The Nav A Gator on the Peace River in Arcadia promises fresh caught seafood with Florida charm. Many aim for this, few actually achieve it. We explored the Nav a Gator menu with a few locals and offer our review!
Craving fresh seafood with a side of Florida charm? Look no further than the Nav A Gator! On a recent west coast trip, we craved an authentic Florida seafood experience. Locals pointed us to the Nav-A-Gator, nestled riverside in Arcadia on the Peace River. To get there, a group of friendly locals took us on a scenic boat trip up the river for a power lunch! Local beers, cocktails, appetizers, and fresh-caught seafood awaited – need we say more?
Why the Nav a Gator?
While staying on the Florida west coast, we craved fresh seafood in a laid-back, tropical setting. Local chatter steered us towards The Nav-A-Gator, on the Peace River. True to its reputation, the restaurant offered a bounty of fresh seafood, perfectly complemented by a Key West-inspired atmosphere.
This restaurant is known for its seafood; fresh grouper sandwiches, redfish and mahi wraps or sandwiches and of course gator. They also offer a variety of options for land lovers. The marina offers free docking, canoe and kayak rentals, airboat rides and eco tours of the river. If they are true to their advertisement, this is exactly what we were looking for.
The Nav a Gator: Background and Ambience
A rustic family-owned gem, The Nav A Gator restaurant and marina sits far up the Peace River’s navigable stretch. Though our boat trip from Punta Gorda took a solid 45 minutes, the journey was well worth it. Picture this: tropical tees, flip flops, live music with friends and plates loaded with fresh seafood- all while enjoying a refreshing beer or cocktail. They have created a fantastic river side hangout! This scene is created daily at The Nav A Gator. Established in 1994, this laid-back haven has charmed guests for 30 years. They recently rebuilt after hurricane Ian.
We took advantage of the free docking and tied up near an old structure adjacent to the docks serving as a waterfront tiki bar. It is also accessible by car. We were able to get a reservation, fortunately getting a table for the eight of us for a Saturday lunch. We arrived at 11:30 am and virtually all of the outdoor tables were taken.
This place bleeds pure old school Florida charm, exactly what we were seeking. The restaurant has live music during peak times and if you had to classify it, we would describe it as super casual with a Key West vibe. The outdoor dining area is covered with crushed shells, wooden picnic tables with umbrellas sporting beer logos and beautiful palm trees. Food is served in a basket lined with paper emulating a newspaper. The smell is that of brackish water and delicious seafood. The music (there was no live music while we were there) consists of tropical sounds and mellow rock.
The restaurant fits into the super casual, happy hour genre. The prices are reasonable and the portions are average. The vibe is tropical, relaxed and fun. There was a definite effort to emulate the feel of a Key West casual waterfront restaurant, from the rustic wooden tiki bar, to the palm trees, crushed seashell grounds and the fresh, local catch seafood sandwiches. The cuisine includes simple, but fresh appetizers, sandwiches and wraps.
What’s on the Nav A Gator menu?
For appetizers,the menu offers many happy hour favorites plus a few that give it that Key West charm. Buffalo chicken dip, onion rings and chicken tenders can be found on every happy hour appetizer menu. The smoked fish dip, gator bites, conch fritters and swamp cabbage apps are what separates this menu from most.
For your main course, the menu offers a variety of sandwiches and wraps to satisfy everyone. Land lovers will enjoy an array of burgers, chicken wraps and sandwiches and a steak cut of the day. This includes a corned beef Reuben, chicken bacon ranch wrap and a blackened chicken Caesar wrap. Five burger options are offered including a half pound cheeseburger, a rum bucket burger with rum glaze and Swiss and a Cowboy burger made with BBQ Sauce, Bacon, Onion Ring, and Cheddar Cheese.
While the above entrees should satisfy the carnivores among us, the reason to make a trip here is for the seafood. In fact we didn’t try any of the non seafood dishes. If you are partial to wraps, blackened shrimp or redfish wraps are offered. The fish sandwiches are where this place really shines. The Fish sandwich can come with redfish, grouper or mahi prepared grilled, blackened or fried. Also offered are a shrimp po boy, fish Reuben and crab stuffed grill cheese.
The atmosphere is super casual, local beers as well as national brands are offered. They also offer a selection of tropical themed cocktails. Live music is offered generally from Thursday to Sunday and their lineup is provided on the website. The Nav a Gator is located at 9700 S.W. Riverview Circle Arcadia, FL 34269 at the Desoto Marina on the Peace river. Hours are Sunday – Thursday 11 am to 9 pm and Friday-Saturday 11 am to 10 pm.
