Service We were able to seat right away based on the first come first serve policy for patio dining. The service from there was a little lacking. It took seventeen minutes to receive drinks and another ten minutes after drinks to place our appetizer and entree orders. The total time frame from seat to eat was an hour and ten minutes. Product The food was good but not great. Good appetizers - lobster bites and crab cake . Entrees were satisfactory - seafood quesadillas, stuff shrimp and a grilled chicken sandwich . The cocktails, however, were excellent! The Moscow mule and strawberry punch were light and refreshing while the Bloody Mary packed a good punch. ExperienceThere are inside and outside options but for the full experience we chose to sit on the back patio. It was rather warm but not unbearable thanks to some fans and screening. The windows overlooking the lake made for beautiful scenery and great people/boat watching . Light alternative music was a nice addition to the atmosphere with some great early 2000s throwbacks. Locationlocated directly on Lake Shipp in Winter Haven, Fl, this location offers an easy commute from all areas of polk county and provides a fun lake life atmosphere. The best part is the accessibility for boats and jet skis to come and enjoy lunch while cruising on the chain of lakes. #visitcentralfl #harborside #FL #winterhaven #seafood #cocktails #pandemicfriendly #lakelife #lakesidedining #ladieswholocal #girlsday #sundayfunday #supportsmallbusiness #supportlocal #polkcounty #social #socialmedia #reviews #foodie #socialdistancing #maskup read more

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This was our first visit to Harborside. We enjoyed an Oyster appetizer, followed by the Super Grouper Piccata and Sea Scallops. Food was delicious, but the Piccata sauce was a little heavy on the capers. Cocktails were perfect and our server was delightful. We will return soon. :) Maureen read more

It is hit or miss here - very loud! Depends on what you order, 2 of 4 meals were just ok.

Overall the restaurant was good. I would give it 5 stars because of the crab cakes. It was all crab and minimal, if any, breading. The rest of the food was decent, so for the rest of it, I'd give it a 3; hence my rating of 4 stars. Water view was nice. Great restaurant for families. read more

Awesome food, service, seating, local history overlooking the chain of lakes in winter haven. The Ahi tuna I recently ate there; is awesome tasting, looking, and smelling like a Smokey grill, seasoned to perfection read more

It's a fantastic place especially If you get the outside seating.. enjoy the lake view, te breeze, food and drinks. Have been various times to celebrate with my family. Great food and service read more

A favorite seafood place that's yummy and great service! I typically go there for business lunch. It's a beautiful place next to the water. And there are power receptacles for my computer, right next to the window with a great view! Kerry - your service was good! Thanks! read more

Harborside - Blackened grouper sandwich is so good! Luv the sweet potatoe waffle fries! - Seafood Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

This was our second time here in two months. The first time was AMAZING! This time was very disappointing. They definitely were under staffed. It took over 15 minutes for the waitress to have time to come to our table. She was absolutely overwhelmed. When our food came out, the shrimp scampi alfredo pasta was very dry/under sauced & we had ordered it with EXTRA sauce. We told the server, because she asked if everything was OK. The waitress came a few minutes later & we told her we needed extra sauce. When we were done eating, they brought a bowl of Beurre Blanc sauce, not the Alfredo sauce that was supposed to come with it. Another five minutes went by & they brought the Alfredo sauce. Our grouper sandwich was to have extra tarter sauce barely had any tarter sauce. The sweet potato waffle fries were barely warm. We were missing a baked potato from our table. Asked for it to placed in a to go box since we almost done eating. Our waitress had our bills wrong & had to re-do them, which took way to long to get our bills in the first place. We won't be back on the weekend again. Weekday, maybe??? read more

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We arrived in Winter Haven and found this amazing restaurant right on the water. We were greeted by the manager with a huge smile and directions to the lower, screened in bar (they have 2 bars) . Our server/bartender was a beautiful young lady named Sierra. She was extremely pleasant and very engaging. When she was busy, another server/bartender by the name of Corey jumped in to help! We were asking about different places to go and enjoy food, drinks, and atmosphere. Corey not only described a bunch of different places, he even took the time to write out a list for us! I had a grouper sandwich and French fries, which was perfect! My husband ordered a stuffed flounder dish which was delicious!! The food came out hot and was really good! They have a great menu with a number of items for everyone! We really appreciated both Sierra and Corey who were extremely nice, funny and very outgoing. We highly recommend this place if you are looking for a great place to hang out and watch the activity on the water. read more

