Cantina Captiva
14970 Captiva Dr, Captiva, FL, 33924
Cantina Captiva Menu
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Address :
14970 Captiva Dr
Captiva, FL, 33924 - Phone (239) 472-0248
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Justin L.
Wasn't expecting to be blown away, but really one of the best casual meals I've had in Captiva. I had the steak tacos and my friends had everything else. Nobody was disappointed!!! The shrimp al mojo de ajo was the best!!
(4)Stephanie D.
Really really really terribly bad food but I love the dollar wall (hence the two stars and not one)
(2)Michelle P.
We were not expecting to come here... Walking to the Bubble Room for appetizers, bubble bread and orange crunch cake.... Smelled this place, and we stopped in! Prompt, attentive service. Yummy queso and homemade salsa and a tasty enchilada plate. We'll be back if we crave some Mexican!
(4)Peter J.
This is a super nice place with good atmosphere. $1 bills hanging all over. The food is top notch. I got an original burrito with chicken. One of the best I have tasted. However, there was very noise and laud talk, but it's typical Americans.
(4)Anthony L.
We are there 2 nights ago and was the PERFECT date night experience!! Atmosphere is very fun and relaxing, food was excellent, we had the enchiladas and steak tacos and queso for appetizer! All delicious and excellent friendly service! Highly recommend!
(5)Peter W.
Never yelped but compelled to. Sat down, no drink order for 20 minutes...finally get drinks and 4/8 were incorrect. Also ordered cheese dip for an appetizer, never came. Ordered food and waited 45 minutes...and of course they forgot mine. Everything we asked them was in one ear out the other - silverware request, waters, anything - we couldn't get. The absolute WORST service I've ever had. Not to mention once we finally were finished with this terrible place, we waited another 20 minutes for our check to come back! We will never be back and I hope anyone reading this never wastes their time at this dump. Total waste of time, and on top of that, very below average Americanized non authentic shit Mexican crap food. I'd have rather had chipotle, would've been much tastier and worth my time
(1)Alexander H.
We had dinner in Cantina. In the beginning we've decided for sitting outside, but after 10 minutes we've decided to go inside. Guess, why? Little mosquitos were eating us. The food was really good. We've loved it. Esp. the shrimps ...
(4)Terra H.
Mexican food is sort of my thing. I eat it, I cook it, I grew up around tamale pots and enchilada pans. So I consider myself to be a good judge of both flavor and authenticity and I was more than satisfied with Captiva Cantina. With a more yucatan, island influence, it's definitely not the street tacos I grew up on in LA, but make no mistake, this place is good stuff. The tamales come served in banana leaves as opposed to the corn husks so many land dwelling Mexicans have come accustomed to. The beans and rice are far from bland and the margaritas are pretty damn good (wine strength only, so order a double). Definitely on our Captiva culinary map for the future.
(4)Greg G.
Food was delicious. Atmosphere was tropical. Wait staff seemed a little over worked, it took them awhile to do refills on drinks and chips. They where very friendly. We sat outside, the no see-ums we bad. Remember bug spray.
(3)Lindsay B.
Waiter gave good advice on what we should have or not have. Friendly service and chill ambiance. Food came quickly, but it was offseason and slow, not sure what it's like if it's busy.
(4)Darci S.
One of the few mexican places on Sanibel and Captiva. We ate in the open air outside patio, which I thought was lovely enough to persevere thru some passing sprinkles. The inside looked sort of dark and dingy to me - but maybe being on vacation and wanting to be in the sunshine made it less appealing than usual. They let you decorate and hang dollar bills everywhere which gives it a fun look and kids love it. As for the food, I liked the chips and salsa a lot - very fresh and spicy. I had the tamales, which were good but different than I'm used to - huge and wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. Big chunks of pulled chicken inside with an interesting, almost mole-like sauce. The rice and beans was delicious - my toddler made an entire meal of them, sharing some from each of the adult's meals. Others in my party enjoyed the shrimp enchiladas and shrimp fajitas. The house margarita got a just OK review from my husband - but I enjoyed my draft dos equis! My four year old had a bean and cheese burrito which was just the right size (initially declared to be too small, but then barely able to finish) and came with the choice of applesauce, fries or beans/rice. I'd definitely recommend this place if you are in the mood for mexican on the islands. Check out the various coupon books around the shops - I scored a 10% off coupon which helps offset the island pricing :)
(4)Rich S.
Fun place with great food. We were on Sanibel for a long family weekend with teenagers and really enjoyed Cantina Captiva. The walls are decorated with dollar bills from all over world...Everyone is welcome to add to the decorations. Open air patio is nice on warm nights as well. We'll be back!
(4)Kelly T.
Rice-a-Roni. canned beans. ground beef - almost black in color and tasted of coffee grounds mixed with.... dirt? shredded chicken - covered in red sauce. yuck. we went here 2 or 3 times last year and it was good! i don't know what happened to it. went here last Saturday (September 2014) and the place was empty and the food was not. good. we ate it. but we were not happy about it. *the chips and salsa were good. that's it.
