Owl Cafe

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#2 of 22 Restaurants in Apalachicola$$ - $$$, American, Cajun & Creole, Vegetarian friendly

+1 850-653-9888+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

10:00 am - 9:00 pm

Tue

11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Wed

11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Thu

11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Fri

11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Sat

11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

1,944 reviews

#2 of 22 Restaurants in Apalachicola

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

RM 45.00 – RM 187.00

CUISINES

American, Cajun & Creole, Seafood

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

meals, features

Location and contact

15 Avenue D, Apalachicola, FL 32320-1719

+1 850-653-9888

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Does this restaurant allow dogs or considered pet friendly?

Yes

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About

In the heart of downtown Apalachicola, the Owl Cafe offers a River City dining experience like no other. Sensational appetizers, delicious entrees and incredible desserts are prepared and served by an attentive staff. The menu is varied and colorful, with daily chef’s selections ranging from exotic imported dishes to fresh, locally-caught seafood. The amazing wine list is as full of character as Apalachicola itself, and delivers the perfect complement to every meal.

PRICE RANGE

RM 45.00 – RM 187.00

CUISINES

American, Cajun & Creole, Seafood

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

FEATURES

Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Waterfront, Dog Friendly, Non-smoking restaurants

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4.5

1,944 reviews

Excellent

1,285

Very good

407

Average

150

Poor

Terrible

retiredandlovingit07

Toledo271 contributions

A Special Meal

Feb 2020 • none

This upstairs venue offers nice views and the food and service are top-notch. There are many choices for seafood lovers as well as for those who prefer steak, chick, or pasta. The prices are reasonable, and entrees come with freshly baked bread, a salad, and vegetable medley. They have an extensive wine list that includes many reasonably-priced offerings.

Written 29 February 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Slg

14 contributions

Cozy, excellent penne pastas!

Jan 2020 • none

Good staff, cozy ambiance, hubby had fish and chips, he really wanted a side of the duck confit, server said no probs and added a little bowl as a side so he could dip his fries. He loved it all! The penne pasta was excellent, don’t bother with adding the chicken ( it’s was a little chewy), when I mentioned this, server immediately took the chicken off my bill. This pasta would make a vegetarian out of anyone! Very attentive and responsive staff, nice change from Salty Sues in Panama City.

Written 22 January 2020

Lovin' Life

Jaffrey383 contributions

Great restaurant for local food and view from outdoor patio.

Mar 2021 • none

We visited this restaurant for Sunday brunch and it was quite busy, as there aren't a lot of restaurants open on Sunday. We had to wait a bit for a table, but were seated on the second floor outdoor patio on a beautiful day. The service was a little slow, but our server was pleasant and we were cool with a slight delay. We ordered the crab dip for an appetizer and we liked it but prefer the mullet/fish dip we get at other restaurants. We ordered a scallop and grits main course, which was on special, and the hash entree with eggs in a mashed potato mixture. Both were excellent, and large enough servings that we were able to take some home. The breads/muffins are excellent as well, and we got a basket filled with bread, cheese muffins with real butter that we loved! Recommend going here for a meal.

Written 9 March 2021

Daniel D

Atlanta140 contributions

Order with care

Dec 2022 • none

The entrees at Owl are probably not their best dishes, although I had a prime rib special entree that was quite delicious. Probably best to stick to the daily catch or another simpler dish, as the over-decoration of the entrees makes for a weirdly unattractive plate. That said, this is by far the finest dining in Appalachicola. Service is very friendly and capable if not professional by big-city standards. Bar is very slow, likey because a single bartender works a large and lovely bar as well as the service bar. Other than these caveats, this is a fun place for the finest dining in Appalachicola or St. George Island.

Written 27 December 2022

HottyToddy97

Corinth44 contributions

Day in Apalachicola

Dec 2020 • family

We spent the day shopping in Apalachicola and had dinner before returning to Carrabelle. My daughter got the fish of the day (wahoo) and we ordered crab cakes as an appetizer. The crab cakes were delicious; however, what made the place special was when they offered to send some from the restaurant to the docks to look for my daughter’s camera when we called to see if her lost camera was there. Please give them a try, you’ll like it!!

