Island Gypsy Cafe & Marina Bar — Restaurant in Marco Island

Howdy y'all, I just wanted to share our families reasoning for the one star review. Our family is local to the area and the Island Gypsy is what I would call our go-to restaurant. Food is always excellent, the atmosphere is great, and the prices are reasonable. The only issue is with unacceptable service. The subpar service only comes from one server in particular. I have never caught his name but he is a tall, wiry man with ear piercings and tattoos just so y'all can steer clear. We have had him now a handful of times. The first couple of times we just figured he was having a bad day or just decided to remain patient and courteous and not let it ruin our experience. However the experience today could not go overlooked. It started with him walking away after we didn't tell him all exactly what we wanted to drink 5 seconds after sitting down. To be clear I write this review sober having only drank iced tea at dinner. Next, he continued to press us after we had ordered an appetizer about ordering our main dishes. We voiced that we wanted to wait and he responded with telling us that he "has 10 years of experience and knows how to place an order." After continuing to be incredibly short with my father and seemingly impatient with the whole family our meal had concluded. My father asked for a check and then the waiter handed him the electronic device to get that done. However, my dad assumed he still had a few minutes as a check is usually paper and takes a minute to get printed. So, my dad said to give him a minute in which the waiter responds "Well you just asked for the check didn't you?" which wasn't even the cherry on top. I then watched him go to a food runner 8 feet away from our table and talk about my father behind his back which is where my patience ended. We paid out leaving no tip and voicing our problems to him in which he denied talking behind my fathers back and his rude actions. I was staring at him the whole time and could hear clearly. To be frank I am shocked he did not catch that I was watching him be rude so blatantly and out in the open. I wish this man the best in life, but just ask to be seated in any other section. If you want come to this restaurant I strongly encourage you to do so. It is a shame that he ruined our dinner as it was a celebration for my fiancé and I getting engaged last night. Thanks...

A Culinary Gem on Marco Island: Island Gypsy Restaurant Review

When our friends urged us to try out the Island Gypsy Restaurant on Marco Island in Florida, we were admittedly skeptical. Just the day before, we had a disappointing dining experience at a similar establishment. However, we decided to give it a chance, and boy, are we glad we did.

Despite the initial apprehension, we found ourselves happily waiting for 40 minutes to snag a seat in the open-air dining room. And let me tell you, every minute of that wait was worth it. From start to finish, our experience at Island Gypsy was nothing short of wonderful.

The menu boasted an array of enticing options, but two dishes stood out among the rest. I opted for the Lobster Ruben, a delightful concoction of Cold Water Maine Lobster, coleslaw, and aioli sauce sandwiched between marbled rye bread. Every bite was bursting with flavor, and the lobster was impeccably fresh.

My wife went for the fish tacos, and let me tell you, they did not skimp on the mahi-mahi. Packed to the brim with succulent fish, she could barely close them! Each taco was a symphony of flavors, perfectly complemented by the accompanying fresh ingredients.

However, the true star of the show was undoubtedly the onion rings. Let me tell you, these were no ordinary onion rings. Made with generous slices of sweet onion and fried to golden perfection, they were quite possibly the best I've ever had. Island Gypsy has officially claimed the number one spot in Florida for onion rings in my book.

Aside from the exceptional food, the atmosphere at Island Gypsy was simply delightful. The open-air dining room provided stunning views and a relaxed ambiance that perfectly complemented our meal.

In summary, Island Gypsy Restaurant exceeded all of our expectations and then some. From the mouthwatering dishes to the inviting atmosphere, every aspect of our experience was top-notch. Whether you're a visitor or a local, I highly recommend paying Island Gypsy a visit. Five stars all the way for this culinary gem on Marco Island.

By: Thomas...

Horrible experience. We stopped here on the way back from the Marco Island beaches on the recommendation of a local. We waited approximately 20 min to be seated. When we were seated our drink order was promptly and politely taken. After the drinks were delivered we placed our appetizer and lunch order. We then proceeded to wait, and wait and wait. After 1 hour and asking twice, our order of apps was delivered. This consisted of nachos with bean dip and a cup of soup (yes, this took 1 hour). The waiter apologized for the delay. However, he was also doing the same to all the tables around us. Another hour had now passed and no lunch order. I over heard servers complaining to one another that the kitchen situation was getting out of control and they did not know what to tell the patrons. By this time I was done waiting for food and got up and proceeded to leave. Our waiter was no where to be found. Another person in our party notified a random staff member that we were leaving. They apologized to us canceled the remaining items on our check. I paid the balance of the bill (with no tip) and left. I don't know who owns or runs this establishment (they were clearly not on or in the restaurant at the time), but the entire company and staff are clearly in over their heads. They are just heading into the "high season" on 12/29/21 and the kitchen could not handle a lunch crowd. I don't know if it is the lack of staff (most likely) or training, but expecting patrons to wait 2+ hours for bar food is simply unacceptable. The restaurant had plenty of servers on hands and they were doing the best that they could. If the owner can not fill the kitchen with a trained and competent kitchen staff then I think closing the kitchen until such time is the only reasonable solution. The establishment can run perfectly fine as a bar only. Unless you have 3+ hours for lunch I would avoid it...