Deep Lagoon — Restaurant in Florida

Formerly Randy's Fishmarket. Formerly great. We went for lunch like we have for years. This was bought out by a chain several years ago. The interior looks the same, the menu looks the same. The service is now weird and corporate influence shows. The person who greeted us acted like we were there to ask directions or something. I said we were here for lunch and he hesitated. I asked if we could get lunch and if we could sit in the bar and he replied that yes, they served lunch for the next 40 minutes. Ok...can we get a seat in the bar? He finally starts moving and says they have several tables and booths. I already know this. I could draw a picture of the bar area from memory. So weird.

We had a dozen oysters on the half shell to start and they were off. Not bad-off, just not great. Food was ok. It was happy hour and there was only one other person in the place. Our server was very good. When we left, no other customers were there. The servers and host were too busy talking to thank us for our business as we exited. This is a restaurant that was always busy no matter what hour. In the years since Randy sold it, business has steadily declined. We go back every year in our annual Florida trek. I'm sure many of Randy's fans have done the same. After this year's experience, we said "It's officially the end of an era." Rest in peace, Randy's.

Traveler tip: Trader Joe's is right across the main drag from this place, a little hidden by the trees. If you're heading north, turn right at the light after Office Depot...

I visited Deep Lagoon last Saturday night to celebrate a friends Birthday. What a terrible experience! I DO NOT RECOMMEND!!! This is a one and done restaurant!

I called and got reservations at 5:15 so we could get a good table near the water. The four of us were immediately shown to a booth in a cubby hole next to the kitchen. We refused the table and were then shown to a table at which the chairs could not be pulled out. Only when we stated we were unable to sit at the table did they move the table . They were rolling their eyes at each other (not a good start). We then ordered drinks and apps. The drinks were OK, the Coconut shrimp app was awful! Two medium very greasy shrimp on shredded lettuce with sauce on top for $7.50 (yes - this was a happy hour deal).... Also ordered Oysters Rockefeller. Ouch - they came out with cold congealed sauce on them. The manager stopped by to see how we were doing and we told him about the apps . He said he was sorry, walked away and we never saw him again! Very sad.. Soup was lukewarm and not very good . .. They may have dipped a tiny piece of Lobster in a tea bag in the mixture...Diner was very awful - lukewarm and yucky. Example - I ordered FraDiablo - it came with one cold scallop - two cold clams and two tiny cold shrimp served over congealed pasta. TOTAL YUCK! The salad was they only good...

Generally I felt the food was very uneven, and the atmosphere and staff could decide if it was casual or upscale. However, the process were definitely in the high end. The fried oysters were nearly inedible being pasty balls of mostly flour and a small bite of under cooked shellfish. Additionally the lobster queso appetizer turned out to be a very runny cheese sauce with some finely diced tomatoes and a little lobster served with a small number of chewy, pan fried flour tortillas. I think they were meant to be tortilla chips, but they were neither made of corn tortillas nor deep fried. The cheeseburger and chicken fingers my kids ordered were good and reasonably priced. The stuffed corvina I ordered was good, though the center of the stuffing was not fully cooked through. The combination of the casual, modern nautical aesthetic with a fish counter like you'd find in the grocery store and the very formal wait staff and high prices was awkward and highlighted the feeling that we were simply paying too much. It was neither cozy not able to seat a party of 6 at anything other than a slightly too small table in the middle of the room. Over all it made for an expensive and...