Written 20 January 2021

meanie g

Germantown73 contributions

Hoped for more

Dec 2021 • none

We chose to have dinner here on a first trip to Apalachicola maybe expecting a bit too much. Arrived to find the published 4:00 opening time was 5:30 on this particular day. Since no reservations are taken, guests gather and wait at the door. There is no system whatsoever for this - just sort of show up and work the honor code of who was there first. When we first walked up, we were told by an employee who was smoking by the back door that we could go on up, but the door was locked. Felt very disorganized. We asked to sit outside which was very pleasant. Our waiter was terrific and obviously working so hard, but food was coming out wrong at other tables and one table had two different waiters attempting to take their orders - again felt chaotic for an upscale restaurant. Bruschetta also seemed confused with a mountain of grated Parmesan just dumped on top, olive oil over the veggies, and lots of balsamic in a side cup. Bread was good though! My husband's redfish was good but my mahi mahi honestly had nothing going for it. The side veggies were like Normandy blend with no seasoning. I ordered the crab stuffed option for the blackened fish which didn't appear blackened and the stuffing was actually just a little crab cake thrown on top. At least the mashed potatoes were tasty. I took everything else home and doctored it myself.

Written 30 December 2021

Melissa F

Canton7 contributions

Level of service not matching prices of entrees

Feb 2021 • none

We have been coming to the Owl Café for many years for my mother's birthday. The food has always been consistently very good but the service over the last couple of visits has rapidly declined. I would expect for the prices the service would be top notch. We were told that they no longer take reservations but noticed that people were being seated with no wait time. After waiting for almost two hours for a table it was disappointing.

Written 21 February 2021

fromatltony

United States117 contributions

Saved by the food!

Apr 2021 • none

I love the Owl Cafe and have been going for years. Due to the pandemic and things just beginning to open I decided to treat myself while running errands in Apalachicola. Upon entering I noticed a super large crowd for lunch. I asked if I could sit in the bar area (table for one next to window) and was advised that they were understaffed and would not be seating/serving in that area. I looked around and all tables were booked with a line at the host/hostess area. I was seated at a table next to the host/hostess area and immediately realized there was one server and the host. He was helping with orders, wine, recommendations, etc. And then I took a deep breath and sat back to relax and enjoy the food and wine. Food and drink..... began with ordering a Savignon Blanc. My server was very attentive in spite of attending to 10+ tables. I ordered the oyster appetizer, coleslaw, and fries (not really a choice on the menu but no hesitancy or reluctance from the server). I would say considering the crowd, and the opportunity to enjoy my wine, the wait for my lunch was fine. Now the reason for my review. The oyster appetizer (fried) was AMAZING. I've shucked, eaten raw and fried all of my life. But these were melt in your mouth great. They were served with remalaude that was a treat. The fries were good but the Coleslaw...... PERFECT! How great can coleslaw be? It was great. If you are on St. George Island, Apalachicola, Carrabelle or the forgotten coast area, stop by the Owl Cafe for lunch. You will not be disappointed. Oh, and the dinners !!!!!

Written 10 April 2021

Barry_in_WPB

West Palm Beach141 contributions

An excellent lunch

Apr 2021 • none

After a less than overwhelming dinner experience at Tamara’s Cafe, we decided to have a big lunch at the Owl Café. We were not disappointed. We enjoyed the crab dip as an appetizer, then came Stacey’s fried oyster salad and my cheeseburger. The salad was fresh and delicious, served with an abundance of fresh fried oysters and accompanied with a nice restaurant made remoulade, and my cheeseburger (I asked for medium rare and that’s exactly what I got!) was as good as a cheeseburger can get. Delicious food, served in a beautiful setting, with our order taken and our food delivered by a competent waitress. Quite an excellent experience. Do go and enjoy.

Written 17 April 2021

Becky B

Lawrenceburg17 contributions

Absolutely Delicious!

Jun 2021 • couples

This was our first visit to the Owl Cafe, honestly it was our first visit to Apalachicola (we’d driven through the town before but never stopped). Wow! We had relatively low expectations because all of the food we’d had on vacation in Cape San Blas and St. George Island was very typical for the area (not complaining just after awhile there’s only so much fried foods and shrimp one can take lol). The Owl Cafe was wonderful! It made for a great date night! The food was delicious and the service was great! We loved everything from our cocktails to the appetizers to dinner to dessert and coffee! The crab dip appetizer was to die for! The homemade pita chips that came with it were as delicious as the dip and the serving size was generous. We each tried two different house made salad dressings with our salads and loved all of them! My date loved his crab cake stuffed red snapper special and I thoroughly enjoyed the linguini with chicken! We will definitely come back here again for a date night away from the kids on vacation or as a family if we’re celebrating something special on vacation. Best meal we’ve had in a long time!

