Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille

TOOK OVER AN HOUR TO GET OUR FOOD after we were seated. And that’s the last thing anyone with kiddos who are tired after a day at the beach wants to deal with. Needless to say, we won’t be back.
Our waitress wasn’t great either. We ordered the black bean appetizer but it didn’t come out with enough chips to finish it. She came to our table and commented that we ran out of chips but didn’t offer to bring more. She offered to clear our app plates and took the rest of the appetizer (about ¼ left) without asking. She took our forks, too, and never noticed for the rest of the meal. Not a huge deal since I got the Peel & Eat shrimp and my husband still had his fork, but our kids did end up eating their fruit cups with their hands.
The service never got any better. I had to ask for the «special desert» that came with the kids meal (an ice cream sandwich). Oh, and the kids meals don’t come with a drink. They charge you an adult price ($ 2.50) for a drink with a lid that they never offer to refill.
The food was ok, but nothing special for the prices. My husband ordered a mojito that tasted like Sprite with simple syrup.
Pass this place up. Plenty of other good places to eat on the island.

Awesome grouper sandwich and mangotini! Great atmosphere. Wish the patio opened before 5.

The Yucatan shrimp is one of my favorite dishes of all time. The kids love the chicken strips and the fish fingers. We stop here at least twice every time we come to Sanibel. Service is always good and they have a decent craft beer rotation.

We really had a great time here, the bartender was very helpful and suggested several rum libations that started our night out right. We moved on to dinner and had shrimp and grits (amazing!!) along with paella (also amazing) and grouper wrapped in a banana leaf with black beans & rice (not my favorite, but I’m not a fan of beans & rice). The worst part was the special, unfortunately, it just wasn’t good (grouper blackened with nori over a weird cauliflower coconut purée)…our server was very understanding and they comped that meal… they made it right so we went shopping in their little store and bought 3 t-​shirts.

I had the best fish tacos here. So much flavor and a nice kick of spice. The clam chowder was great as well. The atmosphere was air conditioned so it was a bit chilly after a while. They had two options as to where you could sit. Basically one section was louder than the other bc the bar. So it was nice to be able to choose the quieter location.

Classic local Florida restaurant with great seafood. Menu has something for everyone.
4 Stars = Friendly staff, quick service, historical Florida restaurant atmosphere, seafood on par but anything other seafood tastes average.
The atmosphere is a place that any Florida native would appreciate. From the wooden canoes hanging on the ceiling to the historical biography of the owner on the back of the menu, this place gleams with reminders of Florida’s past.
I started with Doc’s Beach Bread and a mixed drink called Doc’s Cure. The bread had a few different types of cheeses melted over toasted bread with chunks of tomatoes sprinkled over the top. It was a great appetizer to start with, especially with the mixed drink.
For the entrée, I ordered the Shake and Shuck Yucatan Shrimp. The sauce used in cooking the shrimp was very unique. Definitely believeable that the chef discovered the recipe in his travels to Mexico!
The Panamaniac’s Pulled Pork was a nice deviation from the seafood but not worth trying unless you were dying for some BBQ.

Wish I could say I loved it, but I didn’t. We started with the much-​touted Yucatan shrimp appetizer. The shrimp were big, juicy, and tasteless. The sauce, however, was delicious. Next time I’ll ask the server to hold the shrimp and bring extra bread for dipping! Yum! Since Doc Ford’s prides itself on its rum, I ordered a Mai Tai. Tip: order one of the specialty rums if you’re a rum drinker. The well brand in the mixed drink was only okay.
I ordered the blackened grouper sandwich as my entrée. The fish was cooked perfectly and the accompanying fries were fine. Be sure to ask for tartar sauce on the side; the sandwich was dressed but I only tasted a hint of the house made tartar. You’ll find a nice variety of hot sauces on the table which should help add flavor to your order. My husband ordered the crab cake appetizer which he pronounced acceptable. My advice: there are many other restaurants to patronize on this wonderful island. Skip this tourist spot and head for someplace with more finesse.

This is the only restaurant on Sanibel Island we visited twice on our one week vacation. First of all, the mojitos are the best mojitos I’ve tasted outside of Costa Rica. If you are a mojito drinker, this is the place for you! I enjoyed the atmosphere: casual, friendly, low-​key, and outstanding service both times we were there. On the first visit we shared the seared tuna appetizer and the banana leaf snapper. (We wanted to leave room for key lime pie for dessert.) The seared tuna was refreshing and tasty and the banana leaf snapper was also very good. The portions are large, so you can easily share a dish.
The key lime pie was the second best of 6 key lime pie slices I had during my week on Sanibel. It had a silky consistency and the flavor was good, but I thought Gramma Dot’s did a better job on the graham cracker crust and I preferred the slightly tarter flavor there. But don’t get me wrong, I’d order Doc Ford’s key lime pie again — it’s an excellent key lime pie.
On our second visit our waiter Sam was especially helpful and knowledgeable. When my husband ordered a high end rum, Sam recommended another one at a lower price that he thought was better. It was. I had the shrimp and grits and it was delicious. The grits were a pretty yellow color and the cheese addition made them especially flavorful. My husband had the mussels and they were excellent.
Don’t miss this restaurant during your stay on Sanibel. Be sure to bring your appetite with you.

