ENTERTAINMENT

‘Watts for Dinner’: Brewery more than the name implies

Will Watts
Correspondent
The grouper and fries basket from Marco Island Brewery.

The Daytona 500 and assorted basketball games filled the walls as we entered our next dining destination, the Marco Island Brewery.

While the appetizers list was tempting, we went off script and ordered a steak quesadilla ($14) from the dinner menu to share. As quesadillas go, this one was hearty, plenty of meat and cheese. This dish is served with prepackaged sour cream, a nice pico de gallo and a side of rice.

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For my entrée, I selected the firecracker shrimp flatbread ($12), featuring mozzarella and pepper jack cheese, caramelized onions, a spring mix and the namesake shrimp. I expected the shrimp to be spicier and less sweet; but at any rate, the shrimp were plentiful and delicious.

A steak quesadilla from Marco Island Brewery.

If I’m being honest, biting into it as prepared was not nearly as enjoyable as picking off and consuming the shrimp first, then eating the rest.  

My dining companion ordered the grouper and fries basket ($13), which oddly enough, is not an actual basket. It features hand breaded grouper, thick French fries, cole slaw, lemon and tartar sauce. The cole slaw won rave reviews, grouper tenders were thick, and the breading served as a nice compliment. The fries were also thick and delicious. The tenders tasted better with the lemon than with the tartar sauce.       

It’s been just over a year since my first visit to the Brewery. During that visit I sampled the "Island Bleus" burger, served medium well and smothered in melted gorgonzola dressing, sautéed mushrooms and onions. If I’m being honest, I didn’t expect to see such a unique burger on the menu. Further, I wasn’t prepared for just how delicious it was. Sports-type bars aren’t always known for top notch food; but what an exception!

The firecracker shrimp flatbread from Marco Island Brewery.

The meat was lean and thick; the toppings plentiful. And I fashioned a napkin into a bib and used both hands to feed myself. It’s that big. And I didn’t want to miss a drop.

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My partner in dine picked the California chicken and onion rings. The sandwich featured grilled chicken with provolone cheese, applewood smoked bacon and avocado served on whole wheat toast.

If you’re a beer drinker, you’ll enjoy the wide variety on tap. If you like sports on giant TV’s, you won’t be disappointed. The Marco Island Brewery is a must for sports fans who like a heaping slice of Americana.

More:Hey Marco Island, looking for a place to eat?

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If you go

Marco Island Brewery

  • 1089 N. Collier Blvd., Marco Island
  • marcoislandbrewery.com
  • 239-970-0461