“You can feel the history”
Hadn't been
to Cap's for about 25 years, and still as I remember it. Wanted a place to
take out of town guests to experience old Florida and wonderful seafood.
Starting with the boat ride over and a brief "island" history get ready to
eat some fresh and delicious seafood. Don't expect an elegant place, it is
rustic and exactly what it should be. There were 4 of us for dinner.
Starting with the crab cakes as recommended by our very knowlegable and
pleasant waiter, and escargot...very good, but the crab cakes were such a
hit we ordered another plate! We all ordered something different. I
started with fresh hearts of palm salad and if you have only ever had palm
from a can, you must order these to experience what fresh hearts of palm
tastes like, just wonderful. I also ordered the special Yellowtail
Snapper, which was very fresh and cooked perfectly, for your side I would
suggest the chive mashed potatoes...yum! One of our guests ordered the
1.5lb stuffed main lobster, she hasn't stopped talking about it. All and
all a great meal and a fun way to spend a beautiful Florida evening.
BeenAroundTheWorld1 South Florida, March, 2013
"Welcome
Home"
We had
the honor of closing Cap’s Place last Friday night and I felt a kinship
with numerous historical figures. Don’t be fooled by the glitz of Boca,
Palm Beach, etc. – Cap’s Place is the real deal. Fresh tenderly cooked
fish, the old South Florida recipe for palm salad and a creamy, tangy key lime pie all
in the ambience of a cabin on an island in the great blue ocean. Cap’s
also had great servers with humor, knowledge and so friendly. There are
many amazing places to eat in this multi-town strip of
Florida seashore but go here
if you want fabulous food and a slice of the real along with your pie. It
is a ride you don’t want to miss.
CCMMSS Gainesville,
Florida October, 2012
“Worth the trip”
Our
local friends encouraged us to dine at Caps while visiting the area. We
were guided to the parking lot and dock by one of the staff and
transported by boat to the restaurant. It's rustic appearance and history
are fascinating but the real draw is the outstanding food and service. Our
choices included escargot, crab cakes and salmon; we have never had
better! The service was beyond professional with very engaging staff
ensuring that we were comfortable and enjoyed this unique experience.
KathyBJax_FL Jacksonville, Florida September 2012
“Great experience ”
Even
though I have lived in
Fort Lauderdale
for 16 years, I only heard of Cap's two years ago. When mom and dad
vitsited fron Kentucky they wanted to go there for their last dinner in
Fort Lauderdale.
The entire experience was great from the boat ride to the island, the
rustic old Florida atmosphere, the fun/friendly service and the delicious
food.
Our captain was fun and informative. we got there a little early and had a
drink at the bar and viewed all the old pictures and antique items. The
bar really takes you back in time and the bartender was very nice. The
dining room was also very rustic and filled with old pictures and
artifacts. if you are into history you will love Cap's place.
Our server, Nancy, was great fun. we joked and laughed with her, but when
it came time to order we took her recommendations very seriously. The crab
cakes and yellow tail snapper, incredible!! the blue cheese dressing,
delicious! The crab cakes are made the way they should be with no bread
crumbs. ALL CRAB MEAT! Cap's has a great chef. we heard rumors from the
boat captain that the chef also makes the best fried chicken, but it's not
on the menu (maybe somday). even the side dishes were great. sweet potato
mash and sauteed squash.
I can't say enough about what a great time we had. the food was great,
Nancy and the entire dining room staff from hostess to busser and even the
other servers really made you feel at home and were very attentive.
Besides being a lot of fun,
Nancy was really knowledgable of the menu and informative about
the history of the restaurant. She really enhanced an already wonderful
experience.I I will definitly be back. it is a great place to bring family
and friends visting south
Florida
Robe888
Fort Lauderdale
August 2012
“Great dining experience”
We
hadn't been to Cap's Place in many years, but decided to go when we wanted
a special dinner out. We enjoyed the boat ride over, but the food is what
we will go back for. Excellent seafood, tasty and fresh salad and
dressings, friendly and helpfull waitress, and the historic atmosphere
that chains simply cannot compete with. We were surprised that on a
Saturday night the place was not packed. Not cheap, but no more expensive
than most of the restaurants that supposedly sell fresh seafood. Snapper
was perfectly prepared, melt in your mouth texture, and the shrimp were
large and sauteed just until done. Will definitely go back soon!
JulieG Parkland, Florida
August 2012
“Rustic Florida at it's best”
I
brought my family of 4 to Cap's place, after boat ride over, just takes a
few minutes, they seated us. Great service, I had the broiled seafood
platter, it was very tasty. My wife had the sauteed Yellowtail snapper, it
was the best I have ever tasted. The soups, crabcakes, bread, were all
wonderful and very fresh. My mother had the sauteed Grouper with fresh
fruit salsa, again, outstanding. I would recommend to all my family and
freinds. Satisfied Customer.
