After having a
picnic, the
Sandbar on Anna Maria Island is my second favorite place to eat on the beach. The restaurant opened in 1913, and I've been going since I was a little girl. This was the first place I was allowed to sit at a table
sans parents, making me feel like such an adult. I must have been about 9 or 10 when my friend and I were allowed our own table; truth be told it was probably as much of a break from the adults to be rid of us as it was for us to be rid of them.
You can eat inside, but the main attraction is the outside seating deck and the tables that are right on the beach.
James and I went one night in early November. It was freakishly cold that night, but with the outside heaters we decided to brave the cold to enjoy the sunset. The outside area has such a great relaxed atmosphere with live music. There was a wedding at their reception pavilion that night, so we were "treated" to their music instead of our own.
The Sandbar have a lovely menu of tropical drinks, perfect for a hot sunny day. My favorite is the Passion Fruit Pina Colada, but I passed as it was too cold that night for a frozen drink. James stayed true to his Sandbar staple, a Bahama Mama.
The Sandbar has two different menus: a Deck Menu and an Inside Menu. As I don't eat seafood, this can prove to be a bit of a challenge. They have an amazing Shrimp salad that I'm able to get with blackened or jerk chicken that is sprinkled with Gorgonzola cheese, fresh mango, and has a passion fruit dressing. Until recently, it had been added to the Deck Menu, but as it was so cold that night, I wasn't in the mood for salad. Once it gets warmer it's back to pleading with my server to have something on the Inside Menu.
We had gotten there a little early for the sunset so decided to have a starter. I had their house salad (also with mango and passion fruit dressing) and James opted for a more sensible cup of soup.
We both opted for the Buffalo Burger with Swiss, Mushrooms, and Sauteed Onions as our main course. There is something about a burger on the beach that you just can't beat. It also takes be back to my childhood when it was about the only non-seafood option. The burgers there are huge, and when paired with fries, can definitely be shared by two, which is what we'll do the next time we get a burger there.
Sitting in the cold was completely worthwhile for a view like this...
Another perk of eating outside before sunset is that your server takes your guess of what time you think the sun will disappear into the gulf. Whoever gets the closest guess to the actual time wins a bottle of sparkling wine. We've yet to win, but have come pretty close.
Whether your looking for somewhere to unwind after a stressful weekday or to have a relaxing dinner on the weekend, The Sandbar is definitely a lovely place to be.
The outside seating area is bliss. There are tables under cover with nice flans to keep you cool, and there are also tables outside under the light strung trees, feet from the shore line.
There is usually a bit of a wait. We like to put our name in and then head to the bar. While the inside does have a nice atmosphere, we like to take our drinks outside and wait out on the dock. It was quite overcast that day, but was the perfect cool down to a hot day in our pool. I had the Passion Fruit Pina Colada.
Even a 30+ minute wait is enjoyable with the massive pelicans to watch. It is probably due to the fact that you are closer to them here than at the beach, but Mar Vista's pelicans really do seem bigger than the average pelican. Or maybe it was the rum...
... either way, we could sit out for hours taking in the view, even on a cloudy day.
In addition to arriving by car, you can also arrive to Mar Vista by boat.
We were told that there would be a 45 minute wait that night, but it felt more like 15. I had the Caribbean Chicken Sandwich ($ 8.99) which was a chicken breast marinated in tropical fruit juices, blackened, and topped with Provolone cheese on a whole wheat bun. It had just the right amount of heat and was just what I was craving.
James opted for the Mar Vista Burger ($8.99) with Cheddar, Bacon, and Blue Cheese. I'm guilty of sneaking a bite, and with their thickly sliced dill pickles, think that he made a great choice.
