Sunset Cafe
500 W Cocoa Beach Cswy, Cocoa Beach, FL, 32931
Sunset Cafe Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Cocoa Beach for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Cocoa Beach for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Cocoa Beach for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
500 W Cocoa Beach Cswy
Cocoa Beach, FL, 32931 - Phone (321) 783-8485
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Brenda Q.
Great food and great drinks Service is always good They have a great variety in the menu; I had appetizers, seafood and burgers all great
(5)Michael D.
This is a great restaurant with friendly service, great food and an amazing view. Our party of 3 thought everything we ordered was on point from steaks to seafood. Highly recommended.
(5)Justin F.
Love it! Second time here and it was great again. Went with the suggested specials and was very happy! Bacon wrapped shrimp for a appetizer and mahi mahi crusted in crab! Nice environment with live music sitting outside. Crab cakes here are good also!
(5)William M.
Watered down Piña colada, soggy unflavored fried oysters - Staff seem overwhelmed and understaffed, food quality too low compared to the price, the customer service was poor and inefficient. Greatly lacked a managers presence.
(2)Steve O.
0-3 trying to find a place on Xmas eve. Had to seat ourself, sever peeved, but guess I would be to. Food OK.
(2)Mark B.
Waitress was instantly rude for no particular reason. Food was somewhat pricy and 3 of 4 checks were messed up. Basic cold club sandwich with precooked cold chicken breast was poor at best and $11 without fries or a drink. Live music was "drunk karaoke" quality. Frustrating. Slow, ornery, inaccurate, inattentive service, below average food. Nice sunset!!!
(2)T L.
Great food, great view, good prices. I ordered the seafood sampler and the fried scallops were delicious. Our server Jensen was awesome! Drinks were never empty and we enjoyed the warm rolls she brought us.
(4)MJ R.
FABULOUS food with an AH MAY ZING view of the FL sunset. The Mahi Fish Tacos, Shrimp Tempura with Asparagus and the Seafood Combo Plate are SOOO tasty! A MUST SEE if you are near Cocoa!!
(5)Marc C.
Only a 4 because of the view. Food is a 3; what you would expect. Poor beer list and Sam Adams is an import here. No IPA's. You can do better unless it is sunset time.
(4)Allison R.
What can I say? Food average until my daughter found a piece of metal in her pasta and my husband found a hair in his cole slaw. Yuk and disgusting. Don't eat here no matter if there is a water view.
(1)Lela Q.
Went there yesterday 3/17/15. Service was horrible waited a long time for someone to take and deliver our order, no refills on our drinks and my daughter ordered the Beef Caesar salad sandwich and it was like eating a salt lick! Would of told the waiter that but he the only time he returned was with the check! No parking! Yep! Never returning back! Waste of $60(yes I left a tip!) on 3 horrible meals!!
(1)Wayne R.
This was so pathetic. Red lobster would've been much better. When here for dinner with three business colleagues who had suggested the place. They'd eaten here before and apparently was good at one time. Not last night. The first warning signal was that we were able to park easily by the front door. The second warning sign was that it was karaoke night even though it was Monday. Third was when I asked for a bourbon. "We have all kinds; what do you want?" So I named 3 or 4 and she had none. Fourth, the space was nearly empty. After ordering dinner, we now see why. Stay away.
(1)Leah R.
I got off a plane, drove from Orlando to Cocoa, and had just about died from hunger by the time I got here, so it was a welcome sight. I started with a gigantic Shock Top beer and some potato skins. Beer was yummy, so were the skins, but it was a little weird to me that they served me the sour cream in a paper carton. Nothing was wrong with it, it was just... weird. I ordered a burger and fries because that's what I was craving, and that's what I got. The burger was just adequate - nothing special, but it did the trick, and the fries were pretty tasty. On a tangent - does everyone in Cocoa beach eat breaded, season french fries? At just about every meal I ended up getting these same fries. I may have just been super lucky/unlucky (my waistline?) but every place I went all that weekend came with these same fries. Here in Austin, to get the same fries in two different places would be like being hit by lightning. Off tangent - I super loved sitting on the water watching the sun set, and I probably ordered not the right thing, but the food was definitely 3 stars. Fun place though - I'd not hesitate to go back if I was in the area - but maybe try something else or just party and drink beer at their lively bar!
(3)Andrew M.
I was nervous after reading some reviews here but a friend with a time share eats here every time she is in town. It was not very busy on a Monday evening, which also made me nervous. There were 18 of us and they were very accommodating. Our server was super nice and friendly and did a great job of separating our bills, even though we were all mixed together at the tables. Our drinks were never empty, and my steak caesar salad sandwich was awesome! My wife had chicken teriyaki and loved it too. Our experience was great, despite my apprehension. I would recommend it to anyone. My only issue was the price, but i am a cheapskate.
