The Ugly Grouper — Restaurant in Holmes Beach

Last try. 9/20/2024 Our food was terrible. An absolute waste of Hard Earned Money! Everything was precooked and cold or sitting under a heat lamp. Our server Sinead was good. Even went back to the kitchen to get different ff. I told her after she brought the check , that it was a good thing she worked on the island so the drunk people wouldn’t notice how awful the food is. At least she can still get paid. No management to be seen anywhere. Just don’t. She at least tried. $130 for nothing good. We are from here and will Not return.

UPDATE..7/4/22.Hostess was the only positive thing tonight. The table was sticky when we sat down. Service was stressing and lack. We ordered appetizers. After going through 4 people (Cook,Expo,Food Runner& Server) our HOLLOW CHEESE LOGS $14 hit our table. I sent them back before our server walked away. Everything was downhill from there. ALL OUR FOOD WAS COLD AND HAD BEEN SITTING THERE IN THE WINDOW DYING!! SHRIMP TACOS I ORDERED WERE MISSING INGREDIENTS AND COLD AND SOGGY. FF WERE COLD AND NASTY. HUSBAND'S GROUPER DINNER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BLACKENED GROUPER, HIS FOOD WAS COLD ALSO ALONG WITH WRONG SIDE. 1 check back from David about the non cheese logs. He at any point seen how long we had been waiting, but not to be bothered or unaware of what's going on ,on the service floor. I watched all the other tables including larger parties' food come out HOT, FRESH GOOD PRESENTATION AND IN A TIMELY MANNER. As our service took an hour and half. And to think, I thought it was mostly the kitchens fault until I read the check with the wrong information put in. Also, a food runner tried to deliver the wrong order to our table. We were not important GUEST. REMEMBER THIS, YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU MIGHT BE WAITING ON OR COOKING FOR. SHE STILL GOT A 20%TIP. SHAMEFULLY.., TIP=TO INSURE PROPER SERVICE VERY DISAPPOINTED!!

2/17/22Food was surprisingly good. We were told an Hour and a half wait. It was actually about 30 minutes. Feb 17, 2022 We tried to order from the bar while we waited. Eye contact several times with both male and female behind the bar, female actually almost face to face, But Not once we're we acknowledged ( I'll be right with you) that's called Customer Service. Sure they were busy, especially the guy, he was filling server orders, and he was the one who actually finally waited on us. We were sat within 30 minutes after checking in. Service was good, food was good. And you get live music which was Nice. All outdoor dining. Food is a bit Pricey, But good. Maybe too much sauce, and presentation was not what I've seen on reviews. Pineapple was actually black. This was our first time here, Our Anniversary. Which we told the server, Nothing done for these occasions I guess. Servers could help one another out a bit.Pre-bus tables, full hands IN, full hands OUT. We did have a food runner for our appetizers. The atmosphere...

We do more than our fair share of eating out and typically toss around 4 and 5 star reviews fairly liberally, unfortunately for The Ugly Grouper, last night wasn’t their best showing, or perhaps it was?! A friend highly recommend The Ugly Grouper, specifically their unique twist on tacos so while on AMI last night we gave it a try for the first time.

Pros: We were quoted a 20 minute wait time for a table that ended up being more like 5 minutes. So that was an awesome start; sadly it went downhill from there pretty quick. We liked the outdoor dining and vibe of the place; it was very beachy, which you would expect being on the beach and all. Our server was friendly. They used plastic straws. We hate paper straws so it was nice to enjoy a beverage without the feeling of disintegrating pulp in my mouth. This alone is a 2 star bump.

Cons: I hate piling on and usually find the best in places we review, however the decline in experience was fairly sharp. I’ll try and keep it brief. Our meals came out at different times. Oddly, what felt like the fastest to make (the tacos) came out probably 10 minutes after the other two meals. They brought the wrong dinner to one of us. Instead of the grouper tacos, they brought shrimp. We didn’t have another 30 minutes to burn to wait for the correct order so we just ate what they served us. They ran out of a few items (for us it was the mashed potato’s) and instead of telling us at time of order they made their own decisions on what substitute we would get. Beyond that, the lady of the hour, the mom on Mother’s Day, said the dish was bland and meh. So sad. 👎🏽 The tables are slatted and the Florida evening heat melted the ice in our drinks fairly aggressively, so we spent 45 or so minutes fending off a consistent leak of water on our legs and feet. Some of those cardboard coasters that every bar in America seems to have would be been a nice touch and solved much of the issue. Instead we had to keep asking for more napkins before our feet got all pruned up and wrinkly. Parking was pretty terrible as well.

All in all, If you’re within walking distance and want to take in some live music and have a beer, I’d come back, but for a meal that’s going to average me $30 to $35 a person out the door (with no alcohol or appetizer) I’m going to hit another spot on the island. Sorry The Ugly Grouper, it was an Ugly...

Update 5/2023 *NEW Menu Posted (last photos) The Ugly Grouper is still a vibing place with excellent live music and lighting setting the ambience. Went on a Sunday evening. Wait time was told to be 1.5 hours and we were seated in about 30 mins during a large rush. You also have option to order and sit at the bar. Good drinks. All staff encounters were friendly. I saw them go out of their way several times for patrons. Accommodates for large groups. Family friendly and wheelchair accessible bathrooms. We had the shrimp tacos 🍤 🌮 and grouper sandwich. Both excellent. Portions haven’t changed. Pricing slightly higher but cheaper than other establishments in the area. Highly recommend and will be back again! Thanks for the eats!

Everything you expect of an island local eats and drinks establishment! Outstanding quality food and service. The portions are large so sharing is an option if the prices make you wary. Excellent, unique food and drink options. Definitely a place to go back to. Wait time was 15 mins shorter than they told us. Food can take a bit because this place is packed, but well worth the wait. Had grouper tacos 🌮 that were decadent and melt in your mouth! The shell is uniquely homemade and unlike anything I’ve tasted. All ingredients were fresh and no corners cut with the dish. The coleslaw is also one of the best I’ve tasted. It’s no wonder they won a travelers choice award🥇. Great atmosphere with live music and outdoor, covered seating. Family friendly with hook and ring stations out back to pass the time.What a little gem! Highly recommend. There is some seating in the wait area but additional benches would be helpful along the fence areas. Parking can be interesting but plenty on the adjacent streets and lots. We visited on a Tuesday evening off season. Suggest calling ahead for wait times and to see if they take...