(2)Jon Y.
Went for dinner group of 4a and 4c, service was great, food was fine, price was good, would go back very easy from south seas
(3)Michael O.
This rating is island-adjusted. Since dining options are a bit limited, it's a nice break from the standard seafood/American options you can get everywhere else. I particularly like the queso and steak tacos. Save a little queso to put on your tacos - you'll thank me later.
(5)Charlie C.
The dollar bills all over the walls is disgusting. Two bitches leaned over our table while we were eating to take a picture of their dollar they stapled up last year. You have to wait on line for your table which is wack. It smells outside. The drinks and service were both below par. Good food.
(3)Debbie P.
Our group had chicken tacos, tamales, chicken quesadilla, guacamole, salsa and chips. Those who had chicken dishes thought the chicken tasted odd. The tamales were just ok. The salsa is odd in that it is made with large diced tomatoes - not what I'm accustomed to in my salsa. Not the best food we've had while on Captiva. Skip this and go to the Bubble Room or Keylime Bistro instead.
(2)Philip B.
Pros: Love their salsa and their sangria. The rest of their food is comparable to a bad overpriced Chipotles Cons: Last visit the water was undrinkable. That's right.... the water! Service was horrible - Thursday night and they were missing a busboy and a hostess. Even for island service it was bad. I complained about it so they charged me an automatic 18% gratuity LOL Final verdict: Sit at the bar and order chips and salsa there. Would give 3 stars if sitting at bar
(2)Lew W.
The Cantina is very rough looking restaurant and could use some updating. The food however is awesome! The Steak Fajitas are some of the best I have had in the USA. Highly recommended.
(5)Willie F.
This place would be good if their staff were educated on allergies, the food serve, and business etiquette. We have tried them twice and both times they have messed up our orders. I can understand a mess up here and there but to argue with your clientele is insane. I shouldnt have to have a yelling match with the server that we were served flower tortillas instead of corn (my wife has a gluten allergy). Then after i was right not one appology was given. Thanks. Oh and your welcome for me still leaving a tip.
(1)PJ S.
Wow I can't believe they actually have customers. We came last year and put out decorated dollar on the window only to come back and not see it anywhere. We wanted to sit outside and got the stink eye from the waiter because there are "bugs" outside. Our waiter was very un-accommodating. He told us we couldn't get just onions for our fajitas, (which is how we ordered it the previous year) so we just left. So much for customer service, especially for those allergic to bell peppers. We will definitely not EVER go back.
(1)Kristin W.
Great place! Very rustic but the food is great! We actually are here twice because we loved it so much. I can't remember what I ordered but I do remember everyone in our party loving their food. Get a pitcher of sangria to make a memorable night!!!
(5)Alexandra L.
Days later and I'm still craving their chicken and carnitas, as well as the guacamole and salsa!!
(5)Maisy P.
We visited here on our recent trip to Captiva and the food was great! I had the tacos and we all shared a pitcher of margaritas! The service was spectacular and the homemade salsa was to die for!
(4)rebecca s.
Not only is the food amazing- but the laid back island feel was just perfect. I brought tons of friends here 2 nights before my wedding and they went above and beyond to show us a good time. We will return here everytime we're back on the island- great memories! Thank you!
(5)Katherine W.
Overall my experience here was pretty good. The service was average, we didn't really connect with our waiter but he got the job done in a timely fashion and everything was correct. The atmosphere was lacking, the place was too dark & did not have a welcoming feel. Food was good. Everyone enjoyed their meal. I had the guacamole appetizer for a meal and it was great. I was very impressed with the guacamole. This place is a good value and much cheaper than most of the other restaurants on the island. Would definitely come back. Oh and bring a dollar bill!
(4)Debbie M.
This is or was a standard for us. Tonight, no guacamole....how does a Mexican restaurant NOT have guacamole? My burrito had a large hair in it, ewwww. It is a shame, we live here and the food has been consistent...not sure what is going on, now! Even worse, my very elderly Mom always gets a kids meal, it's all she can eat and the server said it's only for kids. I told him, if he could not get it we were leaving. Guess what, the place was not even 40% filled, get with it or no one will be there!
(2)Frank A.
Good queso!! Yup, the queso and salsa are terrific. The rest of the food is blah. Not real Mexican, not even Tex-Mex. the beer and wine are fine, but the margaritas are made with wine since they do not have a full liquor license. Service is good. So if you are craving queso and a beer stop in, but beyond that it is basic food with Mexican sounding named.
(2)Rick A.
This restaurant has some of the best Mexican food we've had, anywhere. Great nachos, guacamole, salsa and everything else.
(4)Michael C.
I had one of the best burritos I have ever ate. The homemade tortilla and tender steak were great. The waiter...whom I believe is also the owner was very attentive to our needs. Oh, almost forgot to mention the homemade salsa with fresh ingredients. ..almost like they picked the veggies from a garden out back.