(4)Kelly G.
This is a restaurant that has a built in appeal by being on the water. Beautiful views. The seafood was very fresh & cooked perfectly. I was impressed. The portion size was adequate for me but I can see where someone might think them on the small side. We enjoyed our meals. The downside is the indoor seating. It's an after thought because most diners want to sit outside. A few tables, no atmosphere but it is nice & cool. We had a great view out the window. Too bad it was so spartan. Food was great, wait staff was attentive inside needs some love. I recommend it if you pass this way.
(4)Rachel M.
Overpriced and nearly decent food. Service was mediocre. Shrimp cocktail overpriced as well as signature drinks. Domestic beer ok priced.
(2)Anthony W.
I;m giving this place 2 stars only because of the waitstaff. We had a young guy who was very sweet and worked hard to smile and make our night a nice one .. he could tell we weren't too happy overall and did his best. We got there on a Friday afternoon; a party of 5. We saw they has a fantastic view and it sold us. We were seated a BIG table in the corner on their deck but since it was a little windy, the clear plastic tarps were rolled down ... creating the most obnoxious din of noise in the dining area. The echo of people talking, the band playing was just horrible. This gigantic table meant that we were all so far apart that with the noise, we could barely carry on any conversation. In lieu of dinner, our party ordered a whole bunch of appetizers for the table. We ordered doubles of Chicken Fingers, Potato Skins, Jalapeno Poppers, Shrimp Cocktails, Tomato -Mozzarella Salad ... pretty much most of the apps on the menu .. all VERY forgettable. The fried apps were right out of a Sysco Food Service bag ... and served on cheap plastic plates with dressings and sauces served in cheap plastic cups. Really disappointed .. it was our last night in the area and wanted to take our hosts out to a nice night to thank them for their hospitality. This wasn't the place we thought it was gonna be. We're normally a group that loves to hang out, order more rounds of drinks .. then often, more apps or desserts Not this night ... we couldn't WAIT to get outta this noisy place. Just not worth it. They could do ALOT better!
(2)Ben F.
I had the flounder stuffed with crab. The stuffing was just that, stuffing and there was very little crab. I was very disappointed and was expecting crab meat. If the menu said crab cake stuffing I probably would not have been as disappointed. In addition, the presentation was lacking. You could tell they used a ice cream scoop to portion the stuffing in the middle of the sauteed flounder. My dates steak was cooked well but the baked potato was overcooked and served with packets of margarine and sour cream. Would go back for drinks but not to eat.
(2)Erick G.
Great little restaurant and I highly recommended it. The view is awesome if you sit out by the patio. One minor complaint which is you only get happy hour if you sit at the bar. Dont know why it has bad reviews..
(4)Jake L.
Great place to go for an early dinner with the family and enjoy the water view. There were also good happy hour drink specials while we were there, as well as laid back live music.
(4)Cory P.
Similar to Coconuts and Milliken's Reef - nice atmosphere with an excellent view of the sunset over the river, but everything else is just "meh" about the place. Food has always seemed sorta bland and dry. If you want to get a drink and enjoy a good sunset, it's a good place for that. However, I don't recommend their food.
(2)Mark T.
We ate at the grille twice during our stay. Both servers were attentive without being too much. On both visits we ordered the senior special. Both visits we were impressed with the quaintly and quality of our order. We would return again.
(4)M. S.
I have been here a handful of times and the food is always wonderful.The staff is always friendly and they know how to make a good drink! The scenery is very nice too.
(5)Don F.
This review is for the bar. The Sunset Cafe is the ONLY bar/restaurant in Cocoa Beach that you can take your boat to. For an island community, that's pretty sad. The Sunset Cafe offers a great outdoor venue to kick back with friends and enjoy a drink on the water. Their docks, while short, are nice. Thank you Sunset Cafe for offering a place for boaters to go to!!!
(5)H T.
The best thing about this place is its location. It's not in the nicest looking location but it is off by the waters. You can see a couple of dolphins swim by. Diners are mostly 40 years old plus. When it comes to food and service, it's not that great. Blackened grouper was mediocre. Rolls were cold. The best part was the prepackaged saltine crackers, which you can buy from Publix/grocery store. Cleanliness is average. Food pricing is in the $20 range. Apps within $10-$15 range. Waitstaff is not the most polite and attentive. They toss leftover food into the water (which was a few feet from my seat!!), which drew a lot of hungry catfish. It's a bit irritating when you are sitting outside trying to enjoy your food and having a conversation! I still left 20% tip still though not because I was getting great service!
(1)Brian T.
Amazing location with a great view. The menu prices are higher even than the neighboring seafood restaurant. I do admit the Tilapia special I had was excellent!
