The Island Cow

DO NOT GO WITH A LARGE PARTY/​GROUP. We were pretty much asked to leave because we were too loud 20 minutes after our drink orders were taken and we had not received them and after we waited 20 minutes for seating. We were told that the restaurant does not typically have loud guests like us and the other servers could not hear their guests. Another server, rang a cowbell and yelled at us to control our volume with a very negative attitude. Our party felt as if they did not bring our drinks out for so long because they were hoping we would leave. Our children were very thirsty and it was disappointing to be treated in such an discriminating manner.
I give 1 star because the food was good, but the treatment overall was terrible.
We went with a party of 25 after a day at Gulfside City Park. We are from Texas traveling with our sons’ baseball team. We had 5 families in our party. All of us are Hispanic and speak mostly Spanish. Another server approached our
The restaurant was highly recommended by locals and we were all excited to eat a great dinner. The service from our 2 waiters was good and the food was good. Unfortunately, the rest of the staff and managers were unfriendly, unwelcoming and some were very rude.

Great Food, Good prices. Huge menu, has a little something for everyone.

This is undderly the best breakfast I Have had! I ordered the Bonita breakfast burrito with homemade salsa amazing! The décor is very cool island vibe of its own. The wait staff is on there game here and can seem to read your mind! Very Friendly right when you walk in the door! Will be back for sure!

This is the best breakfast I’ve had on the island! I tried one of the specials, the Bonita Breakfast Burrito, and it was HUGE. Lots of egg, cheese, peppers, and sausage. The breakfast potatoes are also delicious — small pieces, well-​seasoned, not too crunchy.
Cons: we were there around 7:45 and it was almost empty, but the service was still not very good. We never got the signature muffins that you’re supposed to have while you wait for your food. A cup of coffee is $ 3, which is silly, but par for the island I guess. And when you order an entrée that comes with «mixed fruit,» don’t get your hopes up. For me it meant a small piece of cantaloupe rind and an orange slice.

This place really surprised me. It’s not a huge place (has a «dive» feel to the ambiance), but has a lot of outdoor seating to make up for it. The food… Amazing! I had the Paella, which was the best I’ve ever had. The seafood was fresh, all over yellow rice, with house made garlic bread. The service was fantastic as well, and pricing was very reasonable for what you got. Menu was a little overwhelming, as they have EVERYTHING from Cheeseburgers and chicken tenders, to fried gator and seafood.
Next time I’m in Southwest Florida, I’m easily paying the $ 6 toll just to eat here again! Highly recommend to anyone!

Great Atmosphere. Wait was quoted at an hour and ended up closer to 40min.
The food was very good. The paella was loaded with meat and seafood. Great broth and garlic bread to soak it up.
Kids loved the island cow pie (despite the name) and our service or was attentive.
We will make it a regular stop while in Sanibel. Looking forward to trying out their breakfast.

This is the best breakfast in Florida hands down! So good I didn’t even take a picture of my food because I was so excited to just stuff my face! As soon as you get there the vide is amazing and everyone is always happy. We got seated right away even after thinking it was going to be a long wait of how packed it looked. As soon as you sit down they put these amazing chocolate chip muffins on the table. That you just want more but unfortunately they don’t bring more (and I never really bothered to ask for more). I’ve always gone with the eggs Benedict that comes with the breakfast spuds that are out of this world. The hunny orders a much larger meal juanbo combo that comes with eggs your way, breakfast spuds, bacon or sausage and pancakes, all plates come with grits and fresh fruit.
Don’t forget to get your mimosa it’s so good! Perfect mimosa on the island. The service here is always outstanding and fast!
If you come visit the island cow and there’s a wait time for breakfast the wait time is absolutely worth it! Quick tip come before 9am!

Atmosphere is kitchy probably great for kids too. Our food was great. Had the fried basket sampler with the grouper for 25 $ & it was more than enough for both of us & I can eat alot! Everything was cooked very well.
They appear to always have a wait but they have neat places set up for you to wait & the 2 $ beer of the day made the wait fly by. The service after you sit down is very fast. I see why people enjoy it. Only downfall was the fly’s on the front porch during dinner & our server wasn’t incredibly attentive.

we loved the Island Cow!!! Really great service, atmosphere and rad breakfast. This is mostly a family joint but it’s perfect for breakfast.

