1st time here looking for a nice lunch with my girlfriend where we can appreciate the ocean view. After reading reviews I was skeptical but we decided to take the drive and give it a try. What reviews fail to tell you is that you literally wait in a line on a deck until you are seated...so disregard the breathe-taking view as you wait because you are deprived from it as you wait on a cluttered ramp of people waiting to be seated. When I called ahead of time to see if they allow pets I got a obviously latin woman saying "aters clu haw can I hel ju?" don't get me wrong I'm hispanic but really? This should have been a red flag. Either way we decide to go....I don't even think we got a waiter but a bus boy by the name of "Bori" actual name is Orlando but very entertaining. service Took forever but this guy was clearly overworked. Food was OK. sangria was good. But very dirty surroundings. In my opinion they dont deserve a piece of the ocean considering how much garbage was flying around (plastic cups,wrapper from crackers, plastic utensils, napkins,etcc) wouldn't recommens. Nature walk is amazing for dogs though but you don;t have to stop at this rest for that. You have to pay $1.00 toll plus $8.00 to get ing park befire you can even get to rest. read more

Sure the view is beautiful, but that's all. I think the place is great for a drink with a good view, but nothing more. I went there with my children and I was very disappointed, we took regular entrees, because there was no kids menu, and we get : 3 fingers & 10 fries, 1 burger (bun, salad & steak) w/10 fries and the shrimp ceviche is just shrimps with 3 salad leaves !!!! For the price I was excepting regular size of entrees... We are not big eater, usually my children can't finish their kids menu, but at the end I had to buy ice cream for my kids ten minutes after their meal. I will never stop again to this restaurant. Hopefully trails, lighthouse, beach are very beautiful and we enjoyed spending the rest of the day at the park. read more

Possibly the worst meal I have ever been served. To think someone had killed a fish to be served this way is a crime. Horrible, inedible food. I have no idea how anyone would ever come back a second time. Hopefully someone else will re-open this restaurant. read more

Fried whole Hog Snapper is awesome. Great views too. Add salt and lemon juice for a wow..

They say they have wifi, but, thats not the case. Its disconnected and when you ask about it, nobody knows anything or cares. No Wifi!

Yum!!!! Had the grilled lobster and it was amazing!!! Perfect atmosphere on the water. A must if you're in key biscayne!

Terrible and Clumbsy waiters! TERRIBLE Service! Took 2 hours for food to come! Food was ish but terrible service!!!! Overpriced too. Got a burger that was bad after two ours and burger was small and disgusting, it came with fries and was overall gross! Same quality of Mc'donalds and would not recommend coming! read more

Great food, service, and a beautiful bay view...the owners are particularly sweet and accommodating!

We drove with our kids this morning to celebrate a breakfast birthday. Much to our surprise after paying $8 per vehicle for entering the No Name Harbor area we, at barely 11:05, sat at this restaurant to discover that breakfast was served only till 11:00am. As a person who works in the restaurant industry I was not happy at all with the waiters inflexibility. We had a table full of children expecting breakfast and we were only able to order coffee and water. Terrible experience read more

After a day at the beach, nothing like fresh seafood. Very surprised at the negative feedback. This is a beach side seafood restaurant, the staff was friendly and the view is awesome. Nothing like a bucket of ice cold beer, Asopao de camarones, conch fritters and tostones. :) read more

Went here today, after coming from the beach and Wanted some seafood and possibly drinks. My service is kinda iffy out there so when I tried to look it up on yelp it wouldn't open . Hubby said let's just go since he was hungry . A few of the waiters glanced at us while chatting in the back , before one finally came and said sit wherever you like . Picked an area , the view was nice as we over looked some boats. Waited another couple minutes before the server brung us a menu. Mind you it wasn't packed, it's a Tuesday and it was around 7 pm . Got the menu to look for drinks and all they had was beer an wine ugh okay. Continue skimming and nothing interesting catching my eye , Especially for the price . The waiter came and poured us some tap water which I sipped on, he spoke not a lick of English but was nice . I saw a party with a large fried snapper with beans and rice but I make that at home weekly I was in the mood for some conch or oysters. The seafood wasn't like your traditional stuff you usually find at a restaurant over the ocean, it was Spanish style seafood ( paella, tostones etc). since the waiter had already poured us water I felt rude to just walk out so we ended up just ordering a calamari and a side of fries for my 1 year old that we all shared. Before the waiter left I asked him for mayo it took him almost 10mins to bring mayo back I had to flag him Down and by the look of his face he forgot. The food Came up to $16 not including tip , which we tipped $2 only to be nice . Won't be back . Rated two stars for the view . read more

