Casablanca Cafe

We walked by this place daily and it was always busy no matter if it was morning, noon or evening so we figured we needed to see what the buzz was about. We actually walked up on a Sunday evening, there was live music and we did not have to wait for a table! That was a great surprise and even better was we got an ocean view seat! The menu looked so good we couldn’t decide what to order so we decided to get a mix of appetizers. We got full on those that we skipped the entrees and went straight to dessert! Everything was as tasty as it sounded on the menu. I have to be honest, I am so glad we sat outside- I walked inside to find the restroom and was immediately hit by the mildew smell. I know this is an outdoor restaurant, by the water, I understand that. However, I didn’t have that smell in any of the other restaurants along the strip. Maybe it’s an older restaurant but either way, the smell was very strong it burned my nose. Aside from that, everything was great! We actually want to go back to give the breakfast a try!

We were lucky enough to be here on Super Bowl Sunday, the slowest day of the year for this popular place! We got a table on the patio right away, fantastic service, and a delicious meal. We loved the chicken & the short ribs, and the Casablanca salad was the best I've ever had! The waiter was wonderful about working with the chef to accommodate my seafood allergy and other food preferences. Also recommend the key lime pie, a local specialty. We were lucky enough to find a parking space on the next street, though that's unlikely at any other time. Beautiful Moroccan-looking building and decor, fantastic view of the beach & ocean across the street. Highly recommend!!

Settled on an historic building with superb views from the covered front patio to the outdoor small 2nd floor deck is the site for this great restaurant being founded in Jova House, now home of Casablanca Cafe, It was the first home constructed on Fort Lauderdale Beach and is its oldest remaining structure. Designed in Mediterranean Revival architecture, the house is an eclectic blend of Spanish and Middle Eastern architecture origins. It’s to note the details from it’s flat roofs, arched openings supported by square columns, stucco exterior walls, massive offset chimney stacks, double-hung windows, ceramic tile decorations and round towers with conical roofs. Casablanca Cafe kept the feel of the original house after a renovation by incorporating the original working fireplace, wooden ceiling beams, spiral staircase and terrazzo floors. The food is very good after encountering an extended table lack of service oversight at which point after becoming aware the restaurant manager, Mr. Greg Rowley was quick to respond and apologize about it. We’ve ordered both the Pan Roasted Mussels Sun-dried tomatoes, chardonnay broth, garlic, parsley, blue cheese which it was delicious and the Swordfish Brava which consists of generous portion of a Grilled swordfish steak, iberico chorizo & patatas bravas, hazelnut romesco, preserved lemon aioli, olive & onion escabeche which it was also flavorful yet slightly overcooked and being paired with an Albariño “Rias Baixas”. Happy hour runs from 4 to 7 PM but is only served on the inside small bar area which it fills up very quickly. It’s to note that Greg offered Us a personal tour explaining the history of this special landmark, reflecting his passion and ten years + tenure for this business.

Very nice indoor and outdoor resturant featuring steaks, seafood and pasta dishes. Our server was fantastic and attentive. Food was actually delicious and the outdoor seating was phenomenal being approximately 150 feet from the ocean!

3/19/25—-Slowly, the Vrbo rental fiasco—where we had to flee by the second day—is becoming a distant memory. Things are looking up at the W in Fort Lauderdale. This morning, I woke up craving a salad. After days of eating out, I’m over restaurant food. But somehow, a salad still sounds like a good idea. Maybe my body is begging for mercy. Anyhow, I walked to a few restaurants but didn’t quite find the salad that called to me—until I remembered Casablanca. A quick check of their menu online revealed a Greek salad. That was it, my brain declared. So, off I went. When I arrived, the hostess directed me to the bar to place my order. This place is always busy. I took a seat at the bar, where a bartender with beautiful, flowing jet-black hair took my order. While waiting, I decided to take a stroll upstairs—I’d always been curious about the inside of this building. The upper level was just as beautiful, with a great view and a much quieter atmosphere. For a moment, I felt transported to Spain, surrounded by the restaurant’s architecture, the red Spanish roofing , and that timeless Mediterranean charm. Every time I walk or drive by, this building is a pleasure to look at. In the end, I took my Greek salad with chicken to go—plus a side of French fries, because balance. Back at my hotel, I enjoyed my meal in comfort. There I was, sitting outside in the balcony looking out to the beach with my dog, enjoying my Greek salad and French fries like a true culinary diplomat, when suddenly—La Isla Bonita started playing in the distance. Ah, Madonna, the honorary ambassador of all things vaguely Spanish. Only she could make a song about a dreamy island romance while sprinkling in just enough Español to make it feel authentic. She’s been out here rolling her R’s and serenading us about San Pedro for decades, and honestly? We let her. Because let’s be real—no one else could turn a few scattered Spanish words into an international hit and convince half the world they suddenly needed a red rose, a flamenco dress, and a dramatic sunset to twirl under. In that moment, as I sat there with my salad, I too felt like I was on La Isla Bonita—except instead of dancing in the sand, I was eating feta cheese in my hotel balcony at the W. Close enough!

