TT's Tiki Bar — Restaurant in Punta Gorda

This was our first visit to TT's Tiki Bar, and it won't be our last. It was a hot, oppressive day in Punta Gorda with temps in the mid 90's but we decided to brave the outdoor experience of TT's. The tiki bar appears to be a new build, with relatively comfortable seating, including high tops, and seating at a large, nicely appointed bar. Thankfully that day, TT's had multiple fans operating, and there was a nice breeze off the Peace River, which can be seen from all locations at the bar. So, while temps were in the 90's, it was bearable, especially with a cold drink in hand.

TT's was rather quiet that afternoon. We were served by Natalie, who was very patient answering our menu questions and offering recommendations. She nudged me into ordering the fish and chips, which in this case is deep fried grouper. My partner ordered the nacho plate, and requested it be made with Impossible Burger. Natalie said that wouldn't be a problem.

Both plates were served within 15 minutes, and they were both more than expected. The grouper fish and chips dinner was large, prepared perfectly with a firm, tasty crust, and the fish was moist but not soggy, which is sometimes difficult to find, since fish can be too moist for my liking, although I do order it dry. This grouper did not have to be ordered dry. It reminded me of the traditional fish fry we are accustomed to in Western NY. The breading wasn't too thick, and the fish was flakey. The fries were also nicely prepared with browned edges, and a firmness that allowed for dipping into tartar sauce or ketchup. The fries were flavorful, if not a little salty. I was happy with the meal in total.

My partner's nachos came on a plate heaping with goodies. The chips were multicolored, and reasonably crisp considering they were below a heaping mound of Impossible Burger, cheese, beans, and something different, some fruit. The fruit added a subtle sweetness to the nachos, which was something new for us both. jalapeno peppers, along with tomatoes, onion and fruit made for an excellent meal. It could also be an appetizer for more than one. The nachos didn't come with sour cream or guacamole, so you may have to ask if that is your preference.

We also tried their key lime pie. While it isn't made on site, Natalie informed us it is made at a local bakery. It was tangy, creamy, and not too sweet. It was accompanied by plenty of whipped cream.

For those young at heart or nostalgic for non-video games, TT's also has an area where foosball, air hockey, and other games can be played.

All in all it was a good first impression, especially considering the heat of the day. Our only disappointment was the plastic utensils, especially considering their proximity to a body of water. But then again, this is a tiki bar. We didn't take an entire tour of the facility, but we will investigate further. If you are looking for good food, with great service and a nice riverfront view, you may want to consider TT's next time you visit...

Fool me twice... shame on me? Really, I've been here many times. And I'm left mad at myself every time for trying to give TT's another shot.

Tonight I had a mother-daughter date. Arrived at a table under the small hut, no menu given, wait ten minutes for someone to come around and ask what I'd like to eat (and that there's at least a 45 minute wait) - can I see a menu?

Asked if the team wouldn't mind putting the blind beside my table down as there was a lot of wind coming through (prob felt like 66/67 degrees), and with a 45 min wait without any food, nothing to warm the body up. Waiter was reluctant and said other people usually like it down (there are three other large sections that wind could have passed through) and he left it as "i'll make my rounds and come back around". Dismissed the request altogether the rest of the time we waited for food, never acknowledged it.

Ordered a shirley temple for my daughter as her treat for the week - no cherries ... can't ask for 'em because the place is too busy to bother staff.

Really it just seemed like a lot of fails - and I didn't even mind the wait time for the food!

TT's seems to be fine living off of the tourist and snowbird funds, so I'll make my stops even more infrequent to maintain my sanity.

[Previous Review] TTs management team seems to have distanced themselves from the staff, service, and logistics of their restaurant.

For the last few months, service has degraded, wait times are ridiculously long for orders and food arrival, incorrect food has been served, and just an obvious lack of attention to detail.

Given that they’ve just expanded the space but did not expand the kitchen, i have concerns over their ability to sustain for their customers.

The last few visits either the bar was shut down unexpectedly, no food orders could be taken as they were backed up two hours, or meal mistakes were made. Staff also hardly knows which table an order belongs to.

The kicker was being served meat today after having ordered a plant-based burger, and when talking with one of the managers they were quick to dismiss and offer no apologies… and then charge our table for it.

As a local, I may come for the views but I can no longer rely on Tiki for...

Our group of five had a disappointing experience. We initially wanted to sit at the larger bar, but the bartender informed us he wouldn’t serve us because he was leaving soon and we had to wait for the next bartender, who wouldn’t arrive for another half hour. He directed us to the smaller bar, but there wasn’t enough room for our party, so we took a table instead. The bartender, Mitch, informed us that on Friday and Saturday nights, tables are not available for bar patrons, even though it was only 2:30 pm. We thought it was odd this was stated to us.

When Mitch took our drink orders, one person asked for a mudslide, but he said the machines were broken. We then ordered an espresso martini, and he rudely pointed out that it wasn’t even on the menu. When we showed him the menu listing the espresso martini, he said he didn’t know why it was there and couldn’t make one because they only had vodka and chocolate syrup. We ordered different drinks instead.

A bit later, Mitch came by, and we thought he was checking in on us. We decided to order nachos, but he said he would place the order but would refuse any further service because he overheard us discussing the menu. He threw the check on our table. Our conversation was simply about being surprised that espresso martinis were not served despite being on the menu, and we even acknowledged that Mitch was doing a good job. We canceled our food order and asked Mitch to explain why he was refusing service, but he only stated that he could refuse service for any reason. When we asked if the manager would support this, he said yes.

The manager then came over, apologized for Mitch’s behavior, stated that the larger bar shouldn’t have closed, and that Mitch shouldn’t have refused service because of our conversation about the menu. He offered to serve us personally at the larger bar, but it didn’t feel like a genuine apology. We have visited before and had good service, so this experience was surprising. We likely won’t return, as it was a very...