Monstah Lobstah and JD's Back Porch — Restaurant in Indian Rocks Beach

For two years, I've walked past Monstah Lobstah, always dismissing it as "just another tourist trap." I pride myself on finding hidden gems, and this brightly colored spot always seemed too obvious, too... lobstery to be truly authentic. Well, consider me humbled, delighted, and utterly converted. I finally gave in, and Monstah Lobstah isn't just good; it's great. From the moment we stepped in, the atmosphere was lively and welcoming, not at all the kitschy experience I'd braced myself for. But the real star of our visit, beyond the incredible food, was our server, Shelby. She was an absolute gem – fantastic with our kids, making them laugh and feel special, and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu. She steered us right, and her recommendations were spot on. Shelby, if you're reading this, you made our evening! Now, let's talk about the food. Oh, the food! First up, the Lobstah Ettouffee. I'm a stickler for authentic Cajun flavors, and this dish delivered. Rich, savory, and packed with tender lobster, it was a warm hug of flavor that transported me straight to the bayou. It's a must-try for anyone who loves a good etouffee. Then came the Lobstah Mac. This wasn't just mac and cheese with some lobster thrown in; this was next-level comfort food. Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with generous chunks of sweet lobster, it was decadent and utterly addictive. My kids (and I!) couldn't get enough. And finally, the Gumbo. As someone who's spent time down the bayou, I can confidently say that Monstah Lobstah's gumbo can stand against the best I've ever had. Deep, complex flavors, a perfect roux, and just the right amount of spice. It was a revelation. My only regret is waiting two years to try this place. Monstah Lobstah has firmly cemented itself on my list of local favorites. We will absolutely be back, and next time, we won't be waiting! Highly...

Driving down Gulf Blvd., my husband and I decided to stop at the whimsical seafood place for lunch. Being not so busy because it is still the covid time, we got seated by a polite enough waitress, and we ordered something off the tap. We added on an order of Florida alligator bites to the drink order and looked at the menu some more. It had plenty of nice sounding seafood fare. But when we asked a couple of questions about the menu, our server became kurt and dismissive. We finally decided on the cod platters. I ordered mine broiled and hubby got his fried. When the alligator bites arrived, it had a mild flavor and nice crunch, but, we've had alligator many times before, from Houston to Seattle and this particular alligator dish the meat was tight and chewy which I've never had. I joked with my husband that it must have been a geriatric alligator, haha.

When the plates made it to the table, my fish looked very sad and pale. Now cod is a mild flavored fish, which I like. But the fish I got was not seasoned with anything and even lacked a lemon wedge which would normally accompany a seafood dish of any sort elsewhere. Even with generous salt sprinkling, it proved very disappointing. The fries were just there, unsalted and not enjoyable. My husband's piece of fried cod looked a bit better than mine and he offered me a bite. It was fried to a golden brown which looked appetizing, but again, the actual fish lacked flavor (and the lemon wedge!) They had also raved about their homemade ranch dressing which sad to say was not any better than the garden variety ranch dressing. They did have live music on the patio and the singer was pretty good and kept the guests entertained. Overall, what we had hoped to be a good experience turned out to be a major downer. The Blvd. has a lot of seafood places, I would suggest...

We have been vacationing this area several times a year for many years. Always loved JD's and usually visited there about 8 times at least each vacation. We have been away for a couple of years due to Covid. Just back vacationing the area again and what a HUGE disappointment with JD's. JD's used to be great.... for years on the back deck that had $1.25 draft and $3.00 house wine. This made it very readonable for our total bill after we had several food orders. Now the Draft is $3.00 from the $1.25 and the $3.00 house wine is now $8.00, those prices hurt particularly when staying a while and having several drinks each. Apart from this the food prices have risen dramatically recently and when combined with the significant increase in drinks we end up with a large bill that becomes way over priced for casual back deck afternoon dining. The food portions were also considerably smaller than they have been for many years, I literally received 9 fries with my order of fries on my plate, the Clam Chowder was like water and nothing in it, previously it was thick, creamy and lots of food and very tasty and now it is sloppy water. On this recent vacation we decided to give JD's one more try after this bad surprising experience and it was no better. So, instead of 8 or 10 visits this year along with taking friends along with us we ended up there twice only. Now, sadly after many years of great experiences and fun times at JD's we have decided to remove this from our list of places we will visit. Too bad, JD's. It's will be only a matter of time and I expect that business will diminish from it's previous glory days. People will realize the reduction in food portions, decreased service and increased prices. I hope you change this around and take note of this...