Coco Wood Grill — Restaurant in Redington Shores

I predict Coco Wood Grill will go down in infamy as the place where one should put a padlock on one’s palate before choosing to dine there. I will never forget how it cost me nearly $600.00 to almost lose 7 good friends by taking them for dinner at Coco Wood Grill on Feb. 2, 2023. Sadly, the chef spared only three to give a new meaning to dine and dash but unfortunately, the fantastic Marriot Hotel only puts one bathroom in every beautifully designed suite for a couple where we were staying.

This disaster dinner began when my first two guests arrived early and ordered two drinks at the bar. When the others came, they were told they could not join the table with their drinks until they paid their tab there. Is that a new Florida law? I hope not! Our waitress became a track star by bringing one dinner only to take back the last one served. Another’s plate of ravioli didn’t arrive until all the others had been served. The now unhappy waitress later served the ravioli cold so that too went back. When I requested two soft-shell crabs be served without all the additions of tacos and sauces and said I would be happy to pay the full price the waitress nonsensically said “No, because they were too busy to do that” which caused a raucous laugh. She then added that I had to take it with all the additionals or get something else. I rue the day I took her deal and wonder if they neglected to remove what Marylanders call the dead man’s fingers before cutting this little guy in half and shoving his sickening remains under assorted sauces and veggies for the purpose of disguising what was really in those two indescribable tacos’. Had I sent this conglomeration back I might now be well enough to conclude this review that would attempt to describe the rice risotto which mysteriously defied the identity of the ingredients piled high on the plate along with a scrawny overcooked steak that went back as well. During my first and what I now wish had been my last visit, I tried the fiery shrimp cocktail and enjoyed it. I thought it was a super presentation so to my dismay we ordered four of them. Only this time all four cocktails came with the seaweed floating in something that tasted like they were prepared in habanero and garlic wastewater along with the grit studding the sea foam. A hearty laugh came with the check that understandably pointed out that a party of 8 will be charged a gratuity of 20% or suggested you can add more if you were overly pleased. This tells me the owners must have a large sense of humor not to add the customer has the option to drop a note under that wishful proposal. There was only one item that I can praise and that was my Manhattan although it was truly wasted as the liquid embodiment of the dinner gong. It would be more appropriate for the dinner dumpster. BTW my first time there I was very pleased with my soft shell crabs served with just the delicious fries. Brandon came over to chat and our waitress was amusing and pleasant. It would seem they now have too much experience with carping customers and have learned to avoid...

I'm always leery of glowing reviews of new places. They tend to be from family members, friends or staff. My review is unbiased as I don't know the owners, nor know anyone who knows them, nor have been provided any incentive in leaving this review.

I came here on opening night, and I gotta say, the Redington area has a new gem.

The restaurant has a large indoor seating area and a tasteful outdoor patio. There is free parking on street, and on two lots (one on site) and the other a block away.

The staff was incredibly friendly and hospitable and very attentive. The service was head and shoulders above the other places nearby.

The menu is diverse. The food is clearly handmade from scratch and high quality. Very fresh food. The prices are towards the higher end of nearby restaurants, but the prices are still very reasonable for the high quality food and large quantities. (eg 15 bucks for a half pound burger with your choice of toppings and fries)

Their frozen drinks are very good, inclduing the Pina colada and margarita. The prices for the frozen drinks are 8 bucks and they are large drinks with high end liquor. The smokey old fashioned was also outstanding, and comes with a free wooden coaster.

There are some other small details that Coco Wood Grill does well.

1. they use paper straws. Given it's proximity to the beach and turtle habitat nearby, I felt this was well done (although the paper straws aren't the best to drink from).
2. the dishware is high end pottery quality. This was a nice touch.
3. there are umbrellas on each outdoor patio table, so you can choose to have sun or no sun.
4. their water is clearly purified and not the normal swamp water you're used to receiving at a restaurant.
5. their burgers have bacon in them and are made from chuck, brisket and short rib. Absolutely amazing!
6. owners were on-site and spoke with us.
7. I liked how this is a family owned and run restaurant and not part of a large corporate chain like some of the nearby competitors.
8. their bread and buns are too notch. Rarely do you rave about bread, but you'll rave about the bread here.
9. the patio is enclosed by very nice landscaping that makes you feel like you're in the secret garden.

While this was their first day open, there are some minor areas for improvement:

1. having a side salad option would be nice instead of having to purchase an entire sized salad.
2. there could be a larger cocktail menu (eg margaritas on the rocks versus just frozen)
3. would be nice to have some more craft beer options (maybe team up with local craft breweries?)
4. staff should be more knowledgeable about menu items (I'm sure this will...

This was my first visit to Coco Wood Grill. I made a reservation and we were seated immediately. Our water glasses were filled right away and our server, Benjamin, was promptly at the table to take drink orders and answer any questions. He explained the specials and we ordered drinks and appetizers. The appetizers were at our table within 10 minutes. We had the soup of the day, Lobster Bisque, Tuna Stack, and Tuna Poke Nachos. The bisque was creamy and loaded with flavor, delicious. The tuna appetizers had very generous portions of marinated raw ahi tuna and were delectable. For entrees, we had the Asian Salmon, Seabass a la Champagne, and the Fish and Chips Special. Just as we were deciding to hold off on finishing all of our appetizers, to leave room for our entrees, our very attentive server Benjamin showed up and asked if we were ready for our entrees. That is something I don't often see; a server so attentive to timing. It was extra, and very appreciated. Within a couple of minutes, he brought all of our entrees at the same time, piping hot, and looking fantastic. The Asian Salmon was very well-balanced with its brown sugar and honey drizzle. I usually avoid ordering this dish because it comes out too sweet but Coco Wood's chef balanced this sauce perfectly with the other spices and it just gave a hint of sweet, very appetizing. The Fish and Chips were delightful. The fish had a very enticing thin, crispy coating of breading and the haddock inside was juicy and flavorful, very enjoyable. Lastly, the Seabass a la Champagne, which our server Benjamin indicated is a specialty dish of theirs, was the show-stopper of the evening. It was a very generous portion of delectably flaky, perfectly seasoned, and expertly cooked seabass on top of a mouth-watering champagne risotto that was cooked to perfection, all topped with an impeccably balanced sherry sauce and lobster claw meat. The dish was luscious. I couldn't wait to take another bite! Throughout our time there, our server Benjamin was highly attentive. We never had to wait for drink refills, he checked on us regularly and was an absolute gem of a server. Overall, I highly recommend Coco Wood Grill. The food, service, and ambience,...