Called on Saturday morning to make reservations for Saturday night, told none were available but I could reserve a table for Sunday brunch, which I did. They took my name and number. Planned my day around this reservation. When I showed up Sunday morning I was told rudely that they don't accept reservations and haven't for some time! read more

This is such a cute cafe! We stopped in for lunch and had a really pleasant visit. We started with their crab dip which was spicy and salty, like Old Bay and cayenne seasoning mixed together. And it was served with freshly fried flour tortillas chips. We ordered the small size dip and it was way too much for us. I had the Mediterranean salad and my hubs had the linguini. Both were good! They have Oyster City beers on draft, which is great since you can see the OC tap room across the street from the cafe while you eat. Overall the service was really nice and the food is reasonable good and not too overpriced. read more

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What a wonderful dinner I had tonight at the Owl Cafe! It is the supreme fine dining experience in Apalachicola and the area that Oyster Radio covers. We had a group of 8 and had a reservation and we were met with a great service and food! We had 2 dozen oysters steamed and they were fresh and delicious and the perfect appetizer. I had the catch of the day which was mahi-mahi and it was a-MAHI-zing!! I had excellent service and kept our glasses full the whole night. Would recommend to everyone in the area and will come back multiple times!!!! read more

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I stopped by here on a weekend vacation and was pleasantly surprised. The staff was great, and our appetizer of The Crab Dip was the best thing I've tasted in awhile. You have to get it! I got the fish and chips, which didn't have much flavor and had a very soggy batter on it. My partner got the grouper special, and she loved it. Overall, with a $67 price tag for the whole meal, it was a little high but worth it if you're in town. read more

We stopped in late afternoon and ordered some beer and mixed drinks to start with. Happy hour time so a little price reduction was nice and unexpected. Ordered Duck Tacos and Crab Dip appetizers. Plenty big and very filling. Ordered Potato soup and a tomato soup also. Very delicious! Service was good and prompt. Waitress was a little hurried but she was working a lot of tables. Worth trying to taste the variety of beers listed on the chalk board. read more

Owl - need new menu selections - wait staff also needs to be reminded who is their customer. Tap Room - staff is short and not customer friendly. Not the APALACHICOLA way! Been a regular customer for 20+ years - not the same hometown comfortable spirit, unfortunately. UPDATE - Returned for lunch this week (Sept 2019) and was completely disappointed. The salads were fine, but the chicken roll-up and Ruben were terrible. In fact, they were not consumed. The wait staff seemed uninterested - so we paid the bill and will try The Owl Again in a year or more to find out it they have improved. Sad, as the Owl had always been a consistent and quality local restaurant. read more

4 1/2 Stars..................Sunday brunch was quite nice. Friendly greeting by hostess and staff on a busy Sunday. Seated promptly with menus, water, and bread to follow. The waitress came right over and took drink orders and told us the days specials. Nice brunch menu and offering. Crab Cake Benedict was different but thoroughly enjoyable, as was the Hash and Eggs. Generous portions and quite tasty. Desserts looked great, but we passed. Priced fairly and felt there was good value and quality for the dollar. Check it out. Your review helps others learn about great local businesses. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees. read more

Let's be clear from the start--the food in this place definitely deserves 5 stars. Coming from me, that's a really big compliment, because I love food, eat lots of really good food, and am pretty judgy when it comes to eating out and rating restaurants. The service is unfortunately what knocked this down to a 4. We were on SGI for the weekend, hoping for some sun and lazy times. Unfortunately it turned out to be a rainy, cold weekend, and there was no beach time to be had. After two days indoors, we finally wandered over to Apalachicola for an afternoon, and ate at the Tap Room based on the 5 star reviews from other Yelpers. We had the duck fries, the crab dip (both on happy hour special! score!) and then ended up sharing the alligator sausage as an afterthought since we were still hungry. All of the food was incredible. Seriously. I could elaborate, but if you've made it this far, just go, and eat. As for service, it wasn't really clear who our server was--it seemed as if they were all serving all the tables, which made things a little confusing. There were at least three waitresses, and all three of them stopped by at some point to take orders, deliver food, see if we needed anything...then, once we were looking to order another round of drinks and more food, they were suddenly gone. The place was busy the entire time we were there, appeared to be fairly popular. I think this place will continue to do well, especially with the lack of competition for high quality food in the area. read more

Very good food (warm brie, lump crab cakes, chocolate mousse cake), service, and decor. Definitely a first-class place in the 'red neck' riviera. read more