(4)Dori M.
Great view.nice location .,worst service EVER. Food is good. I had to go to the bar to get napkins! Florida seafood right next door is 100% better!
(1)Charles L.
Terrible terrible terrible service. The hostess could care less and was extremely rude. They said 10 min and after waiting 1 hour. We had to go somewhere else.... Guess they didn't want the party of 10 business.
(1)Jordan S.
Sunset Cafe exploits their prime waterfront location and proximity to the the busy A1A and 520 intersection to attract tourists. This is not a local favorite by any stretch. Menu offerings are the standard "we don't care about your experience" burgers, fries, and unimaginative fish. On one visit, I ordered Grouper, I'm pretty sure this slab of fish did not have one touch of seasoning on it...not even salt, not even butter. It was literally a piece of luke-warm fish with a side of steamed veggies. Terrible. I have been impressed with the apathy of the staff on my two visits. The hosts made little effort to acknowledge me both times. When they did, it was a stressful greeting, almost as if to say "Did you have to visit us tonight? We're so busy already." As someone mentioned earlier, it's one of the few Cocoa Beach restaurants accessible by boat, which is why I ended up here a second time. I've learned my lesson now. Such a shame too, because the view really is top notch.
(1)Eric W.
My wife and I have eaten here at least 6 or 7 times. We live in Orlando and like to drive over there for lunch on the water. The location is amazing. This last Saturday (March 8, 2014) my wife and I were there and they refused to accommodate a simple request. My wife always orders the Grouper Caesar Salad, but has them substitute Salmon for the Grouper. There is always a $6.00 up charge for the fish substitution. No big deal. This last Saturday, after we ordered it, the waiter came back and said that the owner couldn't do that because he would lose money on that order. We said that we recognized there was an up charge for the Salmon, and that they had done it all the other times we were here. Nope. Can't do it. Okay, so what is wrong with this math? The Caesar salad costs about $11 and there is generally a $6 up charge for the Salmon, so we were willing to pay $17 for a Salmon Caesar salad and the owner said he would lose money. Salmon is currently selling in any market around here for about $10 - $11 per pound. So a 1/3 or even a 1/2 pound of Salmon would only cost $4 or $5 RETAIL (hard telling what they get it for wholesale). How much do the Caesar Salad ingredients total.....a couple of bucks max? Wow. Talk about "customer no service". He thinks that he was going to lose money on that one dish?.....think again Skippy, when we don't ever return. Now how much have you lost? Plus bad publicity. Some people just don't get it.
(1)Nicole F.
Food is ok, nothing special. The view and atmosphere is what you are paying for, if you do come here for a meal, sit outside and you can entertain yourself feeding the catfish. Bathrooms are gross, no soap or paper towels and it needed a good cleaning. Will probably avoid this place in the future!
(2)Jonathan S.
Wow. This place is really really awful. The food was actually nasty. Not just ok but gross. I got grouper sandwich. How do you screw that up? Well they did. First it wasn't grouper and it tasted like bad talapia. Also the service was awful. View is awesome but this place is really no good.
(1)Desiree R.
The view is what makes the place. Food on the other hand is your normal burgers and sandwiches. Couple of seafood items with most items on the menu being fried. Ive definitely had better. Our table ordered raw oysters, the trio shrimp, and fish soup to start. Raw oysters were nice and fresh, trio shrimp were a little overcooked, and the fish soup very tomato-e lacking flavor. For our main dish two club sandwiches and grilled salmon for myself. Salmon didn't looked grilled and I've had way better salmon than what they offered. I took a bite of my boyfriends sandwich which was pretty good.
(2)Alicia E.
We had decent Happy Hour cocktails served in plastic cups, but paying $20 for a scallops dinner seemed outrageous when the sides are fries or baked potato and coleslaw. At least the blackened scallops were pretty good. Our original waitress was very good, but her replacement server didn't say a word to us after her shift ended and she left. I took that as our cue to scram. Bottom line: I loved the view from the deck, but not much else.
(3)Mia S.
The food was good and the location was great on the water, but the service was absolutely terrible! The hostesses didn't seem to have a clue what they were doing. When I asked how long the wait was, they said they couldn't really give me a set time, but then they said 20-25 minutes. While waiting, we overheard the hostess tell someone that there wasn't a wait for the inside seating, so I went up and asked about that, but she told me that there would be a wait (even though I could clearly see several empty tables). So we continued to wait for what turned into at least 40 minutes, which would have been longer had I not gone up to the hostess to ask how many people were ahead of us. She said we were next and pointed to a table that was empty for the last 10 minutes saying we could sit there. Once seated, it took a good 5 minutes or so for our waitress to even come to our table to take our drink order. When she came back, she quickly sat the drink on the table and walked away (forgetting to bring my water). She didn't come back for another 5 minutes or so to take our food order. Meanwhile, we had already figured out what we wanted to eat during the 40 minutes we waited for a table. Our food came with everything on it that we asked not to be on it. Throughout our meal, the waitress hardly checked on our table. I would not recommend going here unless you plan to be out for several hours due to the terrible service.
