This is my favorite place to go to a "fancy" dinner on the island. Traders exceeds all expectations. I only say fancy with quotations because in my opinion everything on this island is laid back and relaxed. The atmosphere is very nice and welcoming and the service is fast, attentive, and helpful. But most importantly, I return to traders every trip usually twice because of the food and menu. The white gasztpacho is amazing... a few friends have attempted to recreate the recipe. My go to orders include the crab cakes and macadamia encrusted grouper. Yet I cant just pick two-- the crab-spinach filled shrimp ravioli and the blackened mahi are also top favorites. Ive probably tried everything on the menu and there is nothing I do not like. Try traders! read more

For our first night in Sanibel we had dinner at Traders and it was amazing! The wait staff worked like a well oiled machine. The food came to our table steaming hot and it was delicious! We had salmon and meatloaf. The portions were huge and we were too stuff to order desert. We will return to Traders on our next visit to Sanibel. read more

We just spent a week in Sanibel and ate at several different restaurants, but this was by far our favorite meal. I had a special involving crab and creamed spinach stuffed shrimp and it was amazing! The bread was a perfect starter and the service was excellent. We highly recommend this place! read more

My wife and I dined at Traders following our elopement on a nearby beach. We coordinated with the restaurant earlier in the day, and they graciously offered us their "honeymoon table", which was a nice table in a semi-private corner. When we arrived at our table, we were pleasantly surprised to find a lit candle in the middle of the table (none of the other tables did), which made us feel like special guests. Knowledgeable and attentive, our server, Jake, was fantastic. I would love to pass along our gratitude to him, if someone from the restaurant is reading this. He helped to make our first dinner together as a married couple memorable. Appetizers were tasty and fresh, our entrees were delicious, and even our desserts came with lit candles! A thoughtful touch. We both thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Traders. We would love to visit again when we return to Sanibel! read more

Our party of six had dinner at Traders on Feb 17. The atmosphere was wonderful. Our food and service did not meet expectations. We would expect to see our waiter with cracked pepper once our Caes. And the baskets of bread looked beautiful, but the bread was stale. Our waiter raved about the shrimp and grits special for the evening, and three of us ordered it. We were very disappointed as the shrimp was way overcooked and tough to eat. The fish tacos were also a disappointment, not at all moist and again overcooked. One of us wanted an entree serving of the ahi tuna appetizer. He received 2 ahi tuna appetizers. All in all, we were extremely disappointed. read more

I wasn't sure what to expect and that may be what influences the 3 stars vs. 4 stars. It was a lot more upscale than we expected, even for the Happy Hour special. I think it's really more of an Early Bird special. The food that we did get, shrimp tacos and shrimp with fried green tomatoes were both super tasty but at double the cost expected for happy hour. We were also the only ones there under 60, and that's okay too. Just didn't quite know what we were walking into. read more

Traders - Happy Hour menu - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Honestly, totally overrated. Was really disappointed. My dish was heavy and greasy and I don't expect that when ordering a "fresh" local fish. We also ordered an avocado shrimp cocktail that came with a mashed brown guacamole that I was honestly concerned to eat, so it was sent back. My husband's food was also heavy and greasy. The bread and dipping oil was good. The service was okay. There is a nice hand scrub in the woman's restroom. Skip this place and go to Timbers, fresher local fish, or the sister restaurant to Traders, T2, which is yummmazing. read more

WOW! This place was amazing!! I've tried many restaurants on the island but this was by far mine and my family's favorite. Definitely expensive - but worth it. I had scallops in a pasta (it was a special) and it was absolutely amazing. The best scallops I've ever had! We indulged in great drinks, desserts, appetizers (the bang bang shrimp is great!) and dessert martinis (the key lime martini and the thin mint martini were great) as well as the creme brulee. I can't wait to come back here for the food, it was truly some of the best food I've had! The seafood is all extremely fresh and cooked perfectly. read more

Very good food. Shrimp, chicken and rib dishes all A+. Service was great, until it wasn't. One meal delivered to the table turned out to be the wrong shrimp dish. Mid meal the waitress was drafted to work a large group. Took 15 minutes and 2 waiters to get a check. A very noisy place, even when not full up. When a place shows menus on Yelp , they should be current. Waitress said she told management about wrong menus online weeks ago. read more

