Recently my wife and family when to Doc Ford's Rum Bar and…read moreGrille, on Sanibel Island. This restaurant is simply an institution on the island. It is without question a must do, when you're here. My family and I have been coming here for many years, and it only has gotten better each time. This location has two floors of seating, more importantly two bars you can sit at. After checking in with the hostess, our wait was only about twenty minutes. Once seated at our table all of us were ready to order. For drinks we ordered two rounds I got the Dark and Stormy for both rounds(Gosling's Black Seal Rum mixed with Gosling's Ginger Beer & a squeeze of lime) my ordered a mango and coconut mojito; my sister in law ordered a rum runner. We all loved our drinks. Drinks here are always made perfect. For an appetizer we shared the calamari. The breading was light and the calamari was tender. For entrees my sister in law and I ordered the Deep Water Mahi Mahi(Hand-cut mahi-mahi seared in sweet soy sauce, placed on a jasmine rice stir fry with a tropical vinaigrette) This dish is my favorite meal here. The mahi was tender, the sweet soy sauce and the tropical vinaigrette ties everything together. My wife ordered the Yucatan Shrimp with a side of jalapeño cheese grits. She gave me two thumbs up. My father in law Grouper Sandwich (Fresh grouper grilled, blackened, or fried. Served with Doc's tartar sauce on a freshly baked roll) He ordered his fried. He loves the grouper sandwich here and usually gets it. Again, this is another place we will always comeback to.

Since their move to the current location we haven't really been impressed with Doc Fords. We are…read morelifelong vacationers who have been coming since the 60s in my parents case and I have clear memories of the old location being great. The quality definitely slipped from that point when they moved 10 years ago. I never really understood why it continued to be such a popular spot. If you don't believe that we my previous review that's over 10 years old lol We returned for the first time since Ian 4 years ago and while the service is still very touch & go-our server seemed to be having a rough night. To be fair she had the table next to us that was like 12 seemingly college age kids who were really loud & obnoxious & who were also annoying us so maybe that's accounts for her mood. The food and drinks have really turned around. We came in the first night of our trip just to "check that it still sucks" but knowing it's an easy walk in without much of a wait in the September off-season and we were tired from all day spent in the sun & wanted it to be easy. But we were so surprised. The food was excellent. Fresh. Not clearly reheated (a common thing in the past). I asked for a mojito made with coconut rum rather than traditional rum and that kind of seemed to confuse our server. To be fore they have a coconut mojito that has a coconut cream in it but that's not what I wanted. After a bit of back & forth it came out as ordered and delicious (highly recommend trying it made this way-you'll never go back) We enjoyed our meal so much we actually went back for a midday drink and snack later that week. Unheard of for us. Had a really lovely conversation with a bartender who's been there forever about the state of things at the island. He remembered my drink order so I'm apparently notorious now lol. And once again the food orders this time was so good and fresh and hot (very hot-beware of you order fish fingers) So very pleasantly surprised! Whatever you changed in the past 4 years, keep it up! Where a lot of places seem to have gotten worse since Ian you guys improved on n a huge way and we look forward to coming back now

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

While visiting one of the most magical places in Florida, you should check out this place! My…read morefriends 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!

We had visited this restaurant over ten years ago and we're excited to see they reopened after the…read morehurricane. With reservations for a birthday dinner we were a little early but seated right away in a busy dining room. I ordered a Shrimp Livornaise with housemade pasta. The dish was tasty and the shrimp were large but the pasta was minimal and just ok. We split a Cedar salad and saw a $5 charge on our bill for the kitchen splitting the salad, of which we were not informed when ordering. Also our bill included a 3% "COST OF DOING BUSINESS" charge when first presented, not knowing if we were paying by Cash or Credit card. Not the same experience as our first visit.

We had a decent dinner here. They've remodeled since we were here last -- over 10 years ago…read more Luckily, they didn't suffer much damage at all from Hurricane Ian. But as we left, we both said to each other that something was off and we wouldn't be back. I can't put my finger on it exactly. It didn't help that they charge an extra fee for doing business (!) that was on the bill presented to us --even before they knew whether we were going to pay with cash or a credit card -- and that they had a splitting dish charge of $5 (which I had them remove; as it was never explained, only offered). Or that they never acknowledged my husband's birthday. But they did have our reservation correctly and we were seated immediately. The room is large and airy and open. But it's also without any warmth or personality. The large loud table of young couples seated next to us -- who didn't know what most of the menu items were -- didn't help. Our service was okay, too. But here again something felt a tad off and fake. We started by sharing a caprese salad. We added extra balsamic glaze. For our main dishes, my husband had the shrimp Livornese. Large shrimp served with olives and capers in a tomato sauce. The pasta was skimpy and he doubted that it was housemade. I had their salmon. It came with mashed potatoes and a couple asparagus spears. It was good. For dessert, we had the berry cobbler without the ice cream. It was disappointing. And would have been better served hot -- not barely lukewarm. I'm glad we came back to try them. Now we know.