(2)Eric M.
Ugh...Where do I start... For starters the atmosphere is not one that is family oriented. The place is so LOUD both times I have been there you needed a bull horn to be able to speak to the other people at the table. Then the food arrives, again there is a lot to be desired here as well. The serving size was small, my chicken breast barley was present in the chicken club. The prices were high for the food you received. The coleslaw is dry and just plain terrible. I can't say enough about how LOUD the place is. This is not a place we will ever visit again. Save yourself the trip and the money. The only redeeming quality of the restaurant is the beautiful sunset you get to see but this can be seen from the docks for free. Terrible place....
(1)Mike C.
This is a good place to sit and eat a few apps and enjoy the oysters. The oysters rocky are pretty good and the shrimp sunset on the pastry is excellent. We boat in a few times a month for VIP beer and half-shell fun. Always a few blue-hair couples in having a little tete-a-tit at the bar or dancing inside to a band...fun to watch.
(3)Jerrica J.
After a fun filled day at the beach, we decided to stop here for some food before heading back to Orlando. Our server was really odd. My friend wanted to order the seafood soup, and he insisted that she choose something else. He said the soup was horrible and that he would not like her to order it. Haha how weird is that? I guess we can thank him for that, but it was still awkward. We ordered a dozen raw oysters, tomato mozzarella salad, and clam chowder. Everything was really fresh and delicious! Can't wait to go back again soon.
(4)Sun B.
Slow and expensive, but nice dock/sunset view for dinner.
(2)Steve B.
Consistently good food and service Recently moved back to Cocoa Beach from Atlanta. We're still of the mindset that it's not a big deal to go to dinner around 9pm. Most familiar know with Cocoa Beach know that it's almost impossible to find an open restaurant at 9. For 3 weeks now, we have always ended up at Sunset because they are actually open until 10:00. We've also gone for lunch so Sunset isn't just a place of last resort. Each time we've arrived close to closing we were expecting some attitude and abrupt service, and each time we were wrong. On 3 occasions now, we're greeted with a very welcoming attitude, really good and friendly service. We've never felt rushed, nor does the staff start sweeping up and get ready to close down. Our meals have mostly been the shrimp, grouper, steak salads which are very good. Large salad with crunchy romaine, sliced hard boiled eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes etc. Presentation is very nice. The real difference is the seafood on the salads is cooked to your order and there is plenty of it. On the shrimp caesar salad, you get 6 large shrimp cooked perfectly. As several reviews point out, the draw of Sunset is the view. For me, the draw is the service. It's really nice to be treated as a valued customer. For those arriving during busy times, they may have issues. As a local, I wouldn't go to any place during a busy time. It's really nice to have a restaurant in Cocoa Beach that is focused on the customer. During slow times it's not unusual for a restaurant to be really slow; most shut the kitchen down. Yes, that's good business for the day but short sighted for the long term. Sunset is dependable, customer focused, and a really nice place to have a late dinner. I didn't go to Sunset during the tourist season when most of the low rated reviews seem to be written. Perhaps management listened and took action. My experience over the past month says that significant changes have taken place and Sunset is on track to be a go to restaurant again.
(5)Shannon S.
Good, laid back service. Amazing view, which is the main draw of this place. Watched the sunset and the dolphins play. The food was tasty. I had the tuna, which was good and cooked well. The baked potato was just okay. The drinks were good and strong.
(4)Kimberly J.
A TOURIST'S REVIEW.....can't beat the view and the atmosphere is casual, laid back, and fun. I could see this as a great place to drink, complete with fairly cheesy live music but they did play some good songs. The food was hit and miss for us. I had a cheeseburger - ordered it medium but it arrived very, very well done. I was too famished to bother with a complaint and promptly scarfed it down. (In my defense, it was 4pm on a Saturday and the first thing I had eaten all day.) It wasn't good and I wouldn't order it again. However, my 2 companions both had grouper - one had grouper on a salad and the other in a sandwich - and they both agreed it was good. The beer was beer, reasonably priced and tasted like it was suppose to outta the tap. We sat at the bar and it was off season (late October) plus it wasn't a busy hour so the service was attentive and talkative, both barkeeps checked in on us often. Overall, not the place to expect an awesome meal but a good spot to drink and watch the sun set on the water front.
(3)Art C.
