in the hotel courtyard right next to the pool, steps from the beach, and when this place is hitting, it is slapping. Seating can be hit or miss, but the vibe and the food make it worth it.
The food is a step above most of the island, especially with Johnny Longboats going downhill a little, though not quite up there with Ocean Avenue and its scratch kitchen. It tastes less like frozen, bagged, bulk restaurant food and more like things prepared in house. I could be wrong, but unlike other places on the island, the mahi always looks, tastes, and feels fresh.
The prices deserve a comment too. They seem to have gone up the least of any restaurant on the island. A plain steak burger is around $15 and every burger is under 20 bucks, which is unheard of, especially on the island these days.
The mahi tacos are out of this world. They're one of the only places on the island using small tortillas instead of a big quesadilla style one, topped with cabbage slaw and salsa, with rice and beans. I pile the rice and beans right onto the taco. $18.95, one of the better deals on the island.
The only thing I'll say is the mahi portion was way smaller this time than 3/4 months ago. I'm posting both photos so you can see. Last time each taco had a thick fillet hanging over the tortilla, this time it was closer to half that. Still plenty of food, so I'm really not complaining. I just think these types of inconsistencies keep me from going back each week.
They make wonderful pizza too, and the menu says the dough is made fresh every day. Real New York style pies in thin crust or thick crust, better than most in the nearby area. A small tomato and cheese is $14.95 and the gourmet pies are $16.95. Where can you get a pie for under 20 bucks these days? The happy hour flatbreads use the same dough and look very good too!!
The mushroom burger is great, with real mushrooms and a true charcoal grill taste. Fries were a little cold, but they're the good fries.
Happy hour deserves its own mention. It runs daily from 1pm to 10pm, at the bar only, no to go orders. The $9.95 bites menu has bang bang shrimp, two beef sliders, grouper bites with sweet Thai chili, pretzel bites with beer cheese, buffalo chicken flatbread, and beef nachos. Drinks are a deal too: $5 house liquor, house wine, sangria, margaritas, High Noon and White Claw, $4 domestic beers, $6 imports, and $7 call brands.
They also have a great selection of regular appetizers. The tuna ponzu is so fresh and so good. Again, real food, not boxed frozen stuff. The soup is very good too. This weekend's special was Italian wedding, which you can't go wrong with.
Tips: only about 13 bar seats plus some high tops. Off season you can usually get a bar seat, and it's the better experience. January through May and weekends it fills up early with timeshare guests. They seem to have gotten rid of the one bitchy bartender from last year. Sydney bartended both times I went this weekend and did a great job.
Mostly vacationers, but locals go for the food.
