PORT ST LUCIE HELP PLEASE!
My NYC friends and I are going to Port St Lucie towards the end of this month. We are looking for any recs in the driveable area, that we could have nice meals at. I am a total NYC foodie, and am looking for fellow chowhound help! ;) We are down for everything from cheap bang for your bucks to nicer restaurants. I know the area has been developing a lot more recently and I have already looked at the past bulletins, but I am hoping someone can make some more recent recs (all the bulletins are dated a year or older). Thank you so much for your help!
jungirl
Jan 02, 2007 11:06PM
My mother lives there, I can't wait to hear what responses you get, because we never eat anywhere except the dreaded chains.
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Seriously! All I saw down there last time I was visiting was Outback, Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday, Chili's, etc! I remember there was one wings place that was sort of fun - multiple flavors - but I can't remember the name...
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Hurricane Grill and Wings; but AFAIK there isn't one in PSL. The closest is a newer location in Palm City: 2355 SW Martin Hwy, Palm City, 34990 (772) 781-4295.
I found the raspberry to be too sweet -- basically wings covered in jam. But if they have the spicy raspberry, that's awesome. Also the honey garlic, teriyaki, etc. etc. The wings are small and extras like bleu cheese and celery are a bit steep, but if you get a sampler of a bunch of different flavors they're good.
Also in PSL, I recommend Bistro Madeleine for breakfast, a greasy-spoon French diner. Brie on everything, massive omelettes, best monte cristos around.
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yes, that's the wings place! is bistro madeleine in palm city? i love monte cristos!
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I've only been to the Palm City location, but I'm pretty sure there is another location in St. Lucie West. Someone confirmed it's still open in another thread here. (I moved out of the area over a year ago.)
Their secret is the French toast -- OMG it's out of this world. :-D
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FYI yes there is many new Hurricane Grills here on the Treasure Coast
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Every time I see this post....I respond with this.
http://www.casabellastuart.com/
You'll love it!
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I just remembered this place which is a lot of fun.
http://www.conchyjoesfl.com/
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My folks are down there, and yes, unfortunately, way too many chain restaurants. However, there a few good eats: Conchy Joe's--delicious and a lot of fun (raeggae bands on the weekends), 11 Maple (never been but have heard such great things), and El Cubanito (inexpensive home style Cuban). Enjoy!
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I agree on Conchy Joe's. It's in Jensen Beach, near Port St. Lucie. Have the conch chowder and get mango plantains as a side dish. Also, try to get a table near the water.
I hesitate to recommend a bagel place to New Yorkers, but if you are near Tradition Square in PSL, grab a bite at Bagel Brothers of New York. The matzoball soup is great. The only downsides are the nova spread (too light on the salmon) and the lack of any Dr. Brown's sodas.
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If you crave matzoh ball soup, there's a TooJay's in Stuart in a shopping plaza just south of where Monterey intersects Federal Highway. I haven't been to Bagel Bros. but TooJay's rocks.
www.toojays.com
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Nothing to rave about in the Port St. Lucie area yet, but we were just there last week and here's the best bets in a rather barren culinary landscape:
1. Duffy's (a chain of Fla. sports bars) in West Port St. Lucie near I-95, has an AYCE ribs night on Mondays and a happy hour with 2 for 1 drinks. No great shakes, but the ribs are some of the best we ever had, and the waitresses are friendly in the extreme.
2. Crawdaddy's in Jensen Beach (about 20 minutes south of PSL on Jensen Beach Blvd. about a block from the beach). Solid Cajun menu (including the titular crawdad boil) and live bands on the patio during the weekend. Thursday night each week is a streetfest at Jensen Beach with the usual tchotkes for sale, and a small artist colony of 6-8 cottages that's a nice place to hang out while you're waiting for your your table across the street.