Great view. Good drinks. Ok service but mediocre to lousy food.... Terrible Campbell's like clam chowder. Grouper sandwich was paltry. Salads plain at best. Baked potato lousy. Have a drink. Go somewhere else to eat .
(2)Ping N.
Possibly one of the worst meals I've ever had. The "homemade" clam chowder was positively from a can and it was too salty. The corn that came with the entree tasted like it has been boiled for 10 days. They don't have real butter, just margarine for the bread. And the manager Debbie was really condescending when she said that "I don't know how they do it up north, but bringing your own wine and paying a corkage fee is frowned upon in Florida." Hello, we are from Orlando and Gainesville and those cities are indeed in Florida. We had a $100 meal and the food was bad. To top it off, the margaritas were served in plastic cups with barely any alcohol in them. Stay away from this place!
(1)Natalie C.
Sunset Cafe is just what you'd expect, and exactly what you'd want after a day at the beach as you head back inland. It's casual, laid-back, atmosphere compliments the picturesque view and goes great with the live music they offer. Plus, the waitstaff is extremely friendly and willing to make your stay an enjoyable one. The food is good - not necessarily knock-your-socks-off but filling, tasty and decently priced. Our table went with chicken wings, bacon wrapped scallops, and mozzarella sticks for appetizers and were not disappointed. For dinner, most went with the fish sandwich and had good things to say about the simple 'wich. I went for the spinach salad with grilled shrimp and was pleasantly surprised. The salad was huge and was adorned with mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, a hard boiled egg and the most delicious grilled shrimp I've ever had. If you happened to take a walk down to their dock, you should look close for dolphins and manatees because they are spotted there on a regular basis.
(4)Kelli T.
Beautiful views!!! Food was good and prices were moderate. Service was ok. One of the kids ordered pasta which was supposed to come with fries but didn't. Waitress didn't even check the menu - just said she didn't get fries. We asked to see the menu and sure enough, we were supposed to get fries. Had to "prove it". Didn't appreciate that. Otherwise, food was good and I would go there again for the sunset experience.
(3)Brent D.
This is the only waterfront restaurant in the area, so they have a monopoly on the market. So, the food is "good" and service is "good". If you are boating the river, you can tie off and grab a meal. This is a great spot to listen to some live music, have some drinks and watch the sunset - which is amazing from the deck. If you get lucky, you'll spot a manatee cruising by your table. Watching your kid feed the fish from the dock is not bad either. In all, this is a good place to eat.
(3)Sammie L.
The food was a 3/3.5. The ambience was a 2.5/3. Overall it was great because we got to sit on the water and watch the sun set and observe the local water life [including a shark!]. The drinks are big, sugar-y; the customers are boisterous and price-conscious. Most of these elements don't make for a great meal. This spot however redeemed itself with some tasty fish and crab legs [$24.99 for an order]. You might want to skip the cocktails in favor of more consistent beer [although a tap had a problem while we were there, so consider sticking to bottles].
(4)Melissa B.
Overpriced and tiny portions. Great view and average food, but I would never go here again. We went next door to Florida Seafood after our cruise and it was a totally different experience. Awesome food, large portions, great value! Go here instead!
(1)Katie S.
First the view here! Holy crap It is awesome at sunset! Being a photographer I loved it and skipped out right after appetizers (really good- ahi tuna app, shrimp trio, and fresh mozzarella and tomatoes) to shoot some of the beautiful sunset!! Next our servers sandy&nadine were out awesome for our party this evening! Talk about completely the best, and great suggestions!!! I had the hurricane shrimp it was to die for! Same with the red apple martinis& mojito! I came for a rehearsal dinner here all the way from Queensbury Ny. The bride and groom had stake and ahi tuna! Awesome as well! Dessert is next and i had the amaretto cheesecake!! YUMMMMMM!!!! We couldn't have asked for better servers, and better food! If you are in the cocoa beach area go here for dinner! Thank you thank you thank you!
(5)Kelly M.
A very nice, laid back atmosphere, with a perfect backdrop (the sunsetting). The apple fritter was amazing, service was nice, but it's the music during the sunset that will have me coming back. Thanks Sunsets for living up to your name :)
(4)Enrique E.
Service was lacking. Food was unremarkable. Price was not commensurate with the food quality
(2)Lydia P.
This restaurant should be investigated for serving food that is mislabeled. I had the "scallops and flounder" combination. Having grown up in a seaside community on the east coast, I know what scallops and flounder should taste like. The "scallops" on my plate were not scallops, and I am sure that what was advertised as "flounder" was a cheap fish called swai. I wish someone from the State of Florida or City of Cocoa Beach would investigate this place.
(1)Angel D.