I love everything about this gem of a restaurant! Delicious food, gorgeous atmosphere, and excellent service. Try the fresh fish-you will be so glad you did. The mango cheesecake and Key lime pie were mouthwatering good, our party enjoyed eating them with our espresso and coffees. Our Server was a so nice and very attentive. My friends and I will definitely be back soon! read more

Wow. All I can keep saying is wow. Great service ... Fantastic food. Great view and just makes you feel like you belong.

I've had better, much better. Service was terrible and the food was far below average. The value just isn't there. The only thing that this place had going for it was the view, that's the only reason why I gave it 2 stars instead of 1! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! read more

Went on a Wednesday night and they didn't have a few items from the menu (more than 3). This was definitely a bad. Overall, dinner was average. The location get top ratings, but the food does not. Basically, I wouldn't eat here again. read more

Very unreceptive to criticism,. The waiter had a very unfriendly attitude and was unreceptive to criticism, The first time I went the food was great, the second time it was lousy, The restaurant is not consistent! The only thing that saved the day was the view! read more

3 stars just because of the view. I had the Cesar Chicken salad and it was terrible. Go for the fish instead.. my fault for getting chicken at a fish restaurant. The view was great and so was the service however I can't speak for everyone. A couple arrived with their dog and asked if they could bring their dog in. One of the waiters said they could be seated at the bottom deck of the restaurant which was fine but I overhead the waiter say in spanish "that's not a dog, that's a lion" so the couple who apparently didn't understand Spanish wouldn't be offended. It's extremely disrespectful to speak unkindly of others in a language they don't understand. Enjoy the view and try going during a time where it isn't too hot. 6-7 pm being best read more

The best place in paradise for food. Also try the lighthouse cafe. Man, great eats, and great service

Worst meal in a while. Had been anticipating due to Help and good reviews. Ordered Fried Yuca, unpleasantly boring. Followed by Avocado salad which should be "salad" in quotes because it was not even an avocado it is better suited to be named "Half an avocado with 3 pieces of Lettuce" plate. No dressing. 1 slice of cucumber, literally. For $6 I didn't even get the entire avocado. The grilled chicken came bland, asked for lime (they only have lemon) and served with 2 slices of tomato and what resembles baby lettuce. Beer was not chilled, more like room temp. And overall view sucks. Save your time and money. read more

Over the years, Boater's Grill has gone from being a casual, reasonably priced, fun, outdoor "fresh seafood shack" in the state park, to an overpriced, chaotic mess with mediocre food, an indifferent wait staff, with very little English spoken. The $14 overcooked tostones / crab appetizer was inedible. The small amount of crab was mixed in some sort of ?? sauce, and did not taste good. The crab burger appeared to be the frozen variety, arrived cold, and without any condiments. We were charged for salads which we were told came with the meal. The fresh fish was good, but small pieces for $20+. One person's entre was served prior to the appetizers. Water was served in very small plastic cups, without refills, in spite of repeated requests. Hair was found in the water, which the waiter refused to address. In addition, he never returned to the table to check on us, offer dessert, refills, or even the check, which we had to hunt down ourselves. Then we had to wait another 20 minutes to get someone to take the $ !! Don't think I'll be back, and can't even reccommend it in spite of the fantastic location. As a matter of fact, I would like to suggest they call "restaurant rescue!" read more

I took my elderly Mom and her elderly friend to Boater's Grill on Sunday, June 24. I ordered for myself the blackened snapper with black beans and ripe plantains. We also had an order of fries from a second order. The fries were cold and soggy. the black beans had NO taste--canned ones have more taste. The snapper had no taste. How this can ever be when you blacken a fish is beyond me. The plantains and black beans were cold. Terribly disappointed. Suggest you do not eat there! Have a glass wine or a beer BUT do not order a meal. read more

