Mango’s Dockside Bistro, Marco Island, Florida

Mango’s is right next to Deep Lagoon and has the same lovely view over a marina. It has the same beautiful setting and a very similar ambiance — a very nice ambiance.

On this trip, Nancy and I were on a mission to try new places, both for variety and so I could expand my world famous guide to restaurants in Southwest Florida. We hadn’t been to Mango’s before, so off we went.

There was a short wait for a table, but on a nice day by the water that’s a feature, not a bug. Nancy and I were seated and the server arrived. He won Nancy’s heart by actually listening when she asked for water without ice. We looked at the menus, of which Mango’s had three — breakfast, lunch, and sushi. I was impressed that the menu mentioned a generic “white fish” sandwich, but listed corvina and mahi-mahi as the fish of the day. That’s a reassuring sign that the fish is fresh. And I really like corvina.

 I decided to try their seafood chowder.

The chowder was tomato based, but the dominant flavor was not tomato, but rather the blend of fish and shellfish (shrimp and scallops) and some rosemary and thyme. I really enjoyed it, and it got Nancy’s nod of approval. It was well worth the $7 investment.

We both ordered the corvina sandwich ($20). I chose the beans and rice as my side, while Nancy chose slaw and sweet potato fries. Here’s my plate — 

This was yet another very good fish sandwich with a lot of fish. You can’t even see the lower bun there. Oh, wait. I can see a bit at the very top, but the fish extended well beyond the bun. The tomato actually had some flavor, and that was the right amount of red onion.

The beans and rice were good. I don’t know why the rice was on top, but it was tasty. Nancy liked her slaw, which included red bell pepper and red onion, and was properly dressed. The fries also were quite good.

We sit outside whenever possible, of course, but the interior of Mango’s is very pleasant. The walls are light-colored boards — is that what shiplap is? — and the mood is relaxed and not noisy. It would be a fine place for a meal on a wet day.

Marco Island is full of places that offer well prepared fresh seafood, and you’d need a long trip to try them all. But definitely put Mango’s on your list.

***

And while you’re at it, click “follow” on our front page to receive blog posts in your email box.  Or bookmark us and check in from time to time.  If you’re planning a trip, you can “Search” the name of the destination city, state, or country for good restaurants (in Europe, often close to sites, like the Louvre or the Van Gogh Museum, that you’ll want to visit in any event). And stick around for news, all manner of recipes, hotel reviews, the odd book or movie review, and occasional fine arts and architecture commentary.  Comments, questions, and suggestions of places to eat or stories to cover are very welcome.  And check out our Instagram page, johntannerbbq.