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    Stan's Idle Hour

    3.8 (137 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Stan's Idle Hour Photos

    Business Info

    STAN'S IDLE HOUR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Stan's Idle Hour

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    Sarah P.

    A cute rustic venue offering water views outdoor seating, pub fair and drinks and live music. They even have their own store where they sell t-shirts hats etc. An Alabamian by way of Miami, Florida named Stan Gober took a chance and purchased an unknown motel, called the Idle Hour Motel in 1969. Subsequently in April 1970, he bought the corresponding coffee shop/restaurant. These properties were located in a sleepy fishing village called Goodland, Florida, discovered by Stan while fishing its backwaters in the 60's. Stan and his wife, Faye Campbell Gober and their three sons packed up their Miami home and rented a unit at the Idle Hour Motel (since been razed due to Hurricane Wilma) and began working on their investment. Faye and Stan loved music, especially crooners Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Perry Como. Stan began to write his own music, and in the hopes of drumming up more business in the 1980's, he bought an outdoor grandstand from a local Goodlander and hauled it over to the restaurant. He envisioned an outdoor place where people could dance and gather. Stan was a master entertainer, singing and telling jokes, drawing crowds in the hundreds and eventually in the thousands. Going to Stan's became a Sunday tradition for many Southwest Floridians. And Stan was a family man, a charitable, compassionate soul with a true love for his country. Lucky for us, his place of business thrives fifty years later.

    Charlie F.

    The day we arrived, we made a beeline to this place, and it was packed to the invisible rafters! The grouper fish tacos are da bomb. Great food. Great drinks. Great atmosphere. Everyone having a blast. We came here late September last yr and we just missed this place by a week or two and had to settle for crabby lady and that place sucked.

    Teresa H.

    First time here and I hope to return to try the wings. We started off with the hot peel and eat shrimp which were kind of hard to peel. But had great flavor! I had the lobster n'ber which was amazing and my boyfriend Ahmad the grouper sandwich which he loved. And get the homemade chips! Sat at the bar...loved the atmosphere. Be careful on the bar chairs they are a little rickety ... they can use an upgrade. Great and attentive friendly service!

    Outside
    Judy S.

    I stumbled upon this place in the middle of nowhere and discovered a new city lol. I stopped because of the huge crowd outside and the lively music. I was intrigued. There were barely any places to park but I managed. It was like a party was going on. The place looked fun It seems that every Sunday. Three local restaurants get together and have live music and entertainment and Stans is one of them "Sunday Sunday" All three restaurants are within walking distance from each other and they also have shuttles available. the atmosphere is fun here. Everyone having a great time. The band was phenomenal. The crowd was dancing and so was I and having a good time. This was my favorite restaurant. If crowds are not for you. I suggest visiting another day of the week. The inside is pretty big. Someone said it had 5 bars. It has a stage and a big outdoor sitting area. This restaurant is right next to the water and so you get a beautiful view of the water and boats. I did not try the food only the drinks and they tasted good. Beer seems popular here. The staff was great and people-friendly. I loved this place. I can't wait to be back.

    Robert C.

    What a shit show...but in the best possible way! All I can say is that the beer is cold and the food is fresh. From the jalapeño poppers, to the conch fritters, to the blackened grouper, to the fried oyster basket...you really can't go wrong with any of these dishes. I will say, you must embrace the controlled chaos. It is very crowded, very loud, and very well managed. Lastly...it's not a complete experience unless you visit the gift shop and give them all your money! We will definitely be back!

    The view from the docks at Stan's - pleasant setting for the dining and drinking experience
    Brian O.

    A rustic tropical place, right on the water, with excellent food and local color galore! Stan's is the kind of bar/restaurant I wish was near me: the E-Z vibe made me wish I was a regular. The blackened grouper sandwich is sensational. It's cooked just right with a hearty portion. Seasoned waffle fries are a good compliment with it (and your drinks). Live music as well, even in the middle of the day. I'm not sure when I'll be in town again, but when that time comes, Stan's will be first on my list.

    Outside panoramic view
    Matthew M.

