Best Places to Eat in Naples, Florida

Hands down, Randy’s is my favorite place to eat in Naples. It’s always the first place I go to, and this last trip was no exception. Open since 2001, Randy’s offers their patrons a huge selection of seafood, most of which is either caught fresh daily or flown in from New England or Alaska. The atmosphere is casual, prices are great for what you get, and the service is always excellent.

When we arrived this last time, it was early for dining, even by Florida-retiree standards – but I was starving and couldn’t wait one more minute to eat at Randy’s! Seeing the place with this many empty tables is a rare occurrence.

We always start with the hush puppies appetizer. They are deep fried to perfection and served with a magically delicious butter with a hint of lime (or something…I really don’t care what it is, I just want it in my belly):

For the main course, we had a platter of mouth-watering scallops that were sauteed in white wine, lemon and butter (you can choose to have whatever seafood you pick prepared in a number of different ways), and accompanied by yellow rice and vegetables:

In addition to the main dining area, there is also a bar area where you can try their famous Key Lime Martini. If you’re a local, or if you are staying somewhere with a kitchen while visiting, Randy’s also sells freshly caught fish that you can purchase to take home and prepare yourself (hence the “fish market” part of the name).

The only thing that could possibly improve Randy’s would be if it had a waterfront location. It’s right off of Tamiami Trail, and the only thing you’ll be looking at is a sea of cars in the parking lot (see what I did there?). But honestly, the food is so dang good, that’s the only thing you’ll be focusing on!

They have recently opened a location in Bonita Springs that is only open for lunch, but I haven’t been there…yet. They don’t take reservations, so although you don’t have to get there quite as early as we did, you can expect a bit of a wait during the busier hours (but it’s worth it!).

10395 Tamiami Trail N.

Naples, FL

239-593-5555

This is a more recent discovery for us, but another place that we really like. Not too long ago, they moved to a bigger place close to their original location. We went here on our way back from the Everglades tour we took, so were again dining at an “off” time and there were only a handful of other people in the restaurant.

Cracklin’ Jacks calls itself an Everglades restaurant even though it’s located in Naples. But you will understand why when you take a look at their menu and taste the Southern style way they cook things (and their sweet tea is the real thing, too…yum).

The atmosphere is very casual and you get a lot of great tasting food for not a whole lot of money. In the evenings, they have a separate area where they play live music.

On our last visit, we were there for a late lunch…around 3:00. So, as mentioned, it was pretty quiet. But the food was still great! I had a basket of shrimp and clam strips, that was accompanied by one hush puppy, fries and cole slaw:

My mom had a basket of gator bites and catfish, with the same sides:

Yes, the menu consists of a lot of fried things, but the breading is actually quite light and none of it tastes greasy. You can also order salads, sandwiches, steaks or barbecue, if seafood is not your thing.

Cracklin’ Jacks is located off a pretty busy street and far from the water or any type of scenic view. But if down-home, southern-style food in a laid back atmosphere is what you’re looking for, then this is a great place to go! (If you click on the link below, I hope you get a laugh from the music that’s playing…I sure did.)

Cracklin’ Jacks
2560 39th Street SW (right off of Collier Blvd. and not far from I-75)
Naples, FL
239-774-6000

Rumba Cuban Cafe

One of the nice things about the growth of Naples from the mainly retiree town that it used to be, is the smattering of restaurants that do not focus on just seafood or steaks. Now, there are all kinds of restaurants that showcase other cultures and cuisines, and Rumba Cuban Cafe is just one of them.

Located in a strip mall off of Airport Pulling Road (sorry, I promise I will tell you about a great waterfront restaurant with an amazing view next!), it’s a pretty small place.

There are probably only 7-10 tables and a bar inside. You can either dine in or carry out, and this time, we carried out. But while we were waiting for our food to be prepared, I enjoyed a delightful mango daiquiri:

The servers are all very nice and friendly. The prices are a tad on the high side, but I don’t mind because the food is worth it and it’s a nice change of pace from seafood (though there are a few seafood dishes on the menu, if you want them).

We both ordered Media Noche sandwiches (which are the same as Cuban sandwiches, except served on sweet bread) and sides of mariquitas (fried plantains). A word of caution: the mariquitas are served with a garlic dipping sauce that was actually too painful for me to eat….and I love garlic. Seriously, one tiny bite of this stuff and my mouth was en fuego. Plus, I can’t imagine the waves of garlicky odor that would have been radiating off of my body for days on end had I eaten any more of it.

1265 Airport Pulling Road South

Naples, FL

239-659-2996

As promised, here is a restaurant with a view! There are many restaurants that give you gorgeous waterfront dining, but this one is my favorite and we’ve been coming here for years. With a view like this, how could you not?

At The Turtle Club, you can sit inside, outside on a stone patio, or further outside on the sand (like we did above). As you might expect due to its location, prices are a bit steeper here and we tend to dress a bit nicer (not fancy), but you will still see a few people dressed in shorts and t-shirts.

We started with a couple of glasses of King Estate Pinot Gris and a lump crab cocktail appetizer. Both were delightful!

The main course was the special of the day, which was broiled lobster tail accompanied by a bacon potato hash (there were also onions, corn and spinach in there…which sounds weird, but it was very tasty). There was a chipotle sauce and drawn butter on the side, as well.

We couldn’t leave without a slice of the Key lime pie, but sadly it was a bit tasteless this time…maybe it was just an off night.

The Turtle Club has been open since 1999, and offers complimentary valet parking. It is a perfect location to dine and watch the beautiful sunset. Unfortunately, the only reservations available for the night we needed were at 5:30, and we couldn’t drag our meal out for three hours (this ain’t Europe!).

If you are considering having dinner here, reservations really are a must and you should do it as early in advance as possible for a good time slot….you can either call or go online.

9225 Gulfshore Drive North

Naples, FL

239-592-6557

Have you ever been to any of these restaurants? Did you enjoy them as much as I do? What are some of your favorites in Naples?