Owl Cafe - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

Waitress was very pushy, not giving us time look at the drink menu before she started asking for our order, food was nothing special and cold....... read more

We decided to try this restaurant based on the good Yelp reviews. We should have paid more attention to the negative ones. My fish sandwich had multiple bones in it. It was replaced with a new boneless one, but bones in a grilled grouper sandwich should really not occur at all. It was clear that the fish piece had not been checked before grilling. The waiter suggested rice instead of fries when I asked for an alternative. He did not mention that there was an upcharge (nor did the menu mention an upcharge). Rice was listed as a side option along with fries and slaw. However, when the bill came there was an additional charge for the rice. When I asked the waiter his reply was he did not know there was a charge and walked off. No mention of correcting the bill. In addition, we had a coupon purchased from a very reputable website we use quite a bit to find new restaurants, which the waiter refused to honor and said they get a lot of people trying to scam them. The manager finally came over and said that their listing at that site was not done by them (in spite of all their info being there - even pictures of their entrees). I showed her the website on my phone with the restaurant listing but she said that she knew nothing about and that she would talk to the 3 owners, but she could not honor the coupon. She did take the sandwich off the bill due to the bones (something the waiter should have done anyway). The coupon was for more than cost of the sandwich and we were overcharged for the rice but the issue was not the money. It was the lack of customer service. The appropriate thing to do was to honor our coupon and then immediately fix the issue with the website so that no other customers would have the same problem. Perhaps some serious staff training would help, but I am not even sure that would make this restaurant a good choice. The sad thing is that the food was pretty good. However I would still skip this restaurant! There are plenty of others in the area. read more

I have yet to try any other Apalachicola restaurants because we always end up here. The food is to die for, a little on the pricey side (it is a nicer restaurant afterall), but you get what you pay for. The fried oysters are amazing, perfectly fried and not chewy, and you get a huge portion for the price ($12, I think). One time we went and they had gator gumbo, which seemed fairly unique, and it was delicious. Haven't tried the tap room yet but I do like that it's there. Great location near the river. Service has always been friendly & attentive as well. read more

It is so wonderful to find some eateries in Apalach that are committed to some fantastic food. After reading the stellar reviews, I just knew we'd have to check it out. We ended up eating there twice during our stay on SGI, and both times we got the decadently rich and delicious duck fries and duck tacos. It is hard to say which we loved more, but the fries probably inch the tacos out. I am forever ruined by that fabulous plate. The rich cheese and duck go perfectly with those perfectly crispy fries. My mouth just waters thinking about them! I sincerely hope this little gem does well, because I'm already looking forward to another visit when next we find our way back! read more

I hate eating here. But my dining companion insists on it. It's overpriced and not at all the kind of food I want to eat. It's heavy in a hot location. And its recipes are either difficult to execute or bad. I can't decide which. Every time I go I find it very difficult to order because everything is either unappealing or overpriced -- or both. Service is average, which is why it doesn't get a 1. Do yourself a favor and skip this supposed upscale dining place in Apalach. read more

The Owl Cafe opened a new extension to their finer dinning. Its just 2 doors down on the left from their corner entrance. I think its much better with great bang for your buck. The Tap Room has about 20 micro beers on tap that change on a daily/weekly basis. For people in your group who need their spirits they have full bar as well. The food is good and very affordable. Check the door for the Happy Hour specials. While we were in town they had $3 pints on micro beers and that is a deal. Oysters are great and if you get tired of seafood the burger is good. This is a bar/restaurant but kids are welcome at the tables but not the bar. In fact every time we were in Apalach my 9 yr old would beg to stop and get a burger. The staff is great with the old south charm and the bartender is more than happy to give you a sample of beer if you can't make up your mind. Good food can be hard to find on the Forgotten Coast so I give them 5 stars. This has become a favorite stop for me so give them a try I think you will be happy. Also, they are only open Mon - Fri 4pm to 11pm, Saturday 12pm to 12am, and Closed on Sunday. read more

