After 1,113 days, Fort Myers Beach regained another casual waterfront restaurant.
Marina Cantina Tin Tiki opened on Oct. 15 on San Carlos Island, right next to Salty Sam’s Marina.
The spot, previously occupied by The Shrimp Dock Bar & Grill, had been closed since Hurricane Ian came through in September 2022.
“The waterline (inside The Shrimp Dock) was 12 feet up,” Dru Hanni, general manager of Marina Cantina, said.
“The docks looked like Tinkertoys,” said Darrell Hanson, who owns the marina, its two restaurants and more. “Five boats were up on the deck. We got hit with a 29-foot wave. This area was one of the worst.”
Muck, oil and debris covered everything.
“It was so slippery,” Hanson said. “And you could get stuck in it. It took us three days to get to the ship store. Then it only took three years for us to get (Marina Cantina) open.”
While the marina, Parrot Key and all the cruises got back on board “thanks to the amazing support we got from the staff and everyone,” Marina Cantina didn’t get going until recently.
“If you walked in three weeks ago, there was nothing here,” said Hanni, who used to be the GM at Joe’s Crab Shack in Fort Myers. “No tables, no chairs. There was no kitchen or music equipment, no plates, no silverware. I told (Hanson) I could have it open by Oct. 15 and we went as hard as we could to get there.”
And on Oct. 15, the wait was over and the community was ready.
“It was supposed to be a soft opening,” Hanni said. “But on opening day, there were 138 people lined up when we unlocked the door.”
There has been a steady flow of new faces and past customers coming through since.
While the lovely waterfront view is the same, the rest has changed.
An easy, breezy, casual feel
“Everything you see now is brand new,” Hannis said
And there’s a lot to see.
Enter the building from the parking lot and you’ll find the main bar and dining room to the right and a smaller bar with more seating on the left. Customer-donated patches, flags and license plates, plus bamboo, nets and lots of greenery, give the space that easy, breezy, tropical feel.
Step outside for the coveted row of umbrella-covered low-top tables lining the deck with picture-perfect views of the waterfront.
“Everyone who walks in wants to sit outside,” said Hanni. “If it’s hot, they come inside.”
A seafood-heavy menu with Mexican flair
With well-known local chef Greg Nelson (who was previously with Doc Ford’s) at the helm, Marina Cantina has been working off a limited menu of Florida favorites with a touch of Mexican.
Think appetizers and raw bar with wings, nachos, fish dip and shrimp, plus soups & salads, tacos (shrimp, chicken, carnitas, fish and veggie), handhelds (including a burger and quesadilla), bowls (mac & cheese and fried shrimp) and a few seafood-heavy main dishes.
“All the seafood is local and everything is scratch-made,” Hanni said. “The salad dressings, coleslaw, even the mayonnaise are made in-house. The Catalina blue cheese is the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”
A finalized menu with new items is expected sometime after the official grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 25 (from noon to closing with giveaways, live music and more), and before season.
A flight-filled happy hour
Happy hour — with signature beer and margarita flights for $15 — runs from 3-5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
“We want to be known for our margarita flights and tequila selection,” Hanni said. “And for our from-scratch food.”
Hours are 3-10 p.m. Monday to Friday and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
“Before season we hope to be open 12-10 seven days a week,” Hanni said.
In the meantime, Marina Cantina is finally open and ready to greet customers.
“It’s exciting to see,” Hanson said. “The deck is great at night. It’s so pretty with the pedestal lights. The trees have accent lights. And of course the sunsets. Those are the best.”
Marina Cantina, 2200 Main St., Fort Myers Beach; (239) 463-3043; follow on Facebook
And speaking of grand openings on Fort Myers Beach …
Bonita Fish Company
We’re thrilled to report this highly anticipated waterfront restaurant will open at 11 a.m. Nov. 3 in Bonita Bill’s former space on Fort Myers Beach (702 Fishermans Wharf).
HM Restaurant Group, which owns the neighboring Dixie Fish Company next door and all the Doc Fords’ locations, purchased the Bonita Bill’s last year and has renovated and reimagined the space.
Expect the same open-air feel, but with new menu and look.
As of Nov. 3, it’ll be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday. A 35-slip floating dock marina is expected to follow in early 2026.
Find Bonita Fish Company on Facebook for updates.
The Whale
Also about to make its Fort Myers Beach return to 1249 Estero Blvd. is this iconic restaurant and bar that was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. A sneak peek bash of this completely rebuilt, three-story beach restaurant will take place on Nov. 8. Go to thewhalefmb.com and sign up for the mailing list which will provide early ticket access to the event. General admission and VIP experiences will be available. Follow The Whale FMB on Facebook for updates.
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Waterfront restaurant, bar reopens on Fort Myers Beach with new name, same casual vibes
Reporting by Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
