Tropics Grille — Restaurant in Wilton Manors

My partner and I (he's 80, I'm 53) were down in Lauderdale the weekend before Halloween and decided to try The Grille for the first time. I'm not sure of the older lady's name who was the host but she was very sweet, attentive and ready to help us with reservations. The Brunch was outstanding with many different varieties of food. I'm not sure who the younger gentleman was who was wearing a tie, but he did make the rounds to each table to make sure everyone was accommodated. Very impressive. Now for the bad, when my partner and I walked in there on Friday evening at 7:00, the place was nearly empty, the stage was dark, and no one playing the piano. We ordered a couple of drinks and I told my partner that I'd be back in a few minutes. I proceeded to walk over to Matty's and when I opened the door I was able to walk in about 2 or 3 feet before hitting a wall of people. We recognized dozens and dozens of people that we knew from Tropics. Monday night we walked into your place and it was almost empty again with the exception of a group of 40 something guys sitting at the end of the bar closest to the street. I went over to the other end of the bar while my partner went to the bathroom. The bartender never left the other end of the bar to come over to the other side to get my drinks. When my partner came back, I said to him see if you have more luck than I do getting served and I went to the bathroom. When I came back my partner was still standing at the end of the bar and the young bartender never left the other side of the bar to serve us. We told the host, whoever he was that we were going to Matty's for drinks and we might be back for dinner. We ended up going to Mind Your Manors for dinner. Here's the bottom line, I don't know if you are purposely trying to attract a younger crowd and trying to keep the older crowd out, but you're making a huge mistake. First, you are way too far down on The Drive and on the wrong side of the street to attract a younger crowd. Secondly, you're bitting the hand that feeds you and possibly keeping you open by not encouraging the older crowd, especially now that Chardee's Lounge is gone. Here's my two cent advice to you, First, hire all gay male hosts, ditch the bartenders who are more of posers than bartenders and bring back guys like Frankie from the old Tropics days. Have someone competent, who can draw a crowd and keep them, seated at the piano and playing by no later than 5:00, especially on Fridays and Saturdays. Third, stop making the same mistake that Tony D made when he owned the place and tried to make it more of a restaurant than a bar instead of a bar that just happens to have a restaurant. Fourth, you seriously need to gay the place up way more. What happened to the portrait on Dean Martin, Judy and Sinatra? Last but not least, my God, on Friday night and Saturday when we drove by to get to the parking lot on the other side of the police station we noticed you had the outdoor chairs stacked up on top of each other on the front patio, nothing is more uninviting than seeing something like that before you even walk in the front door. My partner and I will be back down in April with the hopes of seeing the mob of people we saw at Matty's over at your place, but we have our doubts. Frankly, with the identity crisis I think you're going through, you won't make your one year anniversary. See you possibly in April and hopefully if we give you a second chance, we won't be...

(Originally posted in 2018.) This was our first visit to The Grill since its opening. This was a special occasion: I was taking a friend out on his birthday. We were looking forward to seeing the renovations and improvements since its last incarceration as Tropics Restaurant. We were also looking forward to checking out the food.

The interior remodeling was a welcome change and very tasteful. Unfortunately, the food not.

I ordered the Chicken Francaise with grilled vegetables and parmesan coated potato wedges.

Grilled vegetables are typically fresh vegetables cooked on the grill with oil that taste ... well ... fresh. The only flavor in these vegetables was salt. My dinner companion tasted them and was also hit with the overwhelming taste of salt. So much so that I had to tell Edgar the waiter that I couldn't eat them. He brought out (unsalted) grilled asparagus in its place.

The potato wedges were also very salty, but that may have been exacerbated by the parmesan cheese

The lemon & butter sauce that is common in every chef's version of Chicken Francaise was also very salty.

A disappointing dinner for sure. The Chicken Francaise at Peter Pan Diner is way more flavorful at 2/3 the price ... and it comes with a salad or soup.

Our waiter Edwin and his trainee assistant were very attentive throughout our stay. When Edwin realized that it was my friend's birthday, he brought out a birthday dessert: warm chocolate cake covered in chocolate sauce with a candle on top. That way the best part of the meal.

I had heard good things about The Grill and expected better. The next night another friend told me that he had both good and bad meals there said that he has heard both good and bad comments about the food at The Grill. Guess that means it's a gamble whether your meal will be an enjoyable experience or a...

Tropics Restaurant & Lounge – Wilton Manors

I’ve been to Tropics a few times over the past year, and while I genuinely enjoy the lively atmosphere and friendly service, the food quality has been consistently underwhelming—especially in recent visits.

I stopped in on a Monday, knowing they offer half-price on all menu items. It was moderately busy but nowhere near peak season levels where reservations would be a must. I was seated promptly, though it did take about 10 minutes before my server came by. He was friendly and engaging throughout the evening, which I appreciated.

I ordered the fish and chips and a beverage. To my surprise, the food arrived in less than five minutes—faster than expected, but unfortunately, that speed came at the cost of quality. The fries were cold, and the battered fish was soggy, as if it had been sitting under a heat lamp too long or hadn't been freshly made. I politely let the server know about the cold fries, and he kindly brought out a warmer batch, which was appreciated. Still, the overall dish fell flat.

I say this not to criticize for the sake of criticism, but in hopes the kitchen and chef take note. A dish like fish and chips should arrive hot and crisp—especially in a place known for comfort fare. If a plate has been sitting too long and loses its texture and temperature, it’s worth remaking it before serving. That attention to quality can make all the difference in a dining experience.

The service has consistently been decent (around 3 stars), and the energy of the lounge is always fun. But when it comes to the food, it’s been closer to a 2–2.5 star experience across my last few visits.

I want Tropics to succeed—it’s a staple in the neighborhood—but consistency and care from the kitchen are key. Here’s hoping to see some improvements on...