The Sandbar
2761 W Gulf Dr, Sanibel, FL, 33957
The Sandbar Menu
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Address :
2761 W Gulf Dr
Sanibel, FL, 33957 - Phone (239) 472-0305
- Website https://www.sanibelsandbar.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Izzy B.
A little out of the way but definitely worth the extra few minutes. The crab bisque was well seasoned and delightfully creamy. The seafood trio featured exceptionally fresh scallops and fish and nicely seasoned crab cakes. A nice piece of key lime pie was a great finish - it was smooth and sweet with a wonderful graham cracker crust.
(4)Sue H.
I've eaten here 4 times now and love it. I get the scallops each time. My family has gotten the steak and shrimp dishes and also love them. Had the king crab appetizer last time and that was tasty. It was the first time my nephew had had king crab so it was great to see him work at. He is now a fan too. Food gets 5 stars. Reason for only 3 stars is that we were seated in the back area on a table that was placed on a slant. Craziest thing that has happened to me in a restaurant. There are no tablecloths and the tables have a slick gloss on them. Four of the 6 of us had silverware slip off the table. We just mad a joke out of it. Then my mom's glass of water fell, the waiter brought over paper towels and gave them to her (my 80 year old mom) to clean up the mess herself. Really?! I'll go back, but will refuse to sit at that table.
(3)Mark P.
Restaurant Very nice inside. The bathrooms were clean and the large window with flowers hanging outside was very nice Service Many open tables so we were sat quickly and the server was pleasant. It was our anniversary so I went to the bar to surprise my wife with some bubbly and was told that they only had it by the bottle but when my wife did not drink her wine, it had started to go bad, they offered a glass of sparkling wine. Food VERY SALTY! everything was overly seasoned. We couldn't even eat the bisque or chowder, but still got charged.
(3)Nate B.
The service was warm and friendly the moment we arrived, and only got better from there. Many places in Sanibel/Captiva are more about the atmosphere than the food, and this is not one of them. The Sandbar is just a non-pretentious eatery with great food. They cut their fish fresh daily, and had a good selection of fresh fish. Also a better selection of steaks than other more expensive restaurants. Also several pasta dishes that were very good. Overall, it was the best meal we had our most recent stay, and definitely worth the drive from Captiva!
(5)Trish F.
You must eat here!!!! This place has the best food on the island!!!!!!! Hands down! Our table ordered the following and we loved it !: King crab legs, red snapper special, seafood pasta special which was grouper shrimp and mussels served in a Cajun cream sauce with fettuccine, steak, and crab cakes. There was so much food. Our only regret is that our stomachs were not as big as our eyes. It wAs delicious. Service fantastic. Great personality server. And wonderful atmosphere. Don't let the name fool you. It's NOT a bar but there is one in it. I would definitely go back again and again!!!!! Yum
(5)Corey J.
Great fresh local seafood. I had the grouper it was we excellent. Overall great atmosphere and great food. I highly recommend it!
(5)Dwight D.
This, after three trips to Sanibel, is the BEST restaurant on the island. Their Minan shrimp brings me back to Pasco Minales in New Orleans. The decor is modern and clean. The macadamia grouper was top notch, don't read more, get yourself over there.
(5)Katelin B.
My family and I wanted to eat on the beach and watch the sunset so we got carry out from here - it was delicious!!!! We ordered the salmon with tomato salsa and jasmine rice, macadamia crusted grouper with some incredible cranberry sauce, and mahi with a citrus salsa that was to die for. I don't know what it's like to dine in, but the quality of the food was great and the gentleman who took our order was extremely friendly.
(5)Meg H.
Had some great fresh seafood. Came in needing accommodations with gluten free and they delivered.
(4)Whitney F.
As a tourist I've eaten add some of the swankiest seafood restaurants on the.island and at the Sandbar they had the biggest oysters and at the best price during happy hour and the most most delicate fish. Awesome dive bar don't be dissuaded by its out of the way location, definitely a local approved joint.
(5)Kamran A.
Excellent food. Had the grouper and the sea bass. Can't be beat. Service was equally excellent!
(5)Nicole J.
