Florida Bars

Capt. Tony Tarracino

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I found the above Capt. Tony Tarracino for Mayor poster (“He Listens To You”) a couple of years ago at my absolute favorite Key West shop, 90 Miles to Cuba, which is located at 616 Greene Street in the Historic Seaport District. A Key West legend, Capt. Tony (1916-2008) served as a shrimper, charter boat captain, gunrunner, proprietor of Captain Tony’s Saloon and Key West mayor from 1989 to 1991. Capt. Tony once remarked, “All you need in this life is a tremendous sex drive and a great ego. Brains don’t mean shit.” He served as the inspiration behind Jimmy Buffett’s 1985 song, “Last Mango in Paris.”  

Lazy Day at the SandBar

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We spent a recent Saturday at Capt. Hiram’s SandBar in Sebastian and had a blast as usual! There’s nothing like an afternoon at the SandBar where you can enjoy some great food (the Asian Tuna Nachos are highly recommended!), drink some amazing cocktails, listen to live music and simply soak in the laid-back atmosphere. Check it out!

Boat Drinks – St. Augustine

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During last Saturday’s torrential storm in St. Augustine, we ducked into a funky, Florida Keys-type eatery in the heart of St. George Street called Boat Drinks, which lives up to its billing as “a nautical tropical bar with frozen cocktails, a rum selection that would sink most ships and a bounty of fresh seafood.” Since it was early and we weren’t prepared for a full-blown meal, we opted to sample a couple of appetizers, including the Crispy Fish Bites (very good) and Plantain Chips ‘n Dips (outstanding). As you might expect, Boat Drinks specializes in an amazing selection of frozen drinks and rum punches, as well as rotating Florida craft beers. We had a great time at Boat Drinks and will definitely return soon! Oh yeah, we also hit one of our all-time favorite St. Augustine spots, Milltop Tavern. All in all, a very rewarding barhop in the “Ancient City” despite the awful weather.

 

Woody’s River Roo Pub & Grill

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“Welcome to the Roo with a View!” We planned on driving from Ocoee to Fort Myers and back in one day, so I wanted to find a good place to stop for lunch on the way back. So I Googled “Tiki Bar near I-75” and Woody’s River Roo Pub & Grill on the scenic Manatee River in Ellenton came up. A great place by the way (if you can find it)! I thoroughly enjoyed my Ahi Tuna Tacos. It’s the kind of place you can hang out all day and enjoy the view with an ice-cold beer if you have the time.

D.J.’s Deck

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A laid-back bar and eatery, D.J’s Deck lies in Port Orange adjacent to the Port Orange Causeway and overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway (just two blocks from the beach). It’s the perfect place to chill out with an ice-cold beer and enjoy a burger, wrap or fresh seafood. The food is delicious and you can’t beat the scenic view (we even saw some dolphins swimming in the Intracoastal Waterway from our table on the outside deck). You order at the bar, which is located underneath a large, Polynesian-style tiki hut, and they bring your food to your table. We enjoyed great service from a very friendly staff! We hit D.J.’s Deck after a great day exploring Lighthouse Point Park and Ponce de Leon Lighthouse in Ponce Inlet. We’ll definitely be back!

Bert’s Bar & Grill

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If you are passing through the small community of Matlacha, you MUST stop at Bert’s Bar & Grill and sample the delicious food or at least grab an ice-cold beer while you enjoy the scenic waterfront view. According to the official website, “Bert’s Bar is composed of two buildings. The original building was the bar near the road. It was built in the 30’s as a ‘sweet shop.’ Then in 1941 the hotel building was built. It consisted of eight sleeping rooms. During WWII, army bases were set up at Page Field and many of the soldiers would come out for a weekend to Matlacha to go fishing off the ‘fishingest bridge in Florida’ at Matlacha Pass. They became regular customers of the hotel and bar. The hotel had the reputation of ‘ill repute’ and ladies of the night. Imagine that!” The menu at Bert’s features something for everyone! We tried the Fish Dip, Peel & Eat Shrimp, Hamburger, Shrimp Caesar Salad and Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad. It was simply amazing! Bert’s also features live entertainment nightly. Check it out!

Gator Joe’s Beach Bar & Grill

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I’ve always wanted to go to Gator Joe’s Beach Bar & Grill and finally got the opportunity Saturday after we dropped by nearby Lake Griffin State Park. Billed as “a family friendly restaurant with a laid-back atmosphere & island cuisine,” this lakefront eatery, which was established in 1926, lived up to all our expectations! According to Gator Joe’s official website, the legendary eatery “got its name from a famous alligator who lived in Lake Weir from approximately 1930-1952. In 1934, while trying to find the Ma Barker Gang, the FBI intercepted a letter mentioning an ‘Old Joe’ near the Barker hideout. Lake Weir was pinpointed as it was found to have a big gator known as ‘Old Joe.’ On January 16, 1935, the FBI found the Barker gang in a historic home 1/8 mile from Gator Joe’s and in a 4-hour gun battle, Ma and one of her sons were killed. ‘Joe’ on the other hand lived until 1952.” Diners can even view Gator Joe’s encased foot near the entrance to the restaurant, which is located at 12431 S.E. 135 Avenue in Ocklawaha. Believe me, it’s worth the trip!