Super family friendly spot where kids can color crayon their hearts out and Dad can get a 23oz beer on the cheap.
4 Stars = Quick service, nice island atmosphere, burgers were average.
Southern Living Magazine named this restaurant one of the best places to bring your kids for breakfast. Based on the amount of colored crayons provided at each table and the funfetti cupcakes that were served as an appetizer, I would have to agree wholeheartedly.
We split a cheeseburger and fries for an afternoon snack and it hit the spot. The burger was a no-​thrills patty with some cheese melted on top. Fries were pretty tasty.
Wide selection of cold beer at this place and it is also pretty cheap compared to other neighboring restaurants.
Their smoothies were obviously made with fresh fruits, especially after trying the strawberry — banana smoothie offered on the menu. Nice treat to cool off in the summer time heat.

Made reservations for 13 knowing that this is a busy weekend. Got scolded by hostess for sitting prior to having full party at table. 10 of 13 people were here. 3 in parking area with NO PARKING! Then they sat us in a bench that supposedly sits 13 but actually is made for 7. When we inquired we were told they’re very busy and we were lucky because they don’t take reservations.
I called and made reservations, they aren’t doing me a favor. They took a reservation! As for the table they simply said they do squeeze 13 people in. We had 6 adults and 5 kids and we DID NOT FIT! They did not help not were they even nice about it! It’s my first time here and had a GOD AWEFUL experience. It will be my last. When leaving waiter says next time ask for a table for 13 not a bench. Customer service should always be priority! Not happy!!!

This place is great– indoor and outdoor seating (both have booths) and no wait (on a Wednesday at 1pm). There is a really cute waiting area in the back in case you do have to wait to be seated– it’s beach/​island style with some high tops, fun colorful décor, string lights. like you’re in someone’s backyard. Nice atmosphere.
Inside is nice and cool if you need a break from the heat. They have lunch specials that change.
I had a tuna sandwich, which was good. Wish the bread was toasted, but I should have specified that. It came with chips and cole slaw. My friend had chicken adobo dinner (it’s really not dinner sized if you’re a normal eating dude) which was two thin chicken cutlets and a choice of veggies or fries. The chicken and veggies were dripping with oil, so that’s the only complaint here– especially after he asked for the veggies to be steamed and the waitress said that’s how they’re prepared anyway.
Overall though, it’s a nice down to earth place with an extensive menu– it will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.

What a cute restaurant with a HUGE menu. I mean there are so many options covering a wide variety of food types that it could take all night to read through. We ordered the smoked fish dip with fruit and crackers to start. I had the crab stuffed shrimp over rice with a side of green beans, hubby had a blackened mahi with sweet potato fries, and kids had pasta.
There is outdoor dining, live music sometimes and a patio bar. Decent amount of parking… but if the lot is full the. You are guaranteed to have a wait for a table. But the food and atmosphere is worth the wait!

Spent the weekend on Sanibel and this was by far the best place to eat on the Island! The food was outstanding and the server was super cool. Ask for Terry, he’s been there a long time and a great server. Its nice to see people that like their job it really shows in their service. I had the Pallea, tacos, shimp special and the fudge brownie sundae; WOW!
All that plus the atmosphere in this place is really cool with live animal cage, tiki bar, and patio. This place is a must!

My husband and I came here for dinner. Make sure to be ready to wait at least 30 mins to be seated or more so dont go when you are starving. We got a mix platter with gator, fried oysters and fried artichokes as an app. That was good.
My husband ordered the Paella because it was «the specialty» but it was extremely dissapointing– it was super watery almost soupy and the rice was undercooked!!! Wth?!? So he sent it back and got a reuben sandwich instead which was ok.
I had ordered the grilled veggie and goat cheese salad with fried calamari, which was delicious and a good size.
I had a frozen margarita but it was not good either. So I guess its a hit or miss type of place. I would stay to the fried stuff, like the baskets etc.