After reading previous reviews of Traders, I was a bit leery to visit the restaurant because of the negative reviews of the staff. Luckily, the food reviews were good enough to sway me, and I'm so glad we went. LENA was our waitress, and she is outstanding We did not have reservations, but we're seated quickly. Lena took our drink order. The restaurant does not have sweet tea, but I stead of leaving it at that, Lena said she would remedy the issue. She brought us sweet tea using simple syrup from the bar and kept our drinks filled throughout the meal. She was happy to recommend entrees and was spot on. Lena was attentive, positive, and eager to please. The food was outstanding as many previous reviews mentioned. Traders is now one of our favorite places to eat on the island! read more

Beautiful setting with plenty of outdoor dining area/seating. Open only for dinner, temporarily, from 4 PM on. We had a beautiful dinner. We had the scallops with lobster ravioli, the shrimp tacos, and a wedge salad. My husband loved the Key West Pale Ale on draft. Our service was wonderful and we adore this place. We have eaten here about 9 times, over the years we've been coming to Sanibel and it is our favorite place. You won't be sorry if you decide to stop in. One thing- they have temporarily done away with the 'happy hour' 3-6 PM low cost appetizers and drinks. Covid has dampened that, for now. We hope they bring that back but well-worth the $13-40 price point on entrees, regardless. read more

Traders - Scallops with lobster ravioli. - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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Traders, Traders, Traders....where do I start??? Traders is tucked into the palms on Periwinkle And packed with flavor! The menu features just enough to satisfy everyone. The shrimp and grits, is full of flavor with the white cheddar grits and the blackened shrimp such a savory combination on a plate. The shellfish pasta, is full of gifts from the sea with a scrumptious red sauce. They offer small plates, including a house made veal meatloaf that will melt in your mouth and you will leave full. Each entree is served with warm bread and olive oil dipping sauce, Traders steps up the game with cloth tablecloths and attached upscale gift store. This was my first visit, and I am already counting down until my return. While the parking lot is large, as a bonus they offer complementary valet parking. While on Sanibel, please do yourself a favor and stop in to Traders! Reservations suggested in high season or to guarantee your spot at the chefs table. read more

Traders - Shrimp & Grits - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

We just love this place! Always great service and delicious food. I personally love Mike's White Gazpacho, and the salmon special tonight was yummy! read more

Shrimp and grits is one of my favorites of all time. It is hard to find really good versions. This one was pretty darn great. The shrimp and andouille were perfectly spiced. The grits were flavorful and only slightly gritty. The oysters Florentine were a bit over done and on the dry side but good. The asian salad that accompanied it was a savory addition. The grouper tacos were filled with tasty fish. The taco shell - ok, nothing overwhelming. The accompanying red beans and rice were good a little too mild for our taste. A jalapeño or hot sauce is needed if you like it spicy at all. The pico was good and a bit more spice would also be great. We shared a wedge. The dressing was very good. Although the tomatoes were hard and not quite ripe. Overall an excellent meal. Would go back. For sure. read more

This was our first time going to Trader's and we will be back! The service was expedient, the food was superb, and the cocktails were strong! Definitely a dining highlight of our trip. read more

Been going here for years, bartender not friendly... The waitress was non-existent! I had the shrimp special it was way over cooked. We ordered a salad and appetizer, both were good and were served quickly- then waited a half hour for our main course. We were never served oil with our bread but all the tables around us were- the second entree we ordered was also over cooked and Luke warm when served. Disappointing meal... read more

My family has been coming to Sanibel for many years and Traders is a staple restaurant for us. During a 10-day vacation, we end up eating here at least twice. It's upscale, yet casual -- a large open dining space that can accommodate several large parties, so it can get a bit loud. If you're a party of 4 or under, ask for a table near the window wall, as that tends to be a bit quieter. The server starts you out with freshly baked multi-grain bread, which is a nice touch. The menu hasn't changed much over the years -- there's a handful of solid standards, plus a few predictable specials. Our family has tried at least ten different entrees there and always left satisfied. The portions are ample and the flavors are solid. Amongst our favorites: the Parmesan-encrusted sea bass special, the macadamia-encrusted grouper, the horseradish salmon and the mahi-mahi with coconut curry. On certain nights, there's the added charm of live music near the bar area of the space. read more

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Fantastic date night! Our server Mandi was great, everything was prompt, and the food was great. I had the shrimp special and my husband had the grouper, and we shared the ahi tuna appetizer and key lime pie for dessert. I'm only giving four stars because his grouper was a little tough and despite having a reservation, they seated us right by the door right by the door in a high traffic area instead of in a secluded corner at a table for two that was empty the whole time we were here. Maybe because we were some of the only people under 60. Whatever! It's Sanibel! read more