Very good sea food, great view of the water and tasty drinks. I would definitely recommend going here. Their shrimp tacos were excellent. The lava drop frozen drink was a nice cool off on a hot day.

The chimichurri chicken was amazing and so was the mojito!
And a really nice girl who worked there helped my boyfriend and I get home in the rain when she found out we were biking. I would definitely go back to this restaurant, everything was A+

Fabulous food. After a hot day on the beach we wanted to eat light. So came to Doc Fords for a great evening with Rum Runners to start. I had delicious arugula tomato and mozzarella salad with grilled shrimp. My husband got the tropical salad with blackened shrimp. Really yummy spiced pecans and dried cherries. Everything was prepared perfectly with excellent ingredients, no limp lettuce here! We finished by splitting key lime pie, a variation on time honored favorite with walnuts in crust.

Stopped here for a late lunch after biking around the island. Food was delicious, server seemed a bit impatient during interactions, but didn’t impact food and beverages being brought out promptly. If you like spice, order the Yucatan peel and eat shrimp-​excellent! It comes with bread to sop up all the sauce at the end, mmm. We followed that with the jerk chicken tostados and seafood ceviche-​both very enjoyable. Would recommend and probably return again.

We had a party of 11 and the wait was moderate.
Everyone had a different dish and from the appetizers to the main course, everything was fantastic! If in the area again will definitely return.

This was a great lunch spot before hitting the beaches of Sanibel after driving up from Naples. Looking for a place that didn’t just specialize in fish, my family settled on this place. There were lots of salad/​sandwich options that didn’t just cater to the fish lovers in our group.
The drink menu featured a number of great seasonal Florida beers and our waiter was knowledgeable and steered us to a few recommendations based on our beer preferences. The IPA my dad and I tried was great!
The service was fast and friendly — the waiter had lots of recommendations for beer and food and was quick to refill our waters, get us another beer, check in about our meal, etc. We didn’t arrive at peak lunch time, but the place was still pretty crowded.
The food was EXCELLENT! My dad raved about the Yucatan shrimp that our waiter recommended. Excellent flavors, generous portion. The parmesan-​crusted sandwich that my mom and I ordered was also excellent. The portion was HUGE and the addition of the lemon garlic aioli and balsamic onions and tomatoes made the dish a step up from a heavier chicken parm sandwich. A sandwich you could definitely share if you were getting an app or had a lighter appetite.
There was a wait for the patio, so we sat inside. The ambiance was a sports-​bar feel, with high top tables, tvs around the room, and a break from the standard water front dining with substandard food.
Highly recommend for the variety of the menu and quality of the food!

Absolutely amazing Tuesday night dinner. I think our party of six agreed; one of the best meals we’ve had in a long time. We had meals ranging from the scallop special, salmon, shrimp and grits, pasta, bean dip and the delicious beers of Ft Meyers brewing. I can’t remember having a meal with a large group where everyone left stuffed and happy. We’re planning on going back tomorrow for the game and some snacks, can’t wait! Btw… Andy and Sam (and everyone else) are fantastic!

I’ve been reading RWW’s Doc Ford series for some time. I think I bought the first Doc Ford in paperback when it was released. That I «know» Doc Ford got my attention for this place. Decent reviews and a friend recommendation made it a must-​visit when I took my first trip to Sanibel Island.
I loved the Yucatan peel & eat shrimp. The chowder was fine. For the main course, I got grouper on risotto that was very good. Service was excellent — helpful and attentive.
The restaurant is large, and there was a wait at dinner time, but they seated me faster than their estimate. The restaurant itself is more like a sports bar which I’m very comfortable in.
A strong 4+ score.

Visiting friends who were in Sanibel Island and wanting to get a local/​island feel, we ended up at Doc Ford’s. I’m glad that with the myriad of restaurants in the area that we ended up at this local joint.
My first impression of the restaurant was that it was a complex. The parking surrounds it and although the restaurant was buzzing, parking was easy to find. I saw that there were really two buildings connected by a walkway so to me it looked like a compound. This ended up being a great set up for us as we were able to put our names in for a table (given a buzzer to alert us when we were able to be seated) and also hang out at the adjacent bar in the patio area inside bar for the hour wait that we were quoted. There were a ton of people waiting so I thought it might be awhile before they were able to accommodate our large party of 8 however we only waited about 20 – 25 minutes.
The bartender was very efficient and offered suggestions and information to us about what was offered on the drink menu. My friend settled on a flight of rum and was happy that the selection was of local to Florida-​made rums. We also had some specialty drinks and local brews.
For dinner we started with some tasty oysters and their signature Yucatan shrimp dish which were enjoyed by all. The shrimp were large and flavorful and accompanied by a nice spicy sauce and crusty yet soft-​in-​the-​center Cuban bread. I split the grouper dinner with my dining companion, but our table also ordered the legendary shrimp and grits, the ribeye steak, and the grouper sandwiches. The food was enjoyed by all and I didn’t hear any complaints. I sampled some of the ribeye and it was cooked perfectly with nice sear marks on it. The accompanying sides were also very well prepared.
Being that it was my friends birthday we were given a piece of massive carrot cake (his favorite). Luckily it was huge and enough to share because I know he could’ve eaten that thing all on his own. It was very delicious and had a lighter, more fluffy texture than the carrot cakes I am used to which I very much enjoyed. Kayla was an outstanding server and offered many suggestions and explanations of the food on the menu. She also was personable and very efficient. The only drawback for this place is that the prices tend to be on the high side but there are some more relatively cheaper dishes but the quality of food is high. You also can’t beat the service our our atmosphere sitting out on the patio in the evening.
I definitely recommend this restaurant for consistently good food and service in Sanibel Island!