Stopped in for lunch and dinner on our trip. Had the gator/​shrimp basket which were both good with the fries. Also had the catfish Reuben which was good for lunch.
Went back with a large group for dinner and had a surprisingly short wait. The service was a little slow but the food was good. Had the Mac and cheese which was delicious and split the bubba gump shrimp special which was great. 4 types of shrimp with potatoes and corn on the cob.
They serve cupcakes w/​o frosting before dinner and muffins before lunch. I’d suggest boxing them up or eating as desserts as the food is worth saving room for.

Very laid back, friendly atmosphere. Always packed. Great outdoor space to relax while waiting for a table. No matter what time of day, you’ll have to wait for a table. Each and every time we’ve gone there, everyone at our table really enjoyed their food. The Gator Basket was the best gator I’ve ever had! Very tender!
This time, though we ran into a snag. There was four of us ordering entrees, but my husbands fish plate came out almost cold. They must not have times it right. BUT they immediately came and fixed the problem.
Aesthetically, there is loads to look at. Good things to drink at the bar. And a nice kids menu. However, the actual menu has too much to look at. It’s a bit overwhelming!

We came back and had a late lunch this time. Season has the Island of Sanibel hopping, so it was still plenty busy here at 2:30 pm when we arrived. We were advised of a 25-​minute wait and our group of 10 were seated just after 3:10 pm. We took advantage of the colorful beach chairs they have scattered out front during our wait.
I ordered broiled grouper with sweet potato fries and island slaw. The grouper was tasty. The sweet potato fries on top were warm and crispy but as I got to the bottom of the serving there were some limp ones that I left. The slaw was pretty good. Cold and crisp with a nice flavor.
My husband ordered a BBQ chicken sandwich. He said it was A-​Okay but nothing special.

The others in our group said their food was good but nobody raved about anything in particular.

Fabulous local jem! We got the grouper and mahi tacos, and the blackened shrimp and scallop salad. The tacos were fantastic. Big portions, high quality seafood and flavorful house made hot sauces on the table.
The salad was also great. Light field greens and a few veggies paired nicely with the flavorful and fresh seafood. The service was also a nice plus and they are dog friendly Highly recommend!

The Island Cow ist ein Restaurant in dem man sich sofort Wohlfühlt. Toller Ort, prima Einrichtung und natürlich gutes Essen, was will man mehr. Auch der Service hier ist sehr gut, hilfsbereit und sehr lustig ! Am besten ist es wenn man auf der Terrasse Platz nehmen kann, dann kann man besonders viel vom dem Island Feeling in sich «aufsaugen «Einen großen Parkplatz gibt es hier natürlich auch, also alle Voraussetzungen für einen angenehmen sind hier vorhanden. Ach so, auch die Preise sind hier sehr Zivil.

It has become a tradition to stop by when I visit my dad’s house in Florida.
Island Cow gets super busy but it is worth the wait. They take your name and give you a buzzer which goes off once your table is ready, pretty efficient.
Also, when you’re first seated for breakfast, they bring you a freshly baked muffin which is awesome and yummy.
I had the crab cake eggs benedict (weekend special) the most recent time we visited and it was delicious.
Service was polite and friendly and our food arrived quickly. Our server was also kind enough to pour us two coffees to go to enjoy on the beach afterwards.

Witziges Restaurant mit Super Atmosphäre. Flinke und freundliche Bedienung. Riesenauswahl auf der Speisekarte und große Portionen auf dem Teller. Wir waren zu dritt und alle Speisen waren super

Witzig und individuell eingerichtetes Lokal. Das Essen war sehr lecker und alles frisch zubereitet. Es war total voll, wir mussten 20 Minuten warten, bis ein Tisch frei war. Das war aber bei dem schönen Wetter mit kühlen Getränken vor dem Lokal überhaupt nicht schlimm. Man konnte in bunten Holzstühlen sitzen und die Abendsonne genießen, bis einem Bescheid gegeben wurde, dass ein Tisch frei ist. Ich kann das Lokal nur weiterempfehlen, die Speisekarte bietet für jeden Geschmack etwas, die Paella ist sehr gut! Es ist einfach mal etwas anderes als diese ganzen großen Ketten.