3. Bonefish Grille in Stuart (on US1)--Yes, the dreaded word "chain" rears its ugly head (they're owned by the same folks who brought you Outback) but as chains go, this one is in a class of its own. An nicely appointed room with great service and the seafood is the best bang for the buck in the area. Ask your waiter or waitress to bring you a sampling of all 4 of their signature sauces on the side with your fish. The fish is all well prepared and fresh from the daily selections. The "bang-bang" calamari appetizer was a winner, and they know how to mix a drink. Well worth the miserable 25 minute ride down US 1 from PSL.
4. Toojays (in Stuart on US1)--- Your best bet for breakfast/lunch/brunch. Great wraps, deli, omelettes. Packed to the gills for Sat/Sun brunch.
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Ian's Tropical Grill in Jensen Beach has great food and ambience. There's also a Ft. Pierce location but I haven't been to that one.
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There's a Hurricane Wings at the Shoppes at St. Lucie West. 1319 N.W. St. Lucie West Blvd.
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had a great time and actually found some wonderful food joints while we were down there. thanks for all the great suggestions, chowhounders!
as always, made a few trips to hurricane grill. their buffalo shrimp are great too! my favorite flavor was hot parmesan garlic.
went to new england fish market restaurant in jensen beach. the food was great! we went on tuesday, which is $0.39 oysters and $0.29 clams. there was no end. the place was packed at 7 pm, but we managed to get a table with a 20 minute wait. we ended up ordering a bunch of apps to share, but everything was great. crab artichoke dip, oysters rockafeller, buffalo grouper cheeks, mussels, raw oysters, clams, etc. the only thing that fell short were the conch fritters. too doughy. i highly recommend this place for a tuesday.
http://www.newenglandfish.net/
also went to crawdaddy's. i felt the jambalaya pasta was a bit heavy and overly done. the raw oysters were great, bigger than new england, but definitely not for the faint of heart. very fresh and yummy though. the seafood gumbo was also great. BUT the best part was the new england clam chowder. i grew up in new england and i have to say this was an amazing chowder. tons of clams, it was really delicious. my friends had some sort of fish with apricot or some sort of fruit on top and said it was too sweet.
also loved bistro madeleine. their crepes were DELISH. stuffed like a egg burrito, and topped with hollandaise. went back here twice for these. also enjoyed their monte cristo.
http://www.restaurantrow.com/ShowPics...
thanks for all the suggestions!
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too bad i just found this site; by now your trip this time is probably over; but for the next trip here's a few ideas--a great new place is sam snead's tavern in the new hilton garden inn at pga village; another great place is the third tee restaurant on bayshore road, very small but wonderful food;
there is a hurricane grill which someone else mentioned in st. lucie west; it is in the publix plaza on st. lucie west blvd;
if you want to take a nice ride two great places are the dolphin bar and shrimp house in jensen beach and wahoo's on the waterfront in stuart; both these places also have a wonderful sunday brunch; hope you decide to come back to the area again.
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My grandparents live in PSL, and it is always a pleasure to take a ride to Jensen Beach or Stuart to go out to dinner with them. There are a few places that I would recommend.
Norris's Famous Place for Ribs- Ribs & Onion Loaves- 6598 S. US Hwy 1 in PSL
Jensen Beach Ale House & Raw Bar- Bar food-3611 BW Federak Hwy in PSL
Thai food- Basil Garden- 201 SW Federal Hwy in Stuart
Conchy Joe's-Chowder- 3945 NE Indian River Dr. in Jensen Beach
New England Fish Market-Mussels (seafood)- 1418 NE Jensen Beach Blvd in JB
Wahoo's on the waterfront- 400 NW Alice Ave in Stuart
Pawnbrokers Grill- 3754 SE Ocean Blvd in Stuart
Pirates Loft-Awesome Crab Cakes 4307 SE Bayview St in Stuart
Jersey Mike's Subs- Hoagies & Cheese Steaks- 3321 SE Federal Hwy in Stuart
Mangroe Matties-Seafood-1640 Seaway Drive in Ft. Pierce
Too Jay's- Jewish Deli- 2504 SE Federal Hwy in Stuart
I can't wait to sit and read the entire thread to see other places that you guys have already recommended, maybe I will find some new places to go!!
Good luck on find your good eats!!