We went on a Thursday night in February, 5:30 pm--no line. I got grilled red snapper fillet, house salad and fried plantains and they were fabulous. Spectacular view of the small harbor/marina. This is a small seafood restaurant on the water. Go for the fish and other simple dishes, nicely cooked and served in a picturesque setting. A decent wine selection, too. Don't go looking for a bar and gourmet dishes. read more

This is by far the worst food and service I have ever experienced. The waitress did not come back to refill our waters and we had to ask her to. They give two packets of crackers for the gross tasteless fish dip they serve. I will not be coming back here. read more

Bad food, small portions, very expensive! We don't mind paying for good food but this place is just a low quality tourist trap.

Being a Florida native and fisherman/boater and one that likes off beat, hole-in-the-wall places I thought this place would be right up my alley, NOT!! Places like this may be short on comfort, but should be good when it comes to authentic atmosphere and food, not the case here! Food quality was so so, portions were small, and service was inattentive, 3 items on the menu were not available that night, "sorry, we are out of that." I would say the fish was fresh for I am pretty good at being able to tell if its more than a day old, but honestly, if I were the owner there is so much more I would offer to allow patrons to walk away satisfied and feeling like they had just sampled some old Florida charm and recipes. We got there after the park closed so thank goodness we didn't have to pay the $8 park fee, that would have surely added to the dissappointment. So I say, Skip Boaters Grill and find another off beat hole in the wall and write about it. The search goes on! read more

I was tempted to give Boater's Grill 5 stars!! I love this place. Nothing fancy, not pretentious, just simple Cuban food on the water. Great fresh fish and the tostones are the best I've ever had (and I've tried a few in my time). n.b., very casual - - think bathing suit or shorts and flip flops. read more

If I could give a zero, I would. We came here on a recommendation by the toll booth girl (which we should've taken as a grain of salt), but went there nonetheless. Our waiter come 3 times, once to get our order for drinks, entrees and to clear our plates. We ran out of water and had to ask another waiter for this and that took over 10 mins. When the bill came, I was ready to leave, but it took over 15 mins to get my bill back and our waiter didn't even give any eye contact or say anything pleasant. If I'm going to pay $18 for a really bad pasta dish and $22 for lobster, I expected a little more than what we got. You can't just expect a 20% tip, you have to work for it like everyone else does. Worst service EVER!!!!!!!!!! read more

Excellent location! Beautiful and relaxing views. Bad food and even worst service for prime rate. We ordered a Sangria and it tasted like vinegar. Asked to have it changed for a white sangria and was told they didn't have, funny because table next to is had just been given white sangria. Pointed this out, we waited for the sangria all through lunch. It never arrived. read more

Not worth the wait. We waited in line for an hour for food that's ok at best same as the service. We were lucky to get a table with a good water view but there are not many. Also, They don't have a bar. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here nor will I come back. read more

Though it is never safe to assume. I am going to give my assumption a shot at saying I do not doubt the food is as good as the service. Nothing like walking up to a place and not knowing exactly where the entrance is. Go in on one side and see a sign that says "line on the other side." A buddy and I proceed through the dining area. We get in line behind one couple. No greeter. No employees saying anything. Just a sign saying wait in line. After 10 minutes or so a few more people join the line. Still nothing from an employee. A few more minutes and a group of 6 show up to stand in line. Finally, a greeter shows up and decides to take the group of 6 before anyone else without even asking who is next or how many in each party. The group of 6 hopefully spilled something all over themselves for even going in front of any of us already in line as well. I am glad we decided to take our money elsewhere. I am sure the wait to order and wait for food would have been miserable. One bright side... decent view. read more

Just reading all the reviews, we have friends in town from Colorado and thought this place would be great. After reading the reviews we will find someplace else . I hope the owners read these reviews and get there act together.... read more

Two stars for location. Service wasn't bad, but the quality of the food was abysmal. I'd agree with other reviewers who ventured that the owner is running down the clock on a lease. Bottom line: the beauty of the location far surpasses the food, service and attitude fom the staff. I have worked in restaurants for years, and I never send food back. I did here. Overall, the food on the Key isn't so special ...barring Costa Med, which is excellent. However, Costa Med doesn't have the stunning view of No Name Harbor. If you go to the Boater's Grill, order the whole fish. While waiting for my food to come back, I overheard a local say "Get the whole fish. It's the only way to go, here." read more