Harborside - Stuffed Flounder and Grouper Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

Excellent lunch outdoors. Even though it was a bit chilly breeze, the food and service made up for everything. We ordered catfish strips and crab cake and ahi tuna. All food tasted great. The coleslaw was perfect, not too sweet as most tend to be. Even veggies were great! The waitress Kerry deserves special mention. In fact, everyone we came in contact with were helpful and courteous. A++ for the waitstaff. The view is spectacular! Recommend this place. You must try it! read more

Harborside - Catfish Strips Lunch, Crab Cake Lunch - Seafood Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

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Nice place on the lake with great views. Yummy salad and bread that comes with the meal but sadly both our meals of Fish were way under cooked. Very mushy inside which was such a disappointment. Our waitress started out good but then couldn't find her later. Finally had to go get our bill from someone else then caught another waitress to run the credit card. Oh well! You can't win them all read more

Good food, and great service. Friendly servers. Beautiful atmosphere in and outside. I have many favorite selections from half-shelled oysters which are always fresh tasting, all the bites, and Ahi tuna. I rarely get to the main menu! But the stuffed flounder is to die for! read more

We were so please to find this restaurant during our trip to winter haven. The food was absolutely delicious with a variety of dishes to please all palettes (including our 3 kids) . We were so pleased with the service provided. Sibol , the manager was on top of everything, she made sure that we had a smooth dinner and our family could not have been happier with the experience. read more

Harborside is one of our favorite restaurants We typically dine there at least once a week due to the changing menu of fresh fish We always receive great service and the lake views are very nice as well We highly recommend read more

This place was so freaking amazing. It's right on a lake in winter haven Florida....they had a lanai style outdoor seating area where I could literally look down towards my feet and see the water and the boats coming in. We had excellent service.... Next, we ordered for apps the grilled Parmesan oysters and gator bites (gotta have gator in Florida). Of all the oysters I've eaten (and trust me my libido should be off the charts with the amount I've eaten) these were such a different presentation and awesome flavor I wish I had more !! I'm still dreaming of them. They made us brilliant beverages Virgin for my teen and adult for me and my best friend of 30 years. I had king crab with a very Delish and large portion of a creamy Asian slaw . And my bestie had the special which was fresh caught swordfish.... Please please check this place out!!! I'll definitely go back !! Omg the gator and oysters ....just divine read more

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Good service, nice view and fantastic food. You are greeted with a smile and seated promptly then the servers are attentive.

Very good food and atmosphere. I had the freshest oysters I've ever had; here. The hostess Jovanna was great, very friendly and so was the entire staff. The food was quick to arrive. Service was overall on point. read more

We ordered delivery which came fast. I had a grilled grouper sandwich which had a little smoky flavor to it which I am not a fan of. It was a little bit strange, light tasting, not sure if it really was grouper, but was cooked decently. The coleslaw was great. read more

Always love Harborside! It's always a treat to sit by the window and look for any activity in the water outside. Food and services good as well! read more

The ambiance is astounding, esp at sunset! The prices are near as good. Will only return for special occasion.

Have been going here for a few years and took family members here for Easter lunch. Big disappointment. Three ordered crab legs and had to ask a couple times for utensils to crack shells, one had cold french fries and I had filet mignon which was ordered medium came out rare with about an inch strip of fat down the middle and the steak knife had a differcult time cutting. Felt bad for taking family here read more

We are extremely happy and very satisfied we spotted this restaurant heading to LegoLand from Sarasota! The food was amazing! We Recommend : the crab cake with mash potatoes, The fish tacos were also delicious. My husband got the oysters and a tuna salad that he absolutely loved! My kids got Mac and cheese and cheese quesadilla that was also very good! From the hostess, to our server Lexus T were outstanding! Definitely coming back! read more