My wife and came back here after 4 years. This is the place where we had dinner before I proposed to my soon to be wife. The food is good but the server is impeccable. Our server Caleb was very attentive and helpful. He made our visit here special again. We highly recommend this place for good food and great service. read more

This was my second visit to Traders. My friend and I went for happy hour (3:00-6:00). The wine and food were delicious and reasonably priced. We shared Oysters Florentine, lobster ravioli, and chocolate lava cake. I recommend all of these items. We will definitely return. read more

Service was great. I had the clam chowder which was delicious. Hubby had the Diver Scallops with buerre blanc sauce & capers accompanied with lobster filled raviolis. His was a $34.00 meal and the entrees were all priced high. There was a section of "smaller plates" that were all priced in the low 20's. I did think the main entrees were priced quite high but it was still a wonderful meal. Would definitely go back! read more

We went to Traders for New Year's Eve and were extremely disappointed. The prime rib was over cooked , the chicken breast was under cooked And the manager was totally inept. She showed a lack of concern and never took care of the problem. Also gratuity was added and the gratuity had sales tax applied to it. We would highly recommend avoiding this restaurant at all costs. You will not be happy!!! read more

We had the opportunity to dine at Traders on our covid vacation this year. There are probably not enough superlatives to describe our dining experience. Food, service, atmosphere, entertainment, all magnificent. From the hostess to the bartender, our server and the manager who came to visit our table were all outstanding. Traders will definitely be on our dining itinerary in the future! read more

We just found this restaurant and it did not disappoint! The food was fantastic and our waiter did a great job! We had a party of 10 and was seated right away. This restaurant has their A-game together and did everything right! By the way, they take reservations! We will definitely be back! read more

If you're staying on Sanibel Island and looking for delicious affordable seafood this is the place for you. The service is very friendly and the food is very good. The menu has selections for everyone as well if they love seafood or not. They also have a good selection of wines and a good drink list. It is also fairly casual so no need to dress up too much. Make a stop here if you're staying in Sanibel Island. read more

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We actually didn't eat in this silver hair geriatric establishment because the rude and haughty hostess sniffed that we didn't have a reservation. That won't be a problem in the future because we have no intention of returning. read more

The food here is excellent. Always be wary of reviews that claim "tourist trap" in tourist towns. Yes, there is a gift shop, but at least 90% of the people on Sanibel Island on any given day are tourists. That said, my mom and I both gushed over the white gazpacho. I had never had it anywhere before, and I don't think I'll have it better anywhere else. It was absolutely delicious, fresh and house made. My mom had a spinach salad, admittedly not difficult to prepare but it was fresh, crisp and delicious and served on a chilled plate. The star dish, though was the grouper tacos. The grouper was so fresh and therefore didn't need to be smothered in tons of other ingredients, which it wasn't. A finely chopped, fresh slaw and pico de gallo on the side was a perfect match. The black beans and rice served piping hot on the side were authentically Latin inspired. Give this place a try, particularly during happy hour. Wonderful food, friendly service and great prices. read more

First visit here and was not pleased with with the way the I think floor manager handled us. Yes it was 4:15 and happy hour not dinner. She made us sit at a high top and then sat the next two tables in dinning room. She just had a poor attitude. How ever the server helped make pleasant. read more

Amazing food and service! Our waiter was Max and he was friendly and made our experience enjoyable. He was knowledgeable about the menu and wine. I had swordfish with mashed potatoes, and it was amazing. My wife had shrimp stuffed with crab and spinach, she loved it! We shared bang bang shrimp and it was cooked to perfection. We shared a lava cake which was the perfect dessert to end our amazing dinner. We can't wait to return. I would recommend to everyone! read more

A memorable meal in a great spot! A meal certainly a step or two above the norm on Sanibel. A solid wine list coving a nice range of varietals and prices. Plus a very nice variety of local and regional beers, many on tap. Our meal was excellent. Our party had the stone crab claws (exceptional and big) to begin. Tried three soups, the gumbo, chicken noodle, and clam chowder. All delightful. Our entrees were filet, seafood pasta, oysters, tuna, and ribs. All were winners. The filet was cooked perfectly with a beautiful portabella. The seafood pasta was chockfull of shrimp, crab, lobster, hearts of palm, and great pasta. The tuna was rare and very tasty. Our server was attentive, well informed, and friendly. Service was prompt and efficient, but we were not rushed at all. We will be back for certain! read more

