Victoria was our server today and her recommendations were absolutely delicious. 2 of us got the 1/2 lb double cheeseburger with delicious fresh cut fries. Sheila got the fish and shrimp and fries. Wow and WOW. Cooked to perfection doesn't even come close to describing our food. I almost want to marry the chef. The key lime pie and the chocolate chocolate cake was also delicious. The facility was very nice and welcoming, the restrooms were very clean. The sweet tea was delicious. After having the chef spray our hips with Pam . We slid into our car and drove home. Victoria was an absolute delight. She was friendly, informative and attentive. Thank you Castaways for the best dinner ever. read more

OMG! Castaways restaurant has it in the bag...the best surprise in a long time! Our server Shara was just perfect from beginning to end. I ordered the crab stuffed flounder with collard greens and mashed potatoes...it was a total knockout! My wife ordered the lobster roll with green beans and it was delicious though my flounder was the clear winner next to the excellent service provided by our awesome server Shara .we will be back again and again! read more

My wife has been here before with her son and granddaughter, but this was my first time. My wife had the haddock sandwich, and I had the Jumbo Country Fried Steak. The server took our drink order right away and brought us our drinks. Our food was served in 10-15 minutes and was hot and fresh, and tasted great. I have a big appetite but my steak was so big I ended up taking half of it home. We were there about 2pm on a Thursday, and the place was mildly busy. We live about 45 minutes away, and don't come this way very often, but I would definitely like to eat here again. I saw another server bring out a burger (double or triple) that had to be 6-7 inches tall!!! I might just have to try that next time. read more

Supposedly the best seafood around but I have my doubts. My shrimp scampi was ok but hard to tell if local-ish shrimp (Mayport in example) or from Thailand or elsewhere. Slightly overcooked and a bit tough. The rice pilaf was just white rice: a pilaf means there's nuts and other stuff in the rice, folks, not just white rice. The waitress was nice but service a bit slow. Atmosphere is very Jimmy Buffet-influenced I guess is the best way to put it. Clientele is older folks, bikers, anyone who is probably here for the drinks up at the bar versus the food. If you're heading east to the beach, just wait and go to Essex Seafood House instead. I didn't have any alcohol since I was freediving and mountain biking that afternoon so I cannot comment on their storied cocktails. read more

Fantastic service Breakfast not so good Eggs over easy came way over cooked Home fries old Ordered wheat came with white Pancakes not quality read more

Castaways Restaurant - Yes those are eggs over easy - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

Biker friendly establishment Many options Lots of daily specials Fair pricing BLT was great The fries were fantastic Very good (and quick) service read more

Castaways Restaurant - BLT - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

Casual and friendly restaurant with delicious food. I had the shrimp scampi which was very tasty (and lots of shrimps - not the 4 or 5 offered by many other restaurants. They call themselves the best burger in town - which my husband had to verify and confirm. He had the black and blue burger, which he said was superb. Highly recommended! Ah, and it is a pet friendly too. Locals bring their adorable fury baby dogs. How nice is that! read more

A special shoutout to the awesome community heroes here at this local venue! My husband and our friends have been loyal patrons here for at least 10 years or more. This was my first chance to get into the experience! They staff are very friendly and welcoming. The ambiance is that great neighborhood feel where regulars are known my face and name. TV's are viewable for news, weather, and sports, etc. There's live music on several nights like tonight. A cool dude with many different instruments. The bar has stools to hang out with the bartender. There is a big side room with lots of seating. There was even a table reserved for a kids birthday party. A cute family with 4 well behaved children. The menu is very good from steak, chowder, shrimp, salads, onion rings, fries, fish, etc. Our food was yummy and our ice teas were cold. We were celebrating our friend's birthday as well! The waitress was hilarious and kind. There is even a claw machine with cool prizes. One person restrooms are nice and tidy. Big parking lot. Desserts are decadent... your sweet tooth will thank you!! read more

