traders cafe

overpriced and not very good. the best thing was the bread. the gumbo was terrible, i rarely send things back but both myself and my son did. no spice, just tasted like smoke. dinners are overpriced and average, very slow service. rarely write reviews but for the price, definitely not worth it. i am a foodie from n. california.

stay away. horrible service jessie was our server. we waited over an hour for our salad course. couldn't get a glass of wine my husband triple tail was awful mush. the creamed spinach was good the soup was horrible. then to top it off our credit card was charged for a different table so not only did we pay $77 for piss poor food but also $89 pending for another table. poor service mediocre food undercooked fish and double charged at the end and waited 1:30 hour for bad food stay away

based on other reviews we saved this for our last special dinner of the trip and we're extremely glad we did. the menu is varied and unique, and the list of specials was good. this was our top rated restaurant of the week.

fabulous food!!!! excellent atmosphere. higher end food yet not a stuffy feel to the place. service was also wonderful!! would come back again.

always aaa+++. just the best . . . always the best . . . voted by us as the top restaurant in southwest florida - the hostess begins our visit perfectly - she is just so darling and fun - the seat in the bar at her suggestion was the winner of the night - chris workman was performing and what a treat he is - wish i could take him home with me. chris was so attentive and made us feel like we were making his night - foodl, great as always, cocktails, plentiful, music a+, hostess, just the best and a 5 star evening again!


-----17 dec, 2010-----

mar -vvvaaa - lluuss !!!. what a classy restaurant - greeted by vibrant hostess who immediately told me i looked dynamite - ok, i was smiling already! seated immediately at a gorgeous window table with view of the holiday lights was a wonderful beginning to a fabulous meal - crab cakes, grouper, wonderful bread, and raspberry cheesecake - could not ask for more. great service, beautiful atmosphere and a fair price point.

very nice restaurant. good food, good service, good atmosphere. $$$$, but i'd say it's worth it. excellent choice for a special occasion, or just a really good meal.

i ordered the macadamia nut crusted grouper. the mango salsa and sauce was awesome with the grouper. the rice was okay, not a huge fan of rice cooked at restaurants. the veggies were not overcooked and were good dipped in the sauce.
my husband ordered the salmon which he has ordered me to find research and try to copy at home; it was that good. the waitress, danielle was great. she was on her game by keeping us well hydrated and attentative but not bothersome to the point that she interrupted us. the cold water oysters were well separated from the shell and no grit. really good overall.

went for a late dinner ( monday 8 pm in late june) and was seated immediately. white tablecloths, however, each table also had white butcher paper over top with crayons for kids. all levels of dress were present and acceptable. wait staff was impeccable and very good at timing the meal. started with a key lime martini, which was good but probably not the best drink choice for pre-dinner. the creaminess and sweetness make it more dessert like... but to each there own. they serve a rustic whole grain bread (very nice, seemed freshly made) with herbed olive oil to start. i ordered the fresh spinach salad (pine nuts, gorgonzola, portobello mushrooms, and pancetta vinaigrette), very good and the portobello pieces, though not much to look at, were awesome (smokey, meaty, hint of wine). my husband ordered a chef's special with crab stuffed jumbo shrimp and wild mushroom rissoto... which was very good. risotto was a bit muddy tasting, which is somewhat expected with that amount of infused mushroom. i got a second drink called the captiva cooler (clear sparkling drink flavored with mint, lime, and cucumber) which was very refreshing and light. i got the macadamia encrusted grouper (very mild white fish with added sweetness, creaminess, nuttiness, and crunch lent from the macadamia) which i thought benefited from some lemon and salt... but overall very nice. the accompanying mango salsa was seasoned well, and the rice also simple and delicious. overall a very nice experience! (2 cocktails, 2 salads, 2 seafood entrees = $95)

almost always get the ribs and potatoes au gratin with green beans. consistently good food! love the skinny margarita and fish specials as well! this is an island favorite with good music and bar menu!

remarkable chefs specials. very creative. excellent service. very attentive. good dessert menu too.

my friend had seafood pasta full of shrimp, lobster, crab, spinach & artichoke in a tomato, pesto broth. killer! i had macadamia crusted grouper with mango salsa & thai peanut sauce. everything was fresh. nothing canned or premade.

yet another sanibel dining out homerun. i will be back!

where do the islanders entertain their guests? here! it's a little pricy but lives up to ones expectations. if you're on a budget, drop in for the crab bakes. they're large, freshly made and satisfying as a light lunch. you should at least go there once. it's a gem.

everything was perfect, food, service & atmosphere.

jumbo gulf shrimp, maine lobster, jumbo lump blue crab over linguine. to die for!

pei mussels. we've eaten at traders several times and are never disappointed. this dish was off the hook with flavor and perfectly cooked mussels. many people are turned off by the curry spice, but when used correctly it's delightful, and the coconut is the perfect match in this sauce. do yourself a favor and try this dish. you'll never badmouth curry again, promise. kudos to the chef!

excellent atmosphere and food. 4 of us went to dinner upon arriving. we had excellent meals, prices are comparable to the food. if you don't mind paying to get an excellent meal at a wonderful place this it.