Whitney's

I don't usually write reviews, but I had to leave a review to say how great our recent Whitney's experience was. We've driven past this place many times and never noticed it until this last Friday, so we popped in and we're so glad we did! The atmosphere is really unique and fun. Being an old service station converted to a restaurant is such a neat repurpose of an old building. We had already eaten the first time we stopped in, so we just had some drinks which were all amazing. The best part of the experience was the super friendly bartender, Brianna. She was great! Super friendly and had great recommendations for us as well. We really enjoyed chatting with her over some drinks and a delicious piece of key lime pie. It was one of the best I've tasted. I really liked the toasted coconut on the top, it was a great twist. Brianna said we needed to try the weekend brunch, so we went back today for Sunday brunch. The food was delicious again. We will definitely be back again and again anytime we're passing through LBK.

A must location. We stumbled on to it, and now that we know we'll be back. Everything we ate was great. The portions are perfect sized. The guy performing the music fit the vibe. Sat outside. But the location is created so everyone at all tables has an outside feel. It just becomes how much outside do you want. If you're not local then know across the street, just walk, is the beach. But move your car to that lot because the restaurant has limited space.

Very fun place! Vintage vibe in the decide, great Grouper tacos, and very friendly staff. Loved it and they deserve to be visited if you are ever on Ana Marie!

Whitney’s is a beautiful spot with a relaxed, beachy vibe that makes you want to stay a while. The atmosphere is lovely and the service was excellent — friendly, attentive, and on point from start to finish. That said, the food didn’t quite live up to the setting. It wasn’t bad, just a bit underwhelming considering the great reviews and how gorgeous the restaurant is. Still, it's a nice place to stop for a drink or a casual meal, especially if you're in the area and want good service in a pretty setting.

Listen, it’s an old gas station or auto shop or something and by golly they turned it into this flippin’ dope open air food joint that hits hard. And the vibes are way up. Just stop already with the vibes! Travelled from out of town with my son and we walked here from across the street where we were hanging at the beach. Seated quickly, treated kindly and served well. Our server suggested the Elote Ribs, the Whitney smash burger, and the carne asada tacos. Everything was fire, made well and with flavor in mind. Good price point considering the location. Definitely worth visiting again, gotta find a way to bring my wife here.

We drove from Orlando to go to the beach across the street from the restaurant. I want to say sorry to my waitress because I forgot her name and she was magnificent.... Thank you for your services. The only complaints I have are that they put avocado spread on the grilled chicken sandwich instead of avocado when the menu said avocado not avocado spread. I recommend coconut shrimp, and I enjoy them. Also, the french fries were a little cold other than that, everything else was great. I love the music.....dope play list

Great indoor and outdoor restaurant. Key lime pie is a must have.

I've biked past this place many times and decided to stop for lunch. They have a bike rack so that's convenient. The staff was super friendly. I tried the chicken sandwich and it was delicious, with a little spice kick. I decided to come back the next night and I had a draft beer (Florida breweries) and some fish bites. Very tasty! The atmosphere is super cool with the converted garage giving it a unique vibe. I'm told they have entertainment Thursday thru Saturday nights so I'll definitely be back to check it out. Definitely recommend!

This past weekend we were on mini road trip, returning to Orlando from my hometown. We wanted to find a cute place to stop for lunch along the way with some nice views to enjoy the gorgeous weather. Thanks to Yelp, we came across Whitney's and it ended up being the best decision we made all day. This little diner style restaurant is such a vibe, located directly across from the beach on Longboat Key. This whole area was hit very hard by the recent hurricanes and many homes & businesses were completely flooded or destroyed. We were talking to our sweet server and she was telling us how bad the damage was. I'm glad to see that Whitney's has reopened and is recovering from such a devastating time. Every corner of this building is just begging for a photo. So of course, I had to give her what she wants. They have a beautiful indoor bar and booth seating, a covered patio, and a merch store. Their branding is definitely on point, so I get why people would want to rep it. We ordered their signature frosé, coconut shrimp, the blackened grouper sandwich, double smashburger, and sweet potato fries. The coconut shrimp were large and the dipping sauce they come with was incredible. We both enjoyed our sandwich/burger, but the sweet potato fries were freakin fantastic. It was a very generous portion and I couldn't stop eating them. The baby had to eat, too, so this was the perfect cozy spot to relax as he guzzled down his bottle. I appreciated that they had a changing table in the bathroom so that we could easily get a fresh diaper on him and get back on the road. Even though we were just passing through, this quick stop made me want to return to the area again to do some exploring in the future.

