Best Cozy Restaurants in Sailboat Bend

The House on the River is my “go to” for Sunday brunch prior to a show at Broward Performing Arts. This was my second visit and I am already looking forward to returning with my granddaughter in December! The food and drinks are delicious. The ambiance—both inside and outside seating—is stellar. Our waiter—“Sam”—was thoughtful and made sure we got to our show on time. A wonderful spot on the river that has old school charm with classic brunch fare beautifully prepared.

The energy was great and the food was even better. We weren’t even sure they had food until we had looked earlier in the day and booked a reservation and it did not disappoint. Tables were comfortable and the inside was way bigger than expected with plenty of space. Food and service were awesome and the drinks were also really great. Highly recommend for date night or with a big group for lots of laughs.

This was our first visit back to the Boatyard since its remodel and it did not disappoint. There was a mix up in our reservation and our table was given away but the manager, Sam, quickly took care of it and treated us extremely well. We had an excellent server who described the dishes very well and made great suggestions. Drinks were delicious. We look forward to our next dinner there.

Our only disappointment with the restaurant was not having visited it sooner. Living in the neighborhood, we bypassed it many times before venturing out on a Monday night. To our amazement, the food, the ambiance and service were beyond expectations. Our server, Thomas, went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. His recommendation of a variation of our usual unfiltered sake was right on. Walking us through the menu, we selected the tuna tower, the Korean barbecue with rice, the grilled octopus and the crispy duck entre. All were excellent but the octopus and the duck were particularly noteworthy. Having worked in Turkey for many years, we can appreciate the correct way to tenderize and char grill octopus. Here, it was done to perfection. Likewise, the duck was crispy on the outside yet still moist on the inside after being sliced and quartered. The outside seating was not overcrowded like many similar venues, and the volume of the music did not preclude us from having strained conversations. While pricey by some Fort Lauderdale standards, it was well worth. Lastly, we were pleased that are open table reservation was promptly honored notwithstanding a busy restaurant.

Amazing birthday dinner with my husband! Service 10/10 and food was delish. DJ created awesome vibes, love the decor and ambiance. Only thing I would recommend is to have a cashless option to purchase hookah.