‘Watts for Dinner’: Sand Bar offers game-day delights

Our next dining destination is the Sand Bar on Marco Island. It was a Sunday afternoon and football was on every screen. And football fans were wall to wall, cheering, clapping and/or moaning and groaning — depending on the team they were rooting for. It was just like being at the game, only with better food and climate-controlled seats.

If it is football Sunday, you got to have drinks. And we picked a real winner. The “Undercover Agent” ($10) is a mix of grapefruit vodka, lime juice, simple syrup, elderflower liqueur and club soda. And it was amazing. 

Things also got off to an appetizing start with the cheese curds ($14). It is a huge plate, perfect for sharing, and it comes with marinara to dip. Crisp, chewy and delicious! Bet you can’t eat just one (or five or 10).

For my main dish, I selected the “Nacho Salad” ($17). It reads like Taco’s Bell’s much beloved and departed taco salad — seasoned beef, chili, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, onions, lettuce avocado, jalapeños and sour cream. But there are important and expected differences.

Instead of a bowl made of shell, you get multicolored tortilla chips lining the bottom of the plate. There is a fair amount of beef, less chili, but lots of amazing toppings. The jalapeño is uncooked so it might be a bit hot on the intake.

My dining companion had the Buffalo chicken wrap ($15). It features fried chicken tenders, buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomatoes onions and blue cheese or ranch dressing. It comes with a side of seasoned fries. This dish earned high praise. The sauce was a bit hot, but enjoyable. Lots of chicken and a beautiful presentation.

This was our first official visit since November 2021. During that visit we started with the “Fingers & Toes” appetizer. It is beer-battered fish fingers served with thinly sliced fries. Both were absolutely amazing and cooked to perfection. The fingers were thick and meaty, and the fries were some of the best I have ever had.

I also had a bowl of the chili. So good! Why don’t more restaurants serve chili? Love it! My partner-in-dine had the onion soup. Unlike many, this one stands out by having croutons instead of bread (nice swap) in the soup and there is no cheese (not as nice).

For my main dish, I selected the cheeseburger sliders. These three beefy little bites come with tomatoes and pickles, along with more of those delicious fries. I could eat these all day every day.

My dining companion picked the “Penne A La Vodka.” This pasta dish features sauteed shrimp, broccoli, mushrooms finished in a pink vodka sauce. The sauce was a little more orange than pink and a bit cheesier than vodka-like, but the taste was unmistakably great!

We also took home a meat lovers pizza. This 12-inch pizza features pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon and ground beef. The crust is amazingly thin, and the toppings are plentiful. An unexpectedly great pie.

The Sand Bar: Great service and an island atmosphere reign. An old-fashioned sports bar! Happy eating!

More‘Watts for Dinner’: Country comfort food with all the fixins’ from Cracklin’ Jacks

AndHey Marco Island, looking for a place to eat?

Prices indicate time of visit and may vary. This newspaper pays for all meals related to dining reviews. We do not solicit or accept free food.

If you go

Sand Bar

• 826 E. Elkcam Circle, Marco Island
• 239-642-3625
• sandbarmarco.com