We saved Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant for our final dinner of a weeklong trip to Sanibel Island,…read moreand it ended up being one of the highlights of our entire vacation. Every seat in the restaurant was filled, which tells you everything you need to know. Make a reservation because this place is incredibly popular. The service was outstanding from start to finish. Our server was warm, attentive, and somehow managed to provide exceptional service despite the restaurant being completely packed. The entire staff made our last night on the island feel special. We forgot to take photos of the appetizers, but trust me, don't skip them. The fried green tomatoes were the unanimous favorite at our table and an absolute must-order. Crispy, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. We also ordered the conch fritters, which our family always seeks out whenever we're in Florida, and these were honestly some of the best we've ever had. The crab cakes were delicious as well, but the fried green tomatoes and conch fritters definitely stole the show. For my entrée, I ordered the Quinoa Steak Salad, and I was shocked by the size. The portion is enormous and could easily be shared by two people, or even serve as a family-style salad for three or four. The steak was perfectly cooked, and the combination of quinoa, avocado, fresh vegetables, and cheese made it both hearty and refreshing. Several people at our table ordered the evening special, the blackened snapper over mushroom risotto, and it was phenomenal. The snapper was perfectly cooked, flaky, and full of flavor, while the creamy mushroom risotto complemented it beautifully. It was easily one of the standout dishes of the evening. The honey glazed salmon was another favorite at our table. The braised short ribs were rich, tender, and beautifully presented. One person in our group ordered the stuffed lobster and thoroughly enjoyed it, mentioning both the flavor and the generous portion size. The fish tacos were good, but with so many exceptional dishes on the table, they simply weren't the standout. Between the exceptional food, generous portions, outstanding service, and lively atmosphere, this was the perfect way to end our week on Sanibel Island. It's easy to see why every table was full. If you're visiting Sanibel, make reservations in advance. This restaurant is popular for a reason, and after dining here, we completely understand why. Five stars. We can't wait to come back.

Came here for dinner and it was packed! Good thing we had a reservation. Not a very big place more…read moresmall and quiet but they packed lots of tables and booths inside. As well as some tables outside and there is a bar area inside with tvs on. Service was great. All the staff were very friendly and kind. To eat we ordered the strawberry salad with blackened grouper. The salad was fantastic but the grouper was just nothing special. I wouldn't recommend it. My husband got the scallops with the coconut risotto. He said the scallops were amazing but the risotto wasn't great. We also got the tuna tartar which was just ok. The menu isn't large so not many options to pick from. Maybe breakfast or lunch would've been better.

I had the shrimp trio and a crab cake. my sister had the sea bass. No alcohol. $105.00…read morethe crab cake was real crab meat but tasteless. if there were seasonings in it I couldn't taste them. The shrimp scampi was delicious, shrimp were sweet, tender and a nice size. the Fried shrimp were good as well. Stuffed shrimp stuffing was mostly bread but the shrimp were good. Our baked potatoes were flavorfu. My sister said the sea bass wasn't that good. if you want good sea bass go to Traders. Our waiter Danny was good.

Timbers is located on Sanibel Island and has been opened since 1978. Their dining room is very…read moreunique, with wood finishes and island-themed nautical decor, large umbrellas, almost like you are outside but actually inside. They also have a market as you enter, where you can buy fresh seafood, pasta salads, their bisque and more. Once we checked in with the host, she lead us to our table. Our sever Danny came by and gave us waters and menus. Less than ten minutes passes by and we were ready to order. For entrees I ordered the Seafood Platter ( shrimp scampi, scallops, and grouper this came with a Caesar salad and sweet potatoes) shrimp scampi, scallops and grouper were well seasoned, tender and fresh; my wife ordered the Triple Shrimp Platter (scampi, baked stuffed, and crunchy and a side of crab bisque) my wife absolutely loved this dish so much so she said she'll get it again next time we dine here. The crab bisque was the best she's had on the island. My mother in law ordered the Baked Stuff Shrimp (with seafood stuffing) she ordered this dish last time we dined here and she said it's still delicious. My father and sister in law ordered the Mahi Mahi with mango sauce. Both said the Mahi-mahi was tender and was a nice portion. All in all this is a great restaurant for anyone looking for seafood. All the fish is fresh and made to order.