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I'm reviewing 2 things. Hospitality and Food. On a drive around with my family and dog, we decided to stop and eat dinner. In order to reach the patio an employee had to open a door towards the rear of the restaurant parking. Upon entering we were immediately greeted by staff. Our server came out with a water bowl for the dog, and brought us our drinks. We didn't see him again, and the manager, Susan, came out with another server. I can only assume the other server was uncomfortable with the presence of my dog, since she kept growling out of fear. Susan took over our table and was amazing. She was very kind and didn't mind the fact that my dog was scared. She gave me some tips to calm my dog and they worked like a charm. After putting her trick to use my dog laid down on the floor and did not move or growl throughout the whole dinner. She was great! Food was amazing. From the calm chowder, crab cakes, and lobster & salmon. Mash potatoes are must order. Will definitely be coming back. read more

Harborside - Seafood Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

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Had a reservation and went here for Valentine's Day. They were packed , but very organized and sat us right on time. Our waitress took a bit with drinks but once we placed our order things got better. Our food was excellent, came out promptly and was hot. Overall we were very pleased. Will definitely go back. read more

Harborside - Shrimp scampi pasta. - Seafood Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

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My husband and I have been here quite a few times and it's always a laid back and relaxing place to be. Just a few days ago I took my mother there for her birthday and despite the whole COVID stuff we weren't treated any different then in the past. I applaud them for that because a lot of businesses haven't been adapting very well to the all the changes. Anyways thank you Harborside for the great experience. See you again in the future! read more

Harborside - Seafood Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

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Ok..so this place is our staple. But today, it was knocked out of the park. Thank you Alyson for being our server, the entire night was on point. Best Salmon, filets, specials...a great birthday celebration for a special member of our family. read more

First time at this excellent restaurant right on the water. Top notch service, Sierra at the bar was awesome!! The food was outstanding at a fair price. I will be back soon and highly recommend eating here!! Thanks again Sierra! read more

My husband grew up in Winter Haven and used to go to Harborside before it was renovated. We don't live in Winter Haven but came down this weekend to take his dad and step mom out to a nice dinner last night. The place was beautiful and the staff were accommodating. I ordered Medium Rare Filet but it was rare, which I still thought was delicious. My father & mother n' law ordered stuffed flounder and my mother n law thought it was great. But, the only problem we had, my husband ordered coconut shrimp for appetizer that was good but his entrée was baked scallops/shrimp with a baked potato. His potato was 3 x his entrée. His baked scallops/shrimp were 4 shrimp and 2 scallops halved for $32. We ended up stopping by a fast food restaurant afterwards to get a burger for him. It was a nice evening, but for $32 baked scallop and shrimp, you may want to make it look like a dinner instead of an appetizer. There were more shrimp and scallops in the stuffed flounder, so I would suggest that if you are going for shrimp and scallops. read more

Best seafood around! Our service was tremendous! It was my birthday and I was given an unexpected dessert. We will definitely be going back! Check this wonderful restaurant out. Great seafood and wonderful service! You will not be disappointed! read more

I love that Winter Haven has lakeside restaurants where you can park your boat and hop in for a bite. It's a fun and appealing recourse from driving everywhere. Harborside is one of these restaurants -- they've recently remodeled and I think they did a great job. Inside, it looks light and comfortable, but also a little classy. Toward the back, you get walls of windows that overlook the lake view. Aside from the weird smell you get when you walk into the front foyer, I think they did a great job on the interior. My mom and I stopped by for lunch and we were definitely hungry. We ordered a dozen Florida/Cedar Key Oysters (the only kind they had because they ran out of everything else), clam chowder, the Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos, and the Harborside Angus Steak Burger. I liked the oysters; they served them on ice with crackers, horseradish, cocktail sauce, and hot sauce. We did the raw oysters, but they have a steamed option too. They were pretty good, but a little pricey. The clam chowder was a little disappointing; overall a bit watery and bland. It could have been a lot richer and creamier. I did like the generous amount of clams in it though. Both the Mahi Mahi and the Angus Steak Burger were alright -- we had no complaints and they cooked both nicely. We only wished that they had more options for side dishes. It would be nice to have some grains on the menu, but there were only chips, fries, and seasonal veggies. It's not a bad selection, but a little variety would have been appreciated. Service was ok. Nicole, our waitress, was nice, but she could have used a little more training, I think. When we sat down, she didn't really introduce herself or offer a greeting and she didn't really have any first-hand knowledge about the draft selections. She also didn't come back to offer refills or check up on us too often. Otherwise, she was good. Overall, I do plan on coming back. I think Harborside has a lot of promise and it looks like a fun place to be during the weekends. read more