4 Stars for the most vibey, photo-worthy spot in the area featuring yummy bites, cocktails, and coffee! I've been to Whitney's a few times and the stand out feature when you drive up is the design. Think retro, clean, with luscious plants and a little bit of neon. She's pretty, friends. You'll want to take some pics, so don't do what I did last time and forget your phone... In terms of the food, it's tasty. My first dining experience there wasn't great (meat that smelled strongly of fish, sent it back because everyone noticed the smell at the table), but I assume that was a one-time random issue because the other times have been good and we kept returning. The service has been fine. Not overly friendly, but not outwardly unfriendly. Overall, a fun spot for a vibey brunch, but it may not appeal much to folks who aren't there for the gram.

What a cute find along the way to the beach. This place is a total vibe with chill music, good drinks and the food. Our bartender Chuck suggested the best drinks and food.

Amazing Group sandwich! The best on longboat key. Outdoor and indoor dining. Great cocktails. I highly suggest for lunch or dinner!

whitney's is the coziest and most beautiful little beach-side cafe you can find!!! this hidden gem is not only delicious but also a creatives dream -- the interior is stunning and set to inspire anyone who walks in. FOOD : i got the rice bowl with grouper and absolutely loved it. I have never had grouper before and the fish tasted fresh and mild, no fishy taste at all! i left feeling good and the meal wasn't too heavy. There is a ton of rice though so it definitely could be filling if you eat it all! I liked the veggies but they were a little too roasted and not soft enough for my personal taste. It threw the dish off for me a little but overall the good outweighed the parts i wasn't obsessed with. My sister got the chicken sandwich and it was incredible!!!! The sweet potato fries were honestly the best i have ever had. I almost ate more of her plate than she did! The chicken was fresh and juicy and the whole dish came together nicely. SERVICE : the atmosphere is as stated - beautiful, inspiring, refreshing, and fun. Our waiter was helpful and fun and we had a great experience as far as service went. overall i couldn't recommend this place enough!

Do yourself a favor and skip this place. I went here for lunch with my family on a Wednesday. The food was beyond disappointing. Even something as simple as guacamole was a mess--brown, sour, and clearly made from avocados that should have been tossed. The fish and shrimp tacos were tasteless, topped with dry, unappetizing corn, and wilted, sour cabbage and greens. The mac and cheese was a joke: flavorless, with a plastic-like texture and unappetizing cheese. While the vibe of the restaurant is nice and the service was fine, the food was simply atrocious. Seriously, guys, fix this.

Atmosphere: Nice open place with seating everywhere. A mix of California and the 1950s diner scene. Food: fish tacos are good. Loaded with fish, flavor and goodness. The drinks were pretty good too. Fries, go for shoestrings not the sweet potato fries. They came mushy. Brussels sprouts were burnt and had no flavorings. Some goat cheese cranberry or a nice glaze would have amped that up and added texture. Bathrooms are located outside and could use some more attention. (Cleaning) Overall service was great. Our server was upfront about drinks to try and was good conservationist at the bar.

If you are looking for ambiance to impress, this auto shop turned ultra cool retro restaurant is it! The outdoor seating is so pleasant on a warm day because you're completely in the shade. The vibe is a little pretentious, but our server Quinn was excellent and welcoming, and the food was pretty good (not a fan of the vinaigrette salad dressing at all). I'd come back for drinks around the fire pit with friends!

SO GOOD!!! kind waitress, chill vibe, great food & margs. can say nothing but good things !!!