We're in Apalachicola for a quick few days of break before the summer activities start. Got into town fairly late, so we looked for a place that would still be open for awhile, so as not to be rude to the wait and kitchen staff. We were a little taken aback - this is an upscale place, and we were NOT dressed for it. But nothing was said (or indicated) so we dove in. Mateo was so friendly and accommodating - it was a pleasure to have him serve us. He was so excited to tell us about the specials and he made them sound so delicious I changed my mind and ordered the stuffed snapper. The garlic and parm dipping sauce for the bread was a nice change of pace from the usual oil and herbs. Mateo asked about some of the extras on the salads, like "Would you like bleu cheese crumbles?" and immediately followed by saying he'd put them on the side for us. My sons both had the green garlic dressing, and it was also delicious. My wife had the angel hair pasta with chicken and sauteed vegetables. One son had the fried oysters and the other had the lump crab cake. All of us were delighted with our selections (and with the others as well). The portion sizes were just right - we were filled, but not stuffed. The sauces with each entree were really well-prepared and well-paired. All in all - this was an excellent meal, and a little bit of a surprise for "tourist town." read more

Great oyster po boy! And we shared a strawberry shortcake for desert that was amazing! Definitely should try this place out. read more

Owl Cafe - Strawberry shortcake - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

Excellent casual fine dining on the Forgotten Coast, specializing in seafood. I had a red snapper and sea scallops in a sun-dried tomato and caper cream sauce, expertly cooked and presented. The blue crab dip appetizer is excellent as well. If you don't like seafood, there's typically a beef filet and chicken option on the menu. Great setting, we ate upstairs near the bar and wine cellar- cool room with exposed brick. Service has always been good. If you're a wine lover, they have an extensive wine program with just about anything you might want by the bottle, coupled with good choices by the glass. Full bar as well. My only complaint is their choice of stemware. The wine glasses leave no room to swirl- they get too full. With the depth and investment in their wine program it would be smart to invest in some Riedel (or similar quality glasses). read more

we sat there for 1 1/2 waiting for our food and people walked in 30 minutes after us and left within 30 minutes with their food we had to call over a manager to get our food out it read more

The BEST seafood we had while on vacation in Cape San Blas, even if we had to drive about 45 mins to get to it. They had three fresh specials of the day, our party got all three and each was fantastic, we had to sample each other's food! Seriously some of the best service I've ever had anywhere. read more

We had several recommendations for the Owl even though one warned about the crab dip. We decided to give it a try and the dip too. Sorry to say I was disappointed in the crab dip. It has an underlying flavor of cumin which is a too far away from the norm of gulf crab dip. I naturally had to get oysters in the heart of oyster country. I tried the fried oysters and was disappointed in this also. The breading was a little too heavy and the oysters were overcooked (dark brown around the edges). The wife had angel hair pasta with veggies. The pasta had a good flavor but was a little heavy with salt. On the plus side, we had a top notch waitress who was both fast and efficient. We liked the clean cut un-cluttered atmosphere. There was a nice view of the waterfront from back tables. However, don't think we'll be back. [Visited May 2014] read more

The Owl Cafe opens at 11 am, and we decided on a Saturday to have a bit of a brunch. Well, what a find, in the historic town of Apalachicola. There's not a whole lot in Apalachicola, but this restaurant is first rate. The omelet of the day with ham and swiss was large and flavorful, as was the crab cake Benedict. The highlight of breakfast was the breadbasket filled with cinnamon bread and lemon poppy mini-muffins. My companions asked (and received) a second basket of just the cinnamon bread that was so good. Another highlight were the Bloody Marys. When I got the check, I was momentarily confused. It said 3 Bloody Marys were $16.50. What a bargain. Other patrons swore to its good food during the dinner hour. Great service and great food and great atmosphere in a historic building. read more

When visiting St. George Island in March, my mother and I decided to drive into Apalachicola, where we met a friend of mine for lunch. It took her a bit longer to make the drive than expected, so my mom and I got a table. I wish they had asked if we wanted to sit outside, because that would have been my preference. As far as service, I wasn't sure about our waitress at first. She seemed somewhat irritated that my friend hadn't arrived, despite the fact that someone else had seated us. I ordered shrimp and grits, and it was quite good. As it was a weekend, only the brunch menu was available, so I wasn't able to necessarily try exactly what I wanted. I don't remember what everyone else ordered, but everyone seemed to enjoy their meal, and our waitress did become more amenable. Be aware that you have to go through the shop downstairs to get to the restaurant! read more

A truly awful meal. Got an oyster po boy with mealy undercooked oysters. The bun was more like a soft hot dog bun than the classic New Orleans bread. The snapper was so salty it was inedible. The jambalaya had rubbery chicken and shrimp so over cooked, they tasted like plastic. This place does not know real food. Don't let the white tablecloth and nice location fool you. Go to a dive bar that can't screw up a basket of fried seafood. This place was memorably bad. read more

