One of the must go to restaurants on the island! The food is excellent! My sea bass was cooked perfectly! My wife's meal was just as good. Caleb our server was very knowledgeable and gave great recommendations. We have visited this restaurant twice and were never disappointed. We always make an effort to go here when we visit the island for a family vacation! 5/5 stars! Must go! read more

Traders - Sea Bass - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Pros: Best seafood pasta I had ever had. Like, amazing and huge portions! Cons: overpriced. So so so overpriced. read more

Our food was absolutely delicious. My husband got the grouper-grilled and not blackened. He also got the Ahi tuna appetizer. He was very, very pleased with both. I ordered the bang bang shrimp and it was nothing like I had had before.. it was way better. The batter they fried the shrimp and was so light and airy. The shrimp were a really good size. I also ordered the special of Seabass. It was one of the best fishes I've had on island. Our server was quick and attentive and kind. read more

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While visiting one of the most magical places in Florida, you should check out this place! My friends brought us here and said I wouldn't regret it, correct!!! First anything to bring the island back to life after hurricanes is necessary! What a great place to stop after the beach and seashell hunting! Another hotter than hades day, but the beach was amazing and it was the perfect after beach escape with ICE cold beers, amazing and a great waiters! The place is charming with its own gift shop that is stacked with amazing items you won't find anywhere! We had appetizers as our meals and 1 special - Prime rib sandwich on a croissant! All of it was great, not a complaint. It was busy at 2pm but a few locals and tourists! I highly recommend this place lunch or dinner! Love it, and you will too! read more

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Very nice atmosphere and love the high ceilings. I'm hey have a shop with lots of great things in it. Definitely a bit more pricey place but the taste is worth it. I loved my mango mai tai and the salad was delicious . Server was nice but I would like the speed to improve a little bit. Felt like we waited a bit for food and drinks. read more

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Cool place. Looks like many locals eat here. Service was very fast, located inside a grocery store. The burgers and fish tacos were really good. read more

An excellent restaurant for dinner & celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We chose wisely & looked through many wonderful places to eat. Food: I had the blackened mahi with curry coconut sauce & mango salsa which was perfectly cooked. The salsa blended with the curry was so flavorful. My husband had the ribeye with garlic mashed potatoes & creamed spinach. He said it was perfectly cooked. Best he's had in a long time. Dessert was a wonderful dish of crème brûlée. Oh, and the appetizer we had was a light bread with various sears, oil & soft butter. Tasted homemade. Atmosphere: What a great place. We enjoyed a quiet meal but this would also be a great place for a family party or any group to meet & have their own space & a great meal. The room dividers allow for privacy. The outside gives you plenty of space to relax before or after your meal. Service: Exceptional service. Domingo was our server & made excellent suggestions for picking our meals. He took care of every need, including some extra mango salsa. We highly recommend Traders. read more

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The good: Food was delicious. I had the seared scallop over lobster tortellini. The bad: Something I ate wasn't right. I was up all night on the toilet with a bad case of "upside-down volcano". Also, it' a pricey place. Entrees are on the small size, around $40. Dinner for two with 2 glasses of house wine and a cocktail will set you back 150 bucks, plus tip. Won't be returning. 2 stars 'cause the food was good. read more

Came in on a Friday night in August expecting a wait, but were quickly greeted and seated. The table itself was covered in white paper over the table cloth, which I thought was unusual for a Friday night when real table clothes are usually used. The was also cute way too large so it kept scraping us the entire time. We began with the bread, which came out so warm and delicious. We also had the bang bang shrimp, which too be honestly was not very spicy at all. For my entire I had the chicken Parmesan with piccata sauce. I thought the portion size was good for the price and it had a good flavor. Overall, I will return the next time I'm in Sanibel. read more

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Popped into here on a Friday night. Our group has eaten here many times while on Sanibel, and always seems to serve up good food. We were sat quickly, and the place wasn't too busy on a Friday night. The first thing we noticed (and don't remember from previous experiences but could have been there) was the paper mat on the table. If they are going to use them, I'd suggest cutting them to size, as no one in the party particularly enjoyed rubbing our legs up against the corners all of dinner. The food was good. We started off with the bread. It came to the table steamy, and the oil accompanying it wasn't too strong and had plenty of herbs and spices in it. I had the beef short rib for dinner. It was well marinated, and had a nice sear to it. The Aug gratin potatoes with it lacked salt, and really weren't anything to write home about. The creamed spinach was good, and had a nice cheesy flavor to it. There is a shop attached on the inside that has a variety of items, and was fun to look through after dinner. Overall, traders will remain one of our go to places while on the island, as it consistently serves up good food. W read more