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This restaurant sits back a little bit off the road. There's a main dining room with a bar and another fairly large dining area off to the side. Our server had only been there 2 weeks, but she was friendly and checked on us often. My burger was cooked to order perfectly and the fries were above average. They have Coke Zero! I'd like to go back again and try some other items. read more

Castaways Restaurant - Bar - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

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Stopped in here on a Tuesday about 6:00 PM, the place was mostly filled and lively, we grabbed a booth next to the window not far from the entertainment, a soft spoken gentleman strumming a banjo which balanced out the bad acoustics and the multiple conversations bouncing off the walls. Our server met us in under a minute, she was pleasant and turned out to be very attentive and friendly, she was definitely taking care of business the entire time we were here. The menu resembles that of a diner, filled with lots of popular burger and sandwich options including seafood and lots of comfort foods. After looking over the list of daily specials we both decided on the chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and collards with brown gravy on the side and since it was "National Pie Day" the we had to order coconut crème ice cream pie and a hot fudge brownie with ice cream and whipped cream, we aren't wasteful people but finishing this entire meal wasn't going to happen, even though we were camping near by we didn't want a kitty bag since Wednesday is so finicky she wouldn't eat it even if we offered it up. This was a pleasant experience in a very causal atmosphere, it's definitely a local's hangout if for nothing but it's remoteness one would think. I feel most people would like this restaurant and I'd definitely return to try out some of their other offerings or just to have a drink at the bar and to listen to some turns... read more

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We Jeep in Ocala National Forest often and coming from Daytona Beach we have passed this restaurant multiple times... today we decided to stop and already can't wait to go back again... It doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside is a warm inviting bar with friendly staff. We opted to sit outside as we had our dog with us... we were handed menus, and drinks were served very quickly... I can't even describe how extensive this menu is: everything from frog legs to prime rib... what to choose..!?! We had seen a sign outside that advertised "best burgers" so we decided to try them... Husby is not a burger fan so he opted for the fish sandwich. We ordered the fried green tomatoes as a starter... OK... I've had FGT in various places, and these are probably now one of my favorites... large tomato slices, fresh-tasting, a salty seasoned batter with a nice sauce... the lettuce underneath with cheese and bacon crumbles on top really elevates the flavor... yum. The Husby's sandwich was amazing with a generous serving of fish, well-blackened and a nice bun... FYI - you pay $0.50 for every topping you add (tomatoes, onion, lettuce, pickles). Condiments are brought to the table so you decide how you want to dress your sandwich. Our friend and I got the burgers... they were big, juicy, nice fresh toppings, and the buns were super soft... very good burgers... Now, I took a star off because of the fries... they were well-seasoned, crispy, cooked perfectly... the problem: we received a small serving of fries... once you ate a couple of the longer fries on top, you were left with a smattering of small pieces... we just really wanted more of those fries to complete the meal... There are so many interesting items on the menu, flavors so far are great, prompt and super friendly service, and they allow dogs... can't wait to go back..! read more

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Great Florida dive bar vibe! Loved the attentive servers: Carrie, Donna, Eileen and Kim! Food was classic! A good burger and fries wins everytime! Crab balls so yummy! The French Onion soup was perfect! And they put the game on first time asked. What else do you need!!! read more

Castaways Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

Ordered dinner server said comes with two sides and pointed to the listing for sides. When I got the bill she charged me for one salad side. I asked why and it was a side with a charged. Server did not say there was a side charge. So I got charged for one of my sides and they made more money. Be careful not crowded will not go back and do not recommend. read more

Shelby was our absolutely precious and pleasant server. We came back for the burgers. Shelby convinced us that the chocolate cake was delicious, and she was absolutely right. We had a delicious meal and a great dessert. Thanks Shelby. The atmosphere was festive and the facility was clean. The sweet tea was delicious and the restrooms were clean. This is one of those places that you want to visit again. read more