(4)Joyce B.
Terrible meal with the worst excuse for a margarita I've ever drank . I ordered 3 cheese enchaladas that were dry and stuck to the plate and hidden by bland lettuce and tomato . They served me a glass of nasty tap water with a lime garnish LOL ! I would give this restaurant no stars except the patio is charming and the chips and salsa weren't bad. The owner needs to give some attention to the kitchen because the food coming out of it is just dreadful.
(1)Chris Q.
This nice little place would get more stars if their service were better. The food was great but service was not only slow but poor. So 3 stars it is. Pick up the pace and remember that the customer is extremely important.
(3)John J.
Great Mexican food! Good variety of Mexican bottled beer. Started with the salsa and guacamole. Ended with a good size burrito. I look forward to my next meal at Cantina Captiva!
(5)Josh C.
Must Try! Best Mexican around! From the chips and salsa, the margaritas, to the quesadillas! The chicken and cheese quesadillas are the best I have ever had! Highly recommend! We always make it a point to eat here.
(5)Aaron H.
Decent food. Don't be expecting outstanding Mexican food. We ordered the chicken and steak burritos, which were way over priced. The steak tacos were sad, over priced and small; barely any steak or filings to them. The chicken fajitas, which came out on a wooden plate with a cast iron skillet, with only three for tortillas in a little container. Those were very good, and had plenty of filings even though three tortillas. The Mexico city enchiladas were good, not great but definitely will fill you up. The wings we ordered as an appetizer were amazing, we got the hot iguana (teriyaki hot) ones and they were great, although they looked beat up and not very big. Lastly, the salsa and chips, like any Mexican restaurant it's a must have good food and they had a great salsa, wish they have more though. The decor of the place makes no sense, place is built like a shack. Nothing special. And covered in 1 dollar bills that people have posted with names, phrases and comments. And service was very slow and almost emotionless, no enthusiasm. They spaced out on getting us water when asked for refills, and didn't fry the burritos when asked them to by fried but were quick to correct that. But don't expect attentive service. Music resembled Jamaica, they had reggae music which seemed odd. Over all summary: price, not worth it. You'll easily spend 50 dollars between two people, and even close to 100 for a family of four, for meals that don't reflect you're "bang for your buck". Also gratuity is already calculated into your bill. Flavor and quality of food is okay, like I said before decent. Hope others find this useful, and don't be discouraged to not go, try it out as this is my opinion. I'm giving this a two star because it didn't overall impress me with good food quality, service and atmosphere; with the ultimate factor of price to quantity of food too high for very little. But please do try the place out if interested in Mexican food.
(2)Mary S.
Mexican food steps from our door...yeah! It was fresh, good, and more than ample portions. Nice break from the seafood.
(4)Dennis S.
Despite the gloom and doom from my fellow yelpers, I gave this place a shot. The food was very good and the service was above average. Granted it was early evening on a Saturday, but I was pretty happy overall. In general, the restaurants on Captiva are getting low reviews, which more representative of the clientele rather than the restaurants.
(4)Alexander C.
Cantina Captiva has the best (and only) Mexican food on Captiva. I always get their burrito, guacamole and a Mexican beer when I'm here to have an authentic experience. Their salsa and chips are home made and quite delicious. I am deducting one star because as other reviewers have suggested, this place can get *crazy* busy and the staff may forget about you. But, it's still worth the trip. Tip: Try to go on a weeknight outside of peak dinner hours (before 5pm or after 7pm. You'll probably get better service and be seated more quickly.
(4)Brandy N.
Very pricey with small portions. Margaritas are good, but not worth the visit. We were shocked at our bill and saw that our queso was $9! Seriously?!?
(2)Donna F.
Had a babysitter on Valentine's day. Sat down at 630 but was done at 7. The dinner, which came right after the Appetizer was okay but not as described in the menu. We ended up going down the street for more drinks and dessert. Not sure what their rush was. Overpriced too.
(2)Mark W.
We started with the homemade guacamole and salsa with chips. Excellent. I had the tamales which were de-lish. My husband had steak tacos. Also delicious. We both said at the end of meal that this was the best Mexican we had had in a while...and I am not a big Mexican fan!
(4)Kelly Y.
Food is pretty good, but the margaritas leave something to be desired. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was after reading some of the other reviews. I tried the fajitas for two and split it with my husband and it was the perfect size. Chips and salsa are yummy and are freshly made almost hourly. If you're in the mood for Mexican, this is a great choice. Want a margarita, try somewhere else.
(3)Julie C.
Excellent Mexican food! The carnitas burrito is to die for and the steak tacos are excellent. A good queso dip too. Yum!
(4)Andy S.
Not as good as an authentic Mexican restaurant but not as bad/bland as an Americanized one. Worst of our order was the mixed drinks. Super weak. Weak to the point of it being safe to serve to children. Service was fine and the food came out hot. I honestly don't remember what I ordered but that could have been all the rum and xanax in my system. I think people are particularly hard on Captiva Cantina due to the weak drinks and exorbitant prices. So if you have to drink, and sometimes you have to, order a beer. If you're loaded with excess cash or needing a mexican fix while on vacation, like me, it's worth a look.
