On a recent trip to Sanibel my boyfriend and I dined here, having fond memories from a visit a few years ago. Unfortunately, this experience was not as good as the first. We had the crab stuffed mushrooms as an app, which were pretty good. Also, ordered a favorite bottle of wine that was decently priced. For entrees, my boyfriend got the rib eye and I had a sea scallop special. The rib eye was inedible. No flavor, bad cut of meat and was not cooked properly. Also, the side of creamed spinach was maybe an eigth of what a normal side portion should be. My boyfriend had to send it back. Luckily, we had the nicest waitress, Bubba, who understood and offered something else. At this point my boyfriend wasn't hungry so they nicely comped the dish. My sea scallops were delicious and fresh. But they were served on top of frozen tortellini, which just seems wrong when you're making the effort to serve fresh seafood. Overall, it was good, but I'd rather it be topped on fresh pasta. That would have been a 5 star meal. The service and atmosphere definitely makes up for the subpar food. There's also a shop attached to the restaurant that is worth a look. Lots of cute FL trinkets. read more

I've eaten here a few times and almost always had a great experience. But yesterday was just awful and so this review will reflect that visit. My dining companion eats at Traders more often and has noticed a decline in quality, so that's why I'm going to discuss the current condition of this restaurant. We were here for lunch and even though only one other table in the main dining area was occupied, the hostess seated us in the bar. I should have insisted on being in the dining room, but didn't realize this would be an issue later as the bartender tried to not only tend bar, but wait on all the tables in the bar single-handedly as it became busier. On the table was a small dish of olive oil with possibly five oregano leaves floating in it. Usually you're served olive oil with a nice mixture of herbs and then some freshly baked bread to dip into this heavenly concoction. We received the fresh bread, but the olive oil was pathetic. Instead of gobbling up all the bread and dipping it in the olive oil, we barely touched either one. I ordered the "special" which was mushroom soup and half a pastrami sandwich. The soup seemed to have too much butter in it and not enough cream. It tasted greasy. The pastrami sandwich was served on wheat bread instead of rye, not to quibble too much, but when you have in mind a pastrami sandwich there are certain expectations. The pastrami itself was nothing special, there was rubberized Swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato (?) and an extra spicy Dijon that overpowered the whole thing. In addition, a wedge of watermelon and one of cantaloupe were included on the plate (the watermelon was overripe) and to top off this mess was a handful of potato chips. Oh, and a limp dill pickle spear. My dining companion ordered chicken quesadillas and rather than a nice, melty cheese, she also enjoyed the rubberized cheese experience. About halfway through the meal she began to feel ill. I don't know if it had anything to do with the food or maybe she was coming down with something anyway. Obviously, we did not have a great lunch at Traders. The bartender did her best to be attentive but with the number of tables she was responsible for, dirty dishes piled up around us. Normally this restaurant is very good at whisking away dishes and keeping the table clear. I don't know how Traders intends to take care of the Sanibel Island winter crowd with this kind of service. I've had better meals there in mid-summer when there's a paucity of patrons. read more

Very nice lunch there today. Had a spinach salad with grilled portobello and pine nuts, sans gorgonzola. Also had a plate of beans and rice with tomatoes, onions, et al. Both were delicious. Service was prompt and waiter was friendly. Can't help but contrast this with the Sanibel Sprout, where we ate (or attempted to) earlier in the week (see review). We got very good vegan food at Traders at a reasonable price. B and R was $8.00 compared to $9.00 for a meager bowl of soup at the Sprout. Ambience at Traders much more pleasant, as opposed to plastic chairs and wobbly table at the Sprout. Vegans on Sanibel - try Traders. read more

