I ordered the pork chop nothing special... Bland tasting and a little rare by the bone, which tells me it was cooked on high heat or it was partially frozen. Side veggies also bland and boiled or steamed.. my wife had the scallops and seemed to have been boiled or steamed.. been there twice won't be back.. oh the view is fantastic but that's about it... read more

We were here for a birthday lunch. Unfortunately we couldn't sit outside. There were no umbrellas for thr sun/heat. They were kind enough to say we can seat you at this table in the window with the view. Once seated our view was their outdoor heaters in the window. We all ordered salads. I ordered the coconut shrimp. It was awful. No coconut taste and the shrimp pounded down so thin. The salads were served in these old wooded bowls that were chipped all around the rim. The waitress was nice but practically tossed the bowls in front of us. Very disappointed. Last summer for my birthday I had the coconut shrimp and it was delicious but it seams every other time I go there it is awful. It will be awhile before we are back there again. read more

What could improve? EVERYTHING except the location. This review is for the current ownership. My suggestion is that you get out now. Sell the place to someone who understands the hospitality industry so they can change the name and start over in this truly premium location. I'm going to be honest I haven't been there for a few years, and then ate there twice, a year apart w a client who lived in Webster and picked up the tab both times. My experience both times was exactly like all the other 1-star reviews posted here... VERY mediocre food and bar service coupled with a young overwhelmed kitchen staff and servers ...most likely totally untrained in customer service... equals a horrible experience for patrons. I never posted a review back then bc my clients liked the place and it was their nickel, but today I was scoping out some places to have dinner next weekend (will be in Webster to see grand-kiddos) and Castaway's showed up again with exactly the same issues they had then. No-one is listening. It's time to retire folks. Cash out and let someone who knows what they're doing recover this sinking ship. read more

The best part about this place is the view from the back patio. The food was mediocre at best. Flies all over the dining area and the wait time was ridiculous for how empty the restaurant was. The service was annoyed when we asked for the order to be corrected or needed anything additional. Seriously, 10 minutes and an eye roll for water?? Won't be going back anytime soon. read more

This was my third time eating at Castaways, and you would have thought I would have learned my lesson. We first ate here several years ago, while I don't remember what I ordered, I certainly remember being underwhelmed by my dish. We came back about two years ago, and had appetizers on the deck. I had ordered the chicken wings, and they were actually great. Not any of the seafood items that my table ordered, but the chicken wings were what was noteworthy. So to my most recent visit, 5/12/19. Disappointment is an understatement. Took my wife and mother-in-law to Castaways for a Mother's Day dinner. I should have known. We paid seven dollars for a plate of buttered noodles for my three year old. I had the coconut shrimp dinner, which the menu touts as "jumbo shrimp" and "breaded with their own coconut breading." I call BS. The shrimp were slightly larger than a quarter, and looked like they came right out of the frozen foods section of a grocery store. I almost felt taken advantage of paying $26 for this. My wife ordered Maryland Crab Cakes, which were over done, and again, looked as though they could have been frozen foods items. Again, coming with a price of around $25. My mother-in-law ordered a salmon salad, which she limped through. Neither the salmon nor the salad gave off the "fresh" feeling you would expect. It is sad to have a restaurant with one of the best views of Lake Ontario, that sells itself as a seafood restaurant, be so bad at making "fresh" seafood look and taste good. The local grocery store's seafood department has better looking coconut shrimp and crab cakes, for a better price. I gave Castways two stars because the view, and the wings. read more

Two stars only for the view! They only take reservations for a party of 6 or more. They are understaffed so reservations would keep it much more manageable for them. Parking is horrible. We waited 1 hr and 15 min for our table and then waited another 1 plus for our food. They are overpriced for the quality of food. My husband ordered a Strip steak for $39 and was given a rubbery piece of fatty meat . It was not even a strip cut! The server was overwhelmed and kept asking for " some grace " yet was not friendly or cordial at all. Drinks are crazy overpriced as well. A split of Prosecco should not be $16! This place lacks quality, customer service, and is incredibly overpriced! Will not go ever again! You can get the same view of the lake and sunset on the pier for free! This would be a better sand bar place with cheap drinks and bar food at best! read more