Can you put zero stars?' We were ignored for the 20, yes, twenty minutes we were there- no water, no menu and it's very interesting to see the waiters squeeze by our table, which it was NEXT to the bar and just avoid looking at us. We deiced to leave when they actually sat another family next to us, and the waiter effectively walked right by us and yes... didn't look our way even though I was waving at her. I've been here before and the food is definitely average and I was aware of the crummy service, but the nice view don't make up for the lack of food. We ended up in "Mainely Lobster" which is a local dive, but the fact that the owner will cook whatever you see on the menu anyway you want is really cool- , but the Sunset Cafe will ride into the sunset, never more. LOL
(1)Neil Mikel L.
Mixed reviews: On one hand, the Beef LT was very tasty, nicely seasoned, cooked to order. On the other hand, the place was dead, it was Sunday night, but there was an annoying guy singing and playing a sax...it was way too loud. The noise level, with the World Series playing, drunken seniors and guest trying to talk over the music just ruined dinner. I wanted to eat and get out, despite wanted to have desert (I skipped just to go somewhere quite).
(3)Agnes A.
Had a great early New Years Eve dinner here. The fried oysters were succulent and delicious. My husband had a nice grouper salad. The view was great at sunset and staff and patrons were friendly. All in all a very good way to end 2012.
(5)Marcus L.
Poor food, service, and atmosphere.
(1)Christopher L.
Other than a great waitress (Nadine) the place was a waste of time. The food was barely average, but then the high price made it insulting. We are learning to drive to Merritt Island and eat at a chain.
(2)Richard T.
The Sunset is one of the biggest attractions of the Sunset Cafe. For your first visit there, you need to get set up with an outside table on the dock, as the Sunset is situated right on the Bananna River, although I believe that the dock is still being repaired from the damage of our last tropical storm around these parts. Regardless, there is quite a ritual At the Sunset at Sunset.. first off, any live music stops dead. At this point a very well known Classic Italian song is played.. the timing allows the sun to drop into the river on the horizon as the song is ending. I should know the name of the song as well as the singer, but I do not.. Regardless.. it's a cool thing!! Now we get to the rest of the package..The food is consistently pretty darn good! For lack of a better description, I'll call it Florida cafe food..Heavy on fresh seafood, broiled, blackened or fried. Shrimp, clams, oysters, scallops. Steaks and chicken are served, as well. All good. The bar is a fun place! Lot's of loose and crazy people who actually behave, but there is always lots of laughter! Most nights there is some form of entertainment, anything from a solo guitar player to a band of Grateful Dead wannabees. In our many meals at the Sunset, we've not run into any bad entertainment there. Sometimes you will get a bunch of bikers there but they are no problem, not the nasty kind, Just the kind who like to ride.. Go to the Sunset Cafe. You will enjoy it, the food and the scene!
(4)Thomas G.
Apps were ok, main course was terrible for us both. Drinks, service and view were very nice.
(2)Hanh T.
Location is by the harbor, which is somewhat nice... but nothing scenic. Diners are mostly 40 years old plus. Blackened grouper was mediocre. Rolls were cold. The best part was the prepackaged saltine crackers, which you can buy from Publix/grocery store. Cleanliness is average. Food pricing is in the $20 range. Apps within $10-$15 range. Waitstaff is not the most polite and attentive within my years of dining ranging from fast food joints to high end gourmet dining. They toss leftover food into the water, which drew a lot of hungry catfish. It's a bit irritating when you are sitting outside. However, the nice part is you get to see a couple of dolphins diving by...
(1)Brian W.
This is the kind of place you expect to find in a beach town. It's mostly open air/outside seating right on the water (facing west to see the sun set). We always have the snow crab clusters and it's been good each time we have had it. Mix in some live music, a boisterous crowd and there is nothing better. Other nearby crab places are in shopping centers which, frankly, sucks when you are in a beach town. Note: parking is extremely difficult so you have to be creative/sneaky in using the next door restaurant's parking.
(4)Paul W.
This is a cool little restaurant that sits back in from the road a bit and has several boat docks on the side for boaters to pull up, tie off and have some food and/or drinks. From the appearance and the way the ceilings are constructed, it looks like this place may have had another use at some point and was later adapted to become a restaurant. That definitely adds to the character of this establishment. I had the open faced prime rib sandwich and the person I was with had the prime rib dinner with baked potato and a salad. While everything was very good, I thought the menu was a bit limited. It was 3 pages front/back with a lot of photos and blank space. For what they offered, I think they could've fit the entire menu on 1 page, front and back. Also, considering patrons are seated on patio chairs and at plastic patio tables (the kind my grandma had in her back yard), I think $10 for an appetizer and about $20 for many of the entrees was a bit steep. For us, where this place really fell short in a big way was on the service. When we first arrived we were seated immediately by the hostess. Our server (Mike) was there right away to take our drink orders and he also took our food orders once he saw we were ready. After that, Mike seemed to forget about us. The food came out relatively quickly and was served by another wait staff. We'd finished our drinks partway through the meal and could've used refills, but no server. We finished our food, still sitting there with empty drinks, still no server. 5 minutes later he shows up. I asked for refills and the check. We got those a few moments later, but the check was sitting there for nearly 20 minutes and he still hadn't come to pick it up. I got the hostess' attention and she carried our check and payment to our server. 10 more minutes passed. Still nothing. I motioned to the hostess again and explained that 30 minutes was a long time to sit there when we were simply trying to pay our bill and move on. She apologized for him. 3 or 4 minutes later he showed up and apologized for the wait. I left him the basic 10% gratuity (which I never normally do as it was insultingly low) and we promptly left.