We had a wonderful experience at Casablanca cafe. The view was amazing, the food was top notch and this drink was everything. I will definitely be coming back. I also cannot say enough about the fabulous staff. It was truly a 5 star experience.

Honestly not sure why this place is so highly rated. It has a beautiful view and chill vibe but the service was kinda meh. I ordered a burger and the meat was definitely not good quality. The salad was sparse and the crab cake my mom got was definitely sad. Only redeeming thing was the potato wedges.

I had such a wonderful experience at Casa Blanca Café in Fort Lauderdale! The food was absolutely delicious — full of flavor and beautifully presented. You can tell a lot of care goes into every dish. The place itself is warm, cozy, and charming — the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a great meal. It truly felt like a hidden gem by the beach. I’ll definitely be coming back. Highly recommended!

Brunch was great! Good drinks, food, ambience, and service. The avocado toast was a specially delicious.

Came here on a food tour with a group of 20. For half of us, this was the favorite of the four stops. We had ravioli and a choice of red or white sangria. The sauce with the ravioli was so good that we asked for pita to soak it up. Two of our group were not eggplant fans, and skeptical about the ravioli - but both loved it. Restored 1920s house is charming, with interesting mosaics and tromp l'oile shadows.

Trevor was an amazing server! Food was even better! A must when you're in Fort Lauderdale !!!

Fabulous Experience! Our waiter Trevor was phenomenal. He recommended all of the right menu items, was attentive & kind. Our food was cooked to perfection & very fresh. Drinks also top notch! Wish we weren't going on a cruise because we would just stay here and have breakfast daily. Jenna Boyd

We really enjoyed our dinner here, with a beautiful view of the ocean from upstairs. We ordered calamari, strip steaks, scallops and trout and all of us loved our meals. We celebrated a birthday with the chocolate lava cake with Dulce de Leche ice cream, heavenly. I enjoyed the cocktail with strawberries and basil. I was genuinely impressed with our server, Trevor- he was so attentive and he really went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed at all times. Trevor was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, efficient, genuinely friendly and accommodating. He checked on us frequently but didn't hover and was always there at just the right times. Everything was timed really nicely and we all agreed this was the best dining service we have had recently. A manager also stopped by to make sure everything was perfect, and it was. Thanks Trevor for making our dinner special!

Service was average at best and started with server insisting that our table had to be pushed up against the wall so food runners had room. Ambiance is good as we sat outside and get to look at the beach and ocean. Only downside is A1A is between restaurant and the ocean so have to listen to traffic as you eat. Food was average. Started with some French Onion soup that was a good deal at only $10. Came out fast but was not what I would consider hot for soup. Then had the Roasted Eggplant Racioli and the edges of the raviolis were chewy. Best part of this dish was roasted tomatoes. Did have a Casa Rita that was good. Our concierge gave us the recommendation and a 2 for 1 cocktails that the server knew about but did not include on our original ticket. He redid the ticket but never offered a detailed ticket and just ran my payment then disappeared. I attempted to get an email of my final ticket by email, and did receive and email but the ticket won't load. Guess this is best you get for a tourist area spot overlooking the ocean.

