Rick's Reef — Restaurant in Saint Pete Beach

Had a great time a few weeks ago going here. My best friend and I had an amazing bartender (Kat? I believe lol), great service, and the lobster fries were absolutely delicious!! We couldn’t believe how great of a find this place was!

Sadly, today was not as great. The service with Blake was a bit rude, unaccountable, and ingenuine. The food was not prepared as immaculately as we had previously experienced. There was either an inexperienced cook today or one that clearly didn’t care what quality of food they pushed out of their kitchen. Which made me extremely disappointed.

The server decided to interrupt me while trying to explain that the cook should be made aware of how the food was prepared. And, said it all depends who is cooking the food to determine how well it’s going to turn out. Excuses aside, just let them know in case someone else does decide to waste time and food when it doesn’t turn out the way it’s expected to be prepared.

I wasn’t trying to imply that I wouldn’t pay for my food, I ate most of it! Which was a bit insulting that he would insinuate such a thing. I didn’t find out until we got to the bottom of our fries that there was a puddle of Frying Oil underneath. Which explained why the same dish didn’t taste the same and also made me sick to my stomach afterwards. He also waited to tell me that they were out of an item that I had asked to be included with my dinner AFTER it was plated in front of me and did the same for the table next to us when they received their summer salad and he decided it was a good time to let them know they ran out of strawberries for the salad and hoped it would be alright. Which shows an inconsistency in FOH AND BOH communication.

I would have ordered something else if I had known I couldn’t experience the meal I had idealized. I would have also been more appreciative if there was more accountability from the FOH and BOH.

Please do better next time. No excuses and treat everyone the same. I wasn’t trying to get a free meal just wanted to...

My wife and I recently visited this restaurant for breakfast and had an enjoyable experience. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, with a warm and friendly staff greeting us upon arrival. We were promptly seated and handed menus that offered a diverse range of breakfast options.

I decided to try the Mexican omelet, and I was pleasantly surprised. The omelet was packed with flavorful ingredients like sautéed peppers, onions, and melted cheese. It had just the right amount of spice, adding a delightful kick to my morning. The omelet was accompanied by a side of perfectly seasoned home fries, which were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, enhancing the overall experience.

My wife opted for the classic egg Benedict, and it did not disappoint. The poached eggs were perfectly cooked, with a velvety yolk that blended beautifully with the creamy hollandaise sauce. The English muffin base provided a nice texture contrast.

The service throughout our meal was attentive and friendly, with our server ensuring we had everything we needed. The wait time for our food was reasonable, considering the restaurant was fairly busy.

Although we thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast, there were a couple of minor hiccups. The coffee was decent, but it could have been a bit stronger. Additionally, the noise level in the restaurant was a tad high, which made conversation a bit challenging at times.

Overall, our experience at this restaurant was delightful, thanks to the tasty dishes, attentive service, and cozy ambiance. We would certainly recommend it for a satisfying breakfast. With a few small improvements, it could easily earn that...

Disclaimer: please see second half for edit on review, service has changed and also new info found on the products they call "lobster". Haven't gotten a chance to dine in yet, but everytime I come to pick up my order the vibes are great and staff is helpful. The bartender is such a sweetheart!! Literally the best place for comfort seafood in the area. Everything they have is top tier. My fav is the lobster fries and lobster mac. The fish and chips is really amazing too. They have their own tarter sauce and shark sauce and garlic boiling and all three are amazing. Top tier. Been craving their food like every day since I found them!! It's a far drive from largo but it's worth the amazing food.

Edit: today I went back to here to get food and didn't have such a good experience. The blonde lady that answered the phone/was at the bar was so rude. I asked on the phone about the specials and when she said fish n chips, I asked what came with it, because the normal fish n chips comes with two sides, fries and coleslaw, wich you normally can substitute. However thise girl gave me attitude on the phone and goes "fish...and chips. Thats it." Sarcastically and laughed. After this I will not be returning here. Went from a 5 star to a 1 star. On top of that, I also found out the dishes with "lobster" is not really lobster. They pay for cheap lobster substitute and then charge uncharge for dishes with lobster in them telling customers it's real lobster when it's not is a lie and false...