Service is terrible. Waited at the hostess stand for 5 minutes with multiple servers acknowledging us but not seating us. Then sat at the table for 30+ minutes without acknowledgment while waiting on all the tables around us. Poor!

Great place - great food... the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. Came for a late lunch... stayed for drinks and Joyce... the musical talent from 6-9pm. Loved the original cocktails- Sarah Soda and Hello Goodbye... and the frose was so good... refreshing and tasty...we drank two!

Such a cute place! Not our first or last time! Drinks and donut holes!!! Full menu with other tasty food is offered but this was just a stop for donut holes.

Cozy and cute restaurant in the island. Its around 7 minutes from coquina beach. They have live music and a space for the kids to walk around while waiting for the food which I really like because its not easy to deal with my kids when they get bored waiting for the food. I ordered the crabcake benedict and it was delicious but I think the portion is small so if you're thinking to get this dish you might want to add a side of fries to be satisfied. My husband ordered the burger and it was good but don't get trick with the discription about short rib, brisket and chuck patty because when they serve it to you its just like a regular burger. My husband really ask if its all mix in there because he thought you'll really see the short rib and other ingredients. We also got mac and cheese, chicken bites and fish bites for the kids and it was good. Overall I recommend this place whenever you visit the island!

The atmosphere was a 10/10. Definitely only worth going here for the vibes, maybe a drink. But if you go for a casual meal, it might be best to consider taking your money elsewhere. I mistakenly ordered the cooked oysters. Half a dozen for $20. (Outrageous!) they weren't even good. Loaded with extra cheese that wasn't even melted all the way felt like I was being robbed. The financés $30 grouper sandwhich wasn't anything special.. maybe if it were cheaper it would make sense. I just feel bad because for 2 people the tab got to over $100... would have rather gone somewhere cheaper. You can get your fill by going here and walking around and through their building. This was borderline 2 stars! But worth 3 for the atmosphere and ambience. Have a good day!

What a cool, chill, relax vibe it is here! Sat indoors and still enjoyed the outdoor breezes flowing in. Cocktails were on point. Especially the Hello Goodbye. And though the Whitney burger was very good, and cooked more than ordered, the Grouper Reuben was the winner, baby!! This big hunk 'o fish handheld was simply perfection. Very good service here. It's a no-brainer on LBK.

We came around sunset and sat at the bar. This place is super cute atmosphere with games and gathering areas outside and a friendly staff. We ordered drinks and enjoyed them while we waited for our food. When our food came out we were bombarded with flies and ended up having to box our meals so we could leave. This was just gross and cut our visit short.

Great spot to eat out doors! Have been here at least 3 times. Love to come here when I'm vacationing on Longboat key.This used to be a gas station they converted into a restaurant with a great art deco vibe. The grilled grouper fish sandwich was cooked to perfection moist and flavorful and the drinks are also delicious! They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Wow! When they have music, Whitney's gets an extra star. We stopped by for brunch on a Sunday and listened to great music by Chad Tallman. Easy listening and chill vibe set the scene for our good food. Mom ordered the lemon ricotta pancakes... simply delicious (and I don't like pancakes!) I ordered the LBK with wild rice, quinoa, Brussel sprouts, carrots, corn relish and salsa verde... extremely tasty, but definitely should have ordered some protein on top. We finished with the cinnamon sugar ricotta donuts! Yum. Good service and good which paired really well with the chill music!

Outdoor dog friendly . It's the old Chevron station but an eclectic remodel. Staff friendly and helpful. First grouper Rueben yummy. The rest of our food was well prepared and delicious. Unhurried pace. Reasonably priced for quality of the food and presentation. Give them a try, you won't be disappointed

Quinn did an excellent job as our host this afternoon for lunch - he was friendly, professional, and a very kind human. The fish bites are a great value, and every plate we had - the LBK bowl with grouper, the grouper sandwich, and the garden salad with chicken all had very generous portions of protein; the sandwich and bowl both were splittable. Beer was crisp and refreshing - I find no fault here and will happily enjoy this again for lunch.