We love going to Casablanca Cafe for happy hour. There is a great bar that is outside and inside. Our server, Ryan K and Greg Rowley (the general manager) were great. The Mediterranean Dip Duo, Pan Roasted Mussels, and Calamari Fritti were delicious. We also enjoy the gal that furnishes the entertainment--great music.

We sat at the bar for brunch and had an egg sandwich and pancakes. Great service and the bar was just fine. Nice and sunny with a fresh air vibe to sit amongst a bunch of Yankees. I am glad that no one was wearing a pro trump shirt there. He's awful.

Cute restaurant with a Mediterranean vibe/décor. 7 of us came here for dinner per our hotel concierge's recommendation and because it was a 5 min walk. The food and wine was pretty good and fairly priced - we shared some apps (phyllo-wrapped baked brie, Mediterranean dip duo, Moroccan lamb meatballs, Casablanca salad, and calamari). The meatballs were definitely a standout. I had the roasted eggplant ravioli for my entrée. It was delicious and I was pleasantly surprised that it was topped with what felt like a mini fresh veggie salad. Others at the table enjoyed some seafood dishes like the pan roasted salmon and deep sea linguini. The steak was overcooked, so I'd say this is not the place to order steak unless you enjoy it well done. We shared a couple desserts - key lime pie and chocolate lava cake with dulce de leche ice cream. Service was friendly. Overall, this is a solid choice if you're in the area!

Enjoyed a beachfront brunch here! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was great! The sun was shining and the ocean breeze was blowing which made our meal very enjoyable. Our service was spot on. The patio was full the day we were there so it was a bit crowded but wouldn't stop us from returning.

I really enjoyed my dinner here. They don't take reservations but there was no problem getting a table. AMAZING pesto focaccia bread for the table. I got the ceviche and the trout. The ceviche flavors were great, I do wish it was cut up a bit smaller as the inside was a little tough. Typically I like a firmer fish for ceviche. The trout was amazing. FRESH flavors, just an overall wonderful fish dish with the tomatoes, olives, and shallots. I would definitely recommend Casablanca if you're looking for a spot to dine. We sat on the patio so it was nice to look out at the water and passersby.

My wife and I were in Fort Lauderdale for the night. As we were arriving we passed this place and the patio was packed. Decided to give it a try and found it was worth the 20 min walk from our hotel. Not only was the service phenomenal, but the food was amazing. We would highly recommend this place. Save room for the Dulce de Leche gelato what a treat!

What a phenomenal place right in front of the beach!!! My salad was unreal, loved everything about it, that dressing was to die for. We also got waffle fries to share and those were also sooo good. I would come back here in a heartbeat. The service was great too, our server was attentive and took care of all of our needs in a timely manner.

Came here for dinner last night and the ambiance alone gives this place a high rating. The wait to dine outside was long, so we chose to dine inside. They had live piano music inside and air conditioning so still very nice, just not ocean view. The complimentary bread was delicious and well seasoned. It was so thick that it honestly filled me up. Ordered a bottle of Albariño, which was delicious and refreshing. Not too sweet! Ordered calamari as our app and it was very tasty and filling. Nice mix of peppers and shrimp mixed with the squid. And came with two different sauce to dip it in. We shared the famous blue crusted crab mahi mahi. It was good but didn't blow us away. The whipped potatoes were addicting though! Also got a side of waffles fries. Come here for the ambiance and live music! Beautiful and historic restaurant!

Mike is amazing!! We stopped into Casablanca because it was crowded and we figured the food would be good. We were pleasantly surprised by how good the food was, but also by how great the service was. Mike out of his way to make sure we were comfortable. He suggested what we should order and we took his suggestion and we are so happy because the food was amazing. The restaurant was crowded and it took a while for food to come out so Mike's so graciously offered to comp us two desserts. Mike was very nice and very personable. Mike made the dining experience a very memorable one.

I have to start with the location and the ambiance, this place is absolutely beautiful! This is Jova House that was built in 1927 and it is stepping back in time from the high-rises on A1A. If you like beautiful architecture, at the minimum come here and had a drink. I started with the Beach Bonfire Old-Fashioned which had a beautiful presentation and a very good, not overly smoked tasted. I drank it too quickly to take a picture. :) I had the Blue Crab Crusted Mihi Mahi and the hubby had the Blackened Florida Grouper, we were told these were the two most popular dishes at the restaurant and they were both very solid, good flavor cook well. We had excellent service and while we ate inside we will had an ocean view. In a sea of hotel restaurants, this was definably a good choice. This was a week night post spring break, so we walked in at 6 o'clock and were seated inside immediately.

