So far we have been extremely lucky in picking our restaurants in the Tampa Bay area. Whether its Whiskey Joes, Ricky T’s, The Floridian, Crabby Bills, Gondoliers, or others we have yet to write about, Tampa Bay has been the core of most of our favorite eateries. One of the best parts of dining in Tampa Bay is the influx of restaurants placed so close to the nice calmer beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. In the case of this place however, they actually own a portion of the beach, resulting in potentially eating a good lunch while digging your toes in the sand. Potential of awesomeness is very strong because of this, so we scurried over to Caddy’s On the Beach to see if we uncovered yet another culinary hidden treasure in Tampa Bay.
Located in the edges of Treasure Island, Caddys is located in a building that has been around for several decades and has gone through multiple changes. Not sure where in the history they started owning the beach, but nowadays it’s a very popular spot with a good following and the closest proximity to the beach imaginable. Not only is the place on the beach, but supposedly you can dine in the beach—a few yards away from the waters. We went on a slow day, because a storm had just passed over the entire state. This resulted in most people just staying indoors. When we went, there were very few people, and even fewer employees. It took a while for anyone to notice us because the few employees were already busy. In the meantime there was a singer playing some tunes outside. Interesting thing to note about this place: all of their plates were paper plates and the cups used for our drinks were like beer pong cups.
The biggest disappointment happened here: we couldn’t dine on the beach. For some odd reason they closed off all the tables that were placed beyond the outdoor deck and patio where we were eventually seated. Kind of a bummer. Instead we sat right next to the singer, who disappointingly didn’t seem to know who Lynard Skynyrd is (Insert audible gasp). There was a very cold breeze attacking us throughout the lunch, and luckily we had our wonderful server Vicki fighting off the wind to help us. She was very helpful and friendly, and told us the most popular item in the restaurant surprisingly is the smoked corned beef reuben.
Michael jumps on that sandwich immediately. Josh and Kyle order the jalapeno poppers and each order the Sandkicker: two half-pound angus beef patties with double bacon and double cheese. I ordered the Fish of the Day, which was mahi-mahi (oh happy day). I also give their peel and eat shrimp a shot, as well as the grouper nuggets. Hey, it’s my last visit to a restaurant for the next month, so might as well go all the way. After a short wait, the shrimp arrives first, and rather quickly too. The shrimp wasn’t seasoned too much, and overall not much was actually added. The shrimp nonetheless was pretty good, as it was crunchier than most peel n’ eat shrimp I’ve had in the past. But Margaritaville annihilates this place in terms of the appetizer—as they spice it up with a medley of great seasonings and spices.
The grouper nuggets, not always available by the way, were incredible from the first bite to the last. It came scorching hot, and it was nicely battered and contained plenty of fresh fish meat inside. A bit up there on price though, giving you that fair warning. These nuggets were quite filling too. The jalapeno poppers were also a big hit, but I never tried them since I don’t get along with spicy food. But their poppers are stuffed with jalapeno and cream cheese. Josh and Kyle loved them so much they asked for a second order of them. The appetizers did a good job holding us over while we waited for the main dishes.
The Sandkickers were massive, and they delivered quite a great punch. Josh and Kyle ranked the burger in their personal top 3 list (I believe at #2 for both of them, if I remember correctly), which is impressive given all the burgers we’ve seen and attempted in the past. As for me, I thought the burger was surprisingly outstanding, and very juicy. It’s much better than your typical restaurant burgers, and is a couple steps behind Five Guys and Margaritaville. Following close behind was the out-of-nowhere greatness that is the corned beef reuben. If you had told me that a seafood joint on the beach would produce among the best reuben sandwich this side of Florida…..I am pretty sure I would laugh at you and tell you to go to Cooters. But, the meat was plentiful and very thick, while the sauerkraut was extremely light in texture and compliment, and the dressing and rye were a nice final touch.
My mahi-mahi, although good, was the weakest of the three main meals. I asked for it to come fried, and it came with their fries and cole slaw. The mahi was quite juicy, and the fried batter wasn’t overwhelming. In terms of the mahi-mahi, its definitely one of the better fried fish I’ve had. But, unlike the best of mahi, it wasn’t very filling. And for its $13, one would hope for better, more seafood-like sides. Unfortunately for every restaurant from here on out: Crabby Bills over at Clearwater for 4 bucks more gives you shrimp, hush puppies, fritters, mashed potatoes, and a second helping of Mahi. Of the three main meals, mine had the weakest bang for its buck.
Bottom Line: Caddys on the Beach was quite an interesting mix of uneven presentation and amazing food. The seafood was good, but it was the non-seafood items that truly flourished; from the poppers to the burgers to even the corned beef. There is plenty of good food to be floating around, but unfortunately we didn’t see the happy and vibrant atmosphere this place was known for, as they didn’t even offer us a chance to eat on the beach like most locals advertise. Nonetheless, the service was good, the meal was good, and the fact that we can relax on the beach just a few inches away is always a help. I recommend that you give this place a visit, but not mainly for the seafood, but for the comfortable approximately to the beach and the wonderful burgers and sandwiches. Caddys is another addition to the ever-growing list of wonderful eateries in the Tampa Bay belt, which stretches from Clearwater through St. Petersburg and Treasure Island.
Verdict: Recommend
Caddy's on the Beach
9000 West Gulf Boulevard
Sunset Beach, FL 33706
(727) 360-4993
