Pelican Landing at Pier 66: Mega yachts, mega view of Fort Lauderdale

 

Pelican Landing

At Pier 66, a Hyatt Hotel

2301 SE 17 Street Causeway

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316

Open seven days: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

954-525-6666

http://www.pier66.hyatt.com

By Jane Feehan

At the end of the dock at Pier 66 Marina, Pelican Landing offers a spectacular view of the Intracoastal and of cruise ships docked at Port Everglades.

During winter months, some of the world’s largest privately owned mega yachts dominate the waterscape. The sight is nearly jaw dropping, especially for visitors to the area who haven’t seen yachts this size. It’s testimony to the place Fort Lauderdale holds in the boating world.

The Hyatt Hotel calls this spot “Fort Lauderdale’s Best Kept Secret.” Right they are. It’s rarely crowded during off season and locals are few. However, Pelican Landing can get very busy with hotel guests during winter months. I like to bring visitors to South Florida here anytime; they’re never disappointed.

About the food – sometimes it’s great, other times it’s not; the menu changes frequently.  Lunch for two can run $35-50 without drinks. I recommend a daylight visit for a sandwich or tropical drink. It’s well worth it. (Note: there are other restaurants, upscale, on the property.)

Pelican Landing sits one steep flight up with no elevator.  There's an outdoor deck with umbrellas and a small covered dining area with a bar and television. Save your meal receipt for free parking. Service: depends on the season, it can be fair to good.  Copyright©2010. Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

For brief a  history of Pier  66, view: http://janesbits.blogspot.com/2011/02/florida-history-pier-66-story.html. Use search box at right to find other restaurants in Fort Lauderdale.


Another hotel nearby:
Marriott Harbor Beach, Fort Lauderdale's Shining Star. See review here
Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel. See review  (and more restaurants) here.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale waterfront dining, Intracoastal dining, Fort Lauderdale restaurants, Pier 66, Pelican Landing, Pier 66 history

Crab House: Dining, drinks and beyond in Jupiter, Florida

 


CLOSED but REOPENED BY LANDRY'S AS BUBBA GUMP SHRIMP CO on 3/25/2012 

CLOSED - RE-OPENED 2015 AS RUSTIC INN - CLOSED

1065 N. Hwy A1A

Jupiter, Florida 33477

Lunch and dinner

Monday-Thursday: 11:30 a.m.- 10:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday: 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.

Sunday: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Breakfast on Sunday 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Happy Hour drink and appetizer menu available seven days

www.crabhouseseafood.com

By Jane Feehan

Owned by Houston-based Landry’s, the Crab House, as with most of their restaurants, occupies some prime waterfront property. The broad, covered patio (indoor dining also) with bar provides a great view of the Jupiter Inlet and its iconic lighthouse. 

Seafood headlines the menu. It’s standard fare for a chain restaurant. I enjoyed lump crabmeat and perfectly cooked shrimp atop a rather ordinary salad (about $13) and fellow diner ordered a crab cake done right: light on bread and top heavy with crab meat.  I checked out the seafood salad bar (all you can eat for $20) and it was short on seafood – shrimp mostly.  

It’s not for the gourmand but Crab House sure ranks high as a good way to enjoy the Florida weather - and view - with friends, family or with a group. Full bar with lots of well and tropical mixed drinks. Service: fair.

The Manatee Queen docks at the Crab House and is available for trips up Hobe Sound, by Jupiter Island and points south. They provide cruises for two or one and a half hours at different times of the day depending on the season, weather and sunset times (adults $24, children $15). For more cruise information, call 561-744-2191. That’s on my list of things to do here; Hobe Sound is beautiful. Copyright © 2010. Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

Town of Jupiter: www.jupiter.fl.us/
Related post: Waterfront dining thrives in Jupiter

Tags: Jupiter waterfront dining, Jupiter seafood restaurants, Jupiter boat rides, Jupiter Inlet, Manatee Queen, Hobe Sound, breakfast, waterfront breakfast

Franco and Vinny's Pizza Shack - One of a Kind - Fort Lauderdale

Vinny retired and closed doors April 25, 2021. He and his restaurant (and family)  will be missed!

CLOSED 

Franco and Vinny’s Pizza Shack

2884 East Sunrise Blvd. (Near the beach)

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304

954-564-9522

Dinner seven days: open 4 -10 or 11 p.m.

Takeout available

By Jane Feehan

Locals and tourists beat a path to Franco and Vinny’s Pizza Shack for good food. Open since the 1970s, it’s the quintessential traditional neighborhood Italian restaurant. But whether one calls it Franco and Vinny’s or just the Pizza Shack, patrons return for more than what's on the menu.

Proprietor Vinny Esposito offers Old World hospitality that’s seldom found anymore. When Vinny is not directing kitchen operations or even cooking, he’s darting from table to table greeting friends, making new ones or checking to see if everyone has what they need. His queries are not for show; he really wants everyone to leave happy. His wife, Caterina, often pitches in as hostess and works just as hard to please.