Once again, paper table cloths served with crayons.. must be a sanibel staple. The high ceilings in this restaurant/ gift shop (think classier island trinkets, not junky tourist t-shirts and such) make it a perfect place for a large group. The owners Gretchen Wilson and her husband have done a great job with this place. Seated at your table, you are surrounded by African artifacts and other tribal inspired knick-knacks. It has an extremely personal atmosphere as Gretchen brought us our pesto-olive oil concoction with fresh baked bread. My meat (6 oz filet) was cooked a little more medium-well than medium, but I survived. The bbq pork chops were a hit and will definitely be what I order next time. If you want something more than a burger with a handful of seafood options, check out this trading post, you won't be disappointed. read more

I had the Grill-Blackened Mahi, my husband had the Scallops with Lobster Ravioli. My dish had a Mango Salsa & Coconut Curry Sauce with yellow rice & black beans. They had me at coconut; I was so distracted by it, can't really tell you wether the fish was above average or not. My husband said his dish wasn't that good & rated 3 stars. Our kids Kobe burgers off the children's menu actually looked better. For dessert we had the Key Lime pie and Apple Crisp. We fought over the (really delicious) pie & passed the crisp around. (It was more like apple sauce & crisp.) Service was friendly but a bit slow. However, we're on vacation so it wasn't a problem :) 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

Last night on Sanibel, and we opted to dine at the much recommeded Traders Cafe, and so glad we did. Live Music, Fantastic Food, Good energy, Neat space = a winner in my book. The blackened scallops were perfection. Short ribs were impressive, by Texan standards. The stuffed shrimp entree was divine. The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is due to our server. She was for lack of a better description, very dry and cold to our table. It's understandable that she must have to put up with tourist BS all week long, but don't rain on our vacation parade - you picked your profession Holly. So slap on your best smile and razzle dazzle for a tip, or get out of the service industry in a high trafficked tourist community like Sanibel. read more

This really was one of our favorites of our trip to Sanibel. The food came out and everyone was satisfied with portions and how it tastes. Their fish is really good. We went with our kids and they were very accommodating. 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

Traders is probably one of, if not the best, restaurant on Sanibel. I went there twice - the first time i had the pork chop which was served with asparagus and an au gratin potato casserole. This meal was pretty good, not great, and it was pretty pricey ($30). The dessert we had though, the blackberry crisp served w/vanilla ice cream, was AMAZING and larger than life...4 of us could have split one! Def try the berry crisp if you go! The second time i went for happy hour. Every weekday from 3-6pm they have 2-for-1 wells/house wine/domestic beer and a bar menu full of yumminess, all under $15! We had the chicken quesadillas with mango salsa (SO FAB!) and the blackened chicken mixed greens salad, which had a wonderful dressing and the chicken was so flavorful. I def loved the bar menu better than the regular dinner menu, and it was good portion sizes - not too much. Love the atmosphere and friendly staff/owners. Cute twinkly lights all around the outside...very cozy and warm. read more

Good food, but agree with many other Yelpers..this is not great food for the price. If you are comparing this to other fine dining locations on SanCap then this is near the top of the heap but when compared to truly exceptional restaurants off the Island, Traders is simply ok. Portions large. I chose veal meatloaf which came with spaghetti squash, garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. Meatloaf was well seasoned and perfectly prepared and the same was true for all the sides. But it cost $28!!!!! Really???? I could see paying $18, tops. read more

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

The food at Traders is excellent; that is the bottom line. Tonight the quality of the food had to cover over some slight flaws, specifically, the amount of time it took for food to be delivered to us. Once the food was delivered, however, it was very good. To start, I had the corn chowder, which was rich and full of flavor, with a bit of curry and a little spice, but not too much. My wife had the blackened scallops with with coconut, curry sauce, which was excellent. We then moved on to the horseradish salmon and the macadamia encrusted grouper. Both dishes were excellent, with a little texture and full flavored toping covering very fresh, moist fish. Kyle, our waiter, was very attentive and thoughtful, especially with our two young daughters. The space was eclectic, with an attached shop. Traders is definitely one of the best restaurants on Sanibel Island and worth a visit. read more

Traders has always been my favorite restaurant on Sanibel. Chef Mike is the ultimate best. He also knows how to cook a fish. I would recommend Traders to anyone wanting a gourmet delight. I love the Tuna or any fish specials of the day. 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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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