(2)Jeanne C.
Good food. It seems a bit overpriced for some of the fish but the portion sizes are good. Amazing view. Nothing can really beat the atmosphere. Perfect end to a beach day. Live music outside which was enjoyable. Service was okay. Drinks never got empty which is a good thing. The crab cakes were delicious. The grouper was light, flakey, and delicious with the tarter sauce. Yum! Will definitely try it again after a beach day!
(4)Java L.
Adequate food, good location for outdoor seating. I'd try to avoid the live music.
(3)Stuart m.
The views and atmosphere are fantastic. The food is terrible. Clam chowder was probably worse I have ever tasted. Crab cakes were small and mostly filler with a token piece of meat I would go back for a drink and watch the sunset but will never eat there again
(1)Michelle C.
We were skeptical that the food here would be just ok, but were pleasantly surprised. The cold shrimp with Old Bay Seasoning were great & big! The conch fritters were lightly fried & very flavorful. The blackened seafood combo meal was really good. The only thing that left something to be desired was the house salad--almost all lettuce! Great spot for watching the sunset as the name says!!
(5)Erica S.
This is a goofy, tourist place. The drinks are strong, it is right next to the water, and they serve seafood in a kitschy atmosphere with lots of oars and rope. The food is ok, not great. We had the jalapeno poppers and the spicy shrimp with rice, which was way overpriced for the amount and quality of the food. Surprisingly, the guy with the guitar and the music machine was pretty good. And then it turned into a country disco dance party with "Working at the Carwash" and we left. There's nothing really awful about this place, but there is nothing really great about it either.
(2)Jeff A.
We arrived on Saturday at 12p and were happy to find the place mostly empty and quiet. We ordered the fresh grouper sandwiches both broiled and blackened. The clams were great nice and cold and firm although a little small. The service was friendly and accommodating. The fish cooked either way was absolutely delicious! Casual atmosphere- island feel!
(4)Miguel R.
The dessert (apple fritters) and service earned the four stars for me. The main course was mediocre in comparison to other seafood restaurants. Had it not been for the two aforementioned items, three stars at best.
(4)Zach M.
We enjoyed our dinner at this loud place. Great atmosphere, although the bar was packed with elderly folks who were there to do karaoke (pretty wild septagenarian crowd) and it took a while to get the bartender's attention. Prices seemed a bit high. New England clam chowder was nasty, tasted like vinegar. Otherwise the food was pretty good. I like this place well enough because of the kitschy, outdoor patio and the nice waterfront view. Pretty cool place overall.
(3)Chris R.
The food here is good enough but it's the great location that rules this joint. I'd driven by it many many times and never batted an eye and then one day I decided I wanted to watch the sunset over the river and I went. It's a really cool setup, has a great vibe and the staff is friendly enough. the other great thing is if you are out on your boat you can pull right up in front of it and go eat!
(4)Ellen F.
The food was good, not great but good. The bathroom was nasty. Any restaurant that is raking in the tourist dollars and not maintaining a welcoming, nice, clean, usable lady's room should be closed.Women need to be able to fit in the stalls! I am a slender woman and could not fit in the first stall! Invest some money in making the lady's room DECENT!!!
(2)Kathleen B.
The waitstaff here is wonderful, lovely, friendly, attentive.....that's it. From the instant I was seated at my sticky plastic table and was handed the horribly overpriced menu, I knew I wandered into a bad dining experience. First of all, you can't charge $20+ plates off of a plastic table, how tacky (much like the table). The appetizers, poppers (not good), bacon wrapped shrimp (actually very good), were out in record time. And then came the $11 salad. A salad that screamed of "after thought". Construction of this rather expensive for a salad, salad, showed that the minimal vegetables were second use (diced tomato, diced onion, not sliced, not sliced, like what would be used in SALAD), the prime rib, giant chunks of who the hell knows meat, maybe previous plated meat......once again, not sliced, and absolutely shame on the kitchen for sending this out. Ha the peanut dressing...Italian dressing with some peanut butter mixed in. Mixed greens barely noticeable, and one lonely 1/8 of an avocado. My dinner partners blackened mahi was good, nothing stellar, but good.....however this "early bird special @ $13.00", was small and scrawny for the price. NO salads are served with any of their dinners, so this plate arrived with a 10 oz pieces of fish and a lonely baked potato... The price of this 2 items dish, w/o special is almost $16.00. Did not spend any time at the bar, but the bar was visible with a much older crowd. It appeared to be doing pretty good biz. The building itself set right on the water so it does have spectacular views. Might be worth going back just for the BAR.