I went to Sandbar yesterday for dinner with my two friends. The ambience is nice - a bit larger than the other restaurants in Sanibel but nonetheless fine. The service was good, although the ice water tasted funny. For dinner, I ordered the cranberry salad, shrimp scampi, and a side order of asparagus. The cranberry salad was quite delicious. I liked that the blue cheese didn't overwhelm the salad and the almond pieces was a nice touch. The salad was definitely the best part of the dinner. The shrimp scampi ($18) was nothing special. It's better than olive garden, but not that much better. The asparagus was the worst part of the meal. They were giant, the half the size of a paper towel roll, and undercooked. I could only eat the tips (1/4 of the asparagus), as the rest of the asparagus was raw and tough. Overall, it's an okay place to eat. It won't give you food poisoning, and the food isn't terrible. However, there was nothing memorable about the meal - It is eating for the sake of eating. For the price and quality, you're better off going somewhere else on the island... or olive garden.
(2)Virginia J.
As a year round resident (AKA local) I have been to almost every restaurant on the island. We go back to this one when we want a comfortable - but wonderful night out. It's easy for a group to range from the small eater (couple of appetizers) up to the full course dinner and everyone can be happy. Without a doubt the Boom-Boom shrimp is a must. It even tastes good as a left over the next day. And writing of left-overs - they go home in paper boxes - not the styrofoam so many restaurants use. Make sure you add this one to your list when you pan your visit!
(5)Meghan O.
It's my first time to Sanibel and some friends took me here. I ordered the special drink (lemon martini), wedge salad, and the crab cakes. The martini was great - not too sweet but it had sugar on the rim which made a great balance of bitter and sweet. The crab cakes were amazing, tons of crab - more than in any others I've had. And the wedge salad was good too, no complaints. I like the ambiance of the place a lot - very light and open. Check it out!
(5)Jonica K.
Best deal on the island!! Happy hour 4-5:30 everyday. Great menu, great service!! We had the oysters, potato skins, crab cakes (awesome!), and buffalo chicken strips, plus drinks for under $50 with tip. Next time (tomorrow) we will get the burgers for $5 each, they looked great, and came with fries.
(5)Sean N.
Very good service! Great location and perfect addition to Sanibel! All the food is amazing and this will be my go-to Restuarant from now on!!
(5)Henri G.
We called for a reservation and our first impression was a wow when we arrived and we were seated right away at a table that had a reserved sign. Our server Allison was friendly,helpful and very attentive throughout our dinner. She was very knowledgable on entrees. We all enjoyed our choices. Excellent. Especially tasty was the bang bang shrimp app and also the crab bisque. We will be back the Sandbar is in our top three restaurants on Sanibel....try it!
(4)Tim S.
Very good. Don't let the outside fool you. Inside isr nicely renovated and very upscale. Food is pricey, but about the same as a lot of other places around. Food is better though. Had seafood trio w scallop, grouper, crabcake w mashed potatos - excellent. Added a salad for $1 which is ...lets just say it should be included for 30+. Then another got just appetizer teriyaki filet skewers...the deal of the menu. It was a lot of steak - 2 skewers for 11. Kids got crab leg meal -18 for a kids meal!!, but is was a huge alaskan leg. But..,, other had the chuckwn fingers for a more normal 7-8. Overall one of the best meals we had on sanibel. Highly recommended.
(5)Susan G.
Wonderful service with great recommendations. We started out with boom boom shrimp which was terrific. I had the grouper with cranberry and my husband had the blackened red snapper which was amazing. I also love the art throughout the restaurant. We will definitely be back!
(5)Peter P.
Had boom boom shrimp and was disappointed. Greasy and did not taste like fresh shrimp. Salads were good and crab cakes were ok too
(2)Mary W.
This is a cute place but I'm not sure what all these people are thinking when they say great seafood. I've had so much better! And the prices are crazy for the plate they give you. I guess if you have never really had good seafood then this would be good to you. I'll never eat here again
(2)Dawn S.
Food was good, not spectacular, but good as was the service. Ambiance is cute - I thought there was a sunset view but seems that wasn't the case but perfectly pleasant dining experience was had by all.
(3)Rod H.
We had a good meal. I had grouper cooked in cranberry butter and a great wedge salad. The service was great, and the meal was well paced.
(4)Sarah P.
Party of seven - Plenty of trouble. What do 7 little old ladies at lunch have in common? Nothing. And our server accommodated us with a smile. This one wanted lime in her tea. That one wanted something not offered on the menu. The other wanted a smaller version of the salad offering. But the Sandbar (and our server) made ALL of us happy. The food made us even happier. Chowder, crab cakes, blackened salmon - perfectly seasoned and simply delicious. This place should be packed whenever the doors are open. It's that good
(5)Eric B.
My wife had a lovely dinner, however mine was somewhat lacking. When I expressed I didn't care for my entree I was met with what would be mostly described as indifference. No offer for another meal was given nor consideration on the statement. Too bad.