Written 30 June 2021

tilney7

Indiana189 contributions

Perfect for an anniversary meal

Jun 2021 • none

We were staying on St George Island and were lucky enough to get away from our kids for a couple hours for an anniversary lunch. We picked Owl Cafe and were so happy with our choice. We arrived around 1 pm on a weekday and had a 25 minute wait, but I believe they called earlier than that to tell me our table was ready. The waitress was friendly and obliging. We enjoyed the bread, crab cakes, and our meals (chicken salad sandwich and Grandma's Chicken Wrap) immensely. The town of Apalachicola was also charming and neat to walk around.

Written 3 June 2021

Fiftonian

Newport93 contributions

Good food, slow service, bad music

Mar 2023 • couples

The food was good, pricey grouper, fried oysters, “bruschetta”, but we waited a long time, 20 minutes?, for the appetizers, and longer for the entrees. Server was not concerned. All the while, there was raucous music coming from 2 unknown sources. Not a pleasant experience.

Written 9 March 2023

nmhoosier

Bloomington256 contributions

The ONLY place for Thanksgiving dinner

Nov 2021 • none

While visiting Apalachicola over the Thanksgiving holiday, we discovered that the Owl was the only place serving dinner on Thanksgiving day (we called several days in advance, so we weren't surprised). We arrived early and got a perfect seat by the back window. Although they offered only two entrees, either turkey or fried shrimp, it was a perfect meal. My wife had one and I had the other, and we shared. The atmosphere was relaxed and very pleasant, and Renata took care of us perfectly. We had perhaps the best and most pleasant service of our long trip. We can't wait to go back on our next trip, ideally to sample the entire menu.

Written 3 December 2021

Globewanderer79

Florida274 contributions

An Amazing Thanksgiving Dinner

Nov 2022 • none

My husband and I are out on an adventure for Thanksgiving. Our destination for this year is Apalachicola, FL. Before we ventured out, we planned on celebrating Thanksgiving at the Owl Cafe. In all honesty, my expectations were average before we stepped foot inside this establishment. We figured it may be good but not like homemade... We arrive at the restaurant and it's in a perfect little location, about 5 minutes from our hotel. The restaurant is on the second floor but there is an elevator for the disabled. As soon as we arrived, we were promptly greeted with smiles and sat down at a perfect table for 2. We ordered a lemonade, sweet tea, the turkey dinner, the shrimp dinner, pecan pie tartlet, and chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Everything was FANTASTIC! My husband's shrimp was perfectly cooked and he received A LOT of them! All of the portions were VERY generous. The sweet potato souffle was really good! It had bits of pecan and they left off those sickly sweet marshmallows (thank goodness). In addition, the lemonade and sweet tea were so good without being overly sweet. The turkey was moist with a flavorful gravy on the side. The absolute "icing on the cake" was the pecan pie tartlet. I normally DO NOT like pecan pie but oh my god, this tartlet was scrumptious! It was sweet enough, with a dollop of creamy ice cream. The pecans tasted fresh and the crust was thin, crunchy, and buttery! The service overall was prompt, efficient, and VERY friendly. We even had the manager (we are assuming) come over and ask us about our meal. He even inquired about the squash souffle - which was unique but tasty! I just want to say thank you for being open on this holiday, and taking time from your families, to ensure we, as travelers, have something to eat. You're amazing and keep up the good work!!

Written 24 November 2022

garybirder

324 contributions

Give it a pass, not worth a hoot

Aug 2023 • friends

We must have caught this place on an off-night, understaffed. Looks like it is coasting on past good reviews. We had a couple of drinks, took 10 minutes though we were only customers - 10 minutes to open a can of beer from under the bar? Menu was limited with four entrees - oysters, seafood, chicken and steak and none looked good and way overpriced. Staff were "busy" over the register while we were waiting to be given a menu. Another couple came and went without any service. We left and had a great dinner at Gibson House (see other review).

Written 30 August 2023

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