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I was surprised by all the negative reviews regarding the service. I experienced outstanding service. I came with my service dog and was offered seating anywhere in the restaurant. That was nice. My dog and I prefer sitting outside. They have two outdoor sitting areas, one very well covered and a terrace overlooking the lake. I prefer the terrace. Our waitress, Lexus T., was outstanding. One of the best, most attentive services I've received, ever. And if you look at my Yelp profile you can see I've been to a lot of places. The service was the best. But what about the food? The food was as good as the service. We had a Bang Bang appetizer, salmon, sirloin, and topped it off with a freshly baked blackberry cobbler. Even the salad and bread were outstanding. In this day and age, customers have almost unlimited choices when it comes to eating out. A business had to make an extra effort to exceed their customer's expectations to keep them coming back. Both in terms of service and quality of food. The price was not something I would call "cheap", but in my opinion it was worth every single penny. This place is as good as it gets. I'm coming back. read more

Harborside - Seafood Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

This restaurant has a very scenic view of lake Shipp (beautiful sunsets). The atmosphere is open and inviting. The food is great (try the grouper specials). Also, the service is prompt, friendly and personable (Jennifer was the best). read more

Love this place. Especially the staff. They are all so kind and patient. The food is fabulous too!!! Don't miss this place for a really nice happy hour, cold beer and great views of the lake. read more

Not a great start, but ended great. We drove up in the boat so naturally we thought we would go sit in the screened in porch bar. The bartender saw us, but didn't say anything. We sat and waited. I decided to walk to the stairs and see how busy it was since I wasn't feeling any warm fuzzies. As I started up I heard the bartender exhale, like she was completely annoyed, she grabbed menus. I went into the dining room and asked the bartender if seats were available. She said yes and proceeded to put menus at them while I went to get my husband. He was still sitting at the bar, had a menu, but was told it would be a little bit before she could help us. Needless to say, I am so glad I ventured upstairs. Our bartender was Leslie. She was the best. She took great care of us while she got rocked with the service bar, two tables, and lots of bar guests. She was sweet to all, took care of us all and was just amazing. They are so lucky to have her. We will definitely be back because of her. read more

Great service, nice atmosphere. The food is good but I'm not a big fan of the seasonings they use however my husband likes it a lot.

Worst experience in a very long time. Hosted my wife's 50th bday party and with out of town relatives and friends. Lobster was frozen and bitter. 2 of the 3 filets were overcooked and burnt when ordered medium rare. Waiter couldn't care less about any of the issues and took forever to get a drink. Very disappointed in this place and would not recommend to an enemy. Lucky to give one star!! read more

Fish and Chips were amazing. So much flavor and huge portion sizes too! Will for sure be back!

Fast service, friendly staff, nice atmosphere, comfortable seating and delicious food at a reasonable price. I am very picky because I consider myself to be a pretty good cook and the butterflied shrimp I ordered was the best I've ever had. My friend got the Caesar salad and it was absolutely huge and she said it was fantastic! The water view was relaxing and beautiful and I can't wait to go there again. I highly recommend going. Even the parking lot and outside areas were very lovely! * * * * * read more

Great food, great service, great prices. Plus a pretty new VW view of the lake depending on your seats.

I don't wait to eat food. I found myself in Winter Haven and having to wait for food. 5pm on a Saturday in February is prime time apparently we had no choice, so we waited...an hour and 15 minutes. To fill out time, we hung out on the beach. When it was finally time to be seated, our server Robert took care of us. He delivered our water without a straw. This is difficult for most servers to get correct. We do not use straws for environmental reasons and he got it right. I started with the seafood skins. Nothing to write home about. Next was the house salad. It was good. Pretty big and had I not cut myself short, I'd never have eaten my dinner. My son and I split the sirloin and added a crab cake with a side of mashed potatoes. My foodie child approved it all. He ate so much he didn't want dessert. The steak was prepared as ordered. The crab cake was the stand-out. As a Marylander, I expect no one to get it right outside of MD. Harborside exceeded my expectations. The crab cake was very good, no filler. Service was very good. If you're in town for Legoland like we were, go for it. read more