We had the gaspacho, scallops appetizer , and jumbo shrimps with andouille. The gaspacho tasted like salad dressing. Little bit weird. The joke part is my order of shrimp with andouille. I was really expecting to have shrimps with andouille, like it is written in the menu. I got the shrimps, and about one inch of an andouille. I would give two stars but my girl friend really pushed for three :/ read more

We tried to eat here three times. Once we came too late for dinner. The next time, it was too crowded and told we would never get a table by the valet in the lot. Then I tried three days to make a reservation. Finally, got one for 6:30 three days before we were to go. When we arrived it was not busy at all. Having been in the service industry my entire adult life, I understand the reservation gig. Well, we were shown to a table that pretty much sat right next to the kitchen door and the hostess podium, and the front door. When I asked if there was anything else, I was looking at two women who looked like deers in a headlamp.....nothing, no comments, no explanation just a nod with to each other. We left very disappointed not having had the chance to even taste what the food was like. Perhaps another time. I will just be real specific when I make the reservation. Plus as I made the reservation I said it was so we could see the entertainment.....which was outside, no where near our table. read more

This place is perfect for a date night or adult family dinner. My boyfriend and I wanted a fancy restaurant but one that we could afford and this was perfect. White table clothes, live music, amazing service. I have never had a more knowledgeable and on-top-of-it waiter like Matt (I think?). Crab cakes as an app were great but you only get two. I got the horseradish salmon and my boyfriend had the special of crab stuffed sword fish with lobster ravioli. Both amazing. You get bread with oil as well. Will definitely be back! read more

Good food and service. The parking lot was pretty crowded so we were prepared for a wait. We were pleasantly surprised that we were seated right away. I ordered the blackened mahi mahi, which the waiter warned was spicy just to make sure I understood. I love spicy, so it was perfect. I also ordered a drink that wasn't quite to my expectations (way too sweet); when the waiter saw that I had not drank it he asked if it was okay. I let him know it was too sweet, but not their fault, he quickly said they would remake it without sweetener - so nice! My husband's entree (macadamia encrusted grouper) and my entree were both fantastic. We ordered a slice of key lime pie to-go. It was a little disappointing, the slice was very small and the taste was mediocre at best. Overall, this place is great. We will definitely be back on our next vacation to Sanibel. read more

Traders - Blackened mahi mahi with a spicy kick! Delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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Service was great! Food was delicious. I ordered the spinach salad with portobello mushrooms and the macadamia encrusted grouper with risotto. Delicious. My husband ordered the scallops and it was delicious as well. Nice place. I recommend this place for dinner. Ate on a Saturday night. During the week live music. read more

In response to William C's comments from Traders on November 18, 2020. We were present. First of all if you feel threatened, do not go OUT to dinner. Secondly, the portrayal of your comments is grossly unfair and out of context. It is another another instance of people ratcheting up COVID hysteria... which you are doing. The fact is we were all outside during the server "incident ", we were the table "in question". The waitress took her mask down momentarily to inform us of the specials of the evening... we were outside and always felt safe. As a customer it is unrealistic to think a server or staff member will never have a mask off. We will continue to patronize Traders, as the food and beverages are always of the highest quality and they do practice safe protocol. read more

SADLY UNSAFE. Traders posted a pic on Facebook of their hostesses touting their adherence to wearing masks almost simultaneous to my husbAnd and myself dining there. Yet...still no mask on the elder hostess ...breathing on the menus ..or better yet, touching her face, then the menus that r handed out to customers ... it's hard to protect urself when those people put in place to protect you just don't seem to get it....and b4 this there's the waitress at the table behind us who pulled her mask completely off her face to loudly (aka expelling her droplets further) talk to the table. This was all after 2 guys without masks chose to walk in the front door..virtually ignoring the young hostess on their way to the bar to breathe on the masked bartender less than 3 feet from them. Talked to the hostess who was concerned after her pic was taken. Expressed r concern ..she still didn't seem to understand.. read more

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We have always loved Traders. However there is a young man working there clearing and setting tables that moves so fast that it is distracting to diners and makes diners feel quite nervous that he could run into someone and cause an accident. We actually had some liquid/water from a cleared glass land on our foot. He rushes around corners at record speed which is quite annoying. Management should provide some additional training to this employee to instruct him to slow down. We have noted this person on several occasions while dining here and hope that the situation can be addressed by management as we love the food at Traders. read more

