burdines waterfront ~ chiki tiki bar and grill

must haves:
iced tea, hushpuppies, key lime pie.
you're welcome

hungry, sunburnt and just off the boat (fishing for bugs all day)... we were in need of something that tastedgoodthat wasn't going to be a disappointment. thanks to previous reviews in yelp, we decide to give this place a try. to our surprise it was extremely yummy and tasteful. very cute surroundings all open seating. and by open i mean just that there are no walls it is up on a deck overlooking the marina which is cute and quaint and doesn't reek of gasoline.

the name of the place looks to have belonged to the original owners that are/were here for many years. based on the size of the palm tree dedicated to "mr & mrs burdine" it's been there at least 50 years but then again i am not a tree expert.

we proceeded to seat ourselves.. which is the norm here. picnic tables and wooden stools at high tops is the norm don't expect cozy cushions. we sat down at a 6 top in a corner with a nice breeze. it is all outside there's no air conditioning but not to worry, the 500 fans keep the room cool that are continually spinning. and yes, they're the quiet ones they don't make any noise.

eventually our waitress came over and gave us our drinks which was ice tea (you must have it it's fantastic). it's sogood(and they know it) they bring you a pitcher of it. personally they should just bring you the pitcher and a straw.

very family style type restaurant everything is paper plates and plastic cups. the menu was one page two sided with choices of everything from deep fried to fresh salads. go for the ahi. not just because it's fresh that because they actually know how to cook it here because they do it a lot. you can have all thegoodfish you want in the world but if they don't know how to cook it it's not worth the time. according to our unamused waitress, this place is famous for their chili burger. i passed. hushpuppies. ..just do it. if you don't like them, i'll reimburse you. get over yourself if your scared. live a little. does it really sound frightening with the name hush puppy? okaygoodtalk.

the portions are more girl size** then big hungry man size** so make sure you order accordingly.

**girl size - i eat more than once a day sometimes in public. i'm not embarrassed to put away my entire meal in front of certain company but this place won't make me look like a pig if i clear my plate. most comfortable here with my brothers or someone i don't care to impress. i will be full when done.

**big hungry man size- approx 200 to 260lbs, has gone all day hasn't had anything to eat and starving. doesn't wanna wait. will clear his plate and yours, and if he could, that person at the table behind you.

all the food we had was good. nothing to rave about but a first choice in marathon. seasoned fine, a little greasy but overall it was satisfying and it was also inexpensive for the 2 of us. plenty of iced tea (free refills i think..didnt care) desert and even a couple appetizers we only spent about 50 bucks.

the wait staff has been here for a while. thdy weren't rude but they weren't overly excited to be there either. then again i probably wouldn't be too excited to be working in 90 degree heat with heavy humidity either but hey , its what i signed up for. i'd bet money that tourists irritate them so advice- don't act like one.

they (the staff ) all got along like siblings..when siblings are getting along, and didn't step on each others toes. they also seem to communicate and support one another whenever it got a little busy. then again i wouldnt be that joyful to be around either if i was outside all day sweating in 90 degree heat with awful humidity. so if you're willing to sit back and be casual, not in a hurry and have patience this is your place. if you don't like heat don't go here because you have no room to complain about it. in addition if you have kids that don't like the heat please do everybody a favor and don't bring them with you.

expect non chatty servers, goodprices, decent food, great atmosphere, better view, and great key lime pie. you should check it out. we will be back.

the perfect little "hole in the wall" place!goodmusic! friendly service! went around 5 on a wednesday evening and was served quickly! burgers are massive! cooked perfectly and pretty unique! sweetest little place,goodfor filling up on agoodburger, listen togoodmusic and see the beautiful view of the keys!

terrible service -waited almost an hour for food. i'm sure the food isgood- if you ever get it. stay away from the bar area - no none seems to know what is going on. extremely disappointed

great burger!. excellent burger -probably the best in marathon. great craft beer selection.goodvalue. excellent service.

service time and food disappointing, although the outdoor atmosphere is good!. went just before 1pm, so the after lunch crowd, thinking that we would be able to avoid some of the bad service issues that other reviewers experienced. we were seated right away but then had to wait 20 minutes to even be waited on and then another 45 minutes for our food to come. when our food finally came, it was cold. the fries were too heavily salted (and also still very greasy), the grilled fish was cold to the touch, and the hush puppies were a little mushy in the center. the atmosphere was the only thing that isgoodabout this place. there was a nice breeze and it was a beautiful day outside. i overheard one of the waitresses telling other customers that the orders are prepared in the order in which they are received, but we observed two other tables receiving their orders before ours and they came in after us. disappointing. i will not be returning, even for the "famous burger."

great place. verygoodfood & atmosphere. great service

one of the best. this place is reallygoodfood and atmosphere.goodburgers. the fries are fresh cut there and the order will feed 3 at least. sit and watch the boats and enjoy a cold one. reasonably priced andgoodservice.

wonderful spot! great place to watch the sunset. very friendly and helpful wait staff.goodbeer, fresh fish, fries are amazing. would definitely go back

casual dining withgoodfood. we're visiting marathon for spring break and chose this restaurant based on reviews at urban spoon. the staff is very efficient and friendly and the food is very reasonably priced. we had a variety of dishes, but want to specifically recommend the fried key lime pie - it was amazing!

went twice.goodfood. inexpensive. neat location but you drive through a third-world neighborhood to get there. waitress was super sweet on our first trip. another waitress apparently was having a bad day on our second visit. but food was stillgoodand you should go.

outdoor dining,goodfood. the reviews are true. the fresh cut fries are delicious! the service here is laid back, but nice. make this a dinner stop on your next trip.

not easy on the budget. prettygoodfood; fast service; went late on a monday evening; and the place was nearly deserted. the food came quickly, was good; and our server was great. drawbacks: hush puppies and fries do not come with meals; and the grill closes right at nine; they turned some people away at 9:01...also, we weren't offered the fried key lime pie before hand...one of the reasons we came...basicallygoodfood, and service, but if you are budgeting...you can make the same for way less by buying fresh seafood locally and cooking yourself! 3 out of 5 stars

great food! get the hushpuppies. neat outdoor atmosphere withgoodviews!

burdines is one of my favorite local spots in marathon. the view is everything you expect in the keys. the food isgood(love the fries!) and the service is average. the keys are very laid back and sometimes that reflects in the service. you just cant expect speedy service because thats just not how many locals work down here. but if you have time to relax snd enjoy the florida keys way of life, i recommend the place for a bite to eat. the restaurant is also dog friendly which i love!

waterfront view.goodfood, large portions, andgoodprices. nice local outdoor place on the water.