And just like that, things are rapidly taking shape at what used to be Bonita Bill’s on Fort Myers Beach.
Fresh paint job? New roof and lighting?
Done.
That yacht perched on the dock courtesy of Hurricane Ian?
Gone.
Even the menu is coming along.
“We’re in the process of discussing what that will look like now,” Joe Harrity said. “Everything is moving right along.”
And Joe should know.
He’s a partner with HM Restaurant Group which purchased Bonita Bill’s last year.
Renamed Bonita Fish Company, the longtime favorite waterfront bar and restaurant is currently closed and undergoing a transformation.
Large bar, more seating, event space coming
One of the biggest changes?
“The bar will be in the middle of the dining room, like horseshoe-shaped,” said Harrity, whose group also owns neighboring Dixie Fish Co., plus the Doc Ford’s locations. “We’re still getting that done. It’ll be very similar looking to Dixie with that open-air feeling. People at the bar will be looking across this open communal space. It’ll be like a ‘Cheers’ atmosphere.”
Seating will increase to about 300.
“I think it was 188 before,” Harrity said.
An event space is on the way too.
“That’ll be to the right as you’re looking at the water,” he added. “It’ll fit upward of 125 inside and out. There really aren’t many waterfront venues. It’ll be a really cool space. We’re pretty much done with it now and will be accepting reservations for it July 1.”
A floating dock marina is also in the plans, but just not as quickly as the rest of Bonita Fish Company.
“We’re going to gain even more space when we build out the marina,” Harrity said. There will be an area of fixed decking between Bonita and Dixie. The marina is a whole other project with upward of 40 slips, long-term rentals. It won’t be finished until next year.”
What’s on the menu?
In the meantime, the restaurant itself is expected to be finished quite soon.
“We’re shooting for late August, into September,” Harrity said.
For right now, the menu is the focus.
“We want to differentiate it from (Dixie and Doc Ford’s),” Harrity said. “It will obviously have seafood, but we want to make it unique. One way is with a handful of smoked items. This is the first time we’ve purchased a smoker for the kitchen. Maybe a fish smokehouse with smoked fish dip, smoked mullet. Years ago, smoked mullet was a staple with locals on the island.”
Harrity says brunch, lunch and dinner will be offered and live music will be featured daily.
Old Florida feeling to stay
But not all is changing from the Bonita Bill’s days.
“The old Florida vibe, the historic buildings, all that will still be there,” Harrity said. “Everyone can breathe easy.”
And it has quite a history.
Originally a fish house in 1926, Bill Semmer bought the Bonita Fish Company and Fish House in 1991 and rebranded it as Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Cafe and Tiki Bar.
It became beloved for its laid-back vibe, ice-cold beer, good food, live music and spectacular views of Matanzas Pass.
Legend of it grew after Hurricane Ian left the since-removed Bertram yacht on a dock next to Bonita Bill’s dining room.
The San Carlos Island gem and its properties at 700, 702, 716 and 718 Fishermans Wharf on Fort Myers Beach went on sale in June 2024.
HM Restaurant Group purchased it all for a reported $5.5 million.
Which leads us to today and the aptly named Bonita Fish Company.
“We’re getting close,” Harrity said. “We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
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: ‘We’re getting close’: The latest on Bonita Bill’s former spot on Fort Myers Beach
Reporting by Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
