Hooray and hallelujah!!! Tropics is back, reborn again in the new, better and revised form of Tropics Grille. What was for many, many years Tropics, then briefly The Grille on the Drive, is now back again and better than ever as Tropics Grille. Anybody who has been around the Island City for a while will remember Tropics as the long standing and stellar watering and dining place of the mature gay gentlemen of Wilton Manors. Its loss at the hands of a reckless incompetent was devastating to the social life and very fiber of the gay community. But fortunately it was revived, redecorated and spruced up with an eye appealing décor and much improved menu under the name of The Grille and now even better than ever as Tropics Grille.
The "Grand Reopening" appropriately took place on World Pride Weekend and the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. Like could you get any time more meaningful for a reopening than that? No you can't and I was delighted to be one of the new Tropics Grill customers on June 30th. To me most meaningful it marks the day that fifty years ago that I stood shoulder to shoulder by Sherman Square next to Stonewall in a Rockette like kickline chanting, dancing and heckling the police, but in a most friendly totally nonviolent way, with "Hey, Hey! We are the Stonewall gurls, we wear our hair in curls."
Now there are other factors coupled together that give me reason to go Five Yelp Stars for the reopened Tropics Grill. The first is the food. The food was greatly improved in quality, taste, flavor and consistency under its days as being The Grille. I've had about everything on their menu from the Bolognese to the duck and all were great and now fortunately carried over and served under the Tropics Grille name. For my meal I had one of my favorites being a filet mignon done rare, coated with a gorgonzola cheese and sided with potato and asparagus. The presentation when served couldn't have been better with the steak done perfectly as ordered, juicy, tender and flavorful.
Another factor are the drinks. I've never had a bad, weak, floated or watered down drink at Tropics and that good drink tradition continues. Then there are the bartenders, friendly, knowledgeable efficient and polite. Plus we now have the return of such familiar bartender faces as Frankie who has been with the Tropics bars of this location since forever. If told he was born here, I wouldn't dispute it. For years I have not only enjoyed his drinks but the Halloween, Christmas and other decoration he brought to the place.
Another good thing that the reborn Tropics Grill is doing is getting rid of the plastic. No more plastic bags or plastic straws. You may not think much of that, but if you were a boater and everyday had to witness all the plastic debris in our oceans, intracoastals and getting plastic bags wrapped up on your props, you'd understand.
Then, and this is the real icing on the proverbial cake, is the entertainment. For dining entertainment I have no problem declaring it not only to be the best, not just for Lauderdale, but for all of Broward. Yes, it is that good.
I might also add that, as the reborn Tropics is retaining The Grille staff and also bringing back some of the seasoned employees of the original Tropic days, there is no "soft opening" crap to put up with. They already know the act and they have it down perfectly. read more