This is a gastro-pub with lots of personality, a can't-miss spot if you're in Apalachicola. The Panhandle Clam Chowder was an excellent spinoff from the New England classic; lots of clams and flavor without being salty. The Alligator Sausage ($9) was incredible; ground gator with a hint of smoke and pork flavor topped with caramelized onions. It came with a side of country Dijon mustard (grained) which we spread onto the bun. The bread was fresh and the whole sandwich was a masterpiece of flavors. We ordered one for the road. The Crab Dip was good but more as a spicy cheese dip. It came with small triangles of fried flour tortilla. The tap selection was excellent. All the local Oyster City brews are represented. You can sample any of the beers with a 5oz glass for about $1.75, a good option for us road trip tourists. The Brown Ale was very smooth and the IPA was a lighter more drinkable version similar to Cigar City's Jai Alai IPA. There's something to be said for local brews in general. Since the beer doesn't sit in a bottle for months or in a keg waiting to be shipped a long distance, it is always fresher from local breweries. The servers were a bit overwhelmed but understandably so. We walked in between opening time at 4 pm and 4:15 as another 50 people also did (I counted 55). The staff handled it well. They called what I assume was the cafe upstairs, who were setting up for a 530 dinner re-open, for helpers. Several people came down to lend a hand. By 430, everybody had everything they needed. The crowd was patient and cool as well, not the typical toxic scolds we see too much of in South Florida. Because we were sitting near the kitchen, we were able to strike up a conversation with the owner/chef. She gave us more reason to be certain this is a culinary gem and will be for some time to come. read more

Love the tap room. Had appetizers on Labor day evening. Duck fries were good, oysters were huge but good. Atmosphere is very casual and layed back. read more

What a fantastic night we had here. The food was delicious, and the service was great. The room has a lovely ambiance, and the fresh seafood preparations were thoughtful and filling. A little more attention to detail, (all food arriving at the same time), would bump this up to 5* for me. We'll be back. read more

Stopped in for lunch today at the Owl Cafe. Overall a really good lunch, would definitely eat here again. Atmosphere is a bit upscale and service was wonderful. I had the grouper sandwich, which was fantastic. My wife had the wrap, which was nearly as good. Note that the slaw was heavy on horseradish. I liked it, my wife not so much. Would have given The Owl 5 stars, but they were completely out of oysters. Really the reason we stopped in. read more

I really like it the young waiter was really nice and food the food is really good i would definitely suggest it

Went here this evening for a beer and a snack and ended up having dinner. Started with duck fries and a beer. The duck confit fries were on the happy hour menu- all the better. They are amazing- not to miss. Later after another beer, we shared the pork tacos off the app menu and the gator sausage. Both solid. Finished up with another beer and the chocolate rum cake with salted caramel ice cream----AMAZING. Rich chocolate cake with delicious ice cream, would definitely come here again.thanks for great food and a very solid craft beer selection. The service was attentive and friendly. Highly recommend. read more

Owl Cafe is pretty good! It has great service and is one of the fancier options in Apalachicola with white table clothes. The starter bread was fresh and delicious. We went for lunch and I got the Gator and Pork Sausage Creole. It was really delicious and huge and filling (for an awesome price - only $11!). The sausage was really flavorful and the sauce was really good with it. I loved the crisp grit cake too. A very nice dining option! read more

It was a nice anniversary lunch with hubby but not excellent. Tuesday afternoon 1:15 we were seated right away - table for two against a wall without a view. The waitress was busy gathering checks from a large party. We ordered water for me and tea with extra lemons for hubs. Good job! Looking over the menu, I decided what I wanted until she mentioned the specials of the day. One was mahi-mahi with tomatoes, jalapeño butter sauce with something like potatoes. The description of the sauce was intriguing. For a start, I had a bowl of beef and barley soup and hubby had the small crab dip with tortilla chips. I warned him what other Yelper's had said about that dish but he gave it a go. My beef and barley soup was full of barley, carrots, celery and a nice broth, but I had to add a lot of salt, pepper and waited patiently for our waitress to return so that I could order Tabasco sauce. That made it better. Crab dip chips were wonderful! They tasted like when I take flour tortillas and fry them. The dip was just OK. It had a little heat but not much flavor. It was crabby though. If they had added some garlic and a tad of powdered mustard, it would have pulled it up a notch. Our salads were good even if we had to cut the lettuce. Spring greens with romaine-a grape tomato and cucumber. Salad dressings were awesome. (Please don't make me cut my salad.) the bread was good and the butter was not cold- that's good! Hubby ordered a shrimp and crab handheld sandwich. He thought he was getting a wrap but it came on a bun. It was full of capers and celery but good amount of shrimp and crab. (Reduce the whole capers amount or chop them. Capers should be an undertone, not the full choir with something as delicate as shrimp and crab. He waited for the waitress to rerun so he could order mayo for his bread. Good bread roll, just dry. The sand which had a nice slice of tomato and a large romaine leaf. I encouraged hubby to go look for Someone about the mayo because I was chowing down on my perfectly cooked fish with my side of grit cake. He found the hostess who did not relay what he wanted - but just sent the waitress to our table. Just bring the mayo- it doesn't matter who does it! Back to my fish- I was not sure what the sauce would be like, but I thought a little spicier, I tasted no jalapeño at all. But I had a perfect ratio of fish slices to grit cake. I cleaned my plate! There are so many nice places to eat in this fair town and the Owl has always been one of my favorites. But, grading on this trip alone, I brought the 5 stars down to 3 for the "after" service and the flavors in the what could have been a spectacular soup . (How's your food-do you need anything else?) read more