This place was solidly good, but was not great. Nice outdoor seating area, pet-friendly inside and out, and OK service. They never came back to our table after dropping off the food to check in, so we had empty cups for a while and then had to get some refills as we were getting the check. Otherwise it all flowed pretty well and the food was pretty good. Not great, but solidly good. I got the egg sammy and it was flavorful but quite sweet and really messy - I ended up eating it with a fork and knife. The sweet potato fries were pretty solid, though the ranch-ish dip on the side lacked much flavor. It's a cute spot and worth checking out, though I wasn't blown away by my first experience here.

Casual, fun, retro vibes + great live music + excellent food and drinks = five star restaurant. When you have a server as attentive, friendly, and fun as Nicole.. well I wish there was a sixth star!! No pretense, all quality at Whitney's. Oysters, queso, tacos, shrimp, steak, grouper-- all top notch. Margaritas done simply and right. Don't skip the desserts! Great vibes, excellent food-- we will be back!

We dined in at this restaurant hearing by word of mouth it was great. Our date was so so. Whats good about Whitneys is its got a large outdoors seating area as well as indoors (open air). They also have a large bar area. The decor and overall style of the renovated restaurant is cool and fresh. The live music was good. Parking is free and ample As for food: my husband loved the fish tacos. The presentation and composition of the tacos was great and it was healthier than most fish tacos at other places that are fried.  Although the presentation of the corn bisque did not look appealing, it tasted good. It was pretty much just slapped in a bowl and served.  I tried the Sara Soda cocktail and it was just ok, the peach mimosa was way better. Okay,  so the issues I had...Our table wasn't cleaned and they told us to seat ourselves. Then someone came up and asked did I want it cleaned and proceeded to clean half of the table and never bring new plates. The plates on the table were from whoever was there before (visible crumbs were on them). We never got new plates. A lot of items were not available for example like the oysters. They ran out of the precooked shrimp that come in one of the salads as well as for the seafood platter. As a result I was offered more crab in my seafood platter because they didn't have oysters. As for the seafood platter it was served on a metal tray with ice and it melted almost immediately. I am not sure why they thought putting lump crab on lettuce on top of ice was a great idea because it basically melted immediately and then just sank into the melted ice water. Did I mention the salad the lump crab was on was wilted? Overall, disgusting. Most of the extra crab I was offered to replace the oysters ended up floating in ice water with wilted lettuce. Not much on the menu is gluten free so I got cornered into ordering a salad. Not even the ranch dressing or other creamy dressing is gluten free so I had to get the housemate champagne vinagrette (which was good). The salad looked like a basic salad that came out of a bag, I make better looking salads at home. The eggs as well were mangled (I guess someone had trouble peeling them). Seating indoors is a bit run down (the chairs are a huge eyesore). I would say this place would be great for anyone who is not a Celiac and if you can overlook issues like the table not being cleaned properly etc. I probably won't be back. I didnt think anything I had was exceptionally great or even good. The word of mouth reputation seems to be more hype than anything.

Love this hidden gem! We went for a girls lunch and our waiter was more than accommodating. Their sandwiches were amazing and so were their chicken tacos. This place has by far the best brownie with ice cream we've ever tried! Will definitely be returning.

Very, very OK. Not bad enough to complain, or send the food back, but nowhere near good enough that you'll want to come back. Oysters were gritty, I know some oysters are just that way, but every one tasted like it had several grains of sand in it. Grouper sandwich was WAY overcooked. Snapper was... OK. Service was fine. About 40% overpriced for what you get. A better use of the real estate would be to have rebuilt it as a gas station as it once was.

Casual, good food, great ambiance, fun bar! If you come to Longboat Key out this one on your list!