I will start by saying I normally don't frequent seafood restaurants, but went here as it was suggested by the boyfriend. Considering how packed and busy the place was, the 45 min wait was not so bad. It was a relatively nice day so we hung outside near the hampton chairs. Once our table was called, we sat outside in the back. For drinks, I recommend the Shipwreck and the Summer Sweet Tea for cocktails. The Bahama Mama and the Ruby Red Breeze were meh. After some drinks, we started with the crab cake appetizer. I must say they were flavorful, savory, and light. Didn't feel dense nor soggy. However for $16, more than 2 crabcakes slightly larger than a donut hole, I would have expected 3 or 4; not 2. Still, it was very delicious. The Shore Platter was also ok. The haddock was not bad but not great. The shrimp were cooked to perfection which could only been improved if it came with clarified butter. The scallops were cooked well but maybe if it was pan seared with an herbal finishing oil, it would have elevated this. Essentially it was more or less just a bland dish. It also came with crab cakes which was incredible and yet again. amount of crabcakes were limited. The Surf and Turf was done well at least. Got the strip steak and lobster tail. Again, missed opportunity with not including clarified butter. A note I must say is the rice that came with the surf and turf....it is obviously the microwave Uncle Bens rice. Not sure what is worse, to use store bought rice or make rice that tastes store bought. Tsk tsk. For a seafood focused restaurant, it is sad that the highlight of the meal was the key lime pie for dessert. I think they added a raspberry sauce drizzle on the base of the pie, which honestly was unnecessary and the chefs should just let the pie highlight itself. Now to the decor. OMG, whatever era this is from, it has been long gone. This place is incredibly out dated. I somehow decided to still eat here. The staff were all over the place and I mean it in a good way. The place was busy and the servers were constantly in and out checking up on tables, taking orders, and checking in on us. Our server was great. The moment there was a sprinkle outside, she got us a table inside as the covered area in the back was already full. She also recommended drinks and helped suggest some items. Particularly, she was the one that mentioned the Key Lime Pie being amazing. whispers "It was!" Overall, I may come here for drinks with a view along the water but for almost $200 for 2 people, the food was quite underwhelming. Good spot for drinks and dessert if you choose to sit outside. read more

Worked with Castaways to cater my picnic wedding in 2018 - the price was very reasonable, food delivered on time, and very tasty!

Strengths: - Location. - View. - Weather. Met Expectations: - Service was decent for us. Nothing to complain about. Nothing extra-ordinary. - Food was prepared well. Tasted good. Plain and simple. Opportunities: - Bread was bland. - Portions are small. Left hungry. - Prices are excessive, even for beef and seafood. Nothing justified the premium. Probably won't be motivated to come back. read more

I would not go back here. The food was terrible and we were seated in a tent staring at a plastic window. I had 2 mixed drinks and a fish fry, my wife had 2 beers and a vegetarian pasta dish, the total without tip was $110. Not worth it, not even close. read more

Castaway has a GROUPON right now, ignore it, even with the saving it is not worthy of your time or money. Started bad. They do not accept reservation but told me it would take 30-40 minutes, it took 1 hour and twenty minutes. Service was mediocre at best, the girls sweet but incapable, the boy busboys were no better. Ets forget about the food, nothing great slightly less the average. It was the service that was the worst. First the water, poured in truly the cheapest plastic throw away cup. Worse not once did a waitress or busboy offer more water when our table of four was constantly empty. Keep in mind the plastic cup was probably 8 ounces. Then there was the bread. Reminds me of the bread rolls I received at my cafeteria in elementary school in the 60's. Yes the cold rolls were below mediocre but after waiting one hour twenty minutes we were starving. The roll basket was empty almost in seconds. Service once again never occurred to ask if we wanted more. Best plan is NOTto eat here but get a drink, look at the water and listen to the music. Better yet tell the manager you want to eat there, have a drink or two then leave. read more

