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We’re spending the holiday weekend in one of my favorite islands, Great Exuma. 365 islands make up the Bahamian district of Exuma with Great Exuma being the largest. The island is laidback and has some of the most gorgeous beaches I’ve ever seen. When it’s time to eat, seafood is the way to go. We wanted something casual for dinner tonight and Shirley’s Seafood Restaurant was the perfect choice.
Anthony’s Take: I love dining with white-linen tablecloths and Michelin-starred spots can be fun, but sometimes you just want something comforting, relaxing, and delicious. For that, Shirley’s Seafood Restaurant hits the spot. Dining here is a bit unorthodox. You place your order with your server before being seated. Service is warm and efficient (this is certainly not always the case in the Caribbean as island time is a thing). The place is packed and this helps to speed things up to keep tables turning. Everything we tried was delicious and from what we saw on other diner’s plates, it didn’t look like you could go wrong with your choices here. But, please, try some seafood. Be adventurous and get the conch. You can have Chicken Parmesan at home.
Decor & Vibe
The restaurant is set in a big parking lot amongst several others in an area known as The Fish Fry. The red and white building leads inside to two small dining rooms with a bar across the front. It was busy while we were there with diners filling every table, the bar, and more waiting out front for a table. If you’re there around sunset, head behind the restaurant for some breathtaking views.
Food
While the menu is not huge, everything we tried was prepared well and tasty.
I started with the Conch Chowder. It was almost like gumbo with a little heat and big pieces of carrot and conch. It was just what I wanted and I recommend you try it when dining here.
My husband had the Grouper Fingers. They were light, flaky and perfectly cooked. The sauce was sweet and a nice complement.
For an entree, my husband had the Stuffed Blackened Snapper with Blackened Corn and a Stuffed Baked Potato. He enjoyed his meal. The flavors were perfect and the potato was pretty big. The fish was slightly overcooked, but still tasty.
I chose the Coconut Grouper with Peas & Rice and Plantains. Like the Grouper Fingers above, this was light and flaky. The sides had great flavors and I immediately knew I was back in the Caribbean.
Drinks
Shirley’s Seafood Restaurant offers wine, beer, and a full bar. I had a glass of Riesling and my husband had a Dirty Shirley cocktail. I’m not sure what was in it, but he had two of these colorful concoctions.
Overall Impression:
Shirley’s Seafood Restaurant is warm and welcoming with food that will make you feel like you’re in the Caribbean with its great flavors and fresh seafood. We’ll definitely be back.
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.