(3)M. M.
Amazingly fresh guac, chips and salsa - we were practically stuffed before the entrees arrived. Entrees were fresh and well prepared. "Margaritas" were cloyingly sweet and light on the tequila (though, like many Captiva establishments I don't think they have a liquor license)... Attentive staff - we will go back for the vittles.
(4)Mike G.
The Chicken chile poblano is delicious washed down with a few pints of Pacifico. Def some authentic and pretty much the only Spanish food available on Captiva Island. p.s their salsa is amazing!!
(3)John M.
Go early and you don't have to deal with the wait that some have talked about. The food was fine. Pretty standard tex-mex fare. The guac is solid. If you go for fajitas, I recommend the pork. That was outstanding! Kid friendly as well. My one complaint is that the place seems filthy. They need to spend some time really cleaning the floors, bathrooms, etc.
(3)David P.
I sat outside and enjoyed a delicious basket of chips and homemade salsa. I ordered their kabobs along with a lime margarita on the rocks. It was everything I had hoped for. The shrimp melted in my mouth as well as the beef and chicken. I have eaten here a few times and I have always had a great meal. O yes, the service also great as well. Exactly what I would have expected. they really made sure that you were comfortable and that everything was to your liking.
(5)David P.
Make certain that you leave a dollar on the wall! A lot of fun. The food is very authentic and yummie! We had a large group and everyone enjoyed the food and superb tequila drinks. OLE!
(4)Audrey S.
This is one of the most fun Mexican restaurants I've ever been to! The atmosphere is really friendly and genuine. It's not trying to be fancy or uptight. It's just a cool restaurant with good music and great food. Dollar bills with signatures and people's names written all over them cover the walls next to pictures of Bob Marley. For an appetizer we ordered the queso dip, guacamole, and pico de gallo with tortilla chips. Talk about delicious. The only reason I stopped eating the queso dip was because my entree came out. When we got our pitcher of margarita, the waiter brought over our glasses with an extra shot of tequila in them to begin. I got a chicken quesadilla, which came with all the typical ingredients. I wanted to hit up the place a second time, but we decided to check out another restaurant since we were on vacation. A must-do if you're looking for a Mexican restaurant on Sanibel Island!
(5)Barbara B.
I read reviews of this place on other web sites which when combined with the ones here weren't very good but we decided to go because we'd been before-several years back-and it wasn't bad. I wish I'd listened to the other reviewers! The service was fine; no problem with that. Drinks and food came quickly and place was busy but not crazy. I'd read that others got stale chips and ours may have been close but the homemade salsa was great: best part of the meal! Those of us who ordered ground beef found it nasty. It tasted like crumbled up greasy hamburgers. I couldn't eat mine! I asked for refried beans which I normally love and it was tasteless. I literally had to empty a salt shaker on it to taste anything. One in our party, however, did like her meal of the garden burrito. I agree with another reviewer that I would have liked a meal from Chipotle or Moe's MUCH better--even Taco Bell!! It would have been much cheaper too!
(2)Sydney H.
Went with my friend last night for a drink. The bartenders, Aldo & Chris, were so friendly and generous! We had a blast and stayed way longer than we intended. I'll definitely be going back again to see our dollars on the wall :)
(5)Scott H.
My fiance and I went to the Cantina Captiva after watching the sunset on the beach. The place was a little hard to find. I passed it twice. Very small parking lot, maybe 7 or 8 spaces. Lucky for us the restaurant was less than half full of customers so parking wasn't difficult. We got there around 6:30pm on a Saturday in mid December. I was really really surprised at how slow their business was. As soon as we walked in, we weren't sure if it was "Wait to be seated" or "Seat yourself". There was a pile of menus, but no host. After waiting for a minute, I noticed a "Wait to be seated" sign facing the wall. It was an uncomfortable moment. So after a few minutes some guy came over. We asked if we could sit at one of the booths we could see, he said they weren't available. Really??? This is Saturday night and you have a closed section? He pointed to a table we could sit at and said he'd be over with menus in a minute. I later noticed there were other customers sitting at one of the booths. :( Reggae music playing in a Mexican restaurant is a little funny to think about it, but it works. I'd rather listen to chilling reggae rather than some hokey pokey cheesy Mexican music, which is what I would have expected. They let customers sign $1 bills and staple them to the walls. This is kind of interesting as you find yourself reading all the stupid things people have written. Overall, it makes the place look like they really don't care how their restaurant looks. Or it is supposed to embrace the "who-gives-a-shit attitude" of the beach lifestyle. We had the Cantina Queso Blanco Dip for appetizer. It came with a big bowl of chips and a bowl of salsa. It wasn't the best in the world, but it was good. I enjoyed it. The salsa was made fresh. You could really taste the cilantro. It had a little spice to it, which was a good thing. She had the Three Cheese Enchiladas. They were good. A lot better than my tacos. I ordered the Mexican City Tacos (one beef, one chicken, one pork). The pork one was really the best. The chicken had a seasoning on it that I was unfamiliar with. I wasn't really sure if I