Great views! Stopped in for a snack and a glass of wine. The service was excellent. We didn't have full meals but I'd like to go back.

Well, the ratings on Google were 4.5 and 4.2 on Yelp and there was a line when we passed by this place the first time. So, all of these suggested a great brunch to be had. The servers were all attentive and accommodating. The drinks quick to come out. The food a bit longer. Well, it was good until the food. The Eggs Benedict were plain. Not much sauce to speak of. The Belgian Waffles were horrid. Certainly not freshly made. They tasted if they were one to two days old. Very little topping on them either which it needed something moist to cover over how dessicated they were. The freshed thing here were the fried potatoes of all things. Well, food aside it's a nice location, but don't come here for the food.

Another year of our 10 year tradition of visiting Casablanca every time we come to our timeshare, Marriott Beach Place Towers. Tonight, we are here for their happy hour. What an amazing happy hour! We got our favorite martini, Bombay Sapphire, shaken not stirred, for $6. The cheap bites were good, too. We also like their lunches and dinner. They are a Moroccan restaurant, but they have a broad menu. The ambiance of the restaurant reminds me of the movie, Casablanca. Cabe was our server. He went beyond the call of duty and took a couple of pictures of the 4 of us. He shakes a mighty good martini, too.

Amazing dining experience. We came here a couple of times when we visited 10 years ago and it was just as good. We stayed right around the corner at the Westin. The French onion soup and the clam chowder were delicious and the mussels were amazing. The seafood pasta was really good. Our server was super nice as was the manager that stopped by and chatted with us. It is such a cool interior and the singer that night was entertaining.

Great experience, not overrated at all! Staff is awesome! We will be back, everything was good and the vibe is super fun.

This was our first time here and we loved it. We were quick to be seated tho they don't take reservations. The ambience is quite nice tho the lighting is a little dark. Every dish we had was good. Our waitress recommended the short ribs when I asked, and noted they usually sell out of it. I got lucky and it was delicious. My husband and daughter had the lamb specials which they enjoyed along with their appetizers. Somehow our daughter had room for the lava cake for dessert which she said was quite tasty too. They even had live music which was very entertaining. I would definitely recommend this place and hope to make it back.

Date of visit: January 13, 2024 Our last official meal in Fort Lauderdale before returning to the frozen tundra known as our home was a good one! We had walked by a couple times during our brief stay and each time Casablanca Cafe was hopping! While the place was a bit too busy for us to snag a table outside without a wait, we found it fun and cozy inside and that didn't dampen our spirits one bit. Michael S took great care of us and we really wanted for nothing during our stay. I went with the French Toast and it was a no frills kind of dish in terms of presentation, but it was very tasty and frankly, that's where it counts. Everyone enjoyed their food and we were all distinguished members of the Clean Plate Club when the meal concluded.

Late Saturday night, got seated right away outside. Nice ambiance, quick service, delicious food and drink! Ordered a spritzer with the sticky short ribs and lobster mac and cheese. Just say yes to the bread! And the creme brulee was superb! Nice dining experience for 1, treating myself costs me under $100 with tip

I had the best time with the live music and the best food! I had the best server Mike who gave great recommendations for the food and everything he recommended was absolutely delicious. I would definitely be back again!

Amazing food and great service. Shrimp cocktail was huge. Salad was so fresh. All with an amazing ocean view.

Rad place mainly because of the location. Right ok Fort Lauderdale beach. Drinks are solid, Food is solid, price is on the upper end but still worth it.

The vibes are great. The food is awesome and the staff is outstanding!! Have eaten here for a weekend brunch and dinner.

Liked the atmosphere kind of old Florida vibe Right across from the beach! Service was slow but for me they are all in the South Had a lamb gyro and was delicious nice soft wrap and the teazecki sauce was flavorful Son had fish and chips - nice batter but fish was just okay Other had a Cuban and a chicken Cesar wrap We all liked the waffle fries Would go back

For a Friday night out wait time was only 20 minutes! The service was super fast and it didn't affect the quality of food at all. Food was 10/10. Service 10/10 and the restaurant itself was so stinking cute. The tiling, lamps, and the ambiance of the piano bar vibes will make me come back again and again.