Amazing view. We enjoyed excellent service, and all of our meals were tasty and well prepared. Agree with other reviewers that the meals are a bit pricey for the quality. I think the view is being priced into the menu, and given the amazing sunset, I'm not complaining. Interior is dated, but we ate outside, and the location is a splendid example of God's creation. read more

Always special! Beautiful view of the lake, able to sit in the sun or shade. Food is consistently outstanding. And service is superb. One of my favorite places to dine. read more

Castaways reminded me of some of the little seafood restaurants I used to frequent down in Florida while I lived there. The face of the restaurant is plain, but there's usually a nice patio where you can eat by the water. Castaways doesn't disappoint in that regard. Walk past the bar and out the back door and you are treated to a great view of Lake Ontario. I had looked at some of the reviews of my fellow Yelpers and they were pretty low; as I was walking out the door, I couldn't understand why they would rate this place so harshly. Then we sat down and looked at the menu and from then on, I completely understood the reviews. After eating here, I think there's a bit of an identity crisis going on. Food quality and service make it feel like a bar and grill, but prices would have you believe it's a fine seafood restaurant. The two sides definitely didn't match up. I ordered the coconut crusted grouper with rice and a salad while my girlfriend went with the French haddock with a baked potato and salad. The salad was pretty lackluster; some mixed greens with a cucumber slice and a tomato wedge. The Italian dressing was pretty much all oil. The grouper was cooked alright, but flavors didn't wow. The French haddock was a real disappointment. The egg batter was soggy, and the sauce left a strange taste in my mouth. Castaways is that small type of food establishment I really like to see succeed. If they could get a handle on putting some pizazz into the food instead of just making it edible, as well as matching the prices to the food (it's overpriced for fish that tastes as though it was flash frozen at some point), I think the reviews on here would really turn around. Go for the view, check out a sunset, maybe have a glass of wine or a dessert, but it's hard to recommend this place as a dining establishment worthy of your time and money. read more

Castaways - Coconut crusted grouper with rice. - Seafood Near Me - Webster, New York

The parking lot was packed and cars parked along the street. It was a warm Summer Friday night. So it was busy! We decided to grab a drink while we waited. They have an extremely small bar inside (maybe 8 chairs at the bar). It took a while to get a drink to bring outside and enjoy the lovely Ontario Lake. They Definitely have that going for them! We were planning on just getting appetizers and drinks...... But it took awhile to get seated at a table and awhile to get our order taken, that we were starving and decided to get appetizers and dinner! The food was fine, nothing fancy, but overpriced for mediocre food and slooow service. Not impressed..... read more

Castaways - Seafood Near Me - Webster, New York

It was good food with a view of lake onterio. Service was good . There is a cool breeze off the lake . We had crab cakes , boiled shrimp plate with a variety , the special "roast beef " & haddock sandwhich. & sweet tea. We all enjoyed read more

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Wedged between irondequate bay and Lake Ontario, this place has to be packed and so busy in the summer! All of our meals were fantastic! I had flat iron steak and snow crab legs (45$) and it was cooked perfectly. Two people had the fish fry- was big enough for two people and comes with two sides, and tartar sauce was good! One person had the chicken French and she said that it was great. One person had the king crab legs: done right and sides were all delicious. Service was on point, we had made reservations and she knew who we were when we walked in. Great little seafood place. Expensive but as I always say: you get what you pay for! read more

Castaways - Seafood Near Me - Webster, New York

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A two on Yelp is "meh, I've had better." And honestly, this sums up Castaways. It's not bad, it's just not really good. The location on the lake is just lovely. I'd go as far to say that it's the best waterfront dining on the lake in the Rochester area. You're really right there on the lake. You have to check it out! Beer selection meh. Food is overpriced for what you get and generally the Sysco frozen-then-fried variety. When you think of what you get at a food truck for cheaper vs this, it's funny. But Castaways is pretty much on par with Pelicans Nest and Schooners, but has more class. It's definitely more reserved. Webster is a little less crazy than Charlotte! I'd go back to Castaways for the view. It's worth checking out. It just needs a service and food upgrade. read more

