The Getaway — Restaurant in Pinellas Park

Overall not a great experience. I have not dined here in years last time I dined here I got food poisoning. So I have not been back for 2 or 3 years. I decided to give it another shot. I'm not cheap when I go out, but the value and the pricing on the menu I felt even with the atmosphere was way overpriced for what I got. I saw eight chicken wings for twenty dollars on the menu to me that seems high. I ended up ordering the shrimp appetizer which that was good. Also ordered the grouper nuggets which were extremely fishy. Based upon my last visit here and I know grouper really shouldn't taste very fishy. I did not eat but one of them. I mentioned to the bartender that they tasted fishy but I didn't want to complain. Even after clearing my plate and her seeing that I had not even touched the grouper nuggets she did not offer To take it off the bill. I don't want something for nothing so I did not ask for any type of refund back but it should have been apparently obvious that I did not like it On top of that I told her they tasted fishy and Her response back was to me was well some days there better than others... What??? Fishy grouper nuggets for 21 dollars???? No pun intended but it did not leave a good taste in my mouth. So the bartenders ended up switching shifts So I cashed out with the first bartender that failed to realize. I did not like my nuggets even though I tried to make it clear.. At that point I did not really know what I wanted on the menu so I just ordered the kids. Cheeseburger thinking that was my safest bet to get something in my stomach. I was in no hurry And credit the second bartender who did make a good old-fashioned As well as checked on the status of my cheeseburger multiple times, But it had to take me at least an 1.5 hours to get a kid's cheeseburger. It may have been closer to 2 hours, Granted, I was not looking at my watch cause I was not in a hurry. I just thought that was extremely odd Especially because it was the slower part of the day, the restaurant was almost empty. When I got the kids cheeseburger with fries I ate it because I was hungry and need to put something in my Stomach. The cheeseburger was lukewarm and the fries were cold. At that point I did not say anything Because I was over the whole experience and had wished. I had stopped some place else. The second bartender was very friendly .And I tipped both bartender More than twenty percent. I used to Bartend and wait tables in my early 20s So I am a softly when it comes to tipping. I smiled and left. When I got home I got an upset stomach And Literally vomited. Not sure whether it was the grouper nuget I ate or not But I will definitely not be returning to this restaurant. I do not believe that they exercise safe food handling procedures with their seafood... Drinks were Par. In the nicest way possible the food was awful. I do not recommend going to this restaurant. Both my last 2 experiences have been below average And after returning home I got sick. The first time I know for a fact it was food poisoning. I was the only one that ordered the tuna tacos on the menu. Not sure about the second time. But after spending more than a $100 for lunch And Not enjoying it whatsoever I felt compelled to leave this review. I know how important reviews are in order to sustain a business. I hate leaving bad reviews. But I feel this one is necessary so people don't waste their money On below average food that is extremely overpriced for...

From Favorite Spot to Total Letdown — A Cautionary Tale

I used to love The Getaway. It was my go-to recommendation for out-of-towners, business associates, and friends alike. I looked forward to every visit. But after my most recent experience, I can’t believe how far this place has fallen—and how little respect it now shows its customers.

Gone are the days of friendly table service, human interaction, and hospitality. Now, patrons are expected to stand in line at a hut to order food and drinks—no server visits your table, no one checks in on your meal, and if you need a water refill, you’re told to get it yourself. When I politely asked for water, an employee literally pointed across the property and said, “We have a water station over there.” That response alone told me everything I needed to know about the new culture here.

To top it off, when I went to pay—again, at the hut—I noticed a 5% “service fee” tacked onto my bill. When I asked what it was for, I was told it was “to help with the restaurant.” I was then told it used to be for hurricane relief… which, I’m sorry, is what insurance is for. You don’t get to quietly charge your guests an extra fee because of poor financial planning and vague intentions. If you’re going to impose a mandatory fee, you owe your customers a clear explanation and accountability for where it’s going.

Even more insulting was the 20%–25% tip suggestion at the bottom of the bill. For what? We received no service. When I asked who exactly we’d be tipping, the answer was, “the food runners.” But if all the customer-facing service has been removed, and prices are already inflated ($40 for 10 jalapeño poppers—seriously?), what exactly are we tipping for?

As a final kicker, on the way to the parking lot, I saw a sign with this gem of a message: “If you’re not happy, please talk to a manager before you leave and do not leave reviews on social media.” Translation: We know things are broken, but we’d rather silence criticism than fix the guest experience.

Well, here’s the truth: The Getaway is no longer a place I can recommend. It’s not about being “old-fashioned” or resistant to change—it’s about respecting the people who choose to spend their money and time at your establishment. This new model strips away hospitality while asking customers to foot the bill for it anyway.

The location is still beautiful. But beauty can’t cover for a complete breakdown in service, transparency, and guest care. Unless serious improvements are made—and leadership takes a hard look at how they’re treating their patrons—The Getaway will become a place people visit once, not a place...

Wow, what a spot... or so it seemed!! It's definitely a hidden gem that even I, a born & raised local, didn't know existed until a week ago. The property, the layout, and vibe is absolutely amazing & unique. My son said he felt like he was in the Bahamas, which I agree or maybe Key West vibes being thats its in sand & on the water with docks and cool places to hang out. But the amazement ends there. Once you sit, it's up to you to find the online menu, mark down your table number, find a cabana to order, wait in line to order your food, order & pay at the cabana, serve your own waters and then wait patiently for your drinks & food to come out (as they may). And if you need more napkins, condiments, or anything like that, good luck! Oh, and you will pay a lot for the food and then be expected to tip a normal amount when there is no absolutely no service. I felt like a fool for leaving the guy in the cabana, where I just waited 10 mins to order, a "proper" 20%, $25 tip, to then walk straight over to a water cooler to pour our table our own warm waters. Meanwhile, the food comes out whenever with no communication. The food is not good, at best, some of it was ok. We ordered a lot of things to all share, and honestly, we all didn't like most of it. Not to mention, no one communicated with us. We felt like an appetizer had been forgotten, so we had to get up, find a food runner, and ask him. At this point, we were already done with all of our other food and still waiting on an appetizer that he said he would check on. About 45 minutes later, we still never received the app, nor did we hear back from the food runner. So we flagged another food runner who ended up bringing it out immediately. Since it was raw tuna, we were left wondering how it now came out so fast... was it sitting somewhere ready in the kitchen this whole time? Or did they just happen to make a fresh one right then? Either way, it wasn't good either.

The sad thing is that, again, this place has more potential than 99% of other similar restaurants. It's on a beautiful waterway, with some sand for kids to play in, swings, and marshes. The location and lay out is great, really beautiful, but having to serve yourself to the degree you have to here, with no accountability, and less than average food, really takes way from the amazing atmosphere and Key West vibes. I don't understand the owners choice to run the business this way and not a traditional style...