Mangrove Inn: Punta Gorda FL

Mangrove Inn: Punta Gorda "It's the place For Lunch!"
Dec 2006
This was the place we often picked for our evening meal on the weekend while living in PG. We found it on bestportcharlottedining.com. Run by a Candian and his Belizean wife it seems to be the 'gathering place' for travelers - or at least it was when we were there in 1999. Very friendly, relaxed atmosphere and you can sit on the patio in large, comfortable adorondack chairs and enjoy a cold Belikan beer before dinner. Good variety of foods served for both vegetarians and carnivores. Also,always check swfloridarewards.com to see if they have any coupons for both of the restaurants in Punta Gorda or Naples.

Smokey Bones BBQ Fort Myers FL

Smokey Bones BBQ & Sports Bar: "Really Great 'BBQ"
Jan 2007

Seeing this restaurant on bestswfloridadining.com and the crowded lot, we went for it and were very pleasantly surprised. GREAT smokey flavor, some of the best bar b cued beans ever, great service and good value we did not find a coupon on swfloridarewards.com though...we will go back. Lunch specials look good and the sides include black eyed peas and sweet potatos which is unusual too. Do not get detured by the lines it go's fast and we had a cold drink from the bar.

British Open Pub Bonita Springs FL

British Open Pub: "Finger Licking Good!"
Jun 2006

If you heard about the $100 hamburger in Boca don't go! Pay $8.00 for the best mouth watering hamburger ever!We found them on bestfortmyersdining.com

There is a little British Pub off of 41 and Pelican Landing. You wouldn't think that there would be anything so mouth watering good in there. But you are wrong. Trust me! It is just the classic hamburger. How could anyone resist this hamburger? Always check swfloridarewards.com for coupons for one of theses hamburgers.

This hamburger is cooked to perfection! Thick and Juicy! With melted mouth watering cheese on the top! And as the side item nice Big steak fries!!!! There really isn't much more to say besides Finger Licking, Mouth watering GOOD!!!!

Pewter Mug Steak House Naples FL

Pewter Mug Steak House: "An Old Favorite"
Jun 2006

We've been going to this restaurant for over 2 years after we found it on bestnaplesdining.com, from the time it was a stopover on a two lane road from Miami to Sarasota it has been here. It's location is the same but the road system has changed. It is now on a 6 lane divided arterial. Food wise it has not changed much. It features a large, diverse and always fresh salad bar and beef is it's feature dish. I must say however that the rosemary chicken is awesome and one of my favorite dishes. We're not talking ruth's chris here but we are talking a solid steakhouse with a tradition and loyal following. We're locals so we always check on swfloridarewards.com for coupons. During the season it's difficult to get a seat. But, we make up for it during the off season.

Prime Time Steak & Spirits Englewood FL

Prime Time Steak & Spirits: "Is Englewoods Best"
Mar 2007
Have you heard from www.bestportcharlottedining,com. I recently attended the Sarasota Culinary Classic chefs competition at the Sarasota Yacht Club. 12 of the areas finest chefs were competing. They each had to make an app an entree and a dessert. they were judged in the kitchen by the American culinary Federation and also on taste and presentation. When the winners were annouced a Chef from Englewood won all three gold medals. It turned out his name was Richard Drumgool from Prime Time Steak and Spirits in Englewood.Ever since then we have been going to Prime Time to eat he truly is the best Chef Around. You never know when they will have a coupon on swfloridarewards.com so check often.

Chloe's Fort Myers Beach FL

Chloe's: "Very Elegant Restaurant"
Dec 2006
To find this restaurant look on bestfortmyersdining.com for all the info.
Chloe's is excellent for a fine dining experience. They have good vegetarian options and the staff were very accomodating to create unique vegetarian dishes for us as well. The staff were great in general, they didn't have the bottle of wine that we ordered so they gave us the more expensive one for the same price. Now that's service. The food tasted exceptional and the presentation was beautiful too. If you are looking for a fancy night out at Fort Myers Beach and are sick of all the cheap pubs, definitely give Chloe's a try. See if they have any coupons on swfloridarewards.com.

Orpheus Cafe Diner Fort Myers FL

Orpheus Cafe Diner: "Cute little place."
Feb 2007

We read some great reviews about the Orph and that any night you might go there would be live music, plays, or some other form of entertainment. So, looking for an upbeat kinda place, we set out to Fort Myers Beach on a tip from bestfortmyersdining.com. Unfortunately, the Orph was pretty dead and we were forced to entertain ourselves. The owner/server was very nice and the food was great. We had the stuffed grape leaves which tasted very authenic, and a cheese pizza which took a little getting used to, but ended up winning us over. With 2 drinks the tab was about $24...not bad at all next time we will check swfloridarewards.com for coupons.

