Atlantic’s Edge Restaurant

We made a reservation 2 month before our 25^th anniversary. We ask to prepare for us a nice table with a nice view next to the sea in order to celebrate our special occasion — something special for a special evening. And we were told they will take care of.
When we arrived we were escorted to a bad table somewhere in the back, cramped in between two groups of people and no nice view at all.
When we explained that this is not what we had in mind when we made the reservation and if they don’t have another table we were told this is the only table and if we don’t like it we can sit somewhere on garden chairs in front of the restaurant.
So we asked if can speak to the manager. We asked him if this is how they handle special occasions and he told us that they never got any information for a special request. He was friendly and it seemed that he was willing to help but he also could not offer something nice except a table inside or at the sushi bar. Since the mood was already ruined we left.
They really ruined our special evening. We guess that they don’t care about special requests since they think they will have enough guests anyway. So if you plan something special you better go somewhere else.

My husband surprised me with Mother’s Day brunch here while we spent the weekend in Islamorada. What a beautiful location!
We were seated outside, upon request, with views of the beautiful landscaping and water beyond. Service was attentive and quick, and the buffet… oh, the buffet! I’ve enjoyed many special occasion buffets in my lifetime, and while this was not one of the best in terms of variety of foods, it was still very good. The location and service is really the reason for the 4 stars.
While I really enjoyed everything I ate from the buffet, I really felt like they could have added more. For $ 86/​person, my expectations were high. There was only one salad (quinoa salad) even offered. The buffet consisted of a carving station, shrimp and oysters, soup, an omelet station, some traditional breakfast items, a waffle station, and desserts. Where were the salads? If this was a brunch buffet, they really missed on their offerings, but again, you’re really paying for the views/​location.
Would I return here for their Sunday brunch buffet for a special occasion? Mm… maybe. Again, really good experience, but I expected more variety.

One would expect a fantastic meal at a beautiful seaside restaurant at a very expensive resort, unfortunately that did not occur. While the menu is quite appealing the food and the service were very disappointing, especially at the expense. Five of us started off with the seafood tower which was more expensive than Manhattan yet was proportioned for two with the smallest oysters I’ve ever seen. The filet mignon was excellent but the strip steak was partially inedible due to gristle. The baked potato was served cold and the Macaroni and cheese with truffles was disgusting. The service was unacceptable as the server forgot ones salad and never refilled water until we chased him down. The various desserts were only average. Bottom line if you want a great meal at Manhattan prices don’t eat here. If you want to overpay to eat by the sea get the filet or fish.

Let’s just skip to the desserts ;) a nice tart key lime pie with berries, and then OMG the peanut butter mousse chocolate pyramid stole the show. Sometime before that we had got healthy items too… I liked the bikini burger that was vegetarian, as well as the salad served with warmed goat cheese! And my Virgin mojito hit the spot, as did the cappuccino. Now to head to the beach to walk it all off!

We had breakfast here each day we were at the Cheeca. I was a huge fan of the eggs benedict. The view from the outdoor seating was incredible. And the service was outstanding. It was a great place to start the day and have a leisurely breakfast. The only reason I havent given it a higher rating is that it is a bit pricey for what you get.

Excellent from start to finish. I had the special rack of lamb and my husband had the surf and turf. Both were cooked to perfection. Our server, Rebecca, was knowledgable about the menu and attentive. Perfect location on the water. lWe will be coming back. This is a must in Islamorada!

We ordered the special of the day. A lobster tail and three tenderloins, vegetables and a choice of potatoes. The waitress did not tell us the price of the specials. Well, the lobster was so dry that it was impossible to remove it from the shell. The three small tenderloins were also very dry. The plate was probably sitting under the heating light for at least 10 minutes. The vegetables we overcooked and the little potatoes hard as a rock. The price for this dish was $ 68. Way overpriced even if the plate was wonderful. Plus, there was no soda and no draft beers. How a hotel can have their soda machine and draft beer broken on a Saturday night. It has a wonderful view so I guess you pay for the view!

Oysters and mussels were really good. Great service in a beautiful ocean front place.

Horrible service. Drinks come with food (how long does it take to pour a pint, really?). Service is extremely slow, watch for your bill — they added an extra item to ours).

Mixed reviews about this restaurant. The service was very slow, however our waitress was very nice and apologetic about it. The food was ok, but nothing out of this world. The grilled octopus was just ok. I was not impressed with the ceviche of the day… I’ve had much better. The whole fried yellowtail, was very good but impossible to mess that up! All in all the food was just ok and the service was very very slow!

I had the best steak here when I stayed at the resort however it’s off the menu when I returned. The food overall is great, the seating and the views are fantastic. Definitely a must when staying at the cheeca lodge.

