Bonita Fish Company opens at iconic Fort Myers Beach waterfront spot
As a dolphin swam by, folks lined up to be the first to sit at the new Bonita Fish Company Monday for their grand opening on Fishermans Wharf on Fort Myers Beach. The restaurant, formerly known as Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Cafe, has undergone a remodeling with a new menu since being acquired by HM Restaurant Group in January.
After a ribbon-cutting ceremony, dozens of patrons swiftly scooped up tables and bar seats to see what the new digs look like. Many were longtime customers of Bonita Bill’s, and shared their memories of a place that has kept much of the same Fishermans Wharf waterfront ambience with updates.
Cindy Keefe and her friend Ellen Barganier were the first line to get in on Monday. Keefe was a longtime patron of Bonita Bill’s. “We used to walk out there on the dock and get our shrimp off the boat,” Keefe said while sitting against the backdrop of the bay and preparing to order a shrimp BLT. Barganier, who was making her first visit to the restaurant, chose the torpedo shrimp roll. The torpedo shrimp roll is served with crispy fried shrimp, pineapple coleslaw and the company’s signature Yucatan creamy sauce.
Chas Tatigian, the culinary director for HM Restaurant Group, said that using locally caught pink Gulf shrimp was a key part of the plan for the new menu at Bonita Fish Company.
“The main thing we wanted to keep was using the local Gulf shrimp,” Tatigian said.
Shrimp is all over the menu at Bonita Fish Company. There is peel and eat shrimp, the Cajun shrimp basket, shrimp and grits, shrimp fritters, and for those looking for a soup there is the smoked shrimp and corn chowder.
Longtime Bonita Bill’s fans Doug and Nancy Back, of Fort Myers Beach, went for the clams.
“We love this place,” Back said. Kentucky natives, they said they enjoyed the karaoke of the old Bonita Bill’s. Mr. Back said he knew it was going to be tough for the Semmer family to continue Bonita Bill’s after the passing of the restaurant’s founder Bill Semmer two years ago. Back and his wife said they are excited for the new ownership of the restaurant, as Dixie Fish Co. (which has the same owners) next door is one of their favorite spots.
“They have redone it beautifully,” Mrs. Back said. “They have a big deck now.”
In the remodeling, the deck was expanded to stretch near Dixie Fish Co. A tiki hut is being planned there.
Other changes include a new, large and distinguished looking bar being placed in the middle of the restaurant. Gone is the ordering station where folks would line up to order their meal and a drink at the bar. That has been replaced by an expanded kitchen.
Also gone is the boat that was swept onto the dock of the old Bonita Bill’s. The iconic boat, which was stuck to a post on the deck area, was signed by hundreds of people but ultimately was not safe for the continued operations of the restaurant and had to be pulled out by a crane, along with a larger tug boat behind it. The deck area where the boat struck was replaced.
Yet most of the restaurant remains intact with much of the same feel as the old Bonita Bill’s with a new roof. The flooring and ceiling are the same with some fresh coats of paint. The wooden panels along the wall have kept intact that timeless feel of when the property was operated as a fish house nearly 100 years ago. An outside bar has been added along with more tables and seating outside where customers can enjoy views of dolphins and birds along the bay.
“It’s a fabulous view,” Mrs. Buck said.
In the next few weeks, work is expected to begin on constructing 35 slips for boats on the floating docks of the restaurant. The docks will accommodate long-term stays for boats as well as daily visitors.
Tatigian said other new menu features include smoked corn beef brisket and smoked mullet made on the new in-house smoker. The grouper sandwich is another highlight. For dessert, there is the homemade coconut cheese cake. There will also be a catch of the day of locally-caught fish.
Jill Holmes, a loyal customer of Bonita Bill’s who attended the opening with her husband Randy, said she hopes the live and diverse musical offerings will be similar. “The casual vibe was our favorite part,” she said. She enjoys being able to be within walking distance of the restaurant.
Monte Spicer, another longtime customer of Bonita Bill’s, brought his wife Mary and their son Kashton. “I miss the old place but I am excited about the new place. We only live a couple blocks from here,” Mr. Spicer said. Mrs. Spicer said she liked the added outdoor seating. “This is a great addition,” she said.
“We’re excited,” said HM Restaurant Group partner Joe Harrity. “It’s been a long time coming.” Harrity’s restaurant group operates the neighboring restaurants of Dixie Fish Company and Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille. Harrity said he would like to turn the block at Fishermans Wharf into an entertainment hub.
“The menu was a lot of fun,” Harrity said. “We went through several weeks of planning and testing and tasting.”
Harrity said the menu is a “good mix” of seafood, with a unique grouper sandwich and new additions such as the in-house smoked corn beef brisket and smoked mullet from the new in-house smoker. “It’s the first time we have had a commercial smoker inside,” Harrity said. They operate a smoker outside next door at Dixie Fish Co.
While the new owners have brought their own new touches to the menu, they have also wanted to keep some of the old feel of Bonita Bill’s. Taking on the popular breakfast menu of Bonita Bill’s, Bonita Fish Company is offering brunch every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The brunch menu features homemade cinnamon rolls, pancakes, eggs, sausages, bacon, English muffins, berries and homemade biscuits.
“We wanted to somehow continue that following and that preference for a lot of our customers,” Harrity said.
Harrity said he would be looking forward to customer feedback to see what the restaurant should adjust to with its new menu.
“What we have now might not be the same as a few weeks from now,” Harrity said. “We are going to listen to people and adjust.”
Harrity said there were concerns by some after they purchased the property over whether they would keep Bonita Bill’s the way it was or replace it.
“One of the things we wanted to make sure of was that we preserved what was here and the atmosphere and the culture that was here,” Harrity said.