Traders - Bread - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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We had a very nicer server, tho he never told us his name. We came here on a recommendation and it was our last night of our Sanibel vacation. Calamari appetizer was good, drinks were good. I had the shrimp scampi and I was disappointed - it was very bland, almost no flavor at all and the shrimp were kind of tough, plus the tail shells were on which is a real PITA when eating a pasta dish. Husband had the meatloaf, he said it was ok. We shared the apple crisp for dessert - that was good. read more

This meal was the most expensive we had all week staying on Sanibel Island but the quality did not match the price point. Her server was friendly but not very attentive. We had to wait a long time to get our entrées. The restaurant was extremely loud and dim which made it difficult to enjoy a meal with six other people. We ordered a salad and it never came but they still billed us for it... There was also a 20% automatic gratuity but we weren't aware of that until the check came... they didn't tell us when we made the reservations. My husband is dairy free and he literally couldn't eat dinner because there was nothing dairy free except extremely overcooked rib ribs that he sent back. The muscles were really good in the coconut curry sauce! But the bread service was not tasty and you had to pay for it. We will not be going back. read more

I've been coming here for many years and it has never failed to disappoint. There is a great range of food to choose from and the food they serve is delicious. Not only is the food good, but the service is great! The waiters are very patient and nice. Furthermore, the store they have is great! My mother absolutely loves the store. We recently came on New Year's Eve and had a great time! The menu was festive and we were given some noise makers that we could bring home to celebrate. Overall, the food is great and the service as well. A very friendly environment! Will be coming again! read more

Dined here last night and we were very disappointed on many accounts... Some of our dishes were good & some terrible, service was not great at all, took way too long between ordering and getting our food and waitress never to be found. And we love patronizing our local restaurants as often as possible but the prices here at completely off base. I'll never go back. We only drank water, had 2 adults that ordered dinners and one child's meal and our bill was $183.00!!!! Completely Ridiculous!! It'd be one thing if we were eating extravagant but that was far from extravagant!! read more

Service was excellent. Waitress was kind, fast, attentive... But I got "Mike's Seafood Pasta" - a $44 plate - Seafood and sauce was delicious, but the pasta was overcooked. Real shame. read more

Almost two years after Ian did its damage Sanibel is still recovering. Very few restaurants are open. Luckily this one of the oldest best respected places on the island is one of them. The interior is old Florida with high ceilings warm colors and a very calm cool old Florida vibe. But the highlight here is the food from the bread plate ( it is $5 but well worth it) to an excellent Seafood gumbo. My dish was a perfect blend of textures and flavors. This was the horseradish salmon a perfectly cooked salmon fillet with a topping of horseradish and breadcrumbs, it was served over an amazing red pepper sauce (they call it an emulsion) it came with amazing and plenty full mashed potatoes and a corn salsa. All it tasted great and blended well. Cannot hype this dish enough. The wife had the shrimp scampi which was a well executed version of this dish. They have nice wine list and impecable service. Even a hurricane can't keep this restaurant down read more

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We picked this place because it advertised live music but they didn't offer it the night we were there. Very accessible, both inside and outside tables read more

I love the inside of this restaurant. It has a beautiful atmosphere. The food is delicious. Last night my friend and I both had gazpacho soup and tried out the crab cakes and bang bang shrimp. Yum! Plus our waiter was so nice!! We also enjoyed browsing thru the attached gift shop. Wonderful experience all around read more

problems when in season. We come often, locals, weekly. All of a sudden the menu is called "new". Its not new. The sandwiches are pulled off. If a sandwich is priced at 24.00! and a person orders expensive cocktails, plus, why would this be taken off the new menu just to get up to the 30-45 entree price. Makes no sense..so you try to make it in early enough for lunch cut off, to get them...and are turned away at 2:15!! when in fact the website and Facebook states lunch til 3:00 pm! This is wrong! we were not the only ones being turned away. So, do not rely on the website, all the prices on new menu are just in season raised prices! People are writing many reviews that the prices are too high. The business is for sale and has been. We won't be back this year. I noticed a reviewer this week on Tripadvisor mention a vodka w splash of OJ was 20.00! If true, for in season pricing, this is wrong. Advice is, read the reviews, and call w reservation. But, better places are all around. Not good!! read more

