Searchin' for my Lost Shaker of Salt
Written: Oct 12 '04 (Updated Oct 28 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The entertaining atmosphere; Specialty drinks and food
Cons: Higher prices; Can get crowded
The Bottom Line: Lots of music, great food and drinks, and endless fun await you at this Caribbean- themed establishment designed for Parrotheads of all ages.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Cafe |
Fans of musical artist Jimmy Buffet, otherwise known as “Parrotheads” are a unique breed among groupies. Much like the Grateful Dead and its “Deadheads”, Buffet fans will go out of their way to see their main man perform live in concert. They will endure storms, take a day off of work, find a babysitter, and spend any amount of cash necessary to get to one of Buffet’s shows.
Jimmy Buffet’s loyal fans have helped to keep him near the top among the lists of top- grossing concert acts in spite of Buffet’s mediocre success on the charts. And now, fans have something new to cheer about. When the curtain has closed and there is still a strong desire to see and hear more Buffett performances, Parrotheads can now flock to one of Jimmy Buffet’s new themed restaurants. This new chain is called Margaritaville, named after Buffet’s most popular and most successful chart single of the same name.
Menu Selection:
A trip to Margaritaville involves more than just good- tasting alcoholic beverages. Here is a listing of the food one can expect to find at this establishment:
Appetizers- These include choices like nachos, crab, buffalo wings, quesadillas, calamari, and shrimp.
Soup/Salad- Select among choices like clam chowder, corn chowder, Caesar salad, Caribbean chicken salad, oriental chicken salad, lobster, shrimp, and crab salad, and a house salad. Some salads are small and are intended as an appetizer while others are large and are meant as a main course.
Burgers/Sandwiches- French dip, Caribbean club, fish, Monterey chicken, Cuban meatloaf, crab cake sandwich and, of course, a Cheeseburger in Paradise are among the selections offered here.
Dinner Entrees- Delectable dinner options include jerk chicken, coconut shrimp, jerk salmon, sirloin steak, crab cake, fajitas, jambalaya, jerk shrimp pasta, barbecued ribs, and more.
Kid’s Menu- Little ones can choose among menu items like macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers, spaghetti and meatballs, kiddie cheeseburger in paradise, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Desserts- Strawberry shortcake, Key lime pie, chocolate layer cake, chocolate banana bread pudding, and ice cream are among the dessert options available.
Beverages:
Great food wouldn’t be the same without a great beverage. And Margaritaville has many great drinks to select from. The line of margaritas features such specialty drinks as “Who’s to Blame?”, “Last Mango in Paris”, “Raspberry Rita”, “Big Rita” and other variations on the traditional tequila- based beverage.
For those who love tropical drinks, Margaritaville offers choices like “Euphoria Daiquiri”, “Havanas and Bananas”, “Volcano Blast” and others. And for those who prefer beer, the restaurant offers about five selections on tap and another ten to fifteen selections in bottled form, with the majority of selections originating either in the U.S., Mexico, or the Caribbean islands. Wine and soft drinks are also available.
Atmosphere:
Parrotheads come to Margaritaville expecting to have some fun, and that’s exactly what you get at this restaurant. The theme here is tropical and festive, with Jimmy Buffet paraphernalia all over the walls. Several television screens, both large and small, show Buffett and his coral reefer band performing in concert or performing on a video. Music is all around you, at Margaritaville.
At night, Margaritaville is transformed into a large nightclub. Patrons enjoy a meal, a few drinks, and lots of dancing as the night lingers on and Jimmy Buffett’s music plays loud and clear in the background.
Pricing:
Margaritaville charges prices that are a little higher than similar food and drinks at other restaurants. Appetizers range in price from $7 to $10; burgers and sandwiches are priced between $8 and $10; and dinners will cost you between $12 and $20 each.
Drinks are also a little bit more expansive than other places, with specialty margaritas selling for $5 to $10 each; specialty drinks between $7 and $9 each; and beer costing about $3.75 to $4.50 per bottle or glass serving.
Customer Service:
The prices might be high, but the customer service is friendly and as fast as possible at this restaurant. During crowded times of day, the level of business can reach a point where it is difficult to get served as quickly as desired. But aside from this, the service at Margaritaville is prompt and courteous.
