Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar — Restaurant in Winter Park

Good atmosphere with fans and sprayers in an outdoor open-air environment.

You place your order at the computer, which some rude people ask about this and the employees explain it, and then they decide to just seat themselves anyway and expect to be waited on. Presumably to better keep tabs on people walking out before they pay, this is how it is set up to get your card swiped first.

I once went during happy hour and I was charged non happy hour prices, yet the person next to me wasn't. Additionally, in order to compare well to highest end, I ordered a Don Julio which was served in the same glass as the happy hour marg, when I noticed that the Baja (upgraded) was served in a taller glass. I had to go chase down a server to fix it the ticket when I was overcharged.

After trying nearly all of them, the drinks themselves are very good and possibly worth the up-charge versus other places that you get bad tasting well liquor at half the price. Well tequila in marg is more than acceptable here, so you can get a happy hour marg for the same as a normal shelf one elsewhere and be quite happy. However, the wines and beer have a smaller markup, so you could go order that any time and you aren’t saving much rushing to hh.

It is notable that at this location there is no food on happy hour at all, not even chips, while there is at other locations, and at other restaurants nearby, so it would be worth checking out other nearby places for comparison in that regard for happy hour.

The grouper sliders were great. I'm unsure of the type of grouper, but the dish was tasty. Mahi tacos good, salad, poke bowl, all good quality food.

The pina colada cake is one of the best desserts in town by far, but we have high bar here! Definitely best cake at least.

(Update, they too k that popular food off of the menu, go figure!)

They used to have cute post cards they gave with the check and also 25% discount with the check for use at the store. Not so much for either anymore.

There is a loyalty program. $25 for $250, and a $10 welcome.

3-6pm daily happy hour including weekends. Not too many beer selections on it, only 2 on happy hour.

Parking can be nightmarish, so drop off non-able bodied people at the front and park in REI, Publix/Publix Liquor, or by the Movie theater to avoid driving around for long...

Oh mama, it’s Tommy Bahama - and he’s serving up a little slice of the island vibe in Winter Park! This unassuming little bar and restaurant is a total treat, and perfect chill spot on a sunny afternoon.

Located in the posh Winter Park Villages, the joint is attached to the Tommy Bahama clothing store. If you’re not familiar, it’s a high-end chain - and we’ve been to other locations to shop for apparel. These bar concepts started popping up a while ago, but we’ve never eaten at one.

What makes this spot different is that vibe. The bar itself is bright and filled with island decor. The outdoor patio is self-seating, and they often have live music - a really nice touch. Who doesn’t like a few Jimmy Buffet covers while sipping a margarita?

The drinks are inspired and reflect that island theme. I prefer the draft beers, but the cocktails are gorgeous and dressed with flowers and other accoutrements.

The food is spot on. It’s nothing fancy, but what it lacks in sophistication it makes up for in taste. Both the chips and guacamole and the street corn dip are great ways to start out. Do try the ahi tuna tacos - the shells are freshly fried and it gives the whole composition a light, crispy finish.

This place is a hidden gem that’s ideal for a Saturday afternoon “errand snack” or even date night. Prices are quite reasonable, and there’s often not a wait. There’s also counter service where you can order, find a bench on the patio, and wait for the deliciousness to find you.

Oh, and kudos to the staff. They’re delightful and well trained. If you like sitting at bars, it’s not a bad place to strike up a conversation.

Put this little corner of paradise on your list. I guarantee you won’t be wasting away in...

First of all, it's still the first week so kinks are expected. We arrived at the right time and got 2 seats at the already filled bar. Drink service was slow, but again - it's the first week and the employees/bartenders are still getting used to things. It was happy hour and my husband loved his pineapple martini and I had the happy hour malbec. The HH malbec was ok, 2nd glass i opted for the 2nd level Pinot Noir which was better for 'me'. As people continued to flow in, the bartender slowness continued, but again it's the first week so not too shocked.

We ordered food - the Coconut Shrimp, the Poblano Chicken Quesadilla with a side of Hurricane Tots, and the Ahi Tuna Tacos. My husband really enjoyed the quesadilla - it did look pretty good and pseudo substantial; the Hurricane Tots while good were small in size and not really worth the added charge. The Coconut Shrimp, which reviews say are great were 'ok' in my book the slaw that came with them, though, was great. My husband really liked the shrimp, but I was less than thrilled - i thought they needed more - some 'wet'. Basically they were fried shrimp with some coconut in the batter. The Ahi Tuna Tacos were honestly quite good - 4 of them and I could only eat 2 - fortunately for my daughter.

So basically seating is the one bar and all others come to the bar, place their order and get a # for the servers to bring the order to their table which is either in the open 'covered' seating area or the outside tables on the front side. Interesting concept - not sure about it, but it seemed to work ok.

All in all, we would return and try more food items - especially when the weather is nice out. Is it cheap or inexpensive? No, but it's expected...