My friend and I arrived here with the intention of ordering a simple burger and beer. Walking up to the restaurant from the parking lot, there is no obvious entrance or signage leading us to the correct entry. We walked around to the other side to see if it might be there and ended up just walking up the stairs to the dining balcony which then greeted us with a sign at the top saying "Line on other side". The dining balcony is an outdoor setting which overlooks No Name Harbor, a nice view. The ambiance was decent and casual, with tables and plates being "no frills" which seemed just fine for our mission. After falling in line behind a couple, we waited 10 minutes before someone ever came up to greet any of us. By this time, an elderly couple had joined the queue as well and just moments before the waiter came up, a family of about 6 got in line behind us, save the father who remained up front. When the waiter came up, he went straight for the father, asked how many, and the family of 6 proceeded to skip the 6 of us already waiting in line. So not only did the waiter completely ignore the other 6 of us, he failed to even inquire who might have been first. Following this, my friend and I decided to take our money elsewhere. read more

Although the ambiance and food may be good, beware. My husband and I got food poisoning there. We had never been sick before and after speaking to a State food inspector, we determined this is where we got sick. We tried calling to speak with the manager and apparently others had gotten sick as well but they didn't even acknowledge it. They have had many food violations and I'll never eat there again, no matter how cool it is to pull up our boats to the dock and enjoy the view. read more

Pros: Nice location if you're already at the park or taking a scenic drive; outdoor seating; Pitchers of sangria; gratuity not automatic. Cons: You have to pay to enter the park where this is located; service and food are unremarkable given the prices; there are so many better places to go in Miami for casual seafood (like Garcia's)! We were just there on Sunday afternoon after riding around Key Biscayne. The restaurant was crowded (to be expected) but we only had to wait a few minutes for a table outside by the railing overlooking the water. Great location! However, it's Miami in July so it was HOT even with the ceiling fans. We only had appetizers and a pitcher of sangria (which was good but pricey at $25). The conch fritters were hot and pretty good; however, they don't come with any kind of dipping sauce. When I asked for cocktail sauce, I got a tiny plastic tub with a lid and it was MARINARA which was cold! Come on! When my companion asked for cocktail sauce, they brought us a small plate with those bags of ketchup and tartar sauce (are we supposed to whip something up on our own?). This is a huge pet peeve of mine--forget about the environment and the fact that you're in a PARK next to the BAY--for the money you're charging, serve me the right condiments in real containers! BTW, the fries that came with the fritters were frozen shoestring--not good at all. We also ordered the fish croquetas which my table mates liked (too fishy for me)--again no dipping sauce of any kind served--and the fish adobo which were bite-sized, seasoned chunks of fish lightly battered and fried. These were super good--moist, flavorful and fresh. Rather than think of Boater's Grill as a restaurant you'd go out of your way for, think of this place as a snack shack you'd typically find at the beach or in a park with a more extensive menu. read more

Got there and sat at the terrace and waited.. And waited... I was then told I had to move because there was no service for two people at that location. I was moved to the back of the restaurant. I then waited another 20 minutes without acknowledgement. I finally ordered the food and when it arrived it all tasted bland and "generic". At some point an employee was smoking two feet away from our table. It gets two stars because of the location and the view. read more

Nice view, food is good, a little expensive but overall we had a good experience. Try to go on weekdays, weekends this place is packed...

great place and food love it the sunset

Awesome food. Worth the wait. We had the whole fried fish, Yuca fries, seafood rice, fish and rice, fried plantains in 2 shapes. All awesome.. and finish the meal with a Cuban coffee.. perfect! read more

Had another good experience here. Went on a bike ride in Key Biscayne with my gf. Stopped here on the scenic route. Awesome little place on a cove full of boats. Seems like enough people know about it but not too too many. It was packed but I didn't feel overwhelmed. It was chill but also with a party atmosphere. People were partying on their boats and we were drinking on the deck of the restaurant. We stayed for awhile and had a nice time. I'd go back. read more