Final Thoughts:
Margaritaville is a Parrothead’s culinary dream come true! Loyal fans of Jimmy Buffett never tire of hearing their favorite artist sing and perform. They will go to great lengths and endure all sorts of inconveniences to watch Buffett live in concert. And with this restaurant, fans of the popular Caribbean- loving singer can enjoy Buffett’s music non- stop while they chomp down a Cheeseburger in Paradise and sip on a specialty margarita.
Margaritaville concentrates its food and drink selections on items that are often associated with Buffett’s music. As fans already know, Jimmy Buffett loves the Caribbean region and most of his music reflects this. Thus, it should come as no surprise that most of the food offered at Margaritaville is Caribbean in style. Jerk chicken, jerk shrimp, crab cakes, and other Caribbean/seafood items are the mainstay of the menu. Also, there are many food and drink items whose names are taken from Buffett’s music. The menu wouldn’t be complete, for example, without a “Cheeseburger in Paradise”- a large burger served with lettuce, tomato, Heinz 57 sauce, a kosher pickle, and French fries. Wash it down with a cold draft beer and you have all the makings of the perfect meal, just like the lyrics to the song suggest.
I have attended Buffett’s concerts, so I am very familiar with the hoopla surrounding his live shows and the utmost devotion that his fans have to him and his music. I also know many of Buffett’s songs by heart and while my devotion to Buffett doesn’t qualify me for Parrothead status, I was still able to recognize the words to his songs and other musical parodies that show up on the different menu items and in many of the drinks. When I visited here for the first time, at the Orlando Florida location, I was immediately drawn to the Cheeseburger in Paradise and I made it my first menu purchase from this restaurant. I asked them to hold the tomato (sorry, Parrotheads) but I had everything else, that the song calls for, as part of my burger and meal. When it came time to order a beer, I was a little disappointed at the poor selection of beer on draft. There was only one worth trying: Key West Lager- a craft beer brewed in Key West Florida (The other choices- Bud, Bud Light, or Miller Lite- were out of the question). This delicious beer made just the right companion for my tasty burger, cooked exactly to my liking, and my crispy fries. On another occasion, I chose Cuban meatloaf for my main dinner along with one serving of Last Mango in Paris- a mango flavored margarita. The meatloaf was interesting and quite different from other meatloaf I’m accustomed to eating at most restaurants. It was made on a roll and it contained a mixture of pork and beef with mustard, Swiss cheese, and pickles. It was quite tasty and it was just the right serving size. I wasn’t still hungry or too full when finished. I felt just right.
The atmosphere is one of the key reasons why people visit this restaurant. When I first became aware of Margaritaville, I was interested in visiting not because of the food (I assumed it would be Caribbean fare), but because I knew it would have a lively, entertaining atmosphere, just like one experiences at Buffett’s live concerts. My intuition proved correct when I walked in the main entrance. The inside of the restaurant is decorated with parrots, sharks, tropical plants, photos of Buffett and his band, and bright, tropical colors. And, of course, Buffett’s music plays non- stop. The videos and concert footage also go non- stop. Old album covers of Buffett’s, from his earliest days all the way to the present, can be found throughout the restaurant. And you can view old “videos” of Buffett (many of them are just scenes of Buffett singing songs from back in the 1970’s, before videos caught on) singing many of your favorite old tunes.
If there is one bad thing to say about this restaurant, it would have to be the fact that the prices are a little higher than normal. I can name several, sit- down, full service restaurants that offer the same food for lower prices. For a family of four, you can expect your final bill at Margaritaville to be in the $50 to $80 range, depending on what you get to eat and how many margaritas you order. This is more expensive than normal, but you need to keep in mind that part of what you’re paying is for the festive and fun atmosphere. This isn’t your typical, serene seafood restaurant. This is an entertaining place to visit, with lots of atmosphere, lots of noise, and lots of action.
Overall, Margaritaville is a place I recommend visiting. Depending on which location you visit (locations exist in Key West, Orlando, New Orleans, Cancun, Myrtle Beach, Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios, Las Vegas, and possibly other places) and the time of day you choose to visit, the wait for a table can get rather long (I waited outside in Cancun Mexico and got so hot and frustrated I ended up leaving early). But for fans of Jimmy Buffett, a trip to Margaritaville is well worth the effort. It may not be quite as enjoyable as a visit to a live Buffett concert, but for Parrotheads, it’s the next best thing to being there.
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Recommended:
Yes
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