Restaurant Review – Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar in Coconut Point Mall

Before Hurricane Ian my wife and I would often go to Barefoot Beach in the morning hours then afterwards head over to the Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar in Coconut Point Mall for lunch. Since the Hurricane the only beach we’ve gone to is Venice Beach, so its been a while since we we ate at Tommy Bahama. We know the beach is back open, but we hear the washrooms haven’t been fixed yet. There are port-a-potties, but who wants to use those, right ladies! Plus, the parking fee went from $6 to $10. Higher fees, less amenities, excellent way to do business! Anyways, my wife had a hankering for the Coconut Shrimp and the frozen Mai Tais that Tommy has to offer, so off we went!

Its 27 miles to Coconut Point Mall. The only stop light that was red on the way there was the first one here at River Hall Parkway! I made every light after that! All the ones along Palm Beach Blvd including the ones at the I-75 intersection! I even made the light when I got off I-75 at Corkscrew Road! Holy cow, I should have bought a lottery ticket that day! Anyway, got there in a record 35 minutes and the trip back wasn’t that much more. So good driving trip all around! (Not many snowbirds gumming up the works!)

So let’s talk about the food. We always get the Coconut Shrimp and the Beef Sliders. They are just so good! The shrimp are delicious, succulent and crispy. Each shrimp rests in a pool of sweet chili sauce. The colorful, vibrant slaw made with fresh cilantro sits in the middle of the plate and is the perfect accompaniment. I like to mix the excess chili sauce into the slaw for even more flavor. Then there’s the Beef Sliders (they have chicken sliders too for those that don’t eat red meat). You get two in an order and they are pretty big for a “slider” so you won’t go hungry. When I pick up one and start to eat, I can’t put it back down. With each bite I close my eyes and savor the chew. Umami! Its so good! When we finished we wanted to get another dish and just for variety we went with a Blackened Shrimp Bacon Flatbread, but the next time I’m going to vote for another order of the sliders! They’re fantastic.

And don’t forget the drinks! The best Frozen Mai Tai around. Powerful, be careful! Getting a second one and driving could be dangerous, so I went for a zero proof non-alcoholic drink for my second drink. It was a peachy coconut drink with jalapeno that was pretty good. The live music was a bonus. Never seen that before. He was good. Gave him a tip. He did Sweet Melissa by the Allman Brothers from their Eat a Peach album (love that album). So all in all a great lunch. Highly recommended. Here’s a link to their website.