Castaways - Waterfront dining - Seafood Near Me - Webster, New York

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Taking it down to one star from last year. (After leaving two stars in 2017, the manager apologized and asked me to try it again... exact same issues) The service is terribly slow, not very friendly and not very accurate. I took a video of all of the flies around the bar (gross). There was also a shrimp shell in one of the dinners. This could be such a cool place for dinner... For the prices that they charge, the service and flies aren't worth it.... Suggestion: fix the problems or lower your prices. If you are reading this and you agree, please voice your opinion through reviews and/or your wallet by choosing another spot Support better businesses read more

Castaways - Seafood Near Me - Webster, New York

Enjoyed lunch with a view! I had one of the specialty drinks which made it feel like we were on vacation. To combat the breeze, we started with soups which were good, but not outstanding. The bisque was luke warm and had tiny pieces of sea food. French Onion was better. Both the cheeseburger and fish sandwich were tasty. The cheddar looked particularly good in the sunshine and the fish was crisp, but tiny. Sides were good. Service was friendly but initially slow to get drink orders and deliver. It wasn't crowded at lunch, so not sure why. But overall since we weren't in a rush, we enjoyed the atmosphere and lunch and would go back again. read more

We went with friends on Thursday July 29, 2020 first time out during COVID-19 Don't go here Was there for two hours, never refilled ice tea, crab cake was all filler, waitress was rude Called To comment no one answered phone hung up after five minutes Called today, spoke to Beth, the manager, read signs posted in lobby to me, offered one other comment -- new staff (I get that) to busy (so you don't want repeats) and pretty much it was our fault for service and food Unfortunately for our first dining out experience in five months it was worth the money we paid Willing to give benefit of doubt due to unique times but I didn't cook the food, I didn't serve it and surely I wanted to enjoy my lunch Hoping they read this and try to be a tad more caring if their customers read more

Inside dining experience 7pm on a Fall Friday evening w/ my wife. Bar empty. Vibe and interior decor rather dull. Clearly we are not hitting this places sweet spot (summer out on the deck). Place is mostly vacant. A few tables seated. Assessment: Food: Good. Haddock French. Salads. Sides. Service: Great. Friendly attentive. Christina. Ambiance: Needs Improvement. Drab. Cleanliness: Fruit flies invited themselves to our table all night. Ugh. Value: Entrees were priced at a fine dining level. A stretch but ... OK. But here's the icky part. You can choose a side of pasta with your Haddock French. For an upcharge. Seriously? It's pasta. Pasta. WTH. They also upcharged us $2.70 for a few sprinkles of blue cheese on our salads. Without informing us. Just not classy at all. Summary: 3 walkaways 1. Fruit flies 2. Up charges 3. Food ok. read more

Seated quickly and server, Kathy was friendly and prompted. Sadly we were still waiting for a meal one hour after we ordered, so who gave up and went looking for our bill as we were leaving. Miraculously I food showed up. Pretty poor kitchen and management. Interesting that the deck was only about 1/2 full. read more

Three stars for location and great service. The food wasn't great. Cold fries. But even worse, the lobster roll... one piece of lobster meat on top of a roll filled with imitation lobster (think crabsticks, aka surimi). If you are going to sell this crap then label it as such and price it as fake, not at the prices they charge. The service was really great, Gia our waitress was a delight, sweet attentive and helpful. read more

What a view! Very peaceful. Dinner was great, I had the chicken Asiago with pasta. It was delicious and a lot of food! With a shellfish allergy, they were careful as a good portion of the menu is fish and shellfish. The key lime pie is made in house and was delicious! read more

Castaways - Seafood Near Me - Webster, New York

Okay the other yelp reviews for this place are extreme. I consider myself a harsh critic when it comes to food and dining experiences and this place definitely deserves at least 4 stars. The service was just fine, no issues waiting on food or drinks. Our food was really tasty and had huge serving sizes. Definitely an enjoyable experience and 10/10 recommend if you're in the area. read more

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We went on a week night with a group of friends. Had a reservation and we were seated promptly. The service was slow paced but we were not in a hurry. The food was nothing special. Salads were wilted lettuce and a tomato. Dinners were much more expensive than you may think for a very casual restaurant. They charge extra for rolls and certain salad dressings. I realize we are coming off a very bad year for restaurants so I will excuse all my minor complaints. But if your restaurant budget is limited, go somewhere else. read more

