Take a look around the new Bimini Bait Shack in Punta Rassa.
It's here.
The all-new Bimini Bait Shack opened its doors to the public Wednesday, unveiling a palm-thatched roof and all-new interior at this stilted building overlooking the waters of the Sanibel Causeway in Punta Rassa.
Here's what you need to know.
Who owns Bimini?
The restaurant comes from longtime local restaurateurs Mike McGuigan, a partner in Ford's Garage among other concepts, and Pete Cervone, who also owns the nearby Lighthouse Waterfront Restaurant.
What's on the menu?
Executive chef Bradley Kilburn of Lighthouse also oversees the kitchen at Bimini. His menu features local seafood such as grouper and pink shrimp, along with conch, gator tail, oysters, crab legs and scallops, plus plenty of beef and pork options and a few vegetarian items.
Bimini's bar is home to a wide variety of libations specific to various islands and ports, with most priced less than $10. Look for Cuban-style mojitos ($7), Nipper Juice ($7) from the Bahamas, and a Pusser's Painkiller ($14) made the exact same way — take-home tin mug and all — as it is at the original Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands.
Drinks can even be served in a fresh, hollowed-out pineapple for an up-charge. The bar also offers an array of Fat Tuesday brand frozen daiquiris and drinks.
Soups include blackened-fish chowder and Bahamian conch chowder. Appetizers (mostly $8.95 to $12.95) range from seared sesame tuna and smoked fish dip, to nachos built on plantain crisps and wine-simmered mussels finished with cilantro and lime.
A small section of the menu is devoted to house-smoked meats, while the so-called Bait Shack Classics include grouper tacos ($15.95), blue crab lump crab cakes with coconut-mango sauce ($19.95), Jamaican jerk grilled chicken ($15.95) and Cajun chicken and shrimp linguine ($19.95).
Bimini also offers oysters available chilled, steamed or baked, as well as clams and snow crab legs. Sandwiches ($9.95 to $14.95) include fried, grilled or blackened red fish, a Bahamian lobster BLT, a soft-shell crab roll, and po' boys topped with fried grouper, shrimp or oysters.
Sides include cheddar biscuits, collard greens, island black beans and more. Bimini also offers a kids menu and a trio of desserts (Key lime and coconut cream pies, and a turtle-ice-cream pie with an Oreo crust).
What used to be here?
Bimini's space opened in October 2014 as SS Hookers, a restaurant built from the ground up by Captiva hotelier and restaurateur Sandra Stilwell. In October 2016, Stilwell re-branded the space as Summerlin Jake's.
Bimini's owners took over in August 2017. They originally intended to call the restaurant Lola's Bait Shack, but switched to Bimini a couple months into construction.
What else?
Seats: 150
Square footage: 5,000-plus
Cool features: At Bimini, they're everywhere. An actual air boat hangs above the stage over the bar. The bar top itself is a saltwater aquarium full of bait fish and starfish on which customers can set their drinks. Bimini's raw bar is lined in oyster shells. Rope swings join bar stools as an option for seating.
Most expensive menu item: Bait Shack Steamer, a ½ pound of shrimp, ½ pound of mussels and ½ pound of crab legs, plus six clams, red potatoes, corn and spicy sausage. The dish serves two for $39.95.
Most interesting menu item: Your Catch of the Day; bring in your catch (cleaned and de-boned) and Bimini's kitchen will cook it family style for $13.95 per person including biscuits, sauces and a family side.
Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily
Bimini Bait Shack is at 17501 Harbour Pointe Drive, south Fort Myers; call 360-2248 or visit biminibaitshack.com for more.