Kretch's Restaurant Marco Island FL

Kretch's Restaurant: "went here four times"
Apr 2006

Went here on a tip from bestnaplesdining.com for Marco Island. Wonderful prime rib for only 19.95 and you need a fork to eat the ribs because the meat just falls off the bones. I'm not a big fan of seafood, but my wife loved the shrimp bernadette and stuffed flounder. The strudel is a must-try even if you only get the appetiser. For those of you who don't like iceberg lettuce, the caesar salad is served on romaine and I'm sure romaine can be substitued on the garden salads. Looked for a special on swfloridarewards.com we did not find one but will check back next time we visit. All in all we will be back!

Donatos Pasta Plus Italian Punta Gorda FL

Donatos Pasta Plus Italian
November 3, 2006
Found on bestportcharlottedining.com. This place was fixed up so cute after Hurricane Charley. My favorite new sandwich was the proscuitto and red pepper on ciabbatta. The third time I had it, the ciabbatta tasted "off" and was the fattiest I have ever seen. The meat part of it I could not get my teeth through. I told the waitress that the proscuitto was inedible. She said she would tell the chef. We didn't see her again until she brought the check. I had eaten some of the bread and cheese, but left the rest. I told her she didn't even deduct anything and had charged me $8 for the sandwich. She said I had to pay because I ate it. I pointed to my plate to show I had eaten very little of it. She went and got the owner and he told me that I should have told him and he would have made a fresh one. He is then telling me that I had to pay full price because I had eaten part of it. Apparently the waitress never told him what was wrong. Not to embarrass my husband any further, I told the owner "Fine! We'll pay for something I didn't get to eat, but I'll be sure to tell everyone that you are charged whether the food is acceptable or not!" The service has always been poor in the new location, but the ambience and food kept us coming back. Check swfloridarewards.com for coupons.

CRU Fort Myers FL

Cru: "My favorite in Fort Myers"
Aug 2006

I don't usually get very passionate about restaurants, but my experiences at Cru have always been amazing. The restaurant has been open for about 4 years, or somewhere around there, and has become THE place to go eat or drink in Ft. Myers as that is what they say in bestfortmyersdining.com. It is located at the Bell Tower Shops, which is itself a very popular destination in town. It's a great location because you can go do some shopping before dinner. There is a movie theater next door as well, but I think you'd enjoy your dinner too much to want to leave to make a show time.

The restaurant is not really that big, and it can get a little noisy. So it might not be the place if you want a quiet romantic dinner, but if you would like to do some people watching and like an energetic atmosphere, it is just what you need. Cru has a bar/lounge area that gets very crowded on weekend nights with the young, stylish, set. There is some outdoor seating for dining, but it is out in the walkway for the mall (it is an open air mall) so it is not terribly private. I prefer to sit inside myself. The owner is opening a second location (right next door, I think) that will be a more intimate, quiet place. Genius.

The food is always perfect and the service is great. The owner has done an excellent job of creating dishes that are inventive and fresh. The salads are always very different. One time I got a salad that came in cubes. Hard to explain, but it was delicious. Get the spicy crab rolls for an appetizer. The motto of the restaurant is "Lush Wines and Pure Food" and they definitely follow it. The meat selection usually includes duck, elk, steak, and sea bass. I've had the duck and Cru Steak, and both were delicious. I love their Paella, though. It's hard not to get it every time, because it is so good (a waiter once told me that it will never come off the menu since people like it so much).

Cru is expensive, especially if you get wine and extras (dessert, appetizers, etc). But if you are celebrating a special occasion or you want to splurge on vacation, this is the place to go in Fort Myers. Of course, it is not a waterfront restaurant, but I don't know of another place in town with food like Cru. But always check swfloridarewards.com for coupons you never know.

Hooters Cape Coral FL

Hooters: "Great Food"
Sept 2006
We looked around on the net on bestfortmyersdining.com and found Hooters.
We Went to Hooters for the First Time ! it Was Not what I Expected i Was Pleasntly Surprised ! the Food Was Excellent Especially the Wings and the chicken strips. Seems most of the food is deep fried and lots of cold beer on tap. Service Was Great and it Is a Family Atmosphere! Enjoy the beautiful girls!! We did not find a coupon on swfloridarewards.com though.

Burrito A Go-Go Fort Myers Beach FL

Burrito A Go-Go: "Great place"
Apr 2007

My friend and I were visiting Ft. Myers Beach for the first time and found this little place in Times Square on bestswfloridadining.com. Were we ever glad we did! the beer was COLD...and the service was absolutely a definate "10". Although we never tried the food there, we enjoyed the atmosphere and the friendly and efficient service. We went back a couple of more times on our week long vacation just to sit and have a nice cold beer to cool off with. When we return next year, we are definately trying a burrito with our beer, which, by the way, we've heard are the best you can can get this side of the border. Thanks for the hospitality and we will check swfloridarewards.com next time too, we will definately be back!!!!