Owl Cafe - Beef and barley soup looks Devine. Just needed a little kick. - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

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Upon sitting I really didn't think I even wanted to stay. The menu wasn't all that appealing and the ambiance not so special. We ordered a dozen raw oysters and bruschetta. Let me tell you, the oysters were as good as any anywhere and the bruschetta was unique, fresh and delicious! Service was ok, until checkout time and our server was mia...but all in all a nice experience. I will definitely come back. read more

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The owl cafe taproom is my favorite place to dine when we vacation at Cape San Blas . If you want to escape the typical overpriced, underwhelming sea food joint head here; It's worth the drive . Everything is done right and they have got more unique ( and delicious) dining options then most ( maybe all) the other places around. It's a classier establishment but the taproom offers up the same great food as the cafe with a more casual but still cool vibe. They have a great selection of beers and cocktails to satisfy picky drinkers and the staff was great too. read more

We went for brunch and boy are we glad we did! I got the gumbo and fried oysters from the starter list as my entree-absolutely delicious! The oysters were perfectly prepared and the gumbo was rich and flavorful. My Bloody Mary paired perfectly with it! My partner had the shrimp and grits and needed a knife to cut through the big beautiful shrimp. The service was excellent and the setting was beautiful. I wish we had been able to go back for dinner! read more

1 star, because it made me pick at least 1 star. I would've given 0 if I could. We stood at the door, waiting for them to open since we knew our party was large. We had a party of 12, asked to be seated separately and were told it would be a 45m wait. So, we gave our name. They then proceeded to seat the people in line behind us, one table at a time. When we questioned if they just sat 4 tables of people, the rude hostess replied "yes we did." They have no manager after the last one left, the owners are disconnected from the operations and it's a terrible atmosphere. These are facts, confirmed by locals. I would never go back. read more

Some of the best food I ever had! Period. We got the Duck Fries, Alligator Sausages, Oysters, Jumbo Shrimps, The Burger, Chocolate Mouse dessert :)) read more

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Oh my....this place has the best chicken salad sandwich and fries I've ever had!!! It was so delicious, that I ordered it to go two days in a row! The staff were pleasant and helpful. The presentation of the sandwich was beautiful! The taste was out of this world!!! The toasted croissant and bacon were amazing!!! The fries were cooked to perfection! Today, I had the poppyseed red dressing with my sandwich and fries and I couldn't get enough of it. If only I could get sandwiches this good at home!!! read more

Restaurant was clearly understaffed and service was slow. Half of our table received their orders lukewarm (at best). Our server practically screamed when she spoke. Had to constantly ask for drink refills. Nothing worth a second trip. read more

Took hubby there for his birthday and had read all the reviews so I was prepared. Ordered the crab dip and was very good couldn't taste or see any crab but was very tasty. Salad with creamy horseradish dressing yummy served with bread and olive oil with garlic and Parmesan cheese very good. My husband got the black grouper he said it was excellent I ordered the special which was off the charts good. The fish (I can't remember what it was) was topped with a huge scallop and all was in a sauce with cilantro jalapeño and bacon wonderful. We were so full we could hardly move so we ordered the Chocolate mousse cake to go, we will try it tonight. Service was outstanding everyone friendly. Clean. Not a big fan of the white paper on top of cloth as it was Always getting caught on my arm. Only complaint not bad. read more