Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen + Bar - Winter Park FL

By Melanie Courcy | June 14, 2022

For Bite30 (take 2), we dined at Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen and Bar in Winter Park FL. This establishment is a throw back to traditional southern coastal fish camps, providing fresh fish with a focus on sustainability and clean ingredients.

The Digs

Since we typically arrive for dinner before the dinner rush, there is usually an opportunity to get photos of the mostly empty restaurant before dining. It was a little more challenging, this time, as the place was about a third full when we arrived. I was able to snap a picture of one room, but the main dining area and the bar area just had too many people to get a clean shot. I took this as a sign that good food was to come! By the time we left, the place was packed and it was over an hour wait for a table, so we were glad to have gotten there early with a reservation.

Each of the three dining sections have plenty of seating, with booths, tables and the bar as options to sit. They also have outdoor seating available. The decor is fishy - literally - fish signs, pictures, and other coastal decor are abundant. Make sure to look up - as they even have pictures on the ceiling, which is really cool (but not wise to look at them while walking to your table for those of you who are just as uncoordinated as me... lol).

The atmosphere was dimly lit in the bar area where we sat, which may be viewed as romantic. I found it hard to read the menu without light and my 40+ year old eyes, and also a bit difficult to view what I'm getting ready to bite into (more on that later).

The Service

We arrived slightly before our reservation time, so we were directed to the bar while our table was being prepared. A clever idea, as we may not have ordered drinks had we not been directed that way. After about 10 minutes, we were seated at our table and promptly served a tasty snack while we perused the menu. The staff was friendly and responsive, even as they got busier.

The Tastebud Delights

Due to our initial stop at the bar, my husband ordered an oyster shot, as it was one of the more interesting items on the drink menu. I believe he was given a choice of tequila or vodka as the base. It looked like a Bloody Mary shot - with a raw oyster dropped in it. It definitely was not my thing, so I didn't try it and stuck with a glass of Cabernet. However, my husband's words were 'spicy', 'different', and 'I like it', so I'll take his word for it that it was enjoyable.

The Bite30 menu has three appetizers, three entrees, and two desserts as options. The regular menu has quite a variety as well, and they offer a 'Get Reel Happy' menu from 4-7pm Tues-Fri that offer drinks and a light menu at a discounted price.

For appetizers, we ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes and Clams & Tasso Toast off the Bite30 menu, in addition to the Half-Dozen Baked Gulf Oysters from the 'Get Reel Happy' menu. Our meals were Pompano Beach Swordfish and Sweet Potato Crusted Red Grouper on Garden Salad. We topped it all off with Mike's Famous Carrot Cake and Chocolate Brownie. Sound like a lot? It definitely was and I have the uncomfortably full stomach to prove it.

Let's start with the snack that was served when we sat down. It looked like oyster crackers, but tasted homemade with a variety of spices. They were good, but a bit salty for my taste. I didn't have too many, as I wanted to save room for what was to come.

First out was the Fried Green Tomatoes. There were five large pieces, which makes me think they gave us the entire tomato - much more than expected for an appetizer. The tomatoes had a pleasantly crispy outer layer. They came with a roasted red pepper vinaigrette and were topped with crumbled goat cheese. The vinaigrette was interesting, as it looked more like hot sauce. I had a hard time deciphering the taste I was experiencing. However, my husband thought the sauce tasted like sour cream and onion potato chips with a hint of sweetness. After he mentioned it, I was able to pick that flavor up as well. Don't get me wrong - it was good! Just not what I expected out of a roasted red pepper vinaigrette. The goat cheese was very pleasant with this dish, as it made for a soft transition for the palette. The tomatoes themselves were a bit firmer than I would have expected, but kudos for actually putting thick enough slices of tomato in there for us to taste them!

The Half-Dozen Baked Gulf Oysters were next. They had a nice breadcrumb topping and tasted fresh. They were also decently priced as a happy hour item.

My husband enjoyed the Clams & Tasso Toast, but I was a little disappointed in that dish. These were Cedar Key Clams in a Tasso ham sofrito, and served with grilled Ciabatta. Several of the shells were empty, as the clams had fallen into the soupy mixture below. So, I took the Ciabatta and scooped up some bits (of mostly onion with maybe one clam) and took a hearty bite. Perhaps I should have been a bit more careful and mindful of what I was eating, as I bit down hard on a piece of shell. Tooth pain aside, I also found the dish salty. However, my husband liked it - especially the sauce which he said was reminiscent of a French onion soup.

The Pompano Beach Swordfish was served blackened with poblano cream sauce, dirty rice, and collard greens. This dish had an authentically southern flavor throughout. The fish was cooked just right, and the collard greens had just the right texture.

My favorite was my husband's dish, Sweet-Potato Crusted Red Grouper on Garden Salad. The fish had a mild flavor and the caramelized sweet potatoes were just the right added touch to this extremely well put together dish. The salad was the perfect refreshing pair, and the vinaigrette pulled it all together. My husband said 'the weeds had a good sauce' which is a complement from him, since he is not much of a salad person.

The best part - dessert! Mikes Famous Carrot Cake was very rich and flavorful. It was served warm with cream cheese icing - but not the typical cream cheese icing you would usually find on carrot cake. This was more in whipped cream fashion which melted over the cake, adding a bit of softness to the rich flavor.

My husband devoured the Chocolate Brownie which was very... chocolatey! The texture was soft and the dish was served warm.

The Takeaway

Overall, my husband and I thought the food was good and many people seemed to think so by the crowd. Bite30 gave us a chance to give it a try at a discount, as the regular menu is on the pricey side. They have some interesting and flavorful dishes. I definitely preferred the soft creamy flavors found in the grouper dish over the salty savory ones in most of the other dishes. I look forward to the leftover carrot cake tomorrow!

The Restaurant Info

Address: 1234 N Orange Ave, Winter Park FL

Phone: 407-543-3474

Website: https://reelfishcoastal.com/