There’s much more than great pizza here. The name “Pizza Shack” belies the offerings. Fresh seafood, steaks, chicken, veal, an array of traditional pasta dishes and a variety of sandwiches are all commendable. Their house made marinara sauce and balsamic vinaigrette rank as some of the best in town.

With only wine and beer, the Pizza Shack’s bar has to be one of the friendliest in Fort Lauderdale. It’s a great place to dine, meet and converse with some interesting locals and tourists.  Staff offers excellent service. Speaking of staff – both cook and wait staff are long timers here; it speaks volumes about their boss. There’s no place else like this in town. Kid friendly. Copyright 2010 ©Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale beach restaurants, Fort Lauderdale best pizza, South Florida pizza, Italian restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, best pizza in Fort Lauderdale

Canyon Southwest Cafe: A dining abyss - Fort Lauderdale

Canyon Cafe
1818 E. Sunrise Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale 33304
954-765-1950

This restaurant touts itself as an “oasis of inspired infusion.” It’s really an oasis of shameless elitism.

Yes, there are some interesting blends of Asian and American Southwest tastes - if one can find enough to load up a decent forkful. Portions are miniscule and not all good. I ordered shrimp - four for $28 served with rice and black beans - that were so tough I couldn’t cut them and gave up after struggling with two. The rice and beans were delicious but served in such a small amount it could be best described as a garnish. 

To add to the meal, I asked for a house salad. They don’t have one (too pedestrian?) so I chose a mixed hydroponic baby tomato (read: cherry tomato) salad for $12 with shaved midnight moon cheese that was either invisible or missing. The dressing, a spicy blend, was excellent.  Jalapeno smoked salmon on a tostado with goat cheese and scotch bonnet tartar sauce sounded intriguing but was difficult to eat. The final nail, a dessert of crème brulee on a tostada (not a good combination), came grainy and cold.

Their signature Canyon Prickly Pear Margarita tasted more like a sickly sweet and thick sour cherry syrup. We could barely get through two sips. To their credit and without our asking, they deducted the price of these drinks from our bill. Most entrees, which included seafood, chicken, pork and beef, were $28 with Florida Black Grouper going for $36, a little steep in these tough economic times, especially when portions are so small.

And finally, a glance at their Website underscores their elitism. A big “NO” is followed by NO reservations (no way, forget about it they say), NO recipes, NO happy hours, NO live music.This negative marketing sounds like a formula for NO CUSTOMERS.  They should get over themselves. Copyright © Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale dining, Fort Lauderdale restaurants, fine dining, South Florida restaurants, Canyon Cafe

Breakfast at the Beach - Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida

Breakfast at the beach – Lauderdale by the Sea

Several eateries on or very close to the beach serve breakfast and provide outdoor seating in Lauderdale by the Sea. They sit as close as you can get to the water without going to a hotel along the ocean in the Fort Lauderdale area. This is a list only – not reviews. Some have been better than others through the years; many locals seek proximity to the ocean as their only criteria for dining at these restaurants. For that, all provide pleasant surroundings. Copyright © 2010 Jane Feehan, all rights reserved.

For breakfast or brunch in Fort Lauderdale, see: http://tinyurl.com/bsmt429

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Anglin’s Beach Café (on the pier)

2 Commercial Blvd.

Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida33308

954-491-6007

Breakfast served 7 a.m. - noon seven days

Review

Aruba Beach Café (see review - search for Aruba in box at right)

1 Commercial Blvd.

Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida 33308

954-776-0001

Brunch – Sunday, 9 a.m. – noon

www.arubabeachcafe.com
For review, click >> here

Country Ham ‘n Eggs MOVED TO EAST OAKLAND PARK BLVD. BEST IN FTL

4405 El Mar Drive

Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida 33308

954-776-1666

Breakfast served seven days 7 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

www.countryhamneggs.com

Mulligan's Beach House Bar & Grill ( Opened 12/2013)
14 A. Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida 33308
954-776-1530 

http://mulligansrestaurant.net/locations/lauderdale-by-the-sea/

Village Grille

4400 El Mar Drive

Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida 33308

954-776-5092

Breakfast served 8 – 11:30 a.m. weekdays

Saturdays: 8 a.m.- noon

Sundays: 8 a.m.- 12:30

www.villagegrille.com

On the beach between Oakland Park Blvd. and Sunrise:
Sand Bar and Grill - 954-565-5700

Sun Tower Hotel (north of the Pelican Grand Resort)

2030 N. Ocean Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305

Open at 8 am

For the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, visit: www.sunny.org
For the Town of Lauderdale by the Sea: http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/
For the Lauderdale by the Sea Chamber of Commerce: www.lbts.com

Tags: restaurants Lauderdale by the sea, beach breakfast, beach dining, waterfront dining Fort Lauderdale

Aruba Beach Cafe: Let's party in Lauderdale by the Sea

Aruba Beach Café

1 Commercial Blvd.

Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Florida 33308

Open Monday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m.-11 p.m.
954-776-0001

http://www.arubabeachcafe.com/menu.htm

By Jane Feehan

Whether stopping in after a swim, taking a walk on the nearby pier or gathering with friends, Aruba Beach Café can make any occasion seem like a party. It’s festively noisy and usually crowded with only a pane of glass separating diners from beach goers. Their tropical drinks and food with a Caribbean flare add to the fun.