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FYI, the place on Ocean Blvd is called Prawnbrokers. (Get it? haha) Haven't been but have heard good things. :-)
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Hello, There is a great Restaurant in St. Lucie West called Sam Snead's. Wonderful food and great service. Its in the Hilton Hotel.
Have a great time.
Patty
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My wife and I are both foodies and we own a catering company that's pretty well-known along the treasure coast. There are some very nice restaurants in the Treasure Coast area. We strongly suggest that you drive 10 or 15 minutes or so to Jensen Beach and Downtown Stuart. In Jensen Beach there's 11 Maple Street which is 4/5 star dining at it's very best (reservations suggested). Peter's Steak House is "Peter Luger's South" and the steaks there are very good and their chopped salad is outstanding (reservations suggested). CrawDaddy's has very good Cajun food in a fun atmosphere but if they're busy you'll wait on the sidewalk and that's not much fun but food is delicious. In Down Town Stuart there are several small eateries in a 3 block area. The Flagler Grill is 4/5 star dining and it's excellent (reservations suggested). The Seminole Inn 3/4 star dining and it's also quite good. The Black Marlin has 4 or 5 items on their menu and they're outstanding! Nearby Down Town Stuart is 'Wahoo's' and it's a bar / restaurant that's on the water. Great place on Sunday afternoon. Food is reasonably good and they always have a great band. Wonderful place to have a few drinks, have some shrimp cocktails and conchfritters and people watch! On US1 in Stuart is a new restaurant called "Monkey King" and it has an interesting menu and the Tuna dishes and the Fish Tacos are extremely good. A little loud and rowdy but otherwise a good time. Another very good place in the Stuart / Rio area is Ian's Tropical Grill. Ian's is 4/5 star dining, they have a very good wine list and an inventive menu and it's a very reliable, upscale place to eat. There is a little italian wine bar and restaurnant in Stuart that is directly across from Stuart Fine Foods Grocery Store (which is AWESOME) and it's extremely good. The name escapes me but it's good and worth finding. There are some very good resataurants in this area beyond the chains.
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Hello chowhounds! i am resurrecting this post. going down again at the end of this month. i will definitely take all these rec's, but if you have anything more to offer, i would greatly appreciate it! :)
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I don't know if it's referenced above, but Jans has returned to its old location in Jensen Beach
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I haven't seen 11 Maple St. mentioned yet, could have missed it, in Jensen Beach. I would say its the best restaurant in the area. Stuart Fine Foods IGA is now Milam's IGA and it has been dumbed down some; certainly not what it was. Ronato's (Italian), Harbor Bay Gourmet (casual restaurant/deli/wine shop) in Sewall's Point are fine, too. Haven't been to Flagler in 3-4 years but it was good then.
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11 Maple Street has been mentioned numerous times and for good reason! Agreeably it's the best restaurant in the JB area. Peter's Steakhouse (directly adjacent to 11 Maple) serves a very good steak and their chopped salad (by itself) is worth the trip. CrawDaddy's (less than a block away from 11 and Peters) serves up excellent cajun fare but their staff's general disregard for their customers is a put-off and I've chosen not to go there anymore. The name escapes me but it's an "italian wine bar' and it's directly across from Stuart Fine Foods / IGA / Milam's......and it's outstanding. They have two areas...one for family dining and the other is a wine / beer bar that's an absolute delite (and you can get food from the other side with no problems).
Emac
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notice the distinct lack of restaurants IN port st lucie in this blog? the wine bar across from Milams is Carmellas by the way. excellent food and NOT in PSL...
the best thing i've found since moving here is the Bravo/Freshco supermarket on psl blvd. for 4.99 you can get roast pork with rice and beans and another side. best deal in town. there's another place on psl blvd called One World Caribbean Food. but i haven't tried it yet. what about that place on the corner of Psl blvd and Gatlin rd called Porterhouse or Delmonico or something? let me know if you've tried it. mike
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Carmellas! I've been there two dozen times at least and I can never remember the name....but I know where it is!!.....Will have to get to Bravo/Freshco.....and try that out.....
Emac
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