‘Watts for Dinner’: The garlic burger is ‘Crazy’ good at Flamingos

Our next dining destination is The Crazy Flamingo on Marco Island.

Things got off to an appetizing start with the “Deep Fried Ravioli” ($7.99). The marinara sauce for dipping was amazing. And the ricotta-filled pillows of pasta were sublime. But deep fried? It tasted (and appeared) more baked. But I’m not complaining.

We also had a basket of onion rings. Golden brown, and not over- or under-sized, which seems to be what many restaurants are doing now. Well done!

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For my main meal, I selected the half-pound cheeseburger ($9.99) with fries. This burger is served on a garlic sub roll. Amazingly, the thick, juicy burger patty is shaped like the roll. Impressive. Topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle, this unique burger is a standout. I highly recommend this dish!

My dining companion picked the fried grouper basket ($13.99). It’s served with fries or rice, or you can upgrade to onion rings or a salad for $2 more. This dish also earned high marks.   

Looking back to our July 2020 visit, we partook of the buffalo shrimp ($10.99) appetizer. The battered butterfly shrimp are dipped in a buffalo sauce and served with blue cheese (or ranch) dressing. The dressing tasted as though it was made in house; was very think with big chunks of blue cheese; yummy! The shrimp were a bit on the soggy side.

For my entrée, I choose the Thai fish ($14.99); the fish is battered and fried and coated in a spicy sauce and served over a bed of yellow rice. The sauce is tasty but overpowers the fish a bit too much. Jasmine would be a better rice choice for this dish, but the yellow rice was good.  

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My dining companion had the fish sandwich ($11.99). You can pick from mahi-mahi, white fish, ahi tuna, grouper of salmon. He got the blackened mahi-mahi. For a small upcharge, it can be served on garlic bread, which he opted for. The bread was the star of this dish, which could have used a small flavor kick; perhaps a chipotle mayo or something? The fillet was thick and plentiful with colorful greens. And it was served with Crazy’s amazing fries.

In a tourist and snowbird town, “Crazies” (as the locals like to call it) has retained a small, hometown appeal that those who live here year-round appreciate. Visitors, if you want to experience an authentic Marco Island mainstay years in the making, this is one of a handful of places for you. Happy eating!

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

This newspaper pays for all meals related to dining reviews. We do not solicit or accept free food. Not all dishes are featured in print, but you can find a gallery of all reviewed dishes online at marconews.com.

If you go

The Crazy Flamingo

• 1035 N. Collier Blvd., Marco Island
• 239-642-9600
• Thecrazyflamingo.com