This place is really nice and the service was excellent. Unfortunately the food didn't live up to the previous reviews. The CHARRED OYSTERS were ok, way too salty and tasted like they were made in advance (cheese was hard). Ordered a chesse burger medium, came well done. Ordered the STEAK SANDWICH which had no favor at all and again tasted like it was sitting under the heating lamps. I wouldn't say not to give them a chance but our experience was not one to remember.

i agree about this place being more Instagram'able than foodie hangout so just be prepared. I don't know if I completely dislike it because the food was just okay or due to it also being overpriced for what it was. Our server was very animated and over the top with his recommendations that I wondered if it's more a show. The decor was a cross between a garage diner turned 80's vibe. The place was casual with a 'gram flair. Tables outside were comfortable until the headlights of cars were shining in my face and no see ums were noshing on us. The inside was comfortable and spacious. The baked oysters were good. The tuna app was small (3 per) in a crusty shell that lacked much flavor. The snapper was the recommendation and the fish itself was good except the rice was a cold, clump that left much to be desired beside a red pepper and onion mix. I heard the fish sandwich had a decent amount of grouper. The crab cake was pretty good compared to the rest. For dessert, the donut holes were fresh, hot and not too sweet. The key lime pie had a solid amount of whipped cream atop and I couldn't eat that much. Yep. That's about it.

Such a cute place! Beautiful inside and outside. Our server and other workers there were all very nice! Definitely recommend the peach bellini mimosa!

Been coming here for a year because of its great vibe and easy for the kids etc I still would recommend to visitors but sadly I have seen a decline in the food and service quality :( The staff is super nice. I hope they can step it back up because it really used to be our favorite place.

We picked the wrong night. Great ambiance and staff but out of some beers and food. They should have told us in advance rather than skimping.

My party started with chips and guacamole, which were very ordinary. My sister and I split the LBK Bowl and the steak sandwich. The bowl was really delicious with fresh fish and a delicious salsa verde, though we found the steak to be a little lacking in flavor. The drinks are great here; there's a broad selection of alcoholic and other beverages that are unique. The ambiance is very nice with an open layout and a cute retro interior, and our waitress was lovely and attentive. Awesome Florida brunch spot for the girls!

Whitney's is an absolute vibe. The Longboat Key restaurant has a little bit of everything for everyone. The main attraction is the environment itself, boasting retro beach design and decor, something straight out of a movie. Was this place an old gas station? It very well could be. Anywho, as soon as you walk up the entrance you're immersed in Old Florida. Palm trees, patio furniture, garage doors, white subway tiles, hanging plants and white walls. Whoever designed this restaurant deserves an A+. And the food/drink menu pretty much matches. A coastal menu with fresh seafood all around. The Chilled Seafood Platter ($55) has lobster, shrimp, crab louie, oysters and accoutrements. For a pricey dish, it's something to be split amongst the table, and if you feel like balling out it's a reliable platter of freshness. Local Fish Sandwich // blackened or fried, lettuce, tomato, tartar, fries. When we visited, the fish of the day was grouper, which brought a smile to my face. I appreciate that they let the fish speak for itself and not trying to do too much. For $23, I definitely recommend getting it blackened. The fish was flaky and fresh. The bun was soft and chewy. What stole the show, however, were the Donut Holes. Ricotta donuts with cinnamon sugar. I don't know who thought of adding ricotta to donut batter, but that person deserves a medal of some kind. Nothing quite like a fresh to order donut, these were absolutely stellar. You'll run a fat tab while you're here, but you'll be happy you did.

Really enjoyed our visit to Whitney's. The local fish bites were excellent -- tender mini Grouper pieces with great homemade potato chips. The burger was also very good, perfectly done -- medium rare -- with thick slices of bacon. The only downside was that the bun could have been a little more robust. Our server, Nicole, was terrific, very responsive and helpful. We'll be back!

We rode our bike 16 miles to reach Whitney's. We have eaten and drank here since the year it opened. It's a sweet destination. So laid back. The drinks are memorable which is hard to achieve if this is a one week a year visit. The one disappointment was the $10. Up charge for a floater on my margarita. $24 for a drink even on LBK is rich. The LBK salad and the kale and Brussel salads were great. The staff from wait staff to bartender were top shelf. In this tight employment market this place is blessed to have them. Whoever does the swag marketing needs a nudge. They have a great symbol of a guy and gale but for four years running they don't sell shirts with them!! Thus the 4 stars. Get swag and it's a 6+

Whitney's has become a place I'd look forward to checking out each time I visit Longboat key beach but perhaps, not anymore, at least not for food. I'm on my 72 hour mark of having contracted food poisoning from the poor sanitation in this place. So sad to see their quality diminish.