(2)Steven M.
Great place, good food and drinks. Recommend the sunset!
(4)John E.
My experience was lunch on a Sunday afternoon. I was pleasantly pleased as this was one of my only few places that I stopped into to try on the river side of the area. I have been spending most of my time on the spots located on the ocean side beach areas. The view was nice from the dining area. The service was pleasant and friendly....we had a nice brief conversation with our waitress about the area. The food was good, although I cannot clearly recall what we ordered. I think it was the grouper sandwich for me. The price was reasonable as well. I will make my way here again on my next trip out here.
(4)Sparky M.
This place was recommended by a friend who's condo we are staying in. I agree that the view is good and the food is "so so". We were lucky enough to get a seat outside on the deck and the kids loved it. The view was so pretty. My two year old loved dancing to the music. By the way, the guitarist was really good! Our waitress was nice enough but this place would be best to go to have a cocktail and listen to music. Overall, is was just OK.
(3)Carla G.
We first came here when Florida Seafood next door was packed with high school students eating out before their prom. It's a very laid back place with plastic patio tables and chairs for most of the seating. We've always enjoyed the seafood here, especially the shrimp. The beer selection is pedestrian at best. Most of the time, our servers have been fine though our last one seemed to only be able to communicate by shouting. That Sunday, there was a guy playing acoustic guitar and singing. We really enjoyed listening to him and looking out on to the water.
(4)Erik L.
The location is the biggest attraction for this place. The place is starting to look rundown and the food is average.
(2)Laura V.
I'm still in the throes of food poisoning from eating at the Sunset Cafe. The food tasted average (obviously below average quality), and was expensive. Do not eat here.
(1)Judy H.
First of all, VERY expensive. There were no lunch specials. The broccoli soup was just not edible, full of hard to chew stems. The fried shrimp were overcooked, the potato was leftover from supper the night before, brown and hard. Very tiny portion of coleslaw. EAT SOMEWHERE ELSE! . The waitstaff was very nice. The location was good too
(1)Anthony D.
I took a chance on this place even after reading some of the prior reviews. It wasn't great but was good. Listen this is not fine dining but you come here for the water view it has which was great. The Grouper Caesar wasn't great but was good. It might have been overcooked a bit but was still tasty. I would come back for the view anytime knowing the food isn't the greatest but who cares. A bonus was Pepsi fountain products!!!
(3)Mike W.
The food was excellent and the sunset view us great. However it's not the best view in Cocoa Beach (that would be the Lobster Shanty). Dinner for four adults and one toddler was ~$100. It would be five stars for food quality, our waitress was slow enough to knock down a star though
(4)Lo L.
The other reviews were pretty accurate, the location is the best thing about this place. The food was ok. I ordered the grouper sandwich, it was good but came w/ coleslaw, which I don't like and I had to pay an extra $2 to get a baked potato instead. My friend got the tomato & mozzarela salad, which was fine.
(2)Elizabeth T.
I guess if you have your own boat and it's a peak of a season this place might be fun. Otherwise it's just mediocre food and plastic chairs filled with elderly people..The sunset is really the best thing in this place -worth your time spent here. They claim to have specials every day ,but when we asked about that Thursday oysters special the waitress got lost and said that we have to sit at the bar in order to get it,then she came up with the version that it is the football night special.Um ?? The menu choices didn't impressed us at all. We settled down with a steamed shrimp appetizer.For an 8$ you get about 8 jumbo shrimp in southern spices and that was taaaasty !!! so we went for a second round. our vegetarian friend order a side of baked potato for 2$ and that was dry and yukky... The happy hour deal was pretty sweet - 99 cents for domestic draft beer and 2'5$ for mixed well drinks.paradise for party goers :) Interior is outdated,dusty restrooms,fishy decorations -you know it...:)) Want to see a perfect sunset ,especially if you are on the boat - yes !
(3)Marcy D.
Great waterfront location, (Banana River), and laid back atmosphere. We were there on a Monday night, and the special was snow crab. It was the sweetest, best I've ever had! It was karaoke night, which was mostly amusing and entertaining, but about 5% painful, he he. The meals were affordable and VERY tasty!
(5)