Gramma Dot’s Restaurant

Went here on a tip from a local boater, and was not disappointed! A little pricey, but what places on the water aren’t? Three of us had the grouper, one blackened, one mesquite grilled, and one broiled, and all three were outstanding. The Key Lime pie was great, too. Even though it looks small, it has a strong flavor and could be shared.

Excellent food, service with a smile and a good sense of humor, great views and a laid back vibe. My hubby had the special which war yellowtail snapper blackened with pineapple salsa, I would’ve eaten more of his had mine not been so tasty! I shared twin lobster tails with my daughter and the dish was to notch. Presentation was nice (fruit cups in chocolate bowels, edible flowers, and potato croquettes accompanied most of the dishes we ordered). And we had the key lime pie for dessert, we all agreed that it was the best we’ve tried on our Florida vacation… yummy yummy and happy happy!!!

Delicious everything! First of all, I loved the location right in the marina. The screened in porch is such a clever touch. Fresh air, but there were ceiling fans to keep the air moving making the temperature perfect. I started with sharing a clam chowder with my sister which was creamy and amazing. I got the fried grouper basket with their homemade chips. Perfect flakiness and flavor. Then, ended with the highly recommended key lime pie. The best I’ve had ever. 5 STARS!

Great location right inside a marina. Its fun to walk around and check out the boats and look for fish and manatees if you have to wait for a table. They have fresh grouper which is served four different ways… I always get the fried group sandwich which also comes with Swiss cheese on it. We also get a basket of fries for the table as I am not that keen on the chips that come with the meal thought though many people love them and they are homemade. My girlfriend says the key lime pie is the best in Sanibel. Its a great tradition to come here for lunch as we go to Sanibel every year.

If I were rating Gramma Dot’s only on the key lime pie, it would get 5-​stars. I was on a mission during my vacation on Sanibel to try different key lime pies because I remembered how good the key lime pie was from a vacation many years ago. Out of 6 key lime pie slices I had, Gramma Dot’s was my #1 choice. It has a nice lime flavor, an excellent graham cracker crust, and a nice, not too thick, consistency. The sandwiches here are fine, but I would say if it weren’t for the key lime pie I would give the restaurant 3 stars. Good place to stop for lunch if you’re biking on the island. You can share a sandwich — the portions are quite large.

We found this little place a couple of years ago and visit every time we come to the west coast of FL.
Gramma Dots has the best grouper sandwiches and clam chowder.
Great atmosphere, this trip it was not too hot, so the screens were open and the fresh marina air mixed with the smell of good food.
A couple of ice cold southern tea’s and we were set.
Always fun to walk the docks and look at all the beautiful boats.

Started with the clam chowder, moved to the mesquite grilled grouper sandwich, and finished with the key lime pie. I couldn’t have asked for a better lunch, better service, or better ambience.

Ok I read all the reviews and this being our first time in Sanibel Gramma Dot’s was the place. Well it is located at a beautiful location. In a marina surrounded by boats, water and wild birds. Walk along the dock and see fish swimming including some sheepheads which would have looked good cooked up and plated. We also appreciated the Long Island connection as that is where I am from.
Give the location a 5 star rating. The service was friendly, knowledgeable and efficient.
So why the 3 stars, well while sitting there we started chatting to a neighboring table and they told us this was this best restaurant on Sanibel. Whoa the best? yup locals even rated it the best.
Soft shell crabs at $ 26 same with the grouper. It was good some sort of potato croquette also fairy decent as well as lightly sauteed vegetables. It was ok for under $ 20, maybe really good for $ 17 but for $ 26 not so much! It was mediocre food nothing more, nothing less.
Our glasses of wine were served in plastic cups. Even the napkins (paper) were cheap. Come on America we can do better than this.
Last but not least your meal is served with some sort of fruit cup in a chocolate shell. It is served on your plate with your entrée. Please serve it after dinner on a separate plate and make people believe they are getting some value.
After living in Charleston for a few years and experiencing their food scene I now know why Rhett Butler said I’m going back to Charleston, where there is still a little grace and civility left in the world.” not to mention some great food!

Great location, great food. The Caesar salad with shrimp is delicious. My friends and I ordered a variety of the shrimp: coconut, fried, and grilled… all types were delicious! Stop here for a bite to eat after a day on Sanibel Island!

Do not miss this place when on Sanibel Island. The perfect marina restaurant in every way. Stopped for lunch and it was excellent. Great service and friendly faces. The clam chowder was perfect. Crab meatballs and swordfish sandwich were exceptional dishes. Just a great time in every sense.

