Best Restaurants Punta Gorda: Delicious Finds
Nestled along Florida's Southwest coast, Punta Gorda is a hidden gem for culinary adventurers. From waterfront dining to cozy downtown eateries, the city offers a diverse tapestry of flavors. The best restaurants in Punta Gorda boast fresh, local seafood, authentic international cuisine, and atmospheres that range from the elegantly sophisticated to the charmingly rustic. Whether you're in the mood for an upscale bistro experience or a laid-back outdoor meal under the palms, Punta Gorda's dining scene is brimming with options that promise to delight your palate and provide a memorable gastronomic journey.
The captain's table restaurant
4.2
(1587)
Happening hub specializing in seafood serves up sizable dishes made for sharing amid quirky decor.
Reviews:
Excellent food, views and service!! Grouper plate was excellent. Blueberry mule was perfectly Blueberry and ginger. Florida orange cheesecake was yummy. Pork chop with mac and cheese was the perfect combo. Great dinner overall
Brittany Young
We planned to travel to Punta Gorda a week ago and booked a table where we could watch the sunset and have dinner. 🌆There are not many people in the restaurant during dinner time, and the outdoor tables don't seem to be open. The waiter Air is very friendly and helps us take pictures outside. The grouper and sauce were fantastic. I want to give up the lobster 🦞 and the stuffed crab that doesn't taste like crab. 🦀️I'm very hungry, I need to order something else, the waiter said the restaurant closes at 8pm.
Lena G
We really enjoyed our night out. Our server was wonderful. Very knowledgeable of the menu. She was young and you would of thought she was doing this a long time. All our food was delicious. I had the bourbon Salman and sure glad I couldn't finish it because it was wonderful the next Day as well. There were 4 of us and we all enjoyed our meals along with the sunset!
Darylene Gwillim
Lovely views, fantastic service and decent, but not amazing food. Prices are comparable to other restaurants in the area. We tried the lobster grilled cheese and parmesan crusted grouper. The lobster was claw meat only and I felt like it wasn't all lobster... that they may have added some fake crab(I could be wrong). Grouper was all right, and the vegetables and pilaf were pretty basic fare, but tasty enough. Nothing gourmet here... you come for the view I think.
Cookinfresh
I wish I could give this 5 stars. We walked in and there was a host, Kamar, and a hostess, Nora. We had reservations and Kamar was ready to sit us. He was very polite and professional. Nora came in a stopped the whole thing. Very rude and unprofessional. Told us were not ready to seat you even though it was 6/1/23 at 6pm and the place was empty. We went to go wait outside downstairs. About 20 minutes later a waitress named Cindy comes to the rescue and tells us to get back inside. Kamar and Cindy took us to our table. Service was excellent. Food was delicious. Very professional. I will definitely come back and try again. Definitely recommend this place to anyone. I don't want one unhappy person to ruin the whole experience. Nora comes back at the end and asked how our dinner was and she was happy to see us. Yeah okay.
Jeffery Lawnicki
1200 W Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, USA
Italia
4.5
(425)
Rustic-chic dining room for Italian cuisine featuring local ingredients with cocktails & wines.
Reviews:
Had a great time and experience. Staff was great food was a really good experience. Looking forward to going back and trying other options on the menu. Beware of the garlic dip and bread is highly addictive.
Dizzy Nos
My friends got me Eggplant Parmigiana to go. It arrived hot and it’s the absolute best I’ve ever had. Sorry I ate half of it before I thought to take a picture. Definitely a generous portion for the price. I can’t wait to go in person!
Mary Rothrock
When I first walked in it was nice to see it crowed. That’s usually a good sign! WRONG! Our waitress had a blah attitude. The first beer she brought me was warm. When she asked if I could bring another, I said only if it’s cold. It was cool not cold. Then she brought out our bread and oil halfway through the meal instead at the beginning. Some food was over cook while another dish was under cooked. For three people at a cost of 2 bills, you think you would walk away happy. We were all disappointed! After reading many reviews, I thought we found a great Italian restaurant only to be disappointed. On their website we saw mussels but that was false advertisement. We asked for an item on the menu and they were out. DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME IF YOU HAVE TASTE!
Warrior of GOD
Phenomenal cuisine. Eggplant parmesan was delicious. Quality wine selection. Busy and a bit noisy but it added to the experience. I'll definitely be back.
Wayne Crowley
The ambiance and food was amazing!! Thank you Phil ( manager) and Erica for the fantastic service and treatment. You guys exceeded my expectations. We will be back!
Danielle Jaramillo
127 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, USA
Laishley crab house
4.3
(5358)
Seafood classics & sushi from a waterside eatery with a roomy, rustic interior & a breezy deck.