(2)Tom P.
We didn't have a reservation and they seated us on a busy Friday night. grouper special was great, crab cakes were good and scallops were excellent. Fresh vegetables and great food
(4)Leslie W.
We called ahead and got 7PM reservations, but arrived about 1/2 hr early and sat at the bar until our reservation time as it was busy. It looks as if a lot of people dine earlier here, and the people we chatted with at the bar were mostly on the island for the winter (i.e. locals). We loved the bar and would eat there in the future if we didn't have a table. The food here was great and they give you very good size portions. We loved the boom boom shrimp appetizer; that and the huge wedge salad would have been fine for dinner. We also had the crabcakes and mahi which were wonderful. Service was great and the prices were reasonable. We will definitely return the next time we visit the island.
(4)John L.
Outstanding meal. I had the Seafood trio. The grouper, scallops, and crab cake were outstanding. A 10! My wife had the blacked snapper. Also a 10!. Vegetables were done to perfection. Caesar salad for $1 was excellent. We had the Sonoma unbaked chardonnay. Perfect for aeafood. Coming from Houston we know great seafood.
(5)C B.
Year after year FANTASTIC food and service. Great chicken wings and fries and burgers. Wonderful staff. Jackie and the rest of the staff always seem happy and provide fast, friendly service. They seem to appreciate their customers.
(5)MA C.
Ok. The seafood was fresh but minute portions. Walked out still hungry - all of us...
(2)Tony F.
Boom boom shrimp were to die for, sea food trio, ribs and grouper were all fabulous! Wade was an awesome server!
(5)Alan S.
Being from The Eastern Shire of MD, I've had excellent crab cakes. If you like very little crab with the filler, be sure to order the crab cakes. Pick something else. Service is excellent.
(2)Linda W.
Food and wait staff were great. Everyone said try the boom boom shrimp, good call, fabulous!! Oysters Rockefeller also great. Sea bass very good but Mahi Mahi blackened the best!!
(5)Harold G.
Good not great. We had 5:30 reservations but arrived at 5:15. They sat us promptly. Waitress was wonderful and knew the menu. My wife had blackened mahimahi and i had the grouper macadamia encrested in cranberry sauce. My wifes mahi was very good and cooked perfectly. My grouper was good but slightly over cooked hence dry in some parts. The key lime pie was very good. I would recommend this restaurant.
(4)Kelly B.
We had the boom boom shrimp, nothing to write home about. We also had the oysters. They were nice and fat and mild tasting. We ate at the bar because a party of 16 was about to come in. If we didn't go to the bar, we would have waited 20 minutes. The bartender, Francis, was a delight. We quickly left when the "guy" portion of the party of 16 showed up. Talk about obnoxious. This has nothing against my review for the restaurant. The food was my least favorite of the meals I have had so far on the island.
(3)Chad L.
The three of us tried The Sandbar for Christmas Eve dinner with high hopes. The dinner started out nicely, our server Joey got our drinks and brought out great sourdough bread. We started with the Mussels which were wonderful in a garlic butter broth. Next up was the caesar salad which again was great as well as the clam chowder which was just chocked full of clams. Our daughter had the penne pasta in a great marinara sauce which she enjoyed. Next was the entree where it went down hill. My wife and i were going to share the grouper which had a macadamia nut crust. When it was delivered it was soggy and fishy and just not good. The mashed potatoes were the institutional variety and terrible. We let our server know and sent it back, and ordered the crab cakes. The crab cakes came out quickly, They didn't come with the menu promised mango salsa and were marginal at best, and my wife found either shell or cartilage in one. We stopped after that (Only one of the 4 crab cakes partially eaten). While we had problems with the entrees we had a bigger issue with the service we received once we had a problem with our meal. Joey did as expected by replacing the entree quickly, and then not charging us for either, but he did so with an attitude and not a single apology or a visit from the manager, I don't know if the problem was with him or within the restaurant itself. He wen't as far to take issue with my wife's complaint about the crab cakes stating that they used lump crab meat so it couldn't have been shell or cartilage. I would go back for the mussels and the clam chowder, but would definitely request a different server.
(2)Martin O.
