Fine Dining Recommendations

[John R]

Casual excellent dining; Smiling Fish Cafe

 

[Teresa]

Casual excellent dining; Smiling Fish Cafe

you said it. one of my all time favorite spots on 30a.

 

[tsutcli]

Totally agree, Tootsie - we have many great restaurants that serve amazing food - I didn't say otherwise. I said, IMO, we don't have many "fine dining establishements". Most restaurants in SoWal would be catagorized as "upscale casual", not "fine dining".

I guess a better explanation of what I would consider "fine dining" are those restaurants ranked highly in the Zagat guide or a coveted ranking in the Michelin Guide, or who have received AAA Four or Five Diamond status - all of which are standards used in the industry. I forgot Criollas - I believe it has been given Diamond status.



And I absolutely didn't say that either - I said there are not many fine dining establishments.

Watercolors Fish Out of Water has a AAA 4 Diamond Rating but is very casual re: dress code.

 

[Beach Runner]

Fine dining in SoWal is truly relative. this town is not Atlanta nor should it ever be, despite efforts of some to make it so.

Amen, sister!

That's one reason we don't support the chain restaurants to the west and east of 30-A when we're down here. We get enough of those in the Atlanta area. We want a different experience here (although something like a Doc Chey's would be nice -- it's a chain of five ;-)).

 

[Teresa]

Florida's dress code is totally different no matter where you go. it's always casual. from bathing suit casual to going out on the town/cocktail casual. coastal casual. in other words, just about anything goes around here. suits me.

 

[Beach Runner]

We always said at UF that you could tell the full professors from the associate and assistant professors because they were the only ones who didn't wear flip-flops to class.

 

[Angelrlc]

My friend and I went and ate at Pandoras and it was amazing! I have been to the bar area but never sat down and ate, great steaks.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I'de pass on Bargo, unless they have just done it, they have not changed their menu in two years.
...

It's true that their menu doesn't change often, but for someone coming to the beach no more than once or twice a year, they won't think about the menu not changing. For local frequenters, that's another story. Most people tend to repeatedly order the same menu item at any given restaurant anyway.

 

[Beach Runner]

It's true that their menu doesn't change often, but for someone coming to the beach no more than once or twice a year, they won't think about the menu not changing. For local frequenters, that's another story. Most people tend to repeatedly order the same menu item at any given restaurant anyway.

True.dat. As in "The Kitty Special."

 

[Miss Kitty]

True.dat. As in "The Kitty Special."

...oh man have I been craving that Arugula salad!!!! Go have one for me!