We went here on our wedding anniversary in early March, 2015. The food was good but the servers and wait staff were all confused. The people at the table next to us were congratulated on their wedding anniversary — which it wasn’t. No one figured it out and congratulated us. Appetizers and entrees were consistently being brought to the wrong tables: either we were being given another tables’ order or they were getting ours. Our glasses of bottled water were topped off with tap water a few times. My wife mentioned our anniversary when ordering dessert, but no special attention was given. All in all, decent food but service much worse than one would expect at Fawlty Towers. ;-)

I have nothing bad to say about this place!!! Amazing service, amazing food, amazing drinks! This is a must stop while you are in islamorada!

Came back exactly 1 year later from my first review.
The bad: service in the hotel and with the wait staff was lacking this time. The service certainly wasn’t as robust, generous and welcoming as my first visit, which was very disappointing because the hospitality during my first visit was very good and refreshing. A quick note to the hotel facilities manager: fluorescent lights are not welcoming or flattering in a dining setting. Make sure all the lights on the dining patio are free of fluorescent bulbs. Warm incandescent lighting is so much more luxurious.
The good: the food was excellent. The atmosphere at our table was very good. The welcome at the valet was much better this time around. The hotel lobby restrooms have very nice bath products. The bar staff was attentive and friendly.

My husband and I went here on New Years Eve for a special prix fix menu. I don’t know what this place is like on a regular night, so take that into account when reading this review. But this special dinner, which cost $ 255 per person, was one of the most overpriced, disappointing dinners I’ve had.
First, the food. The food sounded good on paper, but all of it was premade and pretty bland. There seemed to be no attempt to make anything fresh. It’s like they pulled the dish straight out of the fridge. All of the courses were cold except the main course, which left much to be desired for other reasons. There was an option between lobster and beef tenderloin. My husband had the former and I had the latter. The lobster was incredibly rich. The lobster meat itself was delicious and very fresh, but we weren’t big fans of the dish itself. The tenderloin was ok, but it really did feel like a standard run-​of-​the-​mill hotel restaurant fare. Not worthy of a $ 255/​person price tag. Not even close.
Second, the service. There were a lot of people running around, and our water service was good. But our waiter… my god. He was very nice, but he had so little tact and seemed to have no idea what he was doing all night. He could’ve been a lumberjack by trade who never spent a day of his life working in food service. He didn’t tell us what he was putting in front of us; just kind of clumsily plopped it down. He didn’t ask how I wanted my tenderloin cooked, and seemed to forget to bring out certain things that were supposed to be included until we reminded him.
This was a disappointing meal, to say the least.

We celebrated our anniversary here and it was better then expected. The food was spot on served hot and well seasoned. The lobster truffle mashed potatoes are to die for! They were so nice. Everyone who came to our table wished us a happy anniversary.
Definitely recommend and we will be coming back. Sherry our server was so attentive and friendly.

The food is great but the service was lackluster at best. If your staying there and don’t want to go off property it’ll do. For the money, there are plenty of better choices for fine dining on the island. Do yourself a favor a skip this one.

Beautiful location. Good service. Overrated and overpriced for what they offer. $ 16 for a martini-​and not even a very good one. The food was average. With all of the good restaurants Islamorada has to offer, this would not be at the top of my list —

When you walk into this spot, you’re thinking you’re going to have one of the better meals of your life. The presentation, ambiance, and allure of the Cheeca Lodge all set it up for that…
Aside from the cocktails (which were done PERFECTLY), Atlantic’s Edge was just «ok.» Food wasn’t anything special, the service wasn’t bad at all (Ben was great), but I guess we were just expecting better. The taste was bland of my seafood pasta, and the appetizer of Grilled Octopus was REALLY small. Portion-​to-​price ratio isn’t too good here, but if that doesn’t bother you, you might enjoy it.
Also (this doesn’t bother me at all) but the nearby Tiki Bar outside allows smoking — so if you don’t like a cigarette and cigar smell, you might not want to eat here.

Set only a palm leaf’s length away from the azure Atlantic waters, this fine dining establishment is like an undiscovered treasure from a world lost to time. Moving at a pace not much faster than the warm evening breeze, service and atmosphere was relaxed and understated, just like the Keys themselves.
The food was dazzling. The amuse of «baked potato» was a clever deconstruction of a familiar flavor, the perfect launching pad for a journey into the exotic. Starters included a fresh ceviche that both showcased the freshness of the fish and elevated the flavor with subtle citrus. And the local «Pinky» jumbo shrimp were succulent and beautiful, the briny freshness almost as captivating as the perfect texture of the wild shrimp. The light salad of local greens, heirloom tomatoes, and burrata added just the right amount of richness and bitterness to both end the 1^st course and build anticipation for the main course of line-​caught cobia. A fish I am not familiar with, it had a texture that was both firm yet delicate, perhaps more a testament to the perfect execution of its preparation. And the simple grilling allowed its natural oiliness to shine on the palate as brightly as the mid-​day Florida sun. A light lemon sauce and gnocchi made the perfect backdrop for a fish that needs little else.
Overall, one of my most memorable meals. Eating is about so much more than food, and yet at the same time it’s all about the food. Atlantic’s Edge manages to walk this fine line with grace and elegance, much like the private beach it sits on.