Sandbar Sports Grill — Restaurant in Cocoa Beach

I will suggest sticking with the younger bartenders when attending this restaurant. I eat at or order drinks from the Sandbar every time I come to Cocoa Beach. I like this restaurant because it’s so close to the beach and they have play live music. Normally, it’s a very chill vibe but yesterday was different. My family went to the beach for my sons bday and we all stopped in to grab something to eat around lunch time to bring back to the beach. Since it was a to-go order, we were told to go to the inside bar and order with the bartenders there. There were two older ladies working the inside bar and one helped our entire party. We had a big party with us so we all had separate orders of food and drinks. A few of us came back a couple more times throughout the day to order additional drinks to take to the beach. We automatically returned to the inside bar to order the drinks and left tips every time we ordered. On our third trip back to the inside bar, one of the bartenders (who didn’t even help our party the other times we ordered) accused us of bringing our drinks back to serve the minors in our party and told us they were “busting their asses” for us to not even tip them. We were completely appalled by this as we certainly were not serving any of the minors in our party (we actually ordered a virgin cocktail for one of them at the bar) and we had tipped every time and had the receipts to prove it. After saying that to us and while making our drinks, this bartender acted very stiff the whole time as if we were being a nuisance to her all day (again, she hadn’t helped us previously, the other bartender did). When she finished our drinks and brought them over to us, we asked her if she’d like to compare receipts to show her we did leave tips and all she said was “I must’ve gotten you mixed up with someone else”. Didn’t offer and apology and still acted annoyed with us. Upon tasting our drinks, we realized she didn’t even add alcohol to them but charged us full price. Instead of making a scene, we decided to go to the front outside bar where the younger bartenders were. We explained the situation with the inside bartender and the younger bartender apologized on her behalf. We ordered and paid for 2 shots to add to the nonalcoholic drinks we were served from the older bartender. While I will suggest this place when traveling to Cocoa Beach, I will suggest to stick with the younger bartenders if you go. Their service is much better than the older women.

Update 4/10/23: I followed up with the GM as the owner suggested. Sent an email on 3/21/23 and haven’t heard back from them.

Update 12/26/23: Still have not heard back from the GM. Assume I never will...

just wanted to share a few tips and tricks, quite literally copying and pasting this from the internet that could’ve been used over the confusion during this timely manner that apparently “no one was available” to check our ids lol. “ In Florida, a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or ID card is a state-issued document, while a regular driver's license or ID card is not REAL ID compliant, and the only difference is a small star in the upper right corner.” here’s some more to help: “ REAL ID-Compliant Driver's License/ID Card: Purpose: To meet the security standards required by the federal government for accessing federal facilities and for domestic air travel. Requirement: Florida began implementing REAL ID in 2010, and beginning May 3, 2023, every state resident will need a REAL ID compliant driver's license or ID to fly domestically and access federal facilities. Indicator: A small star in the upper right corner of the card. Obtaining: You must show up in person at a driver's license service center or tax collector's office to get a REAL ID. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recommends making an appointment before you visit. Regular Driver's License/ID Card: Purpose: To serve as proof of identity and authorization to drive in Florida. Requirement: A regular Florida driver's license is required to operate a motor vehicle in the state. Indicator: No star in the upper right corner. Obtaining: You can obtain a regular Florida driver's license or ID card at a driver's license service center or tax collector's office” truly hope this helps the lack of intelligence within this establishment regarding the fact a NJ LICENSE stating “not a real ID” is still completely valid to prove the age of being 21 years old and able to drink. hope this helps and i truly hope the waiting staff improves and learns the laws and regulations in relation to the difference between a drivers license and a real id. also not to mention my “not for real id purposes” is the same identification i hand to a police officer when i get pulled over and guess what…: it’s legal and real. hope this helps❤️

RESPONSE TO OWNER: hey so everything you mentioned i’m gonna copy and paste to help you out… “Valid IDs for verifying age to purchase alcohol must be issued by a government agency, contain the person's name, date of birth, photograph, physical description, and be currently valid (not expired)." my license actually has all of these things ur so silly hope...

During my recent visit to Sandbar Sports Grill in Cocoa Beach, I was really impressed with the overall vibe of the place. The atmosphere was lively and energetic, making it a great spot to relax and enjoy a meal. Despite how busy it was, the service was absolutely top-notch. Our waitress was phenomenal—she knew the menu inside and out, gave great recommendations on drinks, and was incredibly quick and attentive throughout the night.

We started off with a mix of appetizers. I ordered the tuna tacos, my wife went with the chicken wings, and my friend and his wife decided to try something adventurous—the fried alligator. The wings and alligator were decent, and the nachos we had on the side were pretty good as well. However, the tuna tacos fell short of expectations. The flavors just didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

For our main course, we all decided to go for a mix of chicken and beef fajitas. Unfortunately, this was another letdown. The fajitas lacked the bold, sizzling flavors I was hoping for, and we just couldn’t enjoy them. When we mentioned it to our waitress, she was incredibly professional and understanding. Without hesitation, she brought it up to the manager, who personally came over to our table. The manager was very courteous and went above and beyond to make things right—he even took the fajitas off our bill, which was a really nice gesture considering we didn’t eat them.

Even though the food wasn’t exactly what we hoped for, the exceptional service and fun atmosphere really made up for it. The staff's attentiveness and willingness to make things right left a lasting impression. Final Verdict: Food: ⭐⭐⭐ (Some dishes were good, but others missed the mark) Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Absolutely flawless—friendly, fast, and accommodating) Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Lively, fun, and a great place to hang out) Would I come back? Yes, but more for the experience than the food. If they tweak a few things on the menu, this place could easily be a five-star...