liked it or not. The taco shells were really light, which I liked. Both dishes were served with a very plain boring yellow rice and black beans, VERY disappointing. I was very grateful we had left over queso and salsa I used to give life to my tacos. When it came time for dessert, we were confused because the desserts didn't have any description. There was no way to tell what a "Chocolate Sombrero" was. We asked the waiter, and he honestly had never even heard of any of the items on the dessert menu (not a good sign! lol). After he went to ask someone else what they were, we ordered the Sopaipillas. It is kind of like fried dough that you would get a fair or circus. It was served with vanilla ice cream on the side. When it was served, my fiance noticed that it didn't have any honey on it (not how the waiter described it would come). He replied "...yea we ran out of honey, sorry". Now, I can understand running out of certain supplies, but honey doesn't expire. And it's not something you would use in large quantities. So, it's just laziness on their part for not having it. I would have expected him to tell us they ran out of honey before actually serving it to us. It had just cinnamon on it. Some powdered sugar would have been really really nice. It was a little difficult to eat without the sweetness of honey or powdered sugar. Overall, it was an okay experience. Certainly not the BEST Mexican food you can find, but it's probably the ONLY Mexican food you can find on the island. Yes, it is over-priced as is with any restaurant on the island.
(2)Antonio M.
Ok this has to be the most ridiculous thing I have heard before. A Mexican place running out of tequila in the middle of the day. That's like a pizza place running out of dough. A Chinese place running out of rice etc.
(1)Jen L.
We came here at 6pm on a weekday as a family of 4. We were met with an apathetic wait staff. The quality of food seemed ok but service was awful. Don't plan on seeing your waiter once food is served. Expect an eye rolling exasperation if you go up to the bar for some water after your drinks have long ago drained. And don't expect to have a say on the tip received. It's included in the bill. Sigh...
(1)Sarah R.
We went here while honeymooning on the island. We went before the dinner rush, or so we thought. There was absolutely no parking. Maybe we missed where their parking lot is? Only a few spaces for a restaurant and not to mention, people were parking horribly and taking up more than one space. But, to each their own, I guess. We walked in and stood there, alone for 15 minutes while the waiters just walked around and ignored us. Finally, a guy came to us, shuffled menus at us and we told him, we'd like to sit outside. He said for us to go find a seat and he'd come find us. We waited for another 15 minutes before he even came outside. Workers were coming out for a smoke break and yet, we couldn't get waited on. Eventually, he came out. He was extremely stressed out and flustered. We decided on the chicken nachos and decided to place our order immediately for fear of being there forever! The nachos were very good. The chicken was just how I like it - shredded! That made me happy! They were really good. My husband got the steak and shrimp burrito made into a chimichanga. He said it wasn't the best he's ever had but, it was good. I got the carnitas enchiladas. They were very good. The carnitas were so juicy and tender! I got a piece of key lime pie to go. Definitely not homemade nor the best I have ever had. But, it wasn't horrible. The 3 stars are for the horrible service we received. The food was good but the wait staff needs to work on their stuff. We'd give it another try though.
(3)Kristina B.
Hands down, my BEST meal during my stay in Sanibel/Captiva. We drove past this little place on the way to the beach, I looked it up on Yelp, and decided we had to stop there. And the rest is history. Our server was adorable and super nice and accommodating. Gave us great recommendations regarding their margaritas. I enjoyed a frozen mango margarita, which was outstanding! Not too much alcohol, but that's okay, since I was driving. We got a big order of guacamole which was SO good. My mom and I split an order of steak fajitas - we got the single order, which was enough for two fajitas each. We had some leftover meat, peppers & onions when we were done, so I started making little "fajita nachos" with the leftover chips from the guac. Also ordered were the enchiladas, and some steak and chicken tacos. The ladies who ate those raved about them as well. Everything seemed fresh, food arrived quickly, and 4 of us ate and drank for around $20 a person. If you like mexican food, you must try this little place out!
(4)Michael N.
Third time in three years. Each time it has got worse. This will be our last. Waiter forgot that we ordered an appetizer, then proceeded to spill salsa and soda on my daughter. I seriously think he was stoned. 4 lunches and an appetizer was $87 for mediocre food and terrible service.
(1)Jay A.
We were freaked about the reviews, but we walked right in at 6:30, got a seat immediately (even though there was a pretty large party already seated). Drinks and chips/salsa came out very quickly, and it only looked like 3 guys were holding down the fort in the whole place. As someone else wrote, the Guacamole is solid, we'd highly recommend it. Food came quickly, was plentiful, and we all enjoyed our meal and left with a full stomach. We got a takeout order and it was timed perfectly and was accurate. Not much more you can ask for when the wait staff and kitchen are humping at top speed. Decor is interesting with dollar bills stapled over every square inch of the place... In short, would definitely eat there again. Could perhaps use some "deep cleaning".