On a stormy afternoon after a lazy beach day we wandered in here feeling snacky. This was my favorite meal of our whole trip. We sampled a handful off apps & cocktails and everything was just so good. We wound up in the dinning room although later I realized that the bar area was a different menu as well. Our server was so patient and nice. This was mid July so it was no slamming-busy. Even the simple things we ordered were prepared with just enough special-ness to make me look forward to the hour long drive north to eat there again. A little pricey but definitely worth it. Upscale experience and delicious, fresh food. read more

The food has been the best on the island for me. I have eaten at most of the restaurants, especially the highest rated on Yelp but this place has some great food. A must try. read more

The food was good but I felt like it was a little over priced for what you received. The place is nice and a little upscale for such a casual area. The menu was very limited I would guess maybe 10-12 choices for entrees. I want to say the kids menu was more appealing to me than the main. I would eat here again, but would not be the first choice. read more

Traders - The large dining room - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Love Traders baby back ribs. To die for! Lot of delicious choices! Fun atmosphere and in the favorite category for Sanibel!

One of the best restaurants I've ever eaten. The quality of food is great. It has an industrial feeling with a touch of old around. I went there for dinner at around 5pm and although it was not busy it got packed at around 6pm. I asked for the mahi mahi which was cooked to perfection. The dessert was the best part, the chocolate fudge and icecream AWESOME. Of course I ended up so full. It was well served and the server was nice as well. read more

This is the best spot to eat on Sanibel! Every year when we come down in April I get the same special - Crab stuffed shrimp paired with either lobster ravioli (that is striped) or another type of pasta. Very rich but such a treat and well worth it. This year we tried the ahi tuna, and oysters as appetizers which were both good. They also start you with fresh bread and an olive oil dipping bowl. Their key lime pie for dessert is always very good. Other good entree option is the grouper (if they have it). read more

We went for happy hour. My husband had the seared Ahi tuna and I had the pan seared crabcakes they were both delicious! We were pleasantly surprised to find out that they had wild mushroom soup. It was over the top delicious! The bread is yummy too! Leslie, our server, was awesome! Everything was so good we went back two days later. Leslie remembered us and our drinks! This place is a keeper... we will definitely go each time we come to Sanibel! read more

We read positive reviews and decided to try. Well laid out, courteous attentive staff with high ceilings and distressed wood interior with open kitchen. Sat at the kitchen bar and enjoyed the show. Food was good but just short of great. I enjoyed the grouper with macadamia crust and Thai peanut sauce with relish. She had the redfish with crabmeat topping. I felt the separation of the relish and peanut sauce hurt the dish but was good when I mixed things up a little. She thought the portions larger than needed and would have preferred the crab meat to have a sauce rather than tartar sauce. The crab had a great flavor. The Key lime pie was very good. Simple and tart without too much topping. We ate it without the raspberry sauce. Overall a pleasant experience. read more

It had the best food on our trip to florida. The gift store had beautiful items too.

Reservations strongly recommended. We arrived 5 minutes ahead and had to wait 10 minutes for our table. The hostess was very nice. We had roasted garlic and stuffed portobella appetizers. Both great. Had stuffed shrimp and blackened mahi dinners. Both excellent. Good drinks and decent music. Loved this place!! read more

Had an amazing dinner tonight at Traders. I really can't say enough positive things! They take reservations!! It was beautiful! Complimentary valet parking! They were accommodating with our seating (they had super live music, but my kids wanted to away from it based on their experience with loud live music at other places). I'm a mom of 3 kids and felt like I was eating at an upscale restaurant while the kids were comfortable, had great choices for dinner, and the paper table cover and crayons kept them busy. Our meals were delicious. I had the sea bass and risotto and my husband the filet. I would say some of the best food I have eaten on the island! Our waiter was spectacular as well! Bravo! We will be back! read more