Grampa's Pizza Bonita Springs FL

Grandpa's must be experienced to be appreciated. We found this one on bestfortmyersdining.com. At first you'll see that this family business is for real, and they're friendly. As they continue to see you, they will ask specific questions about you because they remember you. They care about you.

That's the personal side. Forget that!, because the food is the reason to keep going back. You will. Their Sicilian is THE finest I have had outside of NYC. I have had a sampling of most of their menu - the pizza is the reason I keep going back. You can do a lot worse for more money. Always check swfloridarewards.com for coupons before you go!

First Watch Naples FL

First Watch Restaurant: "Mmmmmm, 'Crepeggs'"
Sept 2006

Whenever we visit Naples we check bestnaplesdining.com, we make sure that we have breakfast at First Watch at least two or three times. Their food is fantastic, the menu creative, they leave the pot of coffee at the table, thank you very much!
The wait is never terribly long, newspapers and coffee are provided for those waiting. We've never waited longer that 15 minutes, and that was a Sunday morning after church let out. Not bad.WE keep checking swfloridarewards.com for coupons and hope for a great deal to come along some day. Make sure to try the Crepeggs - the "Key West" crepe is unbelievable. It's a cross between a crepe and an omelet. Delicious!

Sharky's Venice FL

Sharky's on the Pier Venice
We found Sharky's on bestportcharlottedining.com and we rate the food excellent because, "I ordered pasta with shrimp, scallops, lobster, and mushrooms in a wine sauce. There was more than enough for two people and was one of the best meals I had in the 4 weeks I was in Venice." We say, "The outside patio is outstanding, especially during a sunset. The storms can be a little exciting but the music continued as long as the wind didn't blow. The seafood pasta was outstanding and there was plenty for two. I wasn't real happy with the $2 charge for the second plate since my wife didn't order a meal, but she did order a salad. All frozen drinks are very good and the beer is cold...the draft is the best buy... and I've tried all of them. It can be hard to get a patio table...sometimes its bump and run to get one when people leave and on other nights its reserved. I haven't got that figured out yet but I will. Sharkey's is one of our favorite places to eat in the area and there are SO many good places to go. Oh, check swfloridarewards.com for coupons.

The Turtle Club Punta Gorda FL

The Turtle Club
Feb 2007

The Turtle Club is on bestportcharlottedining.com
The Turtle Club Restaurant of Historic Downtown Punta Gorda is truly an “Old Florida” style restaurant that fits in with the character and traditions of the fishing village that is known today as Historic Punta Gorda. The restaurant focuses on regional seafood selections and prepares and serves them in a simple, yet sophisticated, manner. The Turtle Club is committed to serving only the freshest seafood and steaks and has a core menu that includes something for everyone. Weekly specials combine the best of old world and new world culinary styles, and usually include touches of Mediterranean, Caribbean, Asian and Southern home cooking. The decor of the Turtle Club is as impressive as the cuisine. The restaurant was constructed with brick that was quarried nearby in Florida in the early 1900s. The restaurant evokes memories of the well to do fishing lodges prevalent in South Florida in the 1950s with a fireplace, wooden beams, stonework, chandeliers and tin ceilings. Check and see if the is a coupon on swfloridarewards.com

Parrot Key Caribbean Grill Fort Myers Beach FL

Parrot Key Caribbean Grill: "Best Blackened Grouper
Dec 2006

Four of us went to Parrot Key as first timers after finding them on bestfortmyersdining.com.......and the food was great! We went back a few nights later and just enjoyed this place immensely. I had the blackened grouper both times and it was great. We all ordered drinks with those little umbrellas in them.....a Florida trait! We were told to check swfloridarewards.com for coupons.

Bistro 821 Naples FL

Bistro 821: "A Gem"
Dec 2006

We found this one on bestnaplesdining.com. Located in the heart of the 5th Avenue restaurant row, Bistro 821 can claim a spot at the top of any listing of the area's best places to dine. Being one of the smaller restaurants on the street (mostly due to its limited outdoor sidewalk table area) probably allows the kitchen to put a little more time and personal touch into the food, which is beautifully presented. The menu is very varied and eclectic, featuring pasta, steaks, seafood and more, some done with Asian touches. After a well prepared house salad, I enjoyed a special Porterhouse veal chop that was done to perfection in a delicious wine sauce. My wife had the Bioullabasse (their spelling) that was a generous portion of fresh fish and shellfish in a delicious broth. A full bar and extensive wine list is available, and service is friendly and professional. Prices are in line with other Naples fine dining spots. Though we checked o see if they had a coupon on swfloridarewards.com.