“ I'm so in love with the coconut shrimp that I haven't tried anything else besides potato skins, which were also amazing. (The Pina colada dipping sauce is nearly drinkable.) My grown kids have tried several things, which were also very good. I always get the tutor tots, crispy with blackening season, and my daughter gets the sweet potato fries. Today, they're trying the Island Burger and the Philly cheesesteak. Bud light draft is only 3.25, bottles are 3.50. The view is fantastic, great 80s and 90s music. Seems like a spot where the locals hang out, for good reason! Berger is my favorite server, he's fun and funny, but Olivia is a close second. We drive an hour every other week for this awesome spot! ”

“ We had an excellent lunch at this great little spot , great view of the water and a great server who did a fabulous job . The drinks we had too were spot on tasty . ”

“ If you like a really casual place right on the river, this is it. They have a small eat-in area inside but I never see people eating inside, they're always out on the back deck right on the river and it's an extensive deck with lots of room for dining. There's a big bar back there which is lots of fun, especially when the band is playing and they do have a lot of good music on the weekends, usually classic rock. Then there's another little bar out farther to the east away from the main deck and music, connected by a little gravel area, again right on the river. Everything is really right down on the water. It's very picturesque. If you like being on the water. This is the perfect place. ”

“ This Tiki bar is a go-to spot. Crafted tropical daiquiris, delicious island-inspired and traditional dishes. The moment you step in, you're greeted by friendly staff. They always make you feel right at home. The ambiance is vibrant and laid-back, in the shade or in the sun. Live music from local bands are great. The stunning view of the Banana river perfectly complements the relaxed vibe. It's the perfect place to unwind and steep in the sun ”

“ The Island, Merritt IL The Island - A great place for sunset happy hours and quick seafood. The island was a great little stop on our way home after work on a Friday evening. We arrived just around 5:30pm. When we walked in they were just setting up the live music. The place was definitely crowded and lively with great atmosphere. We got a table right by the railing facing the water so we had a good view of the sunset. Parking was pretty big (and full) but we found a spot very quickly. The restaurant itself is very casual, low key vibes with no frills and we we’re probably the youngest there by two decades, but still we really enjoyed it. They have a large bar and a mixture of indoor and outdoor seating with tables out on the sand facing the water. There’s also a few dock slips for boats to pull up which is great if you’re boating or fishing in the area. After getting our table our wonderful server Olivia came over to take care of us and go over the happy hour specials (.50 off drinks and beers). The menu is seafood centric with a lot of good appetizers. We started with the 1lb peel and eat shrimp and the smoked fish dip. Both were surprisingly good, the shrimp was well seasoned with seafood seasoning served with melted butter and cocktail sauce and a piece of toasted bread. The smoked fish dip was served with pickles, pickled jalapeños, celery, and two types of crackers, the dip was really good, some of the best I’ve had and the jalapeños and pickles were a great touch. For the mains we got the snow crab legs, served with two sides and toasted bread and my partner got a seafood platter with blackened Mahi, scallops and shrimp, also with two sides. The portion sizes were great and pretty inexpensive for what we ordered. For my crab legs I got a side salad that was served with tomatoes, cheese, cucumbers and chopped onions long with the yellow rice. My partner got the baked potato, loaded with cheese and scallions, butter and sour cream and sautéed veggies with cajun seasoning . Both entrees were very good and served very quickly. For dessert we shared the turtle cheesecake which was very good, definitely felt store bought but still tasty. The band, Radar Red, played some great tunes, a lot of classic rock and consisted of guitar, drums, bassist and a keyboardist. At one point there was also a female signer that joined in and was fantastic. Not sure if they play here often but recommend checking out the schedule to see if they are. My server, Olivia was wonderful the entire time, great service and incredibly friendly. The check was about 100 and the experience was pretty great. Would definitely come back. ”