As good as it gets, & our best meal & drinks on the island!…read more We had expert server Nick & were so happy with him! He was extremely personable, fun, & sooo efficient at his job! He treated us like family, & took such good care of us. We started with cocktails: Miami Vice, Pina Colada, & a Pain Killer at Nicks suggestion. They were all delicious. Next up shared appetizers of smoked fish dip & crab cakes. I usually dislike crab cakes, but I wanted to eat all of them. The smoked fish dip was delicious too & whoever thought of frying the saltines is a genius! For our meals we each got a lunch for dinner platter which was plenty of food with the accompanying house made chips & super ripe fruit. Two of us got the coconut shrimp. They were large, fresh & delicious, very heavy on the batter. The pineapple dipping sauce was perfect with them. Two in our party got salmon & said it was excellent. They ate every bite of it. One of us devoured his lobster roll with great enjoyment. The only non- seafood eater had what he described as a really good burger. He's like Mikey from Life cereal, he hates everything...so that's very high praise for the burger. For dessert we shared both the chocolate cake & key lime pie. I usually don't like Key Lime pie because it's almost always too sweet. But theirs is amazing. Dense, creamy & very tangy, with grated lime zest all throughout the pie. The cake was delicious too. There wasn't a bite of anything left. The ambience is great. Very nautical with lovely views. The exterior is very pretty, & inside it is cozy, casual & approachable. The a/c works really well too. The servers were all cheerful & the other diners seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was such a great overall experience. Highly recommend!

Great marina setting for this top notch seafood restaurant on Sanibel Island…read more You won't regret if you choose any of the fresh seafood entrees on the menu including either Mahi-Mahi or Grouper. I like that you can also order from the lunch menu while adding an appetizer to enjoy for dinner. Ample parking adjacent to the restaurant is plentiful and convenient.

This was the best dining experience we had on island. We'd made reservations (highly recommended)…read moreand we were welcomed and seated right away. We had very good service throughout even though they were busy. We weren't rushed. We dined leisurely but without gaps between courses. We shared a Caesar salad to start. It was a good appetizer. For my main entree, I had the lamb chops. There were two double chops perfectly cooked to my request -- crisped on the outside. They were delicious. And served over mashed potatoes with asparagus and carrots. The portion was large. My husband had the burgundy braised short ribs. The meat was tender and flavorful. He said the sauce they were in was just rich and wonderful. We were too full to try any of their desserts. As we were leaving, we both said that this restaurant is a "keeper". We wished we'd been here sooner.

Our last night on Sanibel Captiva and my wife had made reservations for the end of my Birthday…read moreVacay. So glad she did! After a friendly welcome, we were seated and our server Eric took our drink orders. After looking over the menu and hearing the tempting Specials for the night, we chose our meals. We shared a Caesar salad and I had the Short ribs over red bliss mashed potatoes. YUM! My wife had the Lamb chops, charred and cooked to her desired temperature. She loved them! We looked at the desert menu but were pleasantly full and gave dessert a pass. Great ambiance, great service, Great food and a wonderful evening!

Excellent food with a nice range of different entrees to choose from. The employees are all…read morefriendly, welcoming, and give it their all to make your visit a satisfying and enjoyable experience. My Barbacoa Beef Burrito was delicious and my Mango Margarita was very refreshing and enjoyable after a 12 mile bicycle ride on a sunny March day. It's located past the main hub of Sanible along the road to Captiva and only a "stone's throw" from J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, (which should definitely be on your list to visit, btw). It's an open air room concept with a small bar area, and plenty of booths and tables to accommodate small or large parties. However even so, the noise level is not bad. It's quite enjoyable and I recommend you check them out.

We really enjoy it here most times we visit. This time was a miss for us but we've had good…read moreexperiences here in the past so we will come back. I do wish they had a better spice guide on their menu. This time I ordered 2 tamales and one was very spicy. I damaged my stomach when I was in college and anything spicy now makes me sick so I was only able to eat half of my meal. There no mention or indication that one of them was spicy at all. My margarita was also incorrect. I ordered a specialty marg off the menus and requested a sugar rim rather than tajin which is what it comes with and I received one with Tajik. So I had to drink it with a straw. Usually that kind of annoy me bit it was off season and we were the onlookers there and we just having a snack not a meal. Also is it a note the margs are quite large so that's helps lol My husband really liked his burrito and it was massive. Even by normal standards. I had a few bites of that and it was very good. This was a first time blunder for us and again it has been all positive in the past. So don't let this completely discourage you just be aware it may not be a perfect experience.

MudBugs -- 5/5…read more Every year when we come to Sanibel, we HAVE to eat here! It's become one of our favorite places and is always a must-stop for us. Everything is so good, but you absolutely have to try the beignets -- they're SO good! Definitely a Sanibel favorite that we look forward to every year.

What a cool place. We spent the morning on captiva beach and spotted this place coming…read more We had an amazing lunch for $60. The bartender was great. Service was fast

The menu is heavy in seafood. Excellently prepared and seasoned…read more The Fish Stew is 5*, mussels were best I have had, plump, tender. Shrimp were very good. One scallop. Fish was firm and flaky. Sauce was rich and full flavored. Wife had 5 Shrimp and coarse stone ground grits coked to perfection. Theside of bread was crusty and tender inside. The seasoned butter was a bit over. The olive oil could use more spices. The bread serving was a bit frugal. Service was smooth and attentive without hovering. Nice guitar music. Gotta go back for more.

This is the best Happy Hour in the area. Great food. The best mussels I have ever had for $9!…read more Flat bread was terrific too. Prices were very reasonable and service was delightful. They may have moved off the island but it's well worth the short drive to Sweet Melissa's