Sip & Sizzle — Restaurant in Fort Myers

The renewed interior of this well placed and historically loved location is a good metaphor for the experience: Quality materials and nice finishes, but kinda generic in effect.

Our group of three covered a lot of the menu. One opted for the signature "hot stone" protein, sauces and sides meal. It's a variation of shabu-shabu or Korean barbecue, the twist being a 500F stone on a metal rack as the heat source. The waiter fumbled an explanation of the sauces, not even able to say which ones were sweet, savory or tart. The novelty of the stone and guest engagement with cooking went well enough. This entree starts at $23 with upsells of $3-$14 each for better cuts of meat or seafood, and like upsells with sides. You can opt for the base price with two proteins included, or scale up to more and better portions. Extremely small portions for the proteins and sides, if that matters to you. The meat came out already on the stone, a bit problematic for lobster or shrimp as it was fully cooked on arrival. I'd prefer the raw proteins on the side, but this is the protocol here. My friend enjoyed her meal.

My next companion had the Bone-in 12oz Berkshire Heritage Pork Chop ($30) with a polenta cake and cauliflower escabeche. Butterfly presentation was nice, but the ballyhooed meat was prepared very tough - not what you expect in a $30 entree. The waiter was informed of this at the end of the meal and replied "looks like you ate it." Yeah, hungry people eat all kinds of things.

I opted for the Tuna Tower ($16) and Escalivada ($14) served as an entree. The Escalivida was acceptable, a cold salad of roasted cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, eggplant, onion and tomatoes. Generous portion and flavorful enough - nothing to write home about.

The Tuna Tower was a mess. I love raw tuna and enjoy it as sashimi or poke often, but this fish (cubed in 3/8" chunks) was a couple of days past showtime. Slapped together cocktail-glass mold presentation, not appealing. Barely picked at the dish and didn't engage with the waiter over it due to his overall poor demeanor. Base competency would have a server asking if an uneaten serving was okay. I take it personally when a chef just assumes they can put something of that poor quality in front of you and you'll just take it.

Service was a joke. Norovirus is ripping through Florida, and the guy is landing a communal water container with a solid thunk on each guest's dinner glass with no evidence of the slightest hygiene training. I did call him out on it, and got a sarcastic "Better?" as he closed the barn door after the horses were out with a demo of reformed technique, not a change of glasses.

Fort Myers' downtown population has the budget and travel experience to support higher end restaurants, and I hope any entrepreneur brave enough to test these waters meets with success - but that's going to require at minimal effort towards a palatable meal and basic service, something two out of three in my party did...

So, we really wanted to like it! The restaurant is very nice. We walked in to two different parties at two different tables (a party of 2 and a party of 4). We stood there waiting as the servers continued on with their business. No one acknowledged us, we saw no wait to be seated sign so we sat ourselves, to which the male server finally said sit anywhere you would like. We sur and wait, another lady walks in and up to the bar to order two coffees and gets service immediately. Ten minutes more go by and finally we have water, to which she says do you know what you want to order I said we don’t even have menus. Oh let me get you those she says. So we order (eggs Benedict, French toast and steak and eggs) it took 20-25 minutes to get. The steak and eggs was ordered with a salad and over medium eggs. The steak and salad were very good, steak was a little over cooked but not terrible. The eggs were hard/popped and not edible. The French toast and fruit was very good. Bread used was nothing special but the batter used makes up for it and the fruit (the use a mix of berries) was absolutely delicious. The breakfast potatoes were good but cold. The eggs Benedict I wanted to be good so badly! The eggs were hard boiled at best ( so hard and dry) the English muffin I don’t think was even toasted and the sauce was amazing! However, the meals were lukewarm almost cold! She came to ask how everything was and I explained what was wrong with the eggs Benedict and she apologized and agreed there was a problem and said want a new one? I said it took 25 minutes to get this! All while this is going on a homeless couple walks in and starts walking around the restaurant and instead of asking them to leave or sit they keep talking with them and asking what they need, it was strange. We so badly wanted to like it here but we just can’t even say we will ever be back. I can’t imagine what it would have been like if it was busy! When she brought us the bill she said I gave a little discount for the issues. She should have removed the Benedict off the bill completely since I...

Unforgettable Dining Experience at Sip&Sizzle!

From the moment we walked into Sip&Sizzle in downtown Fort Myers, we knew we were in for something special. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and perfect for any occasion. But what truly set this evening apart was the impeccable service and personal touches that made our anniversary celebration unforgettable.

Hunter Mead, our server, was nothing short of extraordinary. His attentiveness, genuine warmth, and incredible attention to detail elevated the entire experience. From thoughtful recommendations to ensuring every dish was perfect, Hunter went above and beyond to make the night exceptional. As a cherry on top, he surprised us with a complimentary dessert to celebrate our anniversary — a gesture that truly touched us.

Brian, the general manager, was equally impressive. He took the time to personally welcome us, share the inspiring story of the restaurant’s opening, and convey their vision for creating an unforgettable dining experience. His passion and hospitality made us feel right at home.

The food? Out of this world. Every bite was a masterpiece, crafted with care and bursting with flavor. It’s clear that the team at Sip&Sizzle takes immense pride in every dish they serve.

If you’re looking for a dining experience that combines exceptional food, unparalleled service, and a personal touch that makes you feel like family, look no further than Sip&Sizzle. We can’t recommend this place enough and will definitely be back. Thank you to Hunter, Brian, and the entire team for making our special night truly...