Morada Bay — Restaurant in Islamorada

Honest opinion:

I was excited for this restaurant on our last night in Islamorada, but the service was extremely disappointing. We were initially seated in a corner behind a hedge and told we could grab drinks and sit by the chairs for the sunset. However, we waited 15 minutes with no acknowledgment while 3 servers stood around chatting or 2 others walked by without saying one single word. Literally no one even acknowledged us. A simple “hello” or “someone will be right with you” would have gone a long way. I understand that maybe the chatting servers weren’t responsible for our table, but it felt extremely rude and such an uncomfortable experience.

I went to the front to ask the host if we could grab a drink inside then sit, but I had to wait another 5 minutes due to the inefficient seating process. The host had to walk each group individually, creating long waits. So now this is the second time going through this just to talk to the host. I didn’t want to cut when people were also waiting. It wasn’t her fault—she was doing her best—but the system clearly needs improvement for such a large restaurant with so many people arriving for sunset. The host knew we had waited 15 minutes but only asked “where we were sitting” and said “sorry” without any follow-up, which just made the situation even more awkward.

After being ignored, we ordered at the bar and sat outside, but eventually decided to leave. The Sauvignon Blanc was good, and the view was nice, but the lack of service made the experience so uncomfortable and honestly a waste of time.

This review is based on service alone since we didn’t eat. Unfortunately, I won’t be returning or...

Went for a sunset dinner with my partner, and really enjoyed the experience, starting with the reservation process by phone (could have done it online, but had a question or two), all the way to a nice "goodbye" from the hostess.

Logistically, it's easy to find with plenty of parking, right off US1. The beach faces West so you get nice sunset views (though the sun sets over a small island, not the water, so no green flash for you). We had no problems with mosquitos at twilight (that's a plus!) but once your food arrives, it does tend to attract small flies etc. But it's the Keys, and you're outdoors, what do you expect!

The service is very laid back, so get in the Keys vibe, take in the scenery, and RELAX (another word to describe the service is "appropriate" - it's right for the location). The staff are friendly and will stop and have a smile with you, but they're also busy so may not be hovering over your table... but let's face it, if that's the atmosphere you want, this place isn't for you.

The food was very good for what it was - casual, tasty, and plentiful. Had the lobster fritters (good, with plenty of lobster in them, but couldn't taste that very well over the other flavors - but certainly would order again), and the Fish and Chips (very nicely cooked!). Drinks were also solid.

Would I go again? You betcha. Go for the atmosphere: spread out tables on a beach with a chill view. It's not all party-party, it's just a good evening out in the keys. 1 drink each, a shared app, and two mains ran us 109 before tip - reasonable for the location...

Dissatisfied. To get to the point, I paid $96+ tip for a meal and a few drinks and left hungry and ended up at the taco truck and beer garden across the street. Nice atmosphere and view but the portions were ridiculously small for the price.... actually ridiculously small for a meal or serving in general. I ordered shrimp tacos for approximately $19 and was presented with 3 tacos which each consisted of a single medium size fried shrimp in a maybe 5" soft corn tortilla with a teaspoon of sauce and some grated cheese on top with about 10 crunchy tortilla chips on the side. My wife had a similar item and it was basically the same. We were still hungry so we ordered a side of french fries and they brought out approximately 20 small shoe string fries in a tiny basket. She also ordered a glass of Chardonnay which was $19 and was served at most a 5oz glass of a house wine. The food was good and I'd have no problem with the meal and prices if I left feeling fulfilled. This was the first time that my wife and I left a restaurant after having dinner and immediately went to another place and ordered 2 more meals...lol...and we are not fat/overweight gluttons..haha That said, the taco truck and brewery across the street were excellent. For less than $25 we both ordered a full entree each and local beer and agreed that we successfully salvaged our dinner that night. I've never left a negative review online before but our experience...