Reviews:
Great location on the water. The best of the whole meal was the she crab soup and cocktail! Service was very good. I had the grouper, which was supposed to have a crab meat stuffing and a sauce. Needs more sauce!!! Had crab meat but not a stuffing. My husband had stuffed shrimp with a sauce. Medium shrimp only and again not enough sauce!!!
Debs Simpson
Tried this for the first time with friends. Service was great and food was surprisingly good. I had the Seafood trio and everything was cooked perfectly except the hush puppies was dry. Others had the Mahi-mahi and they said they enjoyed it. Stuffed shrimp was very good also. We will be back.
Don Ledsworth
The inside of the restaurant was very sea shanty. Nobody was there that evening at 6:30. It was dead inside. We ended up with the table out on the patio overlooking the docks. Our server was polite and very honest with her thoughts on the food. I ordered the scallops in the risotto. I feel as if Gordon Ramsay was in their kitchen. He would have poured the risotto on top of whoever was cookings head. That's not risotto that's rice pilaf. I asked our server she says yes they call it risotto but by no means is it even close to risotto. They don't season their vegetables when they steam them and they left tendons on two of my scallops. I don't have any plans to go back and try anything else. For me this restaurant is a pass
Rolland Purcell
Local attraction and mainstay restaurant, with a very nice location. Large spaces great for groups. Touristy, but that’s okay. It gives you that Florida on the water experience. The menu had a lot of options and a wide variety (including sushi - seemed odd and eclectic). The focused on local seafood favorites with other traditional pub offerings. Not a place I would frequent weekly or monthly, but very good choice for out of town guests or occasional events. Family business with a great deal of history in this area. Prices were moderate to high, but that being said they serve things like King crab. You expect to pay for things like that. Service team was vet efficient and present. She-crab soup was the winner from our food selections. Worth a visit.
Bill Dorr
When we walked in the two hostesses, were standing at the hostess station, and they looked less than thrilled that we were walking through the door.. we got our food, and it was not great. The location is beautiful, that’s about it. Server was nice enough, but nothing “ wow.” I’m going to post some pictures of the bathroom sink..Makes me wonder what the kitchen looks like- I was really grossed out. 🤢
Heather Gonzalez
150 Laishley Ct, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, USA
Harpoon harry's
4.2
(3162)
Upbeat waterside seafood cafe with porch seating, HDTVs, arcade games & live music on weekends.
Reviews:
The restaurant is in the back of Fisherman’s Village. It’s on the water and you can pull your boat up to dine as well. The server was really sweet but it smelled like toilet. I would randomly get a smell and my sister smelled it the whole time that she took her food to go as it was making her sick. The frozen drink machine was down so I then ordered a sprite and had to send it back because that was bad but ended up just being the syrup. We had the buffalo cauliflower which was pretty tasty. I had the ahi tuna appetizer as well which is more like a slab of tuna. First time I had it like that as an appetizer and then the server asked how I wanted it cooked which is a first as well on an appetizer. I had the steamed shrimp with the Cajun butter. Very bland. Most definitely needed more seasonings. They just shake the Cajun seasoning on the shrimp so if you dip it in the butter the seasoning just falls off.
Brandy D
Didn't get pictures of the food. The sunset was spectacular. The grouper sandwich was delicious. We had mussels, shrimp and it was all great. Did I mention the view. Fabulous 🤩😍
David Marable
An okay place for the people from out of town, maybe. I've been here a couple of times and been disappointed each time. I tried the Reuben this last time and can say, for sure, it was one of the worst, lazy attempts I've ever had. If you have any shell allergies, be careful with what you order as well. They do not keep the frying oils separate except for the fries. I didn't chance it, after they mentioned the same oils were used for everything else. Nice view and friendly staff. Come for the atmosphere, not for a great meal. My brother was in town and wanted to check it out and did enjoy his gator bites. Beers were small and served in plastic cups. Nice view.
Marshall Rader
Such a lovely family dining experience with the best fresh food! I highly recommend the clam shrimp with oyster boil. It is so so good with the garlic flavoring.
Danna Crawford
Love it. Beautiful view, great food and drinks, nice atmosphere. Our waiter was very nice and attentive. We will be returning! I had the grilled dinner that came with shrimp, salmon, and mussels with rice. It was delicious! And a dozen raw Oysters which were nice and juicy 😋. Can't wait to come back and try more things on the menu!
LADY AJ
1200 W Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, USA
Dean's south of the border
4.3
(3868)
American & Tex-Mex cantina serving 3 meals a day in a bright, casual setting with outdoor seats.