The best mojitos on Sanibel Island, in my opinion.
Not too sweet, lots of fresh mint, and a bit on the boozy side — perfect! Doc really knows how to make a mean cocktail!
We stopped in for one drink and ended up spending most of the afternoon enjoying frosty mojitos on the lush and relaxed outdoor patio.
This visit we tried the calamari and Yucatan peel n’ eat shrimp — both dishes were totally delicious. Took a slice of key lime pie to go which was one of the best I’ve ever had.
Highly recommend checking this out if you are visiting the area. Note they do get super busy during peak hours, so enjoy a drink al fresco while you wait!

Great food in a relaxed atmosphere!
We were staying on Sanibel and were asking for recommendations for our anniversary dinner — Doc Ford’s was the place.
Every time we drove by it, it was packed. I called for reservations for a Monday night and was told we didn’t need them. She was right.
We arrived early, around 5:30, and were seated immediately. We didn’t order drinks, but they had a nice drink menu and flights of rum that looked very interesting.
We were going to order Doc’s Beach Bread because it sounded delicious, but all of the Unilocal reviews raved about the Yucatan Shrimp, so we had to give it a try. So glad we did! We ordered the ¼ lb. portion, but could have easily eaten more. Wow, were they delish! The sauce itself was awesome, and we were happy to have bread to soak it up!
The clam chowder looked good, so we shared a bowl. It was good, but not spectacular. I didn’t think it had enough clams in it, but it was tasty.
We ordered the special — broiled Hog’s Head with crab stuffing on top and a lovely lemon beurre sauce. Yum! The fish was local caught and it was super fresh. A side of julienne veggies and home-​made mashed potatoes were a nice accompaniment.
We were going to order a slice of Key Lime Pie, since many Unilocalers raved about it, but Krista, our lovely server, brought out a slice with a candle, for our anniversary. Awww! It was every bit as good as advertised!
Next time we stay in Sanibel, we’ll be sure to return to Doc Ford’s!

So this is the place to go on Sanibel, according to Unilocal.Honestly, we were not overly impressed with any our meals while on the island. I understand that meals will cost more on Sanibel but they better taste good– especially the seafood! Doc’s was about a 30 minute wait for dinner. While waiting we had some drinks and were eaten alive by the no see ums that are everywhere this time of year. Maybe this was why the large outdoor deck was not open for dining?
Finally we were seated in the main dining room near a large fish tank. The restaurant is crowded, both with people and stuff, and is loud. The floor feels sticky. Our server did a fine job but I was kind of disappointed in the menu. First, the Yucatan shrimp was spicy and could not be altered. Second, the Doc Ford’s original fish sandwich was one of those random cheap fish varieties that also could not be subbed out for a local variety like grouper. I ended up getting Panko Crusted Grouper ($ 26.95) which was a bit bland. It was definitely not worth the money, even at island prices. Maybe I just got the wrong dish but no one else at the table was wowed either. If we come back to Sanibel I think we’ll skip Doc’s.

Das Doc Ford´s ist ein Restaurant auf der idyllischen Insel «Sanibel Island». Hier bekommt man besten Fisch. Mal etwas anderes zu der typischen «Burger Karte» die man sonst aus den USA kennt ;)
Mein Lachs war wunderbar und der Blattspinat mit Pilzen war 1A.
Die Crabcakes sind auch definitiv einen Versuch wert.
Das Essen war hervorragend, der Preis allerdings auch. Aber da die Qualität in allen belangen gestimmt hat, gab es für mich nichts zu meckern. Der Service war auch sehr nett (wie man es aus den USA kennt) und zuvorkommend.
Schaue gerne beim nächsten mal vorbei

Tolle Atmosphäre, Hammer Gerichte (Lachs und Fried Shrimp). Super Mojito zu fairem Preis (würde mir aber Rohrzucker wünschen) und dauerhafte Sportübertragungen in Bar/​Restaurant Atmosphäre. Einfach super, wenn auch nicht ganz günstig.
Für jeden der auf Sanibel was fürs Dinner sucht eine Empfehlung. Service ist auch sehr nett.

Restaurant excellent. Serveur sympathique et attentionné. Repas copieux et délicieux. À 4 ce midi, nous avons commandé 4 plats différents, tous délicieux. Idem pour les desserts.