I've been to many Michelin star restaurants and this is right up there with them. Granted, the ambiance is very casual and makes you a little Leary of the food quality when you walk in. That being said, there were 2 waitresses, 2 dishwashers, and a chef. They hustled and were making magic happen. We started off with the corn crab chowder, which was hands down the best corn crab chowder I've ever eaten. The chef told us he used king crab and blue crab in it. It was delicious. We also had the stone crab claws to start which were enormous and very fresh. For dinner my husband had the black grouper special and I had the twin lobster tails. Both were very very good. I loved the mashed potatoes and asparagus too. For dessert we had a slice of peanut butter pie. Again, it was great. The place doesn't serve alcohol, but is BYOB so we ran back to the house for a bottle of wine. It was funny to read some of the other reviews that had an ounce of negativity about people being disappointed with kids getting vegetables or that they didn't like their pasta dish. Get a life people! If you want your kids to be healthy or you can fathom eating seafood at a seafood restaurant, this place will be well worth it. Make sure you call/text early enough to get a reservation as spots fill up super fast.
jodi grobman brunsvold
5 stars all around! Pete the chef shows off his many years of culinary experience with his ever changing creations.... Meals that taste delicious and are beautifully presented. Shawnda and Alexis make sure everyone has what they need and their bubbly personalities add to the charm. You can sit inside or outside and enjoy the view.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melanie Porter
We just had the most amazing experience as they went above and beyond for our daughters birthday. They had a cake there for her while we were on the island and had the whole restaurant sang to her. They cut and served the cake after even. The staff is top notch, the food is made to order and phenomenal. If you are on the island you have to go here! We made reservations ahead of time. We would highly recommend and will definitely be back when we go back to the island.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brian Drennan
We started with the chowder which had crabmeat in it and was delicious. The scallops melted in my mouth. The seared tuna and crab cake appetizer did not disappoint either! It is incredible that Pete the chef single handedly puts out that quality of food all by himself. He's a one man show and you get to witness it first hand with the open kitchen. Beautiful view, amazing food and personable staff all rolled into one!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Carrie Wright
Spectacular little restaurant on the water with the best food and vibe. A true gem with a master level chef with a heart of gold. Thanks Chef Pete for an amazing experience and a life long memory.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Doug Collins
Over the Waterfront is like one of those places that your parents would tell you about when they were trying to convince you that the going was better back in the day.The service can be spotty. The water is served in plastic bottles. Forget about having a cup of coffee with dessert. None of that matters. What matters is that the chef is incapable of letting a poorly prepared meal leave the kitchen.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Don “Childs” Lewis
Limited seating inside. If you're claustrophobic it's not for you. So close your eyes it's worth it.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Seafood Burrito
Rhonda Tepe
We felt lucky to get into this awesome little spot! Make a reservation. Besides the pool bar, this was the only restaurant open on the island. We started our meal with beef barley soup. It was rich and delicious. Perfect. I'd go back just for that soup. My husband had sea bass with mashed potatoes and green beans for his entree. I had wild mushroom ravioli, smothered in a shredded chicken and vodka sauce. The sea bass was perfectly cooked and the ravioli was sooo filling. The sauce reminded me a little of my Dad's chicken cacciatore. Old school flavor. We shared a piece of key lime pie with fresh whipped cream to finish out the meal. Memorable place, great service. Perfect for our last night on the island! Note - BYOB. They do have water and soft drinks. Don't miss this one!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mindy M.
We were really excited to try this place until another regular to the island said, "Good luck," when I told her we had a reservation. And now we know why. The steak was crazy over priced for the quality. The fish was salty. And what kid wants rice and asparagus with their grilled cheese. My pasta was good, but that's hard to screw up, which is why ordered it. The service was great. Our waitress was attentive and very friendly. The ambiance was so-so. You'd think that since we made a reservation they could've found a better spot for us other than right inside in the door where everyone squished by us to get to other open tables. The best part of the meal was the wine, which we brought with us because this place is BYOB. And BYOB with a $10 cork fee. Seriously?! We escaped without dessert because who knows what that would've been like. We'll stick to cooking for ourselves after this experience.
Joe Cassels
Tiny place, stressed but strong service, excellent food at high prices to be expected on an isolated island. Very
We had the most wonderful experience here! The chef was so phenomenal — they have an open kitchen so we could watch the chef work his magic! Chef Pete made the best food! Would definitely recommend to anyone who comes out to North Captiva.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Robin C.
Had the most fabulous meal and experience! Quaint and Intimate space that is truly an "over the water" restaurant with a beautiful water view, over the top service and delicious food!! They went over and above to provide us with a birthday cake from the mainland! Couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised!! Worth a trip to North Captiva just to dine at this special place!!
doug gholson
Amazing place! Food and service superb! Small and cozy with a hint of ocean happiness! You have to do this!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David W.