Reviews:
Ever gone to a place and thought "there's way too many items on the menu for this place to be good!" Well this is NOT that place! Dean's does have an astounding number of menu items yet it was still delicious! I got the veggie fajitas and my wife, as usual, got something I liked even more! She had a lunch pulled pork burrito, Diablo style and it was delicious, ain't no way that came from the devil! The most surprising element was how good their chips and salsa were! If I were "that guy" I would simply order a beer and snack on those chips and salsa until they asked me to leave 🤣
Kyle Ames
Can't believe I've missed this gem all these years! Greeted with a smile...server was attentive...the food was delicious and the portions were plentiful. The atmosphere was all Florida and should have been along the beach. I've always heard about their nachos and they did not disappoint...amazing! I was also enticed to try the fried ice cream. This was a first for me and I must say...WOW that was delicious! Will definitely be returning.
Chris Keeping
This place was great! The food was just plain delicious!! My fajitas were served on a sizzling platter and had large, tasty portions of the things to go with them, like sour cream, lettuce, guacamole, etc. The meal portion was very large and very reasonably priced. Our server was very friendly, smiled every time she spoke to us and was very efficient. I very much Dean's. I'm already thinking about what kind of great food I'm going to order next time 😋🥰
Lisa Gray
Went for lunch with some co workers. Service was really good. Our cups never went empty. Food came out quick. The food was good. Better then average. I had nachos and my co workers had tacos and we all left very satisfied. Not to expensive either.
Bret R
Deans is an AMAZING restaurant/bar that from 9-90, construction workers-CFO's, just off work- ready to go clubbing, I promise you'll enjoy!!! Great food, great staff, fabulous patrons, and on top of it... the prices are reasonable!! MY FAVORITE PLACE 😍
Steven Yauger
130 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, USA
Dockside grill
4.2
(98)
Reviews:
Located inside the 4 points hotel in Punta Gorda. Open to the public so you don't have to be a guest of the hotel to dine here. The food is out of this world, easily the best in the area. They have a chef's special menu that is revised weekly, they create works of art with their entrees. The dessert menu is awesome and the presentation will blow you away. There's a bar with an amazing cocktail menu and you can order wine by the glass or by the bottle. I definitely recommend you try this place or even make it a weekly date night. You won't be disappointed.
Andrea Michelle
Got the salmon, and it was weird that mashed potatoes came with it. Seems like a different textured food would have been better. All soft food, even the veggies. But it all tasted good. There were very loud people sitting at the bar, made it somewhat uncomfortable for people dining. The waitress was awesome.
Pam May
Early bird specials till 6:30pm reasonable & yummy. Last Fri. was all you can eat fried fish & hubby loved it.
Zuly “Catholic Charismatics” K
Exceptionally good food for a price which will make it easy to underestimate the quality of food they will bring.
Eric Loche
The food was exceptionally good I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food in the way it was cooked and presented this is definitely a four or five-star restaurant that should be recognized
Martin Flood
33 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, USA
F.m. don's
4.3
(1104)
Upscale-casual eatery specializing in seafood & other Florida fare, with a lively bar & live music.
Reviews:
We went here for my birthday. Went early and it was practically empty. The food and service were excellent except for the host. We waited only a couple of minutes which was fine, but didn't expect her insincere and snarky attitude when she did appear. The swordfish was recommended by a friend and was excellent. We also had the scallops which were delicious. We tried to make reservations for a later time, but the phone went unanswered. Would definitely go again. The entrees and 2 drinks each were $100 plus tip so not an everyday place for us, but nice for a special occasion.
Sherry Thompson
Our experience at F.M. Don’s was lovely. The staff were friendly and attentive. The food tasted great (although the presentation was something to be desired) and didn’t take long to arrive at the table. The atmosphere was bright, open, and relaxing. We went for brunch and very much enjoyed our food. The crab benedict contained a ton of crab, and the poached egg was cooked perfectly. The brioche french toast wasn’t too sweet and the thick cut bacon was a perfect, savory compliment. The kids fish and chips was by far the tastiest. The breaded Mahi Mahi was super juicy and flavorful, and the portion was huge - easily 6oz+. The fish did not require any additions like lemon or sauce. Again, the only minor criticism was that the presentation of most of the dishes was a bit plain. However, we would definitely come back.
Terrence Mahnken
Wonderful appetizers. Escargot, goat cheese and tuna tower were delicious. Crusted Mahi was very good. Nice ambiance but when busy a bit noisy. Server very busy but did a great job. I definitely recommend this venue.
Wayne Crowley
Delightful find in Punta Gorda. Quality food and service. Plenty of great menu choices for all diet considerations. We were waiting to pick someone up at the airport, took a little walk through downtown, which was decorated for Christmas, when we found F.M. Don's with indoor and outdoor tables. Escargot and mussels were wonderful with homemade crispy baguettes.
Jennifer E
The appetizers are fantastic. We make our meal out of them. Shrimp and grits are also my go to. I can honestly say we've never had a bad meal here. Service is great too
Lindsay A
201 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, USA