Little Palm’s Dining Room

Dined here for the first time about seven years ago and again this past weekend. It was very good, but our first time was a tad better.
This second time, we were not staying on the premises. We took the shuttle from the welcome center off MM 28. The water was a bit rough, but the captain was a pro in steering us smoothly.
Upon arrival, we were escorted to our table right away. Since the weather had been moody all morning, tables were set up on the terrace instead of on the sand. The view is still spectacular and I was instantly whisked away from the real world.
Our waitress and supportive wait staff were wonderful the entire brunch. The inside dining room is set up with several cold item stations and a bottomless mimosa/​bloody Mary bar. The hot items are ordered a la carte. You can order as much of the hot menu items as you want and we were often encouraged to do so. There is only so much we could eat, though. Each menu item is a regular sized portion which makes it easy to keep over ordering. I especially loved the churrasco and the dessert platter.
When comparing this brunch to other equally priced brunches I’ve done (in particular at The Biltmore, Ciopinno at the Ritz, and at The Breakers) this one falls a little behind and is heavily relying on their heavenly location. And boy is it heavenly! Based on the price, the seafood is somewhat limited: no sushi, no stone crabs, for example. Where was the lobster? Other things were missing like caviar or simpler things like an omelette station!
While I would go out of my way to go to the other brunches, I would only return to this one if on the way to or from Key West (or anywhere in the nearby keys) or obviously if I was staying at Little Palm again. It’s very good, just not as outstanding as I think it could be. As stated, the location here is truly special, though. For South Florida locals, it’s a great way to feel like you are at a getaway without actually hopping on a plane.
Something I’ve been meaning to do here at The Dining Room is try one of their wine dinners. I’ve seen them advertised, but never with enough time to plan for it ahead of time. Those dinners and brunches are times you are allowed on the island without actually being a guest, and a great way to experience it as one.

Okay, so the food and wine is a bit pricey for what you get. But, you just can’t beat dining on the beach on a private island in the middle of the ocean! And, yes, you can go there even if you aren’t staying on the island, just make sure you make the reservation well in advance.

My husband and I, along with my in-​laws, visited for lunch. The ferry ride to the island takes about 15 minutes. Once you get on the island, there are very few places you can go if you aren’t a guest. It’s limited to the restaurant, the dock and the gift store.
We were seated on the patio for lunch. The view is fantastic! Within minutes of sitting down, 2 key deer ambled up to the side of the deck and were nibbling on sea grape and lounging in the shade. Very cool!
Cocktails will cost you a pretty penny, but you can tell they are handcrafted with care. The Marker 5 was $ 23 (has Patron Silver as the main ingredient). Our table also had the strawberry basil martini ($ 16) and the Spencer’s Cup.
There were a lot of options to choose from food wise. We had the Cuban sandwich, the shrimp salad sandwich, the chicken club and the catch of the day sandwich. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Sandwiches do come with a side!
Keep in mind that you are paying for the experience of the ferry ride, the nice views and the «luxury» feel of the whole afternoon. It cost over $ 250 for our 4 person lunch, but it really was well worth it!