Catch 53

As someone who frequently visits the Florida Keys, I consider myself a little more lucky than some. With restaurants that serve up cuisine reflecting the proximity of the Bahamas and Caribbean, plus incredible sunset views, it’s a slice of heaven just a short ride away. After discussing what we wanted to eat, my friends and I decided on Catch 53.

Catch 53 is located at 13205 Overseas Hwy, behind the Holiday Inn Express (ocean side). The restaurant features a wood burning oven and the Keys' biggest Mahogany tree bar top, which overlooks Tarpon Creek. As we entered we were pleasantly greeted by the hostess and taken to our seat outdoors. The view and ambiance was very nice and we expected a great experience. However, the only part that was great was when we left. Keep this mind - Catch 53's Facebook page claims they “focus on hospitality.”

After being seated it took nearly 10 minutes for our server to acknowledge that we were alive. After placing our drink order, it took exactly 32 minutes to receive our drinks! I say again… 32 minutes. To me that is almost criminal. After quenching our thirst we FINALLY got a chance to order our food. The hilarious part was that she asked, “Ready to order?.” By this point we were so hungry and upset we asked for the appetizer to come out with the main dishes. I guess that was too much to ask for because that didn't even happen. So, after one full hour we received the appetizer, the Short Rib stickers, which were actually pretty good. The discussion came up whether they were really that good or is it just the fact we’re starving? My black & bleu burger arrived at the table 15 minutes after. By that point, the only thing they did right was cook my burger to a perfect medium rare. The fries were nothing to boast about but the roasted garlic mash potato was superb. My friend’s caprese pizza was delicious and sizable. The dough and crust are great but last time I checked, the toppings on a pizza should be generous. At Catch 53 they’re paltry at best. By this point we all felt like we had been sitting for 5 hours, we just wanted our check. Even that was a mission, and 2 hours and 19 minutes later we got the heck out of there!

I was totally disappointed with my visit to Catch 53. It’s unconscionable how bad the service was. Memo to owners Peter and Maria: You learn most from unhappy customers. I suggest that all your employees take a course on hospitality, lower your prices which are unreasonable and hire bartenders that have a idea what’s going on. Consider yourselves fortunate I didn’t raise hell. Your menu is limited but the food is above average. There’s a lot of potential for this place to develop. I may be the only one of my group that feels this way but I do intend in giving Catch 53 a second chance.