Trades has been and is still the go to fine dining spot on Sanibel! If you want seafood prepared awesomley, then this is you spot! They also do a bunch of great non seafood plates. Really great ribs and braised lamb shank. On this last trip I had a special that was there amazing braised short ribs! This place can get extremely full and busy so make sure you get a reservation. There gift shop is also super cute and a great place to get gifts to bring home. read more

I loved the vibe in this place. I loved the store that I strolled thru after dinner. My short rib app was delicious, my scallops and crab meat in a light lemon cream sauce was also very good. We all enjoyed are dishes. Good choice for dinner. Everybody there from the lovely hostesses to the wait staff were really very very friendly. Great experience and will be back. read more

Traders Store and Café offers the finest food anywhere! We had a fantastic meal on New Years Eve and at the regular menu prices. Joe, Gretchen, Leslie, Gillian and the whole fantastic staff make dining at Traders a wonderful experience! 5 Stars, no! 10 Stars! Traders is our once a week (sometimes 3 times a week) place to dine. We love it! read more

This was easily the best dinner we had while spending 5 days on the island. The waitstaff was friendly and super efficient. We threw a lot at the waiter and he always took it all in-stride. We had a party of 8 and everyone enjoyed their food. The highlights were the bang bang shrimp, stuffed mushrooms and my entree which was a scallop fish with lobster ravioli. The only thing I didn't love was the skinny margarita. That was just blah, but everything else was great so I'll look past that. We have been to this restaurant several times before and feel this was our best experience. To step up your game during Covid is applauded and so much appreciated. read more

Went to Traders tonight for dinner. Delicious meal, I had the shrimp and grits and they were the best that I have had in a long time. The rest of our group thoroughly enjoyed the lamb shank, fish tacos and Mike's meatballs. Would definitely eat there again. read more

I've loved this place for a long time; however, I'm posting this review to rave about the Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake. That is one incredible dessert! I also really enjoyed the fish special which was macadamia encrusted seabass with avocado sauce. That was excellent as well. My wife enjoyed the potato leek soup and beans and rice. Having dined at this restaurant at least annually over the past 15 years my experience is that it is extremely consistent. I look forward to returning again later this year on our next visit to Sanibel Island! Our server Joe was really awesome as well. read more

Waiter was good. Food was excellent! Sho that is in the restaurant also had some cute things inside! read more

Traders - Seafood Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Great food. Love the white gazpacho. Brought our own wine, which was a great perk!! read more

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"Overall - - the BEST dining experience on Sanibel or Captiva !" Traders is wonderful. The food is wonderful. The service is wonderful. The staff is professional but friendly and warm. Brunch, lunch or dinner - you'll be most pleased. On a recent visit, I called ahead with a special request - and when I explained my need, the manager chuckled and both quickly and happily agreed to accommodate me. The food is far above most if not all of what is too commonly served at restaurants on Sanibel/Captiva - and yet, the value is right on. The pastas are a standout - but they are known for their ribs and meats - and for lunch, definitely try the soups and sandwiches. The salads are inventive and very interesting - so they make a delightful light meal as well. It is not inexpensive - but it is right for the quality. I strongly recommend Traders during your visit. read more

Our time at Traders was the best dining experience we had on the island. Service impeccable. Erma was so good to us. Show up at Happy hour menu 3 - 6 and the regular menu is reduced a little in price. Amazing deal! Let me tell you guys about the salt scrub in the bathroom!!! You must - MUST - try this! Your skin will feel better than baby buns!!! For realsies. Now we each had 3 drinks a piece, but that doesn't mean we don't know what we're talking about. The meatloaf! I don't even like meatloaf! It was the best meatloaf in the world. The grouper tacos were muy bueno!! So freaking good. Don't even get us started on the lamb shank - or the shrimp & crab cocktail. Everything we put in our mouths was perfect. So thankful we found Traders! read more

Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was excellent. The shrimp and grits is a relatively simple dish but they really nailed it with nice size shrimp and well made grits that were on the 'coarse' cut end of the spectrum which is how I prefer them. read more