In beautiful Ft. Lauderdale for work retreat . The team decided to leave the hotel for a little sight seeing. We ran across the cutest restaurant with the perfect view of the beach. We started with appetizers of salad, mussels, and ceviche. Everyone was satisfied with their choices. I decided on the scallops and was not disappointed. They weee cooked to perfection, an amazing glaze and some of the best mashed potatoes I've had in a while.

First off, the server Mike was ALL THAT. Mike was spot on with his recommendations. My partner and I were on the fence about our selections, and Mike came in and suggested things, and boom, he was right. I had the Walnut Chicken, and my lady had the Mahi Mahi. There was not one thing on our plates at the end. Mike also suggested an amazing drink. I went against it, but my lady didn't. Mike told me to wait to try hers but I didn't listen when my drink came, I was wrong and didn't like the drink. Mike said, "Don't worry." Mike took the drink back, and I ordered the suggested! I expressed to Mike that he had GREAT customer service (I work in customer service). Overall, I suggest Casablanca Cafe 100%, and if you are lucky to get Mike, you're in great hands!

Every restaurant on the beach is expensive- we all know that That being said I would expect the lunch meal would be as good as the view - it wasn't

Had lamb pita, chicken quesadilla and fish tacos. Server was attentive but the food itself took a long time to get to us. We were seated on the top floor, overlooking a window to the beach across the street. Food was good, not spectacular.

We did extensive research before deciding on Casablanca Cafe and we are glad we came here! When we walked up all the outside seating were taken. The menu is on the shorter side which means the ingredients are fresh. If you like wine, they have a pretty good wine list. We both decided to get the free catch of the day, Mahi Mahi for our proteins. The fish was so fresh! The pita was so tasty, crunchy and we believe it had butter on it. We sat at the bar and Ryan took care of us. We were watching him in awe as he was efficient serving the whole restaurant by himself. He still made time to chat with us too! If you are looking for a casual, local delicious spot, this is the place!

Excellent service, food and drinks. Definitely on the go-to list when we return! Kudos to Adrian for his amazing service.

We were in the area and wanted to give this a shot. We were seated outside, overlooking A1A, which was great for people-watching. The atmosphere is phenomenal. But, our particular server had a lot to be desired. Our server could have been more attentive. This was unfortunate because the other tables around us had very attentive servers. The food was ok; nothing to go out of your way for. The fries were completely overdone and hard as a rock. We would have gotten new ones, but our server could have been more attentive, which is our reoccurring theme in this review. Our food, chicken wrap and some form of a chicken sandwich, was eh ok. Both of them came out cold, and the chicken wrap barely had any chicken in it. Nothing to write home about. Have I had worse, absolutely. Have I had better, for sure, I have. This was a solid three-star meal for being near/on the water. Had it not been on the water, the rating would have dropped. But on the "eating on the water/near the water scale," it's a 3.

The food was amazing at Casablanca cafe! The location and ambience with the beach and full moon across the street was awesome! The piano bar inside brought some great vibes. My server RYAN was the best server I have ever had. He payed attention to our table all night, boxed our food to go and made sure I was more than taken care of.

Most amazing staff ever! My fiancé and I go here whenever we can hungry or not we will stop to say hi to the staff and grab a drink! You all do a phenomenal job. Ariel server is so friendly I wish her all the best. I did have a not good experience one time and that was taken care of with grace. The salmon and bagel is fire