Salads are oversized and fresh and so are the burgers and sandwiches ($12-18 average). They serve up a great lobster salad club. Skip the club format on whole wheat for this creation; ask for it on Bimini bread. Speaking of Bimini bread, they present a large hunk of it on a board with some food orders – delicious.

Seafood dishes ($22 average) for the most part are good but not exceptional; fish tends to be frozen, but heck this is more about fun than food. Three large bars, a complimentary pig roast on Friday Happy Hours (4-7 p.m.) and steel drums beckon drinkers but Aruba welcomes families to its large dining room.  

This beach side spot has been several iterations over the past 40 years or so, but Aruba has reigned longest, thanks to their winning formula for an entertaining, casual atmosphere and decent menu. Service: fair to good depending on the crowds. Breakfast served on Sundays. Copyright © 2010 Jane Feehan, all rights reserved.

For more information on Lauderdale by the Sea: http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/
Lauderdale by the Sea Chamber of Commerce: www.lbts.com

Tags: beach restaurants, beach dining, Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida, seafood restaurants, Fort Lauderdale, happy hour, restaurant reviews Fort Lauderdale

Sea Watch Restaurant - Unique holdout on Fort Lauderdale beach

Sea Watch Restaurant

6002 North Ocean Drive

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308

954-781-2200

Open Seven days

Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Dinner – 5-10 p.m. Sunday -Thursday

              5-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Bar 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

www.seawatchontheocean.com

By Jane Feehan

Located on three ocean-side acres in northeast Fort Lauderdale, Sea Watch attracts both tourists and locals. It is, perhaps, the only upscale yet casual (no bathing attire) restaurant actually situated on the beach in Broward County. Ocean views and a plush, old-timey nautical interior make for a vacation-like atmosphere - if only for the duration of a meal.

Fruits of the sea – Gulf shrimp, Florida and Maine lobster, oysters, mussels and fish – top the menu but steaks are also available. Sea Watch works hard to please and its food is consistent. On some occasions, however, I’ve been annoyed with some frozen fish touted as fresh.  Given the quality of preparation, presentation and entire experience over the number of times I’ve been there since it opened in 1974, Sea Watch still earns my high recommendations.

Every year or so, especially during real estate boom times, rumors abound about the sale of Sea Watch. So far, rumors have been just that; they serve as reminder of the gift of this restaurant's seaside location. Visit during day light hours for lunch (excellent) or an “early bird” dinner to capture the beauty of the dunes and white sand framing South Florida's tropical blue-green ocean waters. 

Reservations recommended; it gets very busy.  A lively bar (beverages, no meals) on the second floor provides a great view. Venues for group events, including outdoor weddings, are available. Dinner entrees average $30.

Copyright ©2010 Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

For the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, visit: www.sunny.org

Tags: Fort Lauderdale beach restaurants, Fort Lauderdale seafood restaurants, best Fort Lauderdale dining, beach weddings, Broward County beach dining, restaurant reviews

Tabica Grill: Odd mediocrity - Jupiter, Florida

Tabica Grill

901 West Indiantown Road (Jupiter Reserve Plaza)

Jupiter, Florida 33458

561-228-0108

Lunch – Monday-Friday: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Dinner – 5 pm-close seven days

http://www.tabicagrill.net     

By Jane Feehan

Enter Tabica Grill with caution. The menu is expansive (and overpriced), and in some cases, the food strange. It’s tough to describe their cuisine. It ranges from seafood to pasta to steaks (there’s even meatloaf) served up with a few Caribbean and Louisiana ideas.

Etoufee (about $17) came overloaded with sausage and shrimp tempura on the side. Strange indeed.  Needless to say, this is nothing like etouffee served along the Gulf Coast. No Mama influence here - a necessary Louisiana ingredient. I can’t imagine what twist they put on Louisiana BBQ shrimp. The other dishes we tried, very tough jerk chicken and an oddly cut piece of pork (each about $18) were equally disappointing. Bread delivered before the meal was a microscopically small loaf that we managed to divide into three slices. No salad included. To Tabica’s credit, they know how to cook up some delicious - and authentically Caribbean - plantains and black beans and rice.

The décor is odd as well. Lots of rough wood – almost a ski lodge look – but in a rail road car setting. Tables and booths are arranged in three neat rows down the room – good for maximum occupancy but not for comfort and design. While seating is geometrical and defined, the menu and food lack consistency and cohesiveness - an odd juxtaposition. Perhaps they should try it the other way around. Service: fair. Full bar, party room and catering available. © 2010. Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

Tags: Jupiter restaurants, Jupiter dining, Florida dining