Great place. Staff is over the top friendly and accommodating. Food was fantastic. Can't wait to return!
I've been to many Michelin star restaurants and this is right up there with them. Granted, the ambiance is very casual and makes you a little Leary of the food quality when you walk in. That being said, there were 2 waitresses, 2 dishwashers, and a chef. They hustled and were making magic happen. We started off with the corn crab chowder, which was hands down the best corn crab chowder I've ever eaten. The chef told us he used king crab and blue crab in it. It was delicious. We also had the stone crab claws to start which were enormous and very fresh. For dinner my husband had the black grouper special and I had the twin lobster tails. Both were very very good. I loved the mashed potatoes and asparagus too. For dessert we had a slice of peanut butter pie. Again, it was great. The place doesn't serve alcohol, but is BYOB so we ran back to the house for a bottle of wine. It was funny to read some of the other reviews that had an ounce of negativity about people being disappointed with kids getting vegetables or that they didn't like their pasta dish. Get a life people! If you want your kids to be healthy or you can fathom eating seafood at a seafood restaurant, this place will be well worth it. Make sure you call/text early enough to get a reservation as spots fill up super fast.
5 stars all around! Pete the chef shows off his many years of culinary experience with his ever changing creations.... Meals that taste delicious and are beautifully presented. Shawnda and Alexis make sure everyone has what they need and their bubbly personalities add to the charm. You can sit inside or outside and enjoy the view.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We just had the most amazing experience as they went above and beyond for our daughters birthday. They had a cake there for her while we were on the island and had the whole restaurant sang to her. They cut and served the cake after even. The staff is top notch, the food is made to order and phenomenal. If you are on the island you have to go here! We made reservations ahead of time. We would highly recommend and will definitely be back when we go back to the island.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We started with the chowder which had crabmeat in it and was delicious. The scallops melted in my mouth. The seared tuna and crab cake appetizer did not disappoint either! It is incredible that Pete the chef single handedly puts out that quality of food all by himself. He's a one man show and you get to witness it first hand with the open kitchen. Beautiful view, amazing food and personable staff all rolled into one!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Spectacular little restaurant on the water with the best food and vibe. A true gem with a master level chef with a heart of gold. Thanks Chef Pete for an amazing experience and a life long memory.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Over the Waterfront is like one of those places that your parents would tell you about when they were trying to convince you that the going was better back in the day.The service can be spotty. The water is served in plastic bottles. Forget about having a cup of coffee with dessert. None of that matters. What matters is that the chef is incapable of letting a poorly prepared meal leave the kitchen.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Limited seating inside. If you're claustrophobic it's not for you. So close your eyes it's worth it.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Seafood Burrito
We felt lucky to get into this awesome little spot! Make a reservation. Besides the pool bar, this was the only restaurant open on the island. We started our meal with beef barley soup. It was rich and delicious. Perfect. I'd go back just for that soup. My husband had sea bass with mashed potatoes and green beans for his entree. I had wild mushroom ravioli, smothered in a shredded chicken and vodka sauce. The sea bass was perfectly cooked and the ravioli was sooo filling. The sauce reminded me a little of my Dad's chicken cacciatore. Old school flavor. We shared a piece of key lime pie with fresh whipped cream to finish out the meal. Memorable place, great service. Perfect for our last night on the island! Note - BYOB. They do have water and soft drinks. Don't miss this one!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We were really excited to try this place until another regular to the island said, "Good luck," when I told her we had a reservation. And now we know why. The steak was crazy over priced for the quality. The fish was salty. And what kid wants rice and asparagus with their grilled cheese. My pasta was good, but that's hard to screw up, which is why ordered it. The service was great. Our waitress was attentive and very friendly. The ambiance was so-so. You'd think that since we made a reservation they could've found a better spot for us other than right inside in the door where everyone squished by us to get to other open tables. The best part of the meal was the wine, which we brought with us because this place is BYOB. And BYOB with a $10 cork fee. Seriously?! We escaped without dessert because who knows what that would've been like. We'll stick to cooking for ourselves after this experience.
Tiny place, stressed but strong service, excellent food at high prices to be expected on an isolated island. Very
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We had the most wonderful experience here! The chef was so phenomenal — they have an open kitchen so we could watch the chef work his magic! Chef Pete made the best food! Would definitely recommend to anyone who comes out to North Captiva.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had the most fabulous meal and experience! Quaint and Intimate space that is truly an "over the water" restaurant with a beautiful water view, over the top service and delicious food!! They went over and above to provide us with a birthday cake from the mainland! Couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised!! Worth a trip to North Captiva just to dine at this special place!!
Amazing place! Food and service superb! Small and cozy with a hint of ocean happiness! You have to do this!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great place. Staff is over the top friendly and accommodating. Food was fantastic. Can't wait to return!
Best tuna melt of my life
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5