(4)Jim N.
Should be 3.5. We stayed next door at the rainbow's end house. We decided to eat here and was very surprised. The outside doesn't look like much. You cant see the outdoor seating really and the inside looks old and dingy. We took ours Togo because were next door. Food was good. I had fajitas. Good but only 3 flour tortillas, I guess I needed to cut back in carbs anyway. The rest had burritos and tacos. We got salsa and guacamole and it was fresh and really really good. If your looking just for a snack it's worth just getting that. Portions were good for the money and it was avg $10 per person. They gave use a huge bag of chips we snacked on for days. All in all very good. Lack of 4 or 5 stars due to lack of cleanliness. At my place I know we spend a lot of labor dollars and money on ridiculous restaurant grade cleaning solutions and tools but you have to do it. It's an expense you calculate in and something you just have to get right all the time or it drives people away. Hire a service or go in early... I noticed (since I was next door) that one guy got there at 10am when they open at 11:30am. He liked to sing rodeo Mexican music.... Same song about the same time every morning for 10 days straight. 1 hour in the morn and again at night it not much and if its everyday will suffice.
(3)William H.
Tried to go to Cantina Captiva the other night. There were three families standing inside the door and for ten minutes not one person working there came up to any of us to take our name or tell us how long the wait would be. After walking into the kitchen to get someone's attention, we were eventually seated, only to learn from the family seated next to us that they had waited over an hour for their food to arrive. That was it -- we bailed. I understand Cantina Captiva is owned by the same woman who owns R.C. Otters and Island Cow on Sanibel, each of which is run very well. The same cannot be said for Cantina Captiva.
(1)Jeff M.
My family and I were on Captiva trying to go the the crab races (where the food is horrible, but the kids love the races). We couldn't get in and the wait at Mucky Duck and Bubble Room (equally average food but places one must go while on Captiva) were both 90 minutes. So, we randomly picked Captiva Cantina b/c it was the only place that had a parking spot. Were we lucky or what? We all loved our food. My wife got the chicken burrito - very happy, and I had the fish tacos - some of my very favorite. Their guacamole was solid. The margarita was not great, but my wife loved the frozen mango margarita. The service was very personable and accomodating. I really liked the guy waiting on us. We plan to go back next time we are there.
(4)Bryan B.
I saw the other reviews and was worried. They were wrong. We had good service and the food was way better than expected While it it is not the best Mexican I have ever had, it is of quality. Drinks were good but a bit expensive for a pitcher (no deal over individual drinks). Gotta like a Mexican place that has a Bob Marley picture on the wall and plays his music. While we did not have our kids, it would be a place I would being them.
(4)D S.
Is this place still in business. Based on my lousy dining experience after they had been open a few months, I would never return. Guess they sucker in visitors for one over priced, mediocre meal. Service was awful. Stay away!!!
(1)Brandon J.
We're from Miami where Mexican food is pretty easy to find. My wife got the urge for Mexican and margaritas so we went. We had to seat ourselves. Luckily the waiter saw us and came over. There were two waiters running frantically inside and outside. The waiter got our food wrong but quickly took back the wrong order. My wife's margarita was bland but he didn't charge it for us. The burritos we ordered were pretty good. They were the surf n turf burritos. It was nothing out if this world but they were decent. The chips n salsa they brought us were pretty good. I loved the salsa. Kinda spicy for those of you who aren't fans of spice. So heads up. I think you can ask for a mild salsa. Overall we were pretty disappointed. The good thing is that it was super close to our resort at South Seas. Probably won't come back to this place.
(2)Felix L.
Ate dinner with my family at cantina captiva tonight. Food was very mediocre which was only a minor issue compared to the service. Our waitress totally ignored us for 20-30 mins. We asked to have our drinks refilled and after 3 requests to Kimmy (sp?) over 20 minutes, my wife went outside to the store next door to buy drinks. Also received the wrong food and had to wait for 15 mins just to tell someone that I didn't want it. After waiting for so long and getting ignored, I just wanted out of there and asked for the check and then laughed when I reviewed the bill to see that the gratuity was automatically added. After eating there and experiencing it for myself, the only way I would interpret a favorable review for this place would be to assume the owner wrote the review. Don't waste your time or money here.
(1)Darren S.
Bad, bad, bad food. Bad, bad, bad service. Went to tell a manager about it, they didn't care.
(1)Christina A.
The service was fast & friendly. The atmosphere was a TRUE ISLAND ATMOSPHERE! SUPER ORIGINAL & AMAZING! Super small interior but I LOVED it! The food was GREAT! The prices are high & they add 18% gratuity to your check. I would definitly go back!!!!
(4)Cindy L.