Michael
G Fort Lauderdale,
Florida June 2012
“A piece of history”
I'm
surprised by reviews saying they didn't care for the food or it was over
priced. My friend ordered oyster's rockefeller and they came out on a big
platter and still brought one more out that wouldn't fit. The oysters were
huge and they tasted great! All our meals were very good. (the clam
linguinie was super) We had been in the area for almost two weeks and the
price seemed comparable to the other restaurants we had been to. But even
past the food, this is an experience to be had even if you just came over
for a drink. You get on this little boat that will hold several (nothing
fancy but nothing shabby either) You go 10 minutes through the canal
waterway with lots of pretty houses to look at. Then you come up on
literally what looks like a large garage. When you read the history you
get what you are looking at and it makes sense.. When you get inside it is
quaint and rustic and feels rich with history. I mean Roosevelt and
Churchill used to meet here. Ernest Hemingway used to drink here and we
were told that earlier this year Bill Clinton came here The food was great
and our server was more than attentive but just to go to somewhere that
isn't your usual beach fair or basic restaurant is pretty darn cool. It
has been what we have told the folks back home about the most out of our
whole trip. CapsPlace was unusual, interesting, a great meal and a great
experience.
jjhunt
Paducah, Kentucky June, 2012
“AWESOME”
A great
experience - short boat ride to island - very rustic but food is GREAT --
not cheap but worth it. Great crab cakes ..full of yummy crab meat...GO -
ENJOY!
kgpg
Massachusetts March 2012
“Best crab cakes anywhere!”
I'm a
crab cake snob, and these are the best. Next time I will get the crab cake
appetizer & the crab cake entree! It's a charming old place. Other
reviewers commented that it's a "shack"- well, it's been in business since
the 1920's with little to no renovation. It's part of the charm. It's hard
to find but so worth the effort! The short boat ride is neat too. If
you're looking for fancy, go elsewhere. If you're up for an adventure & a
unique atmosphere, Cap's is it. Get the crab cakes! Lgo987 December, 2011
“Wonderful! Wonderful! wonderful!!”
This is
a laid back, Old Florida restaurant that is one of the best seafood
restaurants in the country!! The people are REAL! The atmosphere is
casual...with a hint of yester-year elegance. I have been visiting this
little treasure since 1959. I have introduced countless friends and
relatives to Cap's! I will continue visiting as often as I am in Florida.
In the '80s, when our children were small, we were once treated to an
interruption in our dinner to join the staff outside to look North and see
a Space Shuttle launce! Such caring and wonderful things do NOT happen at
'generic' restaurants...which now abound in Florida, and everywhere! Dear
Cap's Place--- Don't change a thing!! (And DO NOT run out of Hearts of
Palm salad!! The Ferrara family LOVES YOU!!!
diver465 Fishers, Indiana November, 2011
“Historic Old Florida charm with great steaks and seafood.”
Originally built in the 20's Cap's Place is a historic part of Old Florida
charm which is becoming increasingly scarce. Get cocktails in the separate
bar and read the captions on pictures of a Florida which is long gone.
Walk, read and relax in the same footsteps, and uneven floorboards, of
Florida's pioneers, visionaries, bootleggers, smugglers and scoundrels.
The authentic wooden frame building is old and sun-washed, but inside is
clean, inviting and the definition of Old Florida ambiance. The staff
seems genuine and happy to be there. The walls filled with Florida
history. FDR and Churchill were served food from Cap's while staying
nearby before leaving for England from Florida instead of Washington to
deceive the wolfpacks!
We have
never had a bad meal or bad service. The filet mignon is great and my wife
was impressed by the seafood medley, enough to have ordered it a second
time. However, if you require everything done for you and your every need
fulfilled , stay in Boca at Mizner with the fancy chefs, accountants,
Credit-default swappers and Ponzi schemers! CAUTION, every aspect of this
experience has NOT been cleverly engineered so you can feel good about
yourself. Boats have exhaust, old wooden buildings have lumpy floors, the skys' blue, waters' wet. The unscripted experience can supercharge the
romantic environment. It drizzled the first evening we went there. The
canvas cover on the shuttle LEAKED! Can you believe it, canvas leaks! We
found the drier area, I placed my coat down so she could be more
comfortable, that's one reason you wear one, not just because it makes you
look better, then we put the umbrella back up, IN THE BOAT! Married 27
years and the night was already off to a magic start. This is not a cheap
place to eat but do yourself a favor and skip more of the glorified bar
food out there and be part of a real Florida experience.
pikappbh Fort Lauderdale, Florida May, 2011
“Take me as I am, or don't take me at all”
"This food is as
pricey as big city fare, but it's unadorned: Take me as I am, or don't
take me at all. And those who think a big fresh piece of fish needs to be
slathered in some frou-frou sauce, with a bunch of hand-carved vegetable
rosettes on the side, can damn well go elsewhere."
-Gail Shepherd,
Broward-Palm Beach New Times
HobeSoundVisitor
“Worth the visit for a return to old Florida”
As a
South Florida native, I had never heard about Cap's Place until recently -
so we decided to make our 1st visit - and it's not around the corner - we
drove over 1 hour to give em a try - and boy am I glad we did! What a
fantastic piece of nostalgia - ah, old Florida before it was all built up
and cement jungle!
The food was very good - slightly pricey, but I think you're paying for
the experience. Our server, Ron, was fantastic! When we told him this was
our 1st visit, he took the time to explain the history of the restaurant
and the hearts of palm, and went over all of the specials in detail. My
husband ordered the crab cake appetizer - fantastic! Just slightly breaded
and full of fresh lump crab meat - WOW! For dinner, our party ordered the
crab cake dinner (2 huge crab cakes); scallops (8 huge scallops slightly
breaded, broiled in a white wine & garlic sauce); bacon wrapped scallops
(8 huge bacon wrapped scallops); and sesame crusted salmon w/honey mustard
glaze. For our sides, there was brown rice w/fresh spinach pieces, mashed
sweet potatoes & grilled veggies. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meal!
If you haven't experienced Cap's Place, or even if you have, this place
should be visited at least every 3-4 months - I'm so glad I didn't listen
to the negative reviews - this place ROCKS!
Hobe Sound Visitor Hobe Sound,
Florida, June 2011