The best fried grouper sandwich is the best on the Island. Love their homemade potato chips.
It is right in the marina fabulous views.

This is by far my favorite lunch spot in Florida. Not only is it the cutest little place but it is in a beautiful location. They always tell you the wait will be long — and it always turns out to be much shorter. Even with a wait, it isn’t bad because you can walk around and enjoy the lovely sunny views from the dock. Once you order, food and drinks arrive very promptly and the servers are extremely attentive. Every time I go I get the spinach Boursin grouper sandwich. Never been disappointed. The homemade potato chips it comes with are to die for when dipped in the creamy dill sauce that also comes with the meal. Key Lime pie is crisp and refreshing on a hot day. It’s a little crowded inside but overall it’s too cute and beachy to complain. If you’re on Sanibel, don’t hesitate to stop here! You won’t regret it!

We arrived by boat before their advertised 1130am opening so we walked around and looked at boats… but we were able to get in and sit outside at 11:20am. Clean bathrooms with showers on other side of building. My friend ordered grouper sandwich and I had the soft shell crab sandwich. My family is from new orleans, so in a little spoiled when it comes to soft shell crab. I liked it but didn’t eat the bun. The chips were ok. Very brown with no salt. My friend said his grouper was fresh but the batter was not bad but not the best. We had the key lime pie which was yummy to my taste as I’m from California and cannot get good key lime in Cali. Service was efficient and friendly. Lots of parking if you cone by car.

The mesquite grilled grouper sandwich is the best! We had a party of 7 and everyone loved it! The house made chips are a great compliment to the sandwich.

Phenomenal as always! We had the Cajun fish and chips and coconut shrimp and everything was great. The staff is great and food never lets you down. Thanks!!!

Chips way overdone as other reviewS say
Looked and tasted burnt with old oil that needs to be changed
REGRET not reading more reviews before I made the mistake of going there to eat
Slooooow and inattentive service at 4 pm
Did not refill water or check
Stale/​hard bun that tasted and smelled stale
At this location and price point ($ 17 sandwich) that is beyond not acceptable
Cheap plastic cups with chips and baskets which had dust and leftover food in between weaves and in corners made for real UNappetizing experiment… I mean experience

Loved it! It’s located right on the water and is surrounded by beautiful yachts. We sat outside and were able to go and look at boats for sale while we waited. The special was blackened pompano with fresh mango salsa. Hubby got that. I ordered the fried oysters which were award winners at their festival and I could see why. Now instead of having a dish I decided to order the key lime pie for my lunch. It was amazingly delicious with dollops of fresh whip cream all over. I allowed him to have one bite. Now the thing is, we sat outside so I can’t tell you if the same is inside, but glasses are in plastic cups. Fine for me. The food comes In rectangle baskets and the lunch was served with fresh fruit and homemade chips with a dipping sauce. It really was very good and wasn’t packed at all. I will go back if I’m here again. Everyone is friendly and food is fast. A true gem.

I love harbors, and I like eating at them.
I arrived at opening, 11:30am, and tables were already filled. This place is popular. I sat at the counter, a good option. The clam chowder was excellent — some of the best I’ve had. 5 stars.
I then had a soft-​shell crab sandwich. I hadn’t had a soft-​shelled crab since visiting New Orleans years ago. I loved them. Gramma Dot’s I found under-​seasoned. Their home-​made chips were over-​done. So the this was good, but not outstanding.
Service was perfect, everyone was very friendly. A warm and welcoming place. Overall, the place is 4 stars.

It’s nice to eat in a restaurant where you get a water view. The grouper sandwich is good and the soft shell crab is very good and the service is also good.
We go here 2 to 3 times a year usually when we have company for the day.

We loved the ambiance of Gramma Dot’s as we walked in. We were greeted in a very friendly manner by the staff and we could be seates straight away.
My boyfriend and I started by sharing a tasting platter witth coconut shrimps, crab meatballs and oysters. While we enjoyed this dish, I would have preferred it if not alll items were deepfried (e.g. fresh oysters).
As main course I had the Key Lime Tune which was made perfectly. As I was quite full allready from our starter I wasn’t able to finish my food, but our waitress was kind enough to ask if I’d like a doggy bag.
My boyfriend had the scallops, which were lovely but a touch overcooked. The vegetables that were served with both dishes were perfectly cooked and still nice and crunchy.
Overall, we’ve had a nice first encounter at Gamma Dot’s and I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for a low-​key dinner when visiting Sanibel!