    Solid food! We showed up around noon on a Thursday, and wow, these guys were popping! It's a fairly large outdoor seating area with some tables inside. The service was pretty good but you could tell they are probably understaffed, not necessarily their fault, so no need to judge. Our server was super friendly and they use handheld ordering devices to speed up service. We were 4 adults, 2 kids. Frozen colada/daiquiri style drinks were right on par. I ordered the blackened scallops with black beans, rice, and coleslaw. 2 others had the shrimp tacos (they give you two decent sized ones) with beans/rice/slaw, 1 other had coconut shrimp w/fries, kiddos had a burger (huge, probably their regular menu size) and chicken tenders (decent portion). Both kids meals had waffle fries. All together, the seafood was very fresh and the portion of seafood in each meal was pretty decent. I wondered if I received enough scallops at first but forgot how much basic raw protein can actually fill you up. My only reason for not giving 5 stars is the food could be plated a little better for what it is. The coleslaw is great, rice ok, black beans were basically straight from the can. All showed up in side cups. I get it, increases speed, but decreases ambiance. That, and the place needs an update. Bathrooms were gross; mens room was missing a toilet seat on its single shooter and had a trough for a urinal. Is what it is, look, it's a local dive bar. So, if you can own that you will really like it here. If not, you are going to have to skip it and go somewhere fancier - they have a mullet festival here. Ultimately, if you are in the area, I would definitely recommend them. Also, their happy hour prices look ridiculously good.

    June S.

    When you are in the Sunshine State, restaurant with outdoor seating and live music are not hard to find. We were introduced to one of the popular spot by locals, where they had plenty of food, booze, and music! When we arrived, they had a live band playing some oldies, and patrons were dancing their heats out! Around the stage and the dancing floor, they had more outdoor seating, with a view of water. We got there around 3:30pm, and lucky for us, they have happy hour from 3pm - 6pm. Actually, they call that "Idle Hour" here. After some wait, we got attention of a server, and we ordered Margarita, Popcorn Shrimp, Clam Strips, and Fried Mozzarella. The orders arrived rather quickly, which was great. Margarita was strong and tasty, but not big in size though. All the "snacks" we ordered was nice, but kind of small in portion as well. And since all the dishes we ordered were all fried, they almost tasted the same... They have a souvenir shop on the premises, selling Stan's special gift items, including t-shirts and hats. They had loads of really funny items as well, it is worth checking it out. We certainly had a fun afternoon with nice snacks and drinks. Our server, Brandon was very friendly and helpful, he took a really good care of us.

    Burger and fries
    Raymond H.

    Great location and ambiance, the food was good, not great. The service was exceptional and if I could go another 1/2 star higher I would. Well definitely go back.

    Kensta

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    8 years ago

    Fun place. I had surf and turf. Surf was good, turf was tough. Service was slow. Nonetheless, would go back for the fun environment.

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    10 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Good food/bar diversion from the tourist spots on Marco. Staple of community since 1969. Great apps and cold beer. Friendly staff

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    18 years ago

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    18 years ago

    On Sundays in season this is the best. A Jimmy Buffet type atmosphere with great drinks, food and fun. Highly highly recommended.

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    Stan's Idle Hour Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Stan's Idle Hour

    Can I bring kids on a Wednesday?

    Maybe. Not on a Sunday with all the bikers and drunks, as well as scanty dressed ladies. Some of the entertainers during the week are a bit bawdy. Perfect for adults who like to party, drink and meet others.

    Headed to Stan's for the day today with a group, Any suggestions as to items we should take with us? Also any suggestions as to MUST DO or MUST SEE? Thank you

    Hi Tracey, Maybe bring some sunscreen? We have a lot of seating in the shade, but if your with a large group you may end up sitting where the picnic tables are. They do have… 

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    Hogfish Harry's Restaurant + Bar

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    The food was delicious, the service (Sam) was excellent, ambiance was nice we had 24 in our party.read more