Do Not Eat Here! I have been visiting sanibel and captiva for the last 25 years. I am a very generous reviewer and frequently search for the best side of a place. As a restaraunt this was a DISASTER. The place was empty. It looked like a dark bar with lots of beer bottles lining the walls. Those of you that follow me know that I am gluten intolerant so I have to choose what I eat carefully. I like to eat Mexican because it's so easy to get gluten free food. NOT HERE. Most restaurants have gluten free menus or a few selections. This place uses a big container of cheap wheat based seasoning. iN EVERYTHING. I ordered several different dishes. And each time the waiter put my order in he had to come back to tell me it had wheat seasoning on it. He was pissed off anTd exasperated from the start of the meal Even though I was being very easy going and accommodating. I finally settled on cheese enchiladas with rice and beans. The salsa was very good and freshly made The chips were soft and stale. The guacamole was good but VERY expensive. $9.00 for a scoop of GUAC??? Come on!!! My young son had a kids cheese qusadilla with fries. Mediocre at best. A very small portion but only $6.00. My older son had a steak buritto. The buritto was good but it came with silty chopped lettuce and tasteless tomatoes. A pale excuse for a salad for $14.00. When the waiter brought my plate it was 3 tiny enchiladas covered with wilted shredded lettuce as a garnish. There was a bowl of beans on my plate. "I can't give you rice it'sadr with that wheat seasoning". He said as he put downy plate. "anything else"? He asked. As if he was annoyed to have to bring us any good at all. Urdu replied. This was supposed to gave a cheese sause. He brought out acdisj of some Velveeta type substance We asked for more chips and salsa. My food was dry and tasted more Luke done cheese rolled in a corn tortilla than Real enchiladas. It was nasty. When he brought me the bill, it was a $50 bad lunch. I got my credit card out and noticed that he charged me individually for 2 sides of dour cream. And for cheese sauce. But did not take anything off my bill for the missing rice. And he also didn't offer me anything in place of the rice like a mushy salad. So I said. "you must have forgotten to take my rice off the bill.". He laughed and said "oh we can't take partial items off the bill especially because you requested NOT to have it!" ( I didn't request anything I didn't even know they sprinkle wheat on the rice!). So I said no problem. And I told my son, I usually tip 20% but NOT today. So he brings me my credit card receipt to sign and I noticed he ADDED an 18% gratuity "why is there a gratuity on this??". I asked "that's automatic" he said "let me speak to your manager" I said. "there's no notice in the menu of an added gratuity "I'll take it off" he said"the computer just adds it on there seasonally" he lied I could go on. But I won't. I'm going to the beach to have some fun and get rid of my headache. This waiter was horrible and the place was terrible. Don't eat here. Warn your friends.
(1)Dave C.
Fun place. Great house salsa.
(3)Cezaro L.
Much too expensive, but so is Captiva: it is in fact a vast improvement over its predecessor, a pricey tapas place. My family (admittedly unique) likes to roll up to restaurants without reservations and ask if they can seat a table of 18-30 immediately. Captiva Cantina complied. All of our delicious chips and salsa were gone in minutes and never refilled--but honestly, that's a good thing. I thought the menu was sort of cute, with sections for the kids, the "gringos," and the "beach bodies." I liked the shrimp/mango lettuce wrap dish I got. The quesadilla and enchilada de carnitas I sampled were pretty good for a remote Mexican restaurant. Decor wasn't so bad, but the door to the women's bathroom does not close. Service, pretty bad, though we loved the one guy from the kitchen's accent. Wish I could've sampled a margarita, but it was noon. In other news, I CAN'T STAND JOHN CUSACK. In sum, this restaurant accomplishes its basic function, which is to be the only Mexican restaurant on Captiva Island (I think Sanibel, too), and offer all the usual trappings that make okay Mexican places worth going to. If you're expecting ambrosia and/or five-star service, this probably isn't your cup of tea.
(3)Rachel L.
After reading the reviews on here my boyfriend and I were a little hesitant trying this place but we thought the food was fantastic! I got the chicken fajitas and he got the pork burrito. We had dinner with 3 others that night as well and everyone thought the food was great! The chips with salsa and guacamole were really good. The guac was awesome! I do have to say that the margaritas aren't the best but they do have some good beer choices. My boyfriend and I actually ended up going back one more time before our vacation ended because it was seriously, one of the best choices around. We were staying at the south seas resort.
(4)Melissa E.
Great restaurant!!!! Definitely the best meal (and drinks!) had on Sanibel-Captiva. On a whim- we went here for dinner and ate outside- it has a unique outdoor dining experience of its own, that sets itself apart from the more well known RC Otters and Key Lime Bistro. First off, our waiter, Cliff, was amazing. He gave great food recommendations and also gave expert advice on where to go for some off-the-island fun in Naples/Fort Myers! Thanks Cliff! For dinner, we had queso w/ chips for an appetizer (a little pricey- but delicious), chicken fajitas, and frozen margaritas. What a fun restaurant w/ great service and food! Not to mention, they had their own parking in a not-so-overstuffed parking lot. Bravo.
(5)Alex C.