I barely know where to start. This is one of the most regrettable meals I've had in a long time. The food was dishonest, revoltingly seasoned, heavy as lead, and absurdly expensive. (Seriously -- mains were $25 - $30, which is what you pay for a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco or Napa.) Dishes were all over the map -- caprese salad; gumbo; BBQ ribs; macademia-crusted grouper (with Thai peanut sauce)? Cocktail: The menu was full of revolting-sounding sugar-bombs: various fruity vodka-based martinis. We asked for Old Fashioneds. We got some sort of cheap whiskey in half a glass of water, a smashed segment of Navel orange, and a maraschino cherry. (What I usually get when I ask for an Old Fashioned at a decent restaurant: quality bourbon, 2 dashes of bitters, a sugar cube, a splash of water, and a twist of citrus rind.) I suppose it was my fault; I should have realized that any place serving choco-tinis wasn't a serious restaurant and I should have specified the bourbon and the recipe. Appetizer: Shrimp cocktail. Revolting. The shrimp was either frozen or overcooked (or both) -- the texture was mealy, not succulent, and at $13 for 5 or 6, that's insulting. The cocktail sauce tasted like ketchup with horseradish. Main: Florida Gumbo. Fairly innocuous. Tomato-based with chunks of fish. My boyfriend got the macademia-crusted grouper. Come on: if there's ONE dish a Florida beach seafood restaurant needs to nail, it's grouper. This came out overcooked. Its "Thai peanut emulsion" sauce tasted like melted Jiffy: it was nauseatingly sweet and had zero Thai-ness to it. And anyway, why do you need to add a Thai sauce to macademia-crusted Grouper? Grouper's fine just the way it is, thankyouverymuch, and needs just a squeeze of lime juice and some fresh crunchy veggies on the side. The sides were pretty sad. I felt sorry for the poor vegetables & rice that had gotten tortured into what came out on those plates. Service: Our servers were nice, but talked WAY too much and thus were hella annoying. Every time the staff came to the table it's like we were a captive audience. For example, most of the way through our entree, I was [obviously] deep in conversation with my mother (who I haven't seen for a year), catching up. The server actually *interrupted us* to ask how her food was! Are you kidding me? You're going to interrupt our conversation to ask how her almost-totally-eaten meal was? This restaurant is an example of how Yelp's rating system COMPLETELY SUCKS. It had a 4.5 star rating: as much as Bouchon, Frances, Benu, Ubuntu -- all Michelin-starred restaurants. We went here hoping it was an undiscovered gem -- a local restaurant serving bright, fresh, local seafood and Florida-inspired dishes. Instead, epic suck. Save yourself money, time, and indigestion. I'd rather have eaten a peanut butter sandwich. read more

Dinner review: 4 stars Returned for a sit-down Sunday night. Actually it was a very good night to go out, no maddening crowds. Service: 3.5 stars ...very good and helpful, but I have to take exception to my entree being delivered to the table before I was finished my appetizer. And the plate was hot, and they just dropped it off next to my appetizer dish and I had to shuffle the dishes myself. A few minutes later an aware busperson saw the faux pas and quickly removed the dish. Another point, but rather funny, was when the server tried to uncork a screw top on the Caymus Conundrum my friends ordered. (By the way, that is a very good wine, even with a screw top.) His face turned a little red. Overall I just felt a little rushed, with NO ONE waiting for a table to cause them to do that., but we were not going anywhere while Chris Workman was singing and playing keyboard.(plays Wednesday and Sunday nights at 7PM, he gets 5 stars) Food highlights: Appetizers - Seared Ahi tuna with wakimi salad and Asian slaw - 5 stars - outrageous tender pieces of tuna with the crisp, flavorful slaw and seaweed to balance out the textures and taste of the dish Entree - Braised Lamb Shank - 4 stars - tender, fall off the bone, with a little too much fat for me this time. The demi glaze a bit salty and the garlic mashed a bit dry, like it was sitting on the hot steamer table in the kitchen a little too long. I also tasted the macadamia encrusted grouper with mango salsa - 4 stars and the tilapia piccata with angel hair pasta 3 stars - uneventful Dessert - we shared a apple crisp compote with cinnamon ice cream - absolutely fabulous - 5 stars Overall, a very good restaurant for dinner, the music was excellent, the food very nice, but my happy hour experience was better. I read more