We were here on Saturday 7/3/21. My wife & I came to castaways at her request, which was fine for me, I've never been here before & I was excited to eat by the water. Number 1) we waited 2 hours from the time we got there until the time we got our food. Number 2) we both ordered chicken French. We got our meals & it tasted like the chicken was frozen & then microwaved, & then put on our plate with some linguini. Easily the worst chicken French I've tasted before. We told the waitress, after being prompted & we were given a gift card. We decided we didn't want to come back so we told the Waitress we wanted to speak to the MGR. The manager eventually refunded us the 2 chicken French meals (that we did not eat). But we still paid 50 dollars for 3 Coronas, a Pepsi & some dry ass calamari. We will not be going back here. And I recommend you do not either. read more

Castaways - Nasty ass chicken French - Seafood Near Me - Webster, New York

Outdoor seating is perfect here. The deck overlooking the water is beautiful. You can tell the deck is really meant for socializing/drinking, but they have done a really nice job in transforming it into dining area. They have an awning as well as direct sun seating. The seafood is great. I had a coconut grouper topped in a mango chutney that was out of this world! The fish was cooked perfectly - nice and flakey with the crusting perfectly done. The chutney has fantastic flavor. I will definitely be going back when I need another seafood fix. read more

Had our name in and continuously were bumped when others walked in. We were told 45 minutes and given attitude when we asked for an update after 90 minutes. They wasted our family night out. read more

I have visited this restaurant three times in the last year while visiting family in Rochester. We always make our way to Castaways and marvel at how much this reminds us of our area back home in Florida.The views overlooking the lake are spectacular no matter what time of day you go but the sunsets are what really makes dinner outside on the deck amazing. Between the views and the quality seafood and steaks we enjoyed on this last trip I can't wait to go back! read more

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The view in this place is amazing, the staff is friendly, attentive and courteous. They also observe social distancing. That being said the place looks like it could use some cleaning. The food was too expensive for the quantity and the quality- one plate of king crab legs was $66 it consisted of 2 sides and 4 crab legs (only the legs, the center of the crab was NOT included so it can't be considered a cluster). Now if the food was amazing (or even great), this review would be telling a much different story regardless of the price. Unfortunately the shell on the crab legs was soft, had to use a fork to tear the shell because the claw cracker would just bend the shell and to boot the meat was dry, had to drown the crab meat in salt and butter. It was as if the crab legs were reheated or microwaved. The only saving graces this place has is the view and the staff, The view is definitely amazing and so is the staff. I'm not sure how their other dishes are but this dining experience definitely left much to be desired. I rarely leave places wishing I had cooked myself, this was one of those times and that says a lot because dining out is something I truly truly enjoy. read more

I've been coming here for many years, and I believe this was the last time. My memories of this place did not live up to the subpar experience my wife and I had on our anniversary today. The food was not flavourful and the presentation was laughable, especially for the astronomical price. The staff looked awful, I'm pretty sure our server was wearing sweat pants. Now I've been in the business for thirty years and currently serve at an upscale restaurant, so I do have certain expectations when spending $170 for two people to eat. The only bright spot was the view and the dessert we had at another restaurant after we left. Just not worth the money or time. read more

I noticed varied reviews over two years. I had a wonderful experience at Castaways two weeks ago. Just arrived in town, and I have to say that the view was amazing, the food was good, and the waitstaff were good too. Nothing to mar my lovely return to Webster! Go early! read more

They are doing nothing to ensure safety! Won't be back until COVID-19 is behind us, if even then. I had lunch her a week or so ago to see how they were doing after re-opening: Not overly crowded and everyone was wearing masks properly. Felt safe and food was decent. Then last night we went for dinner. Big mistake! So crowded, people walking around with no masks, walking through where everyone was eating, many people taking pictures for other people touching phones, all beside each other watching the sunset, etc. But, most disturbing was absolutely not one person on their wait staff was wearing their masks over their nose. One person barely had it on at all and when she talked, you could see the top of her mouth. It's not a chin guard! Get your masks on properly. And when people are not sitting at their tables, they are supposed to have their masks on! Not walking by my table constantly to go take pictures. Way too many people there too! Not acceptable at this time. If someone were to stop and assess, they would likely be fined or told to close. To top it off, food was decent, but extremely expensive for what it was! I didn't want to give it any stars, but you have to in order to post. read more