We ate here during the week of 6/22/15. We had reservations and we were seated right away. This is one of the more upscale and higher priced options on the Island and with that comes higher expectations. First the good news. The boom boom shrimp were excellent and I recommend them as an appetizer. The portion is large enough for two. We were three persons and we each chose different seafood entrees. All of the seafood is fresh and high quality. We did have some service glitches. We were not served water to the table even though that is this restaurant's practice. Upon request it took a few minutes. I chose a trio of scallops, group and large shrimp. The portion of the grouper (my favorite fish!) was rather small and not in line with the price tag for the entree. All three were well prepared and tasty. My wife ordered the mussels marinara (one of the specials). When it was served it was mussels in a butter/wine sauce - not what we ordered even though we asked about the spiciness of the marina. It had to go back which delayed those already served from staring to eat. We've been coming to Sanibel for 15+ years and we have our favorites places. This was our first visit to The Sandbar. The food gets good reviews, but the overall experience was lacking and didn't meet expectations considering the cost. I'm undecided if we'll try for a second time the next time we're on the Island.
(3)Jennifer F.
The atmosphere is noisy but the food makes up for it. The Mayan shrimp IS better than the Yucatan shrimp- sorry doc Ford's :( The shrimp scampi is well prepared and the stone crab is so fresh and succulent. All dishes are generously proportioned and the desserts are amazing. Definitely a place to stop at while on vacation for a wonderful island meal.
(4)John D.
Lovely atmosphere. Good artwork on display. Good bread. I think that's been established with most of the other reviews. Our server, while friendly, needed to be better trained. We finished our meal with the clutter of an empty bread basket and bread plates on the table. Some of us sat there awhile with empty glasses. For my entree, I ordered off the menu--grilled grouper with marinara sauce which was disappointing. The fillet was thin and did not have the meatiness that I expect with grouper and the marinara sauce was just generic. The veggies on the side were over cooked--or maybe not fresh. For these prices, I expect good service and a memorable meal. If I return, I'll ask for my check when I finish my basket of bread.
(2)Joe G.
Very nice dinner at the Sandbar. Service was great. We had the scallops. Nicely prepared and very tasty. Nice atmosphere and reasonable prices. Definitely recommend.
(5)Tony D.
My wife and I, and another couple went here as it was highly recommended. We had a great experience! The Boom Boom Shrimp appetizer is addictive. Between us, we had the red snapper (special) and the crab cakes. Both were fantastic. My crab cakes were beautifully done on the inside, and slightly crispy on the outside (like they should be). The 4 cakes were served on a very nice layer of slightly spicy tartar. The surroundings are simple and elegant. A casual place with a touch of class. We made the right choice!
(5)Jlyn D.
What a great little spot! We went for happy hour on a Thursday afternoon and ordered cold shrimp, boom boom shrimp and the quesadillas, all off of the happy hour menu. Impressive! The bartender was friendly, and the service was fast. We will return for happy hour again!
(5)P N.
Great service. The boom boom shrimp are great--i thought the sauce might overpower the shrimp but they were up to the task and there were plenty of em. Yum!
(4)Marisa M.
We came here because of long waits during the busy season on island. The host staff was friendly and accommodating, getting us in after about forty minutes. The food and the waitstaff however were subpar - very bland food (had to ask for something, anything to add to the peel'n eat shrimp) and every time asking the waiter (in a polite way) for anything, it seemed like a chore. Also, the lights flicker unexplainably a lot... No need to waist time here, SI has plenty more to offer for foodies!
(2)Michelle D.
Update: 1/22/2014- One year later I am back and visited The Sandbar and had another wonderful experience. The crab cakes are still the best I have ever had with amazing amounts of crabmeat, and delicious lobster bisque. They were also able to accommodate my gluten free preferences by substituting balsamic rice for linguini in the shrimp scampi. Again great service (thanks Kelsey). I will be back again every year. -------------------- Original Review: This restaurant has been open only 11 days and this was my first time there. I vacation in Sanibel every year and have been to many of the restaurants on the island. Our party of three all ordered crab cakes and agreed that they were fresh, flavorful, and well presented, with a mango salsa. Real pieces of crab, mixed with herbs and spices. We also ordered two side dishes of her risottos which was cooked to perfections, and portobello mushrooms cooked perfectly. The lobster bisque was some of the best ever, with substance, and true bits of lobster. The ambiance was bright, and open, featuring a 10 seat bar, with a television, and art from a local Sanibel artist. The general manager, Brian was very friendly, stopping by our table twice to say hello and chat with us about how the restaurant came to be; telling us that a few days ago they had an hour wait. We did not have any wait at all when we went. Our waitress Rene was upbeat and friendly, admitting she was new to working in this kind of restaurant, but being a better waitress than most others we have ever had. (Thanks Rene!). They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner this time of year. Overall, I am a fan and will most likely come back to give this place 5-stars after I have tried lunch and breakfast.