Love the Gator bites and sorry but Friday night live music. The USA is back and strong. Always a good time and good people read more

Castaways Restaurant - Gator bites - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

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Love it!!! I came in today and the staff was so kind it is family run, so everyone really kind. We brought our dog in and they have a wonderful dog burger and everyone was very kind to him. read more

Five Stars for this great place? Friendly staff! Delicious food. Easy parking. Don't miss fried green tomatoes. And their punch! Pet friendly. read more

The burger was great, but the french fries were awful. They had the consistency of a wet noodle, greasy at that. They were dark in color, apparently cooked in old oil that wasn't up to temperature. Simply terrible. Service was good. read more

Looking for recommendations for gator bites and frog's leg....well Castaways didn't disappoint...everything and I mean everything was delicious... read more

Castaways Restaurant - Crab cakes frog's legs gator bites hush puppies and lobster bisque....yum - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

One star for decent appetizers just such a shame that we waited over an hour for our food to show up cold.... olenty of open tables... maybe if the OWNERS or managers spent more time taking care of business read more

Castaways Restaurant - Cold 15 dollar prime rib I waited an hour for - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

Food was good fast service and it's a nice small town restaurant with a large parking lot so if you have a boat or camper it's easy in and out read more

Arrived and I believe the owner met us as we came in and was very nice. The food was awesome, appetizers had fried pickles, fried green beans and fried green tomatoes all were very good and not greasy. Meals.. Burgers were great, thick hand patted burgers and real fries cut and fried to order. Other family had sirloin steak, ribeye Cobb salad and fish tacos everything was great. Our server was amazing as well as everyone else working there! Thank you!!! read more

Nice little place the food is pretty good. They make the best soups. The only thing I didn't like was their french fries I like mine golden brown these were brown and soggy, but other than that their food is pretty good. They make their own soups and they are delicious andthe girls that work there are super super friendly. They have nice entertainment I believe on Friday night and everybody just seems to be happy. It's a cool place. read more

Food wasn't good , like at all and way over valued for the poor quality but the beer was good 3 out of 5 stars wouldn't change a thing Hail nimrod read more

I can't explain how much we loved this place but I will try. We had such amazing service first of all. I can't remember the server's name, but she was an older lady who said her birthday was August 7th. We came in because we were headed to the springs and looking for a little bite to eat before we went. It was my son's birthday which was August 8th and that's how we found our server's birthday. The food was phenomenal really. The fries were to die for. My son got the bacon wrapped shrimp and loved them. My daughter had the lobster bisque soup as her appetizer and said it was the best she has ever had. I had the philly cheese steak and it was very tasty as well. It's definitely a nice spot to stop, it isn't much, but the decorations are festive and the place is very well kept. Very clean inside. Will definitely stop back in when we are up that way again! read more

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Excellent food and service! We were visiting Juniper Springs and decided to give this local restaurant a try. They far exceeded our expectations! The food was delicious with large quantities. My wife loved the fried shrimp and our friend had the Grilled fish salad that was exceptional. I ordered a burger and I have to agree with their banner that this was the best burger in town. I recommend this for a great casual restaurant for both seafood and sandwiches. I would eat here often if I was local to the area. read more

We went because our friends said, "their burgers were amazIng," Well, not only are their burgers GREAT, but so is their lobster bisque, French onion soup, kids mac and cheese, and the shrimp alfredo. It's def a place where you always eat the sane tbing, or you venture out into new things, to find that you like it also. Def stop by read more

Friendly servers and good food. Lobster bisque is so tasty. Full bar. Awesome specials and they have dinners all week. Love this place. Down home goodness read more

Went here with a larger group by chance because we were staying locally. Wow what a hit! I forget our waitresses name, but she was literally the nicest lady ever. Recommended different meals and everyone enjoyed! Kids meals were perfect and so were the margaritas! We will be back! read more

