Gilligan's Island Bar - Beach, Beer and Ballyhoo!

WHERE WE WENT:   

Gilligan's Island Bar
5253 Ocean Boulevard
Sarasota, FL

WHAT WE ORDERED:
Q


WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 7
Menu - 6
Presentation - 6
Taste - 6
Price - 7
Service -8
 Overall - 6.5


Atmosphere - If you are looking for a place to kick back and not care about the world around you, you've found it. Describing this place in one word: chill. Great location on the main drag in Siesta Key. It's the kind of place you would imagine they wouldn't even require shoes. There's almost a much bar space as there is seating, including a sweet tiki bar area. They have a patio seating area and a back section where they have live music. I felt a little shocked that our server didn't have dreads. You get the picture.

Menu -  The menu did offer a bit of variety. Salads, burgers, seafood, and more. All of your typical beach eats are represented. However, there wasn't any single signature or stand out dish that would make you want to go here as opposed to somewhere else. 
 
Presentation - Honestly, a little boring. With as kitschy as the rest of the place was with the beach culture and island theme, we expected something a little more original than white plates and baskets.

Taste - The meal was a little underwhelming. The coconut shrimp were heavily battered and a little overcooked. The best part of that dish was actually the mango chutney dipping sauce, which I would recommend pairing with any seafood. Normally I would say you can't go wrong with cheese fries, but these tasted like they came straight out of a freezer bag. The cheese was a little bland too.


Price -The fries were definitely the right portion for the price, if only they were more delicious. The shrimp were a little overpriced. Not worth it in our opinion.

Service - Our server was great. He was a really chill guy who took good care of us but didn't hover.

WOULD WE GO BACK? 
Maybe. If Ballyhoo is there, we're there. If not, we might go back for the right drink specials. We would really wanna explore the rest of what Siesta Key has to offer before making a return trip.


Here's a link to their website:  
 http://gilligansislandbar.com/

The Captain's Table - A Taste of Home

WHERE WE WENT:   

The Captain's Table
1110 Beck Avenue
Panama City, FL 32405

WHAT WE ORDERED:
Shrimp Po' Boy, French Fries, Cheese Grits, Hushpuppies

WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 6
Menu - 7
Presentation - 5
Taste - 6
Price - 7
Service - 6
 Overall - 6


Atmosphere - The Captain's Table 's one word summation would be "dive." It's an old building, with peeling paint and in great need of renovation. Any little bits of decor are of old Florida photos, preserving the history of the town, which would be cool, if the amount was not so sparse. The idea could be executed really well,

if it seemed like there was any conscious effort to create a theme. It really looks like someone found a few old photos and keepsakes in the attic and just strew them around where they landed. The tables and chairs are old and rickety with torn cushions and wobbly legs that make you pay attention to your balance all meal. In spite of all of these really unappealing aspects, Captain's Table does manage to maintain an air of small town charm. This is the kind of place where the servers know you and you run into your neighbors on a Sunday afternoon. The chairs may be wobbly, but if you're from around here, then they're probably the same ones your great-grandparents sat in. It's located in the fantastic, historic old neighborhood of St. Andrews, surrounded by other quaint pieces of the town's history.

Menu -  There is pretty much all the kinds of seafood that you'd want. Since it's in the Panhandle, you know that anything you order is going to be super fresh. The oysters on the half shell are always the star. There are some standard options available in case you're not a fan of fishy fare. If you are a strict vegetarian though, good luck. You'll be relegated to maybe three choices, one of which is a less than appetizing side salad. While there is an abundance of seafood options, nothing is particularly unique or creative. There isn't any spark of culinary genius that you'd find in the big city.
 
Presentation - It's exactly the kind of presentation you would expect from a dive caliber joint.

Taste - We'll start with the good. Captain's Table has some of the BEST cheese grits ever. In the South, we take our grits pretty seriously, and these are serious. They are the perfect mix of creamy and cheesy. The hushpuppies are also delicious. They are have a nice after-kick to them. What wasn't so great was the po' boy. There wasn't a ton of shrimp and the bread was kinda stale. Where the bread was stale, the french fries have the exact opposite problem; they were soggy. While it's great that the hushpuppies and cheese were yummy, if you're a seafood restaurant then your main shrimp should be amazing.

Price -The price is good. It helps that the food comes fresh out of the gulf. It's pretty comparable to any other similar place in the same market.

Service - Our waitress was kind of flighty. It took her a long while to come over and greet us and take our drink orders, and it was not a particularly busy time. My drink sat empty for a while, a couple of different times. She wasn't very friendly either. Not someone I would ask for their section.

WOULD WE GO BACK? 
Meh. It's a part of the community and it's at a great location. It wouldn't be our first choice for dinner, but it works.