We've been coming to Sanibel and Captiva for over 20 years, but this was our first time and probably last time trying Trader's. We made a reservation, which I highly recommend doing. Even though we were in island post-Ian during a not busy time, the restaurant was packed. We were only a party of 2 and seated right away, but in a weird table that felt like an afterthought. Our first thought was that we were going to be forgotten about. This prophecy was correct. As we scanned the room, it was very evident that the restaurant and waitstaff catered more to large groups of at least 4 and over. For instance, we had been seated and had ordered drinks, which we waited for endlessly, as well as to order. We saw a table of 4 get seated next to us who had a 20 minute wait, get drinks, appetizers, meals for 4 and desserts and they left easily 25 minutes before us because of their attentive server. The dichotomy of the two situations was stunning I will say the drinks were good. It was nice, cool and satisfying, which was good because the little corner we were stuck in was a sweat box. Now, here's the weird part. I order the "chicken parmigiana" from the menu. When most people think of this dish it's a breaded boneless chicken breast with red sauce and mozzarella melted on top. This was not that. I can't even describe what it was. There was no sauce. It was perhaps a breaded chicken breast with parmigiana cheese in the breading? Either way, it was the strangest dish and not at all what I was thinking. Note to Trader's: either fix this dish and make it correctly, or name/describe the dish accurately. I can't be the only person who's been bamboozled by this. I would have asked about the dish, but our waiter just simply never came back. He wasn't the one who delivered our meals. He never asked if we wanted something else to drink. And re: the heat of the building, we were hot and both wanted another drink. He only returned after I was finally able to flag him down. He didn't ask if wanted anything else, if we want dessert, how our meals were...he just simply asked if we wanted the check. We were so put off by the service and beyond mediocre food. There are so many amazing restaurants on Sanibel and Captiva (and more opening and reopening everyday!) that we wouldn't want to waste our time or money coming back here when they very clearly do not value the customer or quality. Separately: If you're disabled, take into consideration that there are several spots directly in front of the walkway leading to the front of the building but it's a bit of a walk and the walkway can be slightly slippery with the humidity, if you're mobility impaired. read more

Traders - Ashley, blonde women & pink lipstick, wearing a red dress with light pink flowers holding an orange tropical drink at Trader's Restaurant. - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

We were here three years ago and it's totally changed. The portion size is half of what it used to be. We are five adults and we served ourselves two or three pieces of calamari each. Overall we were disappointed w the food overall most of the food was bland I wouldn't come back here. Doc Fords has much better food and portion size. Traders was a great restaurant The crowd size is not what it was. Just hope they see this review and make changes if not they won't make it here in Sanibel read more

Food was great. Waiter was great. He made a mistake and had charged 2 pastas. I couldn't find him so I took it to the red haired gentleman in the front. He had a tremendous attitude as if it were my fault. He says he had to void the ticket and charge me again when all I had to do is give the difference in tip. He CHARGED MY CARD AGAIN so I now have 2 200.00 charges. What an attitude this guy had. Will never come back. And we've been there before. The family that came with us (15) were told the story and will never go as well. Fire that guy as soon as you can. read more

Food at traders is always excellent. Best gumbo on Sanibel Island. Service is usually very good. However, five of us had dinner on a very busy night and just about everything went awry. One person never got their meal! So bad we were offered free dessert and we turned it down -- except for one teenager who never skips dessert! Hopefully it was a one-off night. We will still go back; Traders is one of our favorite places on Sanibel Island. read more

High prices, low service, poor food quality. As a local, I'm shocked at the decline. Waiter never asked if meal was ok, never asked if we waned another glass of wine, no offer of carry out container for food left, and food was poor. read more

As a local customer for many years, was shocked at dining experience tonight. Prices have doubled, food quality was poor, and service was non-existent. A slice of meatloaf is now more than $40, and they won't list the price of grouper or filet. The chicken piccata was chicken with a burned crust of cheese on top, and the mild blackened fish was so hot it was inedible. We were never asked if our food was good or if we needed anything else or would like another glass of wine. This was a terrible disappointment and we will not be back or bringing our out-of-town guests there in the future.. Whoever owns or is in charge of this restaurant needs to wake up and make some changes or be ready to go out of business. You may be able to gouge seasonal visitors who come for one meal, but the locals will never support this kind of poor and expensive dining experience. Stay away from traders! read more

Service was excellent and the food was fantastic! Enjoyed the Caesar Salad and Baby Back BBQ Ribs. read more

Just ok. Guess we were expecting a bit more after the rave reviews. The meatloaf tasted like a supermarket deli. Disappointed.