We hadn't stopped in their new location until last weekend. We were greeted by the owner and I asked how they were enjoying their new location. He said they are loving it! This place is clean and has plenty of parking. My husband got a combo platter that included shrimp, gator and frog legs. Every single thing was fresh and cooked perfectly! I got the grilled fish sandwich with fries and oh my it was great! Cooked and seasoned just right! I will go back when in the area. read more

Have been coming here for many years and also when they were on the river. It has been going downhill for awhile. Very disappointed. My burger was ordered with lettuce tomato and grilled onion. It came out with lettuce. By the time the rest came to me I was almost done with the burger. My friends burger was ordered with pepper jack cheese. It came out with cheddar over the pepper jack and mushrooms. It got sent back. Fried shrimp was good Mac and cheese was cold. Grouper sandwich was good. They took 10%off the bill but..... Probably won't be b read more

You gotta stop here! The food and service are the best. Gator bites were the most tender we've ever had. The escargot was flavorful, and the bacon wrapped shrimp was outta sight. Shana was the perfect server. read more

Castaways Restaurant - Awesome family seafood and steak restaurant. Casual atmosphere. We had Gator bites, escargot and bacon-wrapped shrimp. - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

Castaway's on the River is one of our favorite places to go. The food is Florida comfort, feel good, salty, guilty pleasure on a plate, and the drinks are generous, free-pour, made with love. The best part of Castaway's is the people. Owner Brian, wait-people, Shaina, Felicia, Jess, Cristal, and Rick, and entertainer Ed, the one man band; all these people have gone out their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. Oh, and the cool chef kid, Anthony, he is a hoot! The patrons are nice to us too. We have met so many Astor people, we feel like we practically live there and, even the ones we have not gotten to know, are always so nice. I know that sounds odd, but couples like us are often made to feel unwelcome in small town bars and restaurants. This place is unusually inclusive and accepting. I feel the complaints I have read in reviews about long wait times when there are big events like Bike Week, and Speed Week, are unfair. The kitchen gets behind during big event because Castaway's is so popular. If you know this restaurant/bar and you are in town and in a party mood, you want to be there. OMG, the Christmas Boat Parade, CRAZY fun! If you find yourself on Highway 40 in Astor, or on the St. Johns River just south of Lake George, you owe it to yourself to stop at Castaways for food, drinks and fun. read more

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Love their food! Cute shack out on the river... this is my second time here and would love to make it a tradition to come back out and dine here every time I stay in Astor. Friday nights they have live entertainment which is great! My very first time here I had their Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and Lobster Bisque and both were wonderful! read more

Castaways Restaurant - Bacon Wrapped Shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

Always a great stop off HWY 40! The service is personable and the food is great! Fun times and great atmosphere! read more

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Poor service! Everything was good up until had to wait 20 minutes for the waitress to figure out she had a table. Even after another waitress had to tell her we were waiting still took her sweet time and stopped to talk to people. Unbelievable then literally pushes us out of the way to clear the table we were vacating. Couldn't wait till we got out of the way. NOW YOUR IN A HURRY read more

Fried green tomatoes and Boom boom shrimp are to die for, great folks and atmosphere, but most importantly the foods is super. Can't wait to go back. read more

Too bad this place moved from its quaint little dockside into a total boring drab new location and building . Definitely a disappointment in atmosphere Food is ok just ok read more

The Castaway Resturant in Astor, Florida on HWY 40. Is Fantastic.all this off there Happy Hour menu read more

Castaways Restaurant - Red neck Caviar with multi chips. And wings....asked for all flats and got them. - Seafood Near Me - Astor, Florida

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If you happen to read the bad reviews on yelp please understand that we were under different ownership at that time. Castaways is definitely worth giving a try and if your ever unsatisfied please let us know we are here to make you happy and hope you enjoy your experience.. Be sure to try the bacon wrapped shrimp and the black and bleu burger along with the fresh cut french fries read more