Stopped last night with my friend to celebrate my birthday as we both like seafood and cannot find many good seafood places in Rochester. This is not one of them. It was ok, we went early at 4:30 Saturday, host was nice got us in and seated. Then we waited for a server, and there weren't many people there. When she did show, she was pleasant, informative, and attentive so no problem there, just hard to get her. We ordered our entree's, rolls came out delicious, salads were ok, entree's were fresh and hot, however my first bite into my baked Haddock and I crunched on a bone, total bummer. I know it happens, but it set the the pace for the rest of my meal as I had to eat cautiously and slowly. I didn't say anything about it either, cause it does happen. The ambiance is neat, and I bet in warmer months it's probably very scenic. On the cleanliness side though we were annoyed as we had to keep waiving away fruit flies which were plenty, again it's Fall I know they come inside but it was no fun. So overall, the food was good, the service was ok, pricing is high for what you get and the experience and I don't want to go back. I will keep trying to find someplace to get seafood in Rochester. If you go, good luck, and enjoy as I think the seafood might be good if prepared better and service & cleanliness gets worked on. read more

Castaways - Deb and I out for dinner, chilly night. - Seafood Near Me - Webster, New York

Checked out Castaways after buying a Groupon. I'm never out in Webster so I was unfamiliar with this restaurant. It looks small from the outside but once you get outback you notice a huge deck with tables to eat at and Adirondack chairs to hang out in. The view is absolutely stunning and I can see myself relaxing here for a drink on the weekend. Beyond the view, our server was prompt and personable. They have a disclaimer on the menu which basically asks for your patience as food is made to order. When I first saw that I braced myself for slow service but this was not actually the case for us. We were served bread upon sitting down but no plates to go with it. When we asked for plates I was given one that was dirty. It was replaced quickly. The food came out pretty fast and was decent. Nothing terrible but nothing that I can rave about either. It's a bit on the pricier side and I wouldn't say the value met the price point. I started with French onion soup which was decent. Myself and another friend got the chicken French and my husband and another friend got sword fish over risotto. The portions are large and you get two sides with every entree. Besides being average, the only complaint was the the risotto was not fresh (or just over cooked). I will come back when the weather is a bit warmer and I can spend more time on the deck. I'll probably just come for drinks and the view next time. read more

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So this is review attempt number two. I was robbed at this restaurant and apparently the restaurant did not want the horrible experience advertised. I will continue to post about my experience and will not be bullied into being quiet. My wife and I visited Castaways 3 or 4 weeks ago on a Friday evening. We were told there would be a twenty minute wait and it was closer to 45 minutes. Our server was brief to the point of being rude, did not tell us about their specials, actually yelled at me for requesting a refill, miss charged us and was over all just horrible. The food took 90 minutes and was bland at best, half of it was cold or room temp. So we did not leave a tip, the service sucked and it wasn't deserved. Fortunately , I pay close attention to my credit card bill and was shocked to see the charge from dinner PLUS $15! I immediately called the restaurant to alert them about their thieving employee. It took a week of back and forths with the manager just to get my stolen money back. They never apoligised for the food, the service OR THE THEFT! Horrible place with a wonderful view. I would say stay away but if you go, bring cash and hold on to your wallet read more

The service was slow! I watched four different couples seated after us and table of six that received their food before us and we even finished our drinks too. We did not order anything out of the ordinary. I also heard the manager or owner say he was going to take the phone off the hook cause people were calling for reservations to much. Food was only so so at best. read more

Can not wait for castaways to open again in April. The food was sooo good and you can't ask for a better view of our lake. The Philly for lunch yyuummmm and their keylime pie I still have not found one better then castaways. read more