(Flip Flops Dockside Eatery - Ft. Lauderdale)

Flip Flops Dockside Eatery is located in Ft. Lauderdale just over the Intercoastal off of Oakland Park Blvd.  It's actually located in the old Taverna Opa restaurant.  There are a few other restaurants located in the row (Shooters, Chart House just to name a few). 


(Flip Flops - inside dining room)


(Flip Flops - dockside patio)
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(Ft. Lauderdale Water Taxi stop next to Flip Flops Dockside Eatery)

The place is all about 'open air' dining.  The inside dining room spills out onto the patio and it's all open.  They have the music pumping (tropical theme) and it's very relaxing.  The decor is 'simple' but comfortable.  The patio dining is great.  You get a great view of the Intercoastal and all of the great boats passing by.  There is even a Water Taxi stop here and some places to tie your own boat up to.


(Jeff, Fip Flops and Blue Moon Beer)

The menu is typical bar/upscale food.  Sandwiches, fish and some other entrees are offered.  Jeff got his Blue Boom beer...but didn't realize it was in a can.  My Diet Coke was a can as well.  Guess they don't offer free refills.




(Flip Flops - Chicken Empanada)

Normally, chips and salsa are the 'free' munchie after you order.  Today, since it was Mother's Day...the chef decided to offer something a little different.  They were serving one empanada per person.  The chicken empanada was freshly made, crisp and had a nice spice to it.  The jalapeno salsa was a great touch as well.  We both enjoyed it.

Since we has the empanada, we didn't go for an appetizer.  I chose the Blackened Grouper with Mac & Cheese and Pineapple Salsa.  Jeff went for the Blackened Salmon with Fries and Cole Slaw.


(Flip Flops - Blackened Grouper, Mac & Cheese and Pineapple Salsa)

The food came out in good time and was hot.  My grouper was quite small...but many places seem to skimp on grouper lately.  I actually didn't really care for it that much.  The taste was really mild and the blackening spice didn't seem to work well.  The Mac & Cheese on the other hand was GREAT.  Hot and crisp on the top and gooey and cheesy on the inside.  There wasn't the 'cheese sauce' that you get with a lot of restaurant Mac & Cheese.  I really liked it.  The Pineapple Salsa was fresh and tasty.  Pineapple, red onions, jalapeno, cilantro were some of the stand out components. 


(Flip Flops - Blackened Salmon, French Fries and Cole Slaw)

Jeff liked his Blackened Salmon.  It was fresh, tasty and meaty.  While the blackening spice could have been a little stronger...we both liked the piece of salmon.  The fries were crisp and hot...but 'seasoned'.  They also tasted like they had that 'coating'...you know...the coating that really isn't a coating, but gives the fries a 'strange' taste?  The slaw was 'ok'.  Kind of bland. Could have used a little punch of something.

We used a $25 Certificate from Restaurant.com (that we purchased at a discount for only $7...get your discount coupon by clicking on the button at the end of the post).  The total bill with 18% tip came to around $25.  Not bad at all.  I would say that this is a nice place to go to relax, have a few drinks and get something to munch on.  The service was good, but some of the food is a 'miss'.  For your sides...you MUST try to the Mac & Cheese AND GET THE RESTAURANT.COM COUPON.  (They sell out fast...try the first of the month if it's sold out when you try.)



Flip Flops Dockside Eatery location:
3051 NE 32 Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

FTLToday Score: C