We attended an event for about 40 people here, and they handled everything absolutely beautifully. Because we had a large event, there was a smaller menu to choose from (a few apps, mains, and desserts to pick from). Options were the same as items on the normal/full menu, but with slight variations. We started with drinks and our waiter recommended the La Rubia Blonde Ale which was very refreshing and tasty. For a starter, I chose the Ahi Poke Tuna (on the normal menu, it's called the same thing but comes with rice, so is an entree; that was the only difference). Judging by the main ingredient (the ahi), this was delicious! The little ahi bits literally melted in your mouth basically. If you are iffy on eating raw proteins, I would say give this a try and you may be a convert afterwards My main dish was the blue crab crusted mahi mahi, and it was GIANT. Even though they were cooking for dozens of people, the quality did not suffer at all. The crab topping was so flavorful and seasoned well. It complemented the mahi mahi perfectly, and adding the the beurre blanc sauce - *chef's kiss* For dessert, I chose the mascarpone cheesecake, and even though the rest of the meal filled me up entirely, I did find a little room for cheesecake It was good, but pretty standard cheesecake style (nothing extraordinary). My friend, though, had the key lime pie and gave me a bite - yummmmm. So I would recommend the key lime pie if you're stopping in and grabbing dessert at the end of the meal!

The food was wonderful, live music was good but too loud (we sat indoors) which made it difficult to converse. Disappointed they did nothing to recognize birthdays. Overall very good meal.

We went to happy hour two days this week and ended up staying for 4 hours each time! The servers, Laura and Andrew were both amazing. The manager, Greg, was so friendly and told us all about the restaurant and its history. The piano player was so much fun! Food was all delicious and the drinks were yummy! Go visit, you won't regret it!!

Had an incredible evening at Casablanca. Mother daughter date was a success. Mike was one of the best servers I've ever had. He not only gave 10/10 food recommendations but he went out of his way to be accommodating. He made sure we had everything we needed and that we were enjoying our time. He was beyond personable and a true genuine soul. Casablanca Cafe doesn't disappoint. If you're looking for a dim lit dinner with live music, ocean views, delicious food and great service this is your place!

Great service from Mike and Will, the talented musician at the piano bar were the highlights of my experience! I would come back for that and the affordably priced happy hour menu drinks. Mike really made me feel like a valued customer on my first visit to this restaurant. I came alone and my table was unfortunately located in a high traffic area. Mike tried to get me a table outside but it was very humid and started to drizzle a bit. So the best place to be was in side with some AC and near the piano bar. #MikeForPresident!!! I may come back for brunch, but would want a better seat so that I could see the ocean.

We ate inside and had a nice view of the ocean, was clean and cool inside. My lemon drop martini was refreshing and the bread with olive oil was delicious. Ordered the clam chowder per other Yelp reviews, it was really good ! I had ? about the calamari appetizer, asked the server if it was like a pancake, for the way it was described, don't know what he heard but I did not want everything all fried! It was overly greasy and he had his mgr come to our table. That gentleman helped with getting us some more soup and warmer, it wasn't originally and if the server check on us he would have known sooner! Server tells me if it calamari it's is always fried, he needs to expand his palate! I had grilled just last week.

Casablanca always is packed in Fort Lauderdale when I pass it on the way to my hotel for work, so me and a few coworkers decided to eat here for my birthday. The liked the drink that I had, but I don't remember the name of it, the food took a while to come out, I got the blackened Mahi-Mahi sandwich, it's was okay, the French fries was cold (on both dishes). My friend had the fish and chip, I did not try it and my other friend had the chicken pasta and that was good. For a appetizer we had calamari, and although I'm not a real fan of it , it was okay I just wish it was a little crispier.

The food is terrific. the crab cakes were outstanding. I loved the salad dressing although some of the leaves tasted a little too earthy. I also definitely could have used more tzatziki sauce, but I could eat that by itself the flavors were amazing. It's right on the corner and is a staple in the neighborhood. You can eat outside, inside, or upstairs. You can see the beach and do great people watching. The server we had, Joel, was simply the best. Very happy and honest and hilarious. Everything was terrific and we will absolutely return.

Beautiful views, beautiful vibes, great service! We loved breakfast in the morning, there was plenty of options to choose from. We ordered the pancakes breakfast with bacon!!! I love how the weather was and the view was amazing. I would def come back. This place gets packed very easily so make sure you go early in the morning for a good spot! The entrees were pretty inexpensive! This pancake meal was $12!

Casablanca Cafe is our go to place when visiting Fort Lauderdale. It has beautiful beach views in a romantic and rustic setting. We enjoyed the calamari, filet and the blue crab crusted mahi mahi. Excellent cocktails too!