Burger and steak sandwich were absolutely delicious! Queso dip was great! My son had the LBK bowl, and it was an excellent portion. Super tasty and healthy! The place was cute and looked like a modern diner. We will definitely be going back next time we visit here.

Once again, Whitney's hits it out of the park: hands down my favorite restaurant. Even though they don't accept reservations I cannot imagine spending my bday anyplace else. 5/5 exceptional service 5/5 delicious quality food EVERY time. And amazing cocktails 5/5 clean 5/5 ambience/ cute decor and tons of photo ops (Instagram able) 5/5 price 5/5 overall experience *you won't regret this.

Love this place! They have great queso and coconut margaritas! Steak and fries is so good. It's such an inviting place.

Can't say enough about this place. The service is amazing, the food will knock your socks off and the amazing decor and ambiance is outstanding. We've been here just about every day. Try the doughnuts with the jam.

Fun spot for drinks and food. Very cool vibe and the food is delicious. Can be a long wait but can get a drink at the bar and good spots outside to hang and wait. Highly recommend.

Ambiance, setting and vibe are great! But the food was just okay and a little overpriced. If I spent the day on the beach and wanted an easy meal I would go there again. But, if you are looking for special or unique food, skip it. Staff are friendly and attentive. Drinks were also made super strong.

Our family and friends always go to Whitney's while on Longboat Key. We usually go several times. I love the shrimp Louie and my husband has the burger. Our kids love it too. Fish tacos etc it's always been good and we always come back. We love Whitney's!

We discovered this place by total accident and been leaving 15 minutes away from it ! It is not easy to see from the road . It is just beautiful and has that perfect beachy feel that we fell in love with ! . I can't say anything negative about the feel and atmosphere. The waitress was very nice and attentive and told us right off the bat to seat wherever we wanted ( glad she told us ) which there was a sign to let you know . The food though very disappointed. Chips and guacamole, chips kind of bland but guac was good and fresh . Steak sandwich is good but nothing special and also the Louie salad the shrimp are very bland .

Amazing service and food. Everyone was super kind and genuine, I really appreciated the friendliness as most other restaurants are missing this.No complaints and the vibe is 10/10. CANT BEAT THIS!

What is happening at Whitney's this used to be a fun spot for a tasty meal but we're giving up on it. Five of us went to Sunday brunch. The food took 40 minutes to arrive (no apologies were offered). Avocado and egg toast was weird and disappointing - a toast with an egg in a small circle cut out of the toast, with a small scoop of avocado on a toast corner. Not satisfying. The banana French toast was tasty. Chicken sandwich and chicken tenders were tasteless and the fries were cold. We tried brunch thinking it might redeem the last couple of mediocre dinners we had at Whitney's but it was a bust. This place is so cute and promising, great vibe and and nice fire pit at night, live music some days. Can someone please update the menu and figure out how to get the kitchen functioning properly?

My new favorite restaurant in LBK. The artsy, hip atmosphere and food is excellent and we really love the feel of the place. The Grouper Rueben is phenomenal! I can't believe this is what has happened to the gas station where I used to get my tires repaired and oil changed!

I ordered the hamburger which was delicious! The service was fast and it has a beach atmosphere. They have live music Thursday-Saturday I believe.

We came to Whitney's for dinner, after visiting last year we expected the same great service and food. Unfortunately, we didn't get either. We stood at the door for almost 5 min before anyone said anything to us, a staff member was directly in front of us at the bar. We went to find a seat and the tables had mounds of food under them on the floor from previous customers that was not cleaned. We got a table and had to get a chair to meet our needs. We sat and waited for anyone to come over and say hello or give us menus. I ordered the LBK bowl which was fantastic the year before, this time it looked like I got the scrapes from whatever was leftover. The pictures below show the difference. I was so disappointed as we really enjoyed our first visit.