Chases on the Beach

I was so disappointed with this place. We had booked based on our experience of the outdoor bar which had been great. We went last night (Friday) Drinks took 20 minutes to arrive and were okay but not as good as they had been at the bar outside. The waiting staff looked rushed off their feet and stressed but were really polite and pleasant. The menu looked good but my food experience was really poor. I ordered one of the specials which was charged at a premium price. I asked if it could be gluten free, however they had no gluten free tacos and I was offered the option of my grouper being served as it was, or being wrapped in a lettuce leaf or served in a toasted gluten free bun. My understanding was that I opted for a gluten free bun and there was an additional charge of 50c to replace the soft tacos. I was okay with this as I appreciate the gluten free bread costs more. I discovered later that the 50c was to pay for the lettuce!!!! In other places I have some great gluten free work rounds with the food served in a way that looks appetising. However this was not one of those places I was served something really messy and unpleasant looking on a 50c lettuce leaf. The fish was covered in what looked like a shop bought sauce and on searching I discovered there was what looked like a teaspoon of pico de Gallo underneath the fish and what may or may not have been a sliver of avocado. It looked a mess and was cold when it arrived and not good value. I was so disappointed as this was supposed to be a romantic holiday meal and I felt that I could not reasonably accept something this substandard. I asked about the bun and was told that the 50c charge was for the lettuce leaf and not the bun and that this was a further three dollars. I was pretty put out by this as there was no compensation for the fries or tacos that I did not receive as I was gluten free and was being basically served fish with a side of squash and a squirt of sauce. I asked for a manager and was told they would give me a gluten free bun free of charge which I accepted in the hope that my experience might be improved. I had not anticipated that my meal was to be taken away for ten minutes whilst my partner sat patiently letting his get cold as he ate it slowly waiting for mine to return. The fish from my meal was literally scraped off the lettuce and put in a toasted bun and served on a new plate and the plate with my lettuce returned in case I wanted to add this to the bun rather than a new meal being served. The lettuce by this point was just a mess of scraped off fish and sauce and soggy. By this time I wanted to cry as the whole meal had been ruined and was struggling. Meals are more than just calories on a plate, they are about an experience. My partner and I were looking to have a lovely holiday meal something that you make memories from and instead we ate separately and I ended up with a meal that was cold and unpleasant and looked like something a gull had dropped on it's way by. How much effort did it need to take to serve something that looked appetising and edible? I paid the full price and wanted something nice like any other customers and the chance to eat with my partner and relax, even before the bun debacle the meal was not acceptable and looked awful. I have been to many places that have managed to serve something gluten free and make it look like a treat and not a punishment, that includes in New Smyrna. The sad thing is I don't even feel like I can come back to the bar that we first loved now based on this experience. For the price this should have been a better experience. It really spoiled a relaxing night we both needed so much. I have given a low rating on service not because the staff were bad, they were lovely, but the overall service and response to a dietary requirement was awful. You pretty much ruined our evening.

GF flounder sandwich came with a single piece of old slimy rotting lettuce. Nothing else on it no tomatoes no pickles nothing. Asked for something to dip the soggy cold sweet potato fries in , had to ask again . Asked for fried flounder i got breaded flounder . Defeats the Gluten Free option. Awful McDonald’s is better 50.00 for 2 people not worth half that . Don’t eat here . 1st and last time yuck .