The service and food were excellent. Clean plates all the way around. We were there with friends who hadn't been to Sanibel for 30 years even though they lived in nearby Ft. Myers. We were very pleased with our server, Luke, and The food preparation was perfect read more

Traders has gone down since the former owners. It's just not the same. There are too many other great restaurants available nearby and across the bridge on Ft MYERS. read more

Wife and I had mushroom soup, fried chicken sandwich, blackened Mahi, black beans, rice. Ordered light blackened seasoning. Came with a lot of blackened seasoning. Lost the taste of the Mahi. Black beans and rice were overseasoned with cumin etal. Couldn't taste the beans or the rice. Only the seasoning. Chicken sandwich was tender and well grilled. Mushroom soup was seasoned perfectly! read more

Better late then never. We wanted to bring our business to the island after the hurricane, I was not expecting much since the whole island was destroyed but it was some of the best food i have had in SWFL. The service was phenomenal and we sat outside on the gorgeous wrap around porch. I definitely recommend stopping in, it's worth the drive. read more

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We just love Trader's! The menu options are plentiful and the food expertly prepared. The casual island vibe abounds and the servers seem to genuinely love working here. Service is warm, attentive, and friendly. And the food is exceptional. We went to Trader's for our anniversary and H had the meatball and pasta, and I had the sea bass special. I enjoyed it so much that we went back two nights later so I could have the sea bass again before it left the specials menu. Our server told us they have the sea bass on the menu whenever it is available because it is always a customer (and server!) favorite! H also enjoyed his dinner. Trader's always has something for everyone, and everything is delicious! We always eat here several times while we are here. read more

Traders - Dinner at our favorite place! - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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Amazing. The best ribeye I have had in forever!!! Soooooo good. Everything we had was amazing. Drinks, apps, and dessert! Just go!! You will not be disappointed read more

Oysters are perfect, great service and good drinks . Classy vibe too big open and airy large parking area and plenty of indoor seating

Really 4.5 stars. Best piece of mahi I've had in a very long time. In all honesty it was the best piece of fish I've had in a long time.

Best dinner by far since coming to Sanibel!! Great drinks and wine list!! Started with fresh bread and crab cakes, both excellent!! Husband had scallops, I had sea bass with lobster risotto, both amazing!!! Great wait staff!! Cute store inside too, which should be checked out even if u don't eat there!!! Highly recommend read more

This is our second time we tried to come and eat here first of all no one acknowledges you. So this is our second time we walked out of this place and it looks really good but terr9bke service very sad. read more

Traders - Live music - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

It's 7:45. Our reservation was at 7. We were promptly seated, but no one even acknowledged our presence until just this minute (45 minutes). Ridiculously bad service. Perfunctory apology. Once they took our order, the bang bang shrimp was amazing. Everything else was meh. Definitely not worth $150 for 4 people (before tip, no alcohol). We won't be back. read more

Always have Been my favorite restaurant on the island and still is. When I come to visit my mom on Sanibel, this is where I want to eat always. The horseradish encrusted salmon is the BEST and if it happens to not be on the menu that night, still request it. I don't even love salmon but this is my favorite and served in a red pepper sauce. My mouth is watering thinking. about it. Also their desserts are phenomenal. They usually have live music and the staff are overall great. The man who mainly plays there is such a nice guy..... HIGHLY recommend! 10/10 read more

We visited the restaurant on Tuesday evening, which was also my birthday. We were not able to get reservations, so we just walked in. We were told a 20 minute wait. We visited the gift shop for a few minutes, walk to the bar to get a drink, and before we could get one we were told our table was ready. The server greeted us right away very friendly and efficient. We both started out with a mai tai and shared the Ahi Tuna appetizer, it was delicious! I opted for the seafood pasta, which was one of the best meals I've had in a long time! He had the swordfish special, basically in a Alfredo sauce over fettuccine. We had enough to take home for the next day. Of course, we got desserts , caramel cheesecake and apple crisp. Thank you for having options for those of us that don't like chocolate :-) We were also seated very close to the entertainment, and he was very engaging and enjoyable to listen to. We will definitely be back! read more

Traders - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida