Nemo’s on the Beach is a great place to hangout, have some great food and a cold beverage. If you come by car, Nemo’s does not have a dedicated parking lot, however there are plenty of nearby lots to chose from. This smaller beach bar and grill offers everything you would want in a local beach setting. It is quaint, personable and very laid back.
Nemo’s offers three choices of dining areas. There is an open – air covered dining area that has plenty of flat screen TV’s, ceiling fans and comfortable seating. Their tables and chairs are of much better quality than most of the other beachfront eateries. During the warmer months when there isn’t much of an island breeze, the overhead fans and misters offer a cooling reprieve to Southwest Florida’s warm tropical climate. A real neat advantage to Nemo’s is that they are steps away from the tempered Gulf waters.
From the covered dining area, you walk straight out to the open patio. The patio or sun deck as I call it has a variety of seating. It has normal to higher raised tables and chairs. Both types of tables are under larger umbrellas that will let in or keep out as much sun light as you want. The deck also has a railing that provides a wider top for accommodating your food and drinks. Taller barstools line the rail for a birdseye view of the beach and all its activities.
From the sun deck you can step down onto the sugar fine white sand. There are wooden picnic tables that are partially shaded by the palm trees that surround the perimeter. This is a perfect place to enjoy your day at the beach with all the amenities. Its also a great area when you have children. They can play on the beach, while Mom and Dad enjoy their time in the sun or shade.
Just ahead of the picnic tables and closest to the beach is a section that is set up for the sun worshipers. Nemo’s private little beach oasis is where you can relax on a lounge chair, under an umbrella, sipping your favorite drink and soaking up some rays! Nemo’s on the Beach has something for everyone.
Hurricane Tina’s Beach Bar & Grill comes with a story of wanting something and getting it. Tina visited this quaint little beach bar many times while vacationing on Ft. Myers Beach. An opportunity presented itself and just like that, Hurricane Tina’s was born.
Positioned between a few beach cottages to it’s south and a larger island resort to the north, Hurricane Tina’s stands proudly on its own. Just off Estero Blvd on Avenue C is where you can get to Tina’s from the street. The parking is very limited, but again there are lots of surrounding
parking lots. When you walk up the stairs to Tina’s elevated deck, you immediately have a view of the beach. There is a covered side dining area that offers comfortable seating.
The covered side deck gives way to an umbrella clad area (showed above left) that looks directly onto the beach and its sparkling water. The openair deck wraps around the serving bar and kitchen. The servers are always close by and the walk-up beverage station offers quick and easy access. The menu is simple, but offers plenty of appetizers, sandwiches and a variety of combination baskets. Tina’s most popular menu item and claim to fame is their superb beach wings. Their jumbo wings are prepared fresh with a variety of flavors and cooked to perfection. I can personally vouch for them.
The western facing deck looks directly over the beach and Tina’s designated beach area. The white sugar fine sand flows
between your toes while you sit under an umbrella sipping on your favorite beverage. The lower beach area has picnic tables where you can order food and visit with friends or family.
The beach area is just steps away from the beautiful turquoise water. Hurricane Tina’s offers Happy Hour specials, all day music and live entertainment on certain days of the week. Hurricane Tina’s serves a wide variety of bottled and tap beer, selected wines and non-alcoholic beverages. Stop by and relax, do some people watching and enjoy the ocean breeze.
Pinchers Crab Shack is a popular south Fort Myers Beach eating, drinking and entertainment establishment. The flamboyant painted alligator out front represents the true colors of fun. Pinchers does have the advantage of being situated in the Wyndham Garden’s Ft Myers Beach hotel. They have a captured audience, but offer plenty of fun, sun and entertainment. It is also a local hangout for many of the south end islanders.
Pincher’s has a front dining area just opposite of the Wyndham’s reception area. It has an indoor bar with a full wall of sliders that opens up and looks
out over the pool and garden area.
Pincher’s Crab Shack’s outdoor tiki hut has the pool to its left and the beach to its right. We usually elect to visit the tiki hut for a few various reasons. One good reason is because its outside and has a great beach view. Another is that most of the afternoons live entertainment performs on the patio. When you first walk into the tiki hut, you will notice all
the colorful beach décor and assortment of signs. They hang everywhere from the walls to the ceiling. They read like something out of a National Lampoon magazine. The large centered bar offers lots of seating and surrounding views. There are always at least two bartenders and service is always spot on with a smile. There are multiple flat screen TV’s mounted in almost every corner televising your favorite sports team. The snowbirds and island residents usually are perched at the bar visiting with whomever is within listening distance.
From the tiki hut towards the beach is a patio filled with tables and chairs that are shaded by large umbrellas. Here is where you can relax, visit and enjoy some great food and beverages. The servers are very friendly and attentive. The Wyndham Hotel attracts a lot a vacationers, especially in the winter and mid summer months, so finding a table at certain times can be a little difficult. Pinchers offers an all day and night two for one drinks. They also have live entertainment almost every afternoon starting around 5 pm and goes till 9 o’clock at night.
Pincher’s has easy access to the beach and Gulf waters. You can stroll up in your beach attire, find a table and sit down. Their menu offers a variety of appetizers, sandwiches/wraps and seafood dishes. The food is prepared right at the tiki hut’s kitchen and is always fresh. The patio has a very casual atmosphere and is very family friendly.
Pinchers Crab Shack offers a beach front area where you can keep your toes planted in the sand and soak up some sun. You can also practice your corn hole skills (bean bag game), throw a Frisbee or a toss a football around. There are lots of tables with attached seating and umbrellas if you prefer a little shade. There is one slight draw back. The beach in front of the Wyndham and Pinchers is very wide and takes a few minutes to walk to the water’s edge.
Nemo’s on the Beach, Hurricane Tina’s and Pinchers Crab Shack are top notch beach bar and grills. They all serve great food and beverages. Their staffs work hard at making your visit an enjoyable one. Another thing they all have in common is that you can watch the beautiful sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico. In my opinion life doesn’t get any better than this.
Author: Anthony Scopel
Photographer: Anthony Scopel
Publisher: YMATD
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