(4)Tracey A.
This is a brand new restaurant where the Stone Crab restaurant used to be. We went because of a review on Yelp. The inside has been redone, it now has a more open feel with an open kitchen where you can see everything being prepared. The staff is well trained and friendly and the food was great. We will definately go again. Husband had the blackened salmon, which was delicious, and we shared the coconut shrimp appetizer. It was served with plantain, which we love, and drizzled with strawberry and white chocolate. What a combination. Yummy.
(4)Marie M.
Great atmosphere with bar and airy seating arrangements. Seafood was outstanding! We had scallops, king crab, boom boom shrimp, salmon, and calamari. Everyone was pleased! Good vegetarian options too. Staff was friendly if a little green. The place just opened, after all. I would definitely recommend! Plus...Creme brûlée featured espresso and chocolate. Decadent!
(4)H F.
Our family of seven had dinner here last night. It was amazing! The host, bartender and waitress were all excellent. The crab bisque was divine and everyone loved their entrees: vegetable pasta, shrimp scampi, and boom boom shrimp (meant to be an appetizer, but a generous amount). The kids meals were enjoyed by our youngsters and they all had leftovers, as did the adults. We will definitely be back!
(5)Janet W.
We thought we were in for a treat when we were served hot, fresh bread to start. Sadly, that was the best part of the meal. Everything tasted like it had been recently thawed from the freezer. My boyfriend thought his mashed potatoes might have been from a box. Our waiter was very nice but he had to apologize for the slow service a few times.
(1)Kelly M.
Loved it! Delicious freshly baked sourdough bread with balsamic vinegarette and oil dipping sauce. And, succulent crab legs with homemade, melt in your mouth mashed potatoes. Don't skip the brownie sundae to finish. Yum! We'll be back!
(5)Robin R.
Wonderful food, friendly staff, varied menu. We will be visiting here again this week.
(5)Marianne F.
Our first trip to Sanibel and we had a wonderful dinner at The Sandbar. The crab cakes and boom boom shrimp were really good. The skewered shrimp special and mixed grill were awesome. The waiter, Joe, was very professional, delivered our food quickly and left us alone to finish our wine and enjoy our conversation. We highly recommend it.
(4)Paul M.
I read the more recent reviews and gave this place a shot last night. Maybe they have learned a thing or two since they first opened up, but everything was great. They currently have a coupon for a free bottle of Merlot, but they allowed us to sub white Zinfandel for one of our bottles. We were a party of 11, and they did very well with the service. The crab cake appetizers were outstanding. I had the grilled seafood platter, and everything was very good. Several of our party had the salmon. I typically hate salmon, but I tried some of my wife's, and the glaze made it very good. The only downside was that the vegetables were a bit too al dente for my taste. I will definitely come here again.
(4)Christopher S.
I fear his restaurant will not last in this tight knit community. While the location is ideal the food was uninspired with even worse service. The restaurant was nearly empty and should have been a sign. I would hope the weight staff to grow a personality and the chef learn what herbs, spices, or even what salt and pepper is (let alone know proper temperatures of food). Our meal concluded at the early hour of 8:45 but the wait staff couldn't shuffle us out fast enough. I will give them one more shot but marked improvement will be necessary if they are to survive on this island.
(1)Joseph F.
Fun place for casual fun dining. Good friendly service. Good menu at a value.
(4)Izzy P.
Great food but I was a little disappointed that the chef's weren't wearing any gloves when preparing the food. Washing your hands is okay but no one ever knows..
(3)Susan C.
This is one of the few restaurants on Sanibel that takes reservations so call ahead! Despite visiting Sanibel many times, this was our first visit to The Sandbar. It is a bit off the beaten track but very popular. We were seated on-time and taken to a booth in the back. It was very, very noisy......it's a small place. My husband and I each had a cup of soup (only $3) and I can honestly say it was the best clam chowder I've ever had! Delicious! My hubby had the tomato basil soup and he enjoyed that as well.....We also split the Caesar salad which was enough for two, easily. I ordered the scallops and my husband had the macadamia encrusted grouper. His was great...but my scallops were undercooked and sat in an odd sauce......I had an immediate stomach issue and barely made it back to the room in time.......will return but will NOT order the scallops.
(3)Héctor S.
First time in this place and I LOVED IT! The service was awesome; Joe served us and was very friendly, telling us the specials and keeping our drinks full. I ordered the coconut encrusted sea bass with rum sauce: the flavor was great, it was well cooked and delicious! I'll definitely come back!
(5)