Except for the great roots reggae music, this place was plainly bad all around. Bad service, bad food, bad drinks. We first ordered the $9.00 guacamole that was served on a plate with a small handfull of chips swimming in salt. In a side bowl they served super salty tomato salsa with a bit of hot sauce that I would swear was poured directly from a bottle of tabasco. From here everything was just as mediocre...too small, too salty, too plain. Throughout the meal we were always short a napkin, or a knife, or something. I won't be back.
(1)Sarah F.
Mediocre food, dumpy decor and AWFUL SERVICE. Had three servers during the course of our meal all of which were rude and uninterested in doing a good job. (The worst was some moron named Eric) We were never offered refills, asked how the food was or checked in on. Eric also had the nerve to add a 15% gratuity to our check... understandable for a party of 8 or more but not 5. Needless to say we didn't leave the tip.
(1)Bill R.
Top notch meal. Surprised to see how low the other reviews are. Everything was tasty and scratch made. Citrus shrimp tacos a must try. Keylime pie very good too.
(5)K G.
I admit, I'm a tough customer when it comes to Mexican food, considering I can eat at the best Mexican restaurants in California any time I want. But this place was not good. The margaritas were made with cheap icky tequila. The chips were stale. The guacamole was passable. And the queso dip was just lukewarm white velveeta. We didn't stay to eat.
(1)Amanda Z.
WAY overpriced for what you get...although you are served a lot of food, the quality is very poor. I would rather eat at Taco Bell. The enchilada plate i had was pretty good but it tasted like soft tacos, not enchiladas, because there was no sauce on them! The veggie fajitas were cooked in a vat of butter and the butter overwhelmed any semblance of health or veggie taste that we were going for. Also, it was the strangest medley of veggies...usually you expect zucchini, squash, bell peppers, onions, maybe potatoes in your fajitas...not these! This was mainly green beans, carrots, onions with a few peppers and squash, and a TUB of BUTTER. Gross! The white queso and the guacamole were the best parts of our meal. The margaritas were too sweet and not strong at all = not good. I would never go back here and not recommend it to anyone.
(1)Jason Z.
I'm from Chicago, so I eat a lot of Mexican food...after being in Sancap for 10 days, I needed a fix...I wish that I hadn't. It was way too expensive (even after using the local's two for one entree coupon) and not good at all. The veggie fajitas were like a can of mixed vegetables warmed up in butter. The following cook better Mexican food: me & Taco Bell. I go to Sanibel/Captiva often, so it is disappointing that this is the only Mexican food on both Islands. I want a refund.
(1)Dan M.
Decent food but high price. Coke was not good. Buy beer. Chips and salsa was very good with generous portions.
(3)Stephanie R.
We went to the Captiva Cantina last night. We had to wait awhile but this is their busiest week of the year. Our waiter was great, the food was great too. The guacamole and margaritas were really good. I wish we would have gone earlier In our trip. We would have gone more than once.
(4)Robert D.
Unlike other reviewers, Captiva Cantina is just fine. No, I am not saying that this is the best Mexican food ever - it is the best Mexican food on Sanibel and Captiva. The grilled fish tacos were darn tasty with a fresh salsa; the guac was fresh, but was just so-so - chances are that you do your own guac just as well. So, for a vacation spot, it will certainly fit the need for a cold Corona and some serivceable Tex-Mex.
(3)David M.
Mixed feelings. Margaritas a little bland but still packed a punch. Great fresh salsa and the steak fajita salad was awesome. The table, menu and even the check cover were kind of gross. No host or hostess so we just sat outside a few minutes until a waiter showed up. Overall, good food, service but cleanliness suspect.
(3)G Z.
Totally dead joint and that's because of all the complaints you can peruse here on yelp. I thought our food was ok but then again, we were expecting to have reheated texmex TV dinners with crispy Old Elpaso tacos from the box.
(2)Josh Q.
Judging by the other reviews maybe we ordered the best thing on the menu but the pork fajitas were outstanding. We got the fajitas for two and were both stuffed with a box to take home for under 40 bucks. Would have been a 4 star but our douche bag waiter was terrible. In case you guys check the reviews, the douche with the frosted foot high spiky hair needs to be fired. He took our order and disappeared. The guy that was bussing tables ruled. We gave him a generous tip and left the douche bag nothing. He was on top of everything and tried to refuse a tip because he wasn't our waiter. Terrible, disrespectful service seems to be a theme for the whole island though.
(3)Amy C.
We thought that this place was very good. We like Mexican food quite a bit. It's not 100% authentic, but was very good. Great salsa, great guacamole, my husband and I both loved our burritos, and my kids loved their quesadillas. Chips were crunchy, sangria was great, and the beers were cold. It was not super-cheap, but nothing is on Captiva. My only disappointment was they do not have refried beans, which I personally love. However, I was still pleased with my meal.
(4)Jeff J.
Terrible--if you go here then lose your money---and don't say you were not warned! The quesidilla's are terrible, high priced and unimpressive food.
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