    I literally cannot say enough good things about our experience at Hogfish Harry's!…read more For my first visit, my husband and I came for lunch one day while vacationing in Naples about two weeks ago. Our server was also the bartender (Jordan) who was extremely welcoming and super friendly. We told her it was our first time there and she gave us the rundown about the menu and some of the local favorites. We got a coconut shrimp appetizer which was delicious and my blackened grouper Caesar salad was beyond divine. I'm so glad I went with that fish option over the mahi. The grouper was extremely fresh, and the portion size was huge! My husband ordered the mahi-mahi Neuben (I.e. Ruben) which he said was surprisingly good! We also tried a few of the signature cocktails, which to my surprise came in tiki glasses! I absolutely love when a drink comes in fun glassware! Our experience at lunch was so great that we raved about it to our family. Which resulted in us coming back the very next day, but for dinner. We had 24 people in our party! I don't think that we would've been able to do this during peak season so if you're looking to bring a large group, definitely go off - season! Our server for the 24 person dinner with Sam and she was also beyond wonderful! She was our only server and somehow managed to wrangle a table full of chatty adults and six children! Kudos to her! Everything we ordered came out amazing! I absolutely loved the Maine Lobster Salad! Came with a huge portion of lobster, which, for the price was really great! The restaurant has an absolutely wonderful ambience and we were so impressed with the experience, the staff and the food considering this was our first time visiting. They're a bit tucked away inside of a private resort, but since they're open till the public, they do have appropriate signage for the location and it's pretty easy to find. Overall, both dining experiences were absolutely wonderful and I beyond recommend visiting Hogfish Harry's if you're ever in the Naples area. 10/10 recommend!

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    Went to lunch with 7 ladies to Deep Lagoon. What a wonderful experience…read more We sat outside and the weather was perfect the scenery lovely. Our waitress Stephanie was spot on . Friendly and funny, she had Suggestions and handled our orders like a pro. I had the coconut shrimp salad as did two others. This was delicious, and a Nice size. One friend had the Oysters and was in heaven. ( why do I always end up Next to someone eating oysters?) . Everyone was very happy with their food and Service. We will definitely be back.

    We went here for lunch on a Friday. We felt like trying something not located in the hotel, and…read moreended up here by the water. We were seated on the outside patio that overlooks water and yachts and regular boats. The day was beautiful and the ambiance of the restaurant added to our enjoyment. The daily special menu drew us in and we ordered from it. I had the tacos of the day, a mild white fish that I forget the name, and they were very good. A bargain at $10 for 2. I also had the volcano shrimp which was very good. They were fried and slightly spicy. The diced mango on top was a good addition. I enjoyed my dishes very much. The wife had shrimp tacos and liked them very much. Her two tacos came with a lot of fresh shrimp that was cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. Her meal came with slaw and she chose onion rings, which were good. She did not order off the special menu and I think her two tacos were $22. The kid had sliders from the special menu, which included two sliders for $8. She ate 1.5 sliders which is good for her. Our server Stephanie was attentive and friendly. She answered all our questions on the menu and was pleasant. The restaurant is located in a shopping mall-type structure and there is ample free parking. Overall, we had a very nice experience.

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    4.2(767 reviews)
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    Saturday evening dinner at Island Gypsy Cafe after a day at the beach is a must. A great place to…read morego as the ambiance is casual with a Caribbean vibe. We were met by the manager, Kim, who is as warm and friendly. Our waiter Jimmy was quick with water and drinks and helpful describing the food and made great recommendations. We shared the deliciously cooked calamari and some peel and eat gulf shrimp. Wow! I loved the brisket burger, it was exactly what I needed. Others had fresh grouper and the swordfish special. No one was disappointed! The carrot cake is to die for and shareable for the table. I will be back to try other foods and dessert.

    Quite frankly, the worst meal I have had in many years. This is genuinely terrible food, and I'm…read moreguessing the place gets by due to the lack of good restaurants in the Matco Island area, and its waterfront setting. Nutshell: if you are a person who enjoys quality good, not fancy, just properly executed, you will hate this place. Waiter says, "we are known for our onion rings, you have to have those." Well, I enjoy a quality onion ring, so let's do it. Absolutely a huge mistake. Calling them greasy is an understatement. There was also not a lick of seasoning on them. They tasted of bland grease. Also, any server suggesting a gigantic basket of onion rings to two normally sized people is a jerk. Even if the batter wasn't shattered off half of them, it would have been a waste. The burger suffered from the same fatal flaw. I cannot recall ever eating a burger with less flavor. Zero salt and pepper and swimming in so much grease, the bottom bun collapsed upon pick up. This isn't an exaggeration. Flavorless. The lobster roll at least had some lobster, but again, just mid. Salt and pepper escapes them. I cannot stress enough that you should not eat here. My meal was free with the Platinum Rest credit, and I'm still angry about it.

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    Stan's Idle Hour - seafood - Updated August 2026

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