Restaurant Review of the Nav a Gator
Upon arriving and stepping off the boat, you’re greeted by the tiki bar and a charming Floridian scene. Picnic tables with umbrellas sporting beer logos dot the grounds, nestled among seashells and swaying palm trees. A casual, open-air restaurant with a laid-back Florida Key West vibe beckons. While the main building is cozy, the expansive outdoor area is the true star. After all, that’s why you’re here: to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the tropical atmosphere.
The Bar: Cocktails Anyone?
Drinks are a must here! While beer is always a solid option, consider a refreshing cocktail from the bar. I opted for the Key West Margarita, a delightful twist on the classic. Made with Tanteo Silver Tequila, Sour Mix, Triple Sec, Lime Juice & Ole Smoky Key Lime Cream Moonshine; it was sweet, salty, and smooth, without the harsh bite often found with tequila. A great start to the day and introduction to the Nav A Gator.
For those who prefer a savory option, the Bloody Mary is a hearty choice. It comes loaded with a hard-boiled egg, a jumbo shrimp, two olives, lemon and a unique touch of swamp cabbage (also known as hearts of palm). This Bloody Mary was perfectly satisfying.
What is a day in the tropics without a rum cocktail? The “Pain Reliefer” was made with Papa’s Pilar dark rum, crème de coconut, pineapple and orange juice. Were we enjoying a day in the keys, or were we in San Juan? The rest of the group stuck with beers on tap.
Appetizers
We kicked things off with some appetizers! First up, the authentic gator bites, served with a special sauce. Creamy with a smoky, tangy, and sweet kick, it perfectly complemented the deep-fried gator nuggets. The bites themselves were moist, flavorful and deep fried to a crispy golden brown finish that possessed a hint of tang that balanced beautifully with the sauce. A word of caution: go easy on the sauce! While delicious, it can overpower the gator’s subtle sweetness and crunchy texture. Drench them, and you may as well go for a dressed-up chicken nugget.
Our second appetizer was another southern classic, Southern style smoked mahi fish dip. This app featured a generous portion of smoked mahi-mahi (locals call it simply “mahi,” even if the menu says differently). It was served with diced red onion, jalapeños, and unique house-made chips that resembled a hybrid of pita and tortilla chips.
The flaked mahi boasted a delightful smoky flavor, perfectly complemented by a creamy base we suspect was sour cream and cream cheese with subtle seasonings. This light touch on the spices allowed the smoked mahi to truly shine, and be the star of the show. Creating a chip with the fish dip, red onion and jalapeño created a perfect blend of smoke, spice, creaminess and crunch. The fish dip is a must try, in fact many in our party thought it was the best part of our meal.
Entrees
For our main entrees we all had seafood, after all the fresh catch is why you make the trip here. Our sole disappointment of our visit was that they didn’t have grouper. Such is the risk when visiting a fresh catch seafood restaurant.
We opted for the redfish sandwich made in a wrap as an entree, featuring a blackened redfish fillet nestled between fresh lettuce and tomato and placed in a wrap. The fries and a pickle completed the classic combo. The simple wrap allowed the redfish to be notable – it was incredibly fresh and flakey. My only minor critique would be that a larger piece of fish been used. But I must emphasize, this sandwich perfectly embodies the essence of no-frills, fresh seafood plus simple ingredients allowing the quality of the catch to shine.
Next we opted for the Fish Reuben, a playful twist on the classic that swaps corned beef for your choice of redfish, mahi, or grouper. While our first pick, grouper, wasn’t available, our server Kaley steered us towards the delicious snapper (which wasn’t an option on the menu). A good server can be your best friend, and Kaley was fantastic!
This hefty sandwich piled a generous portion of flaky snapper with tangy sauerkraut, melty Swiss cheese, and their unique island dressing, between slices of toasted rye bread. It was a behemoth in the best way, impressive in size and a lovely blend of tastes and textures. The sweetness of the snapper perfectly complemented the savory toppings, with a light, flaky texture that was a delight in every bite. This dish perfectly captured the restaurant’s philosophy: letting fresh, top-quality seafood shine through simple and flavorful ingredients.
Others in our party selected the same sandwiches with mahi as the fish of choice. Everyone at the table was beyond satisfied. The sides of fries and onion rings on the table were well prepared and fresh, however once again, they are the sideshow. You come here for the seafood.
The Nav A Gator Overall Score: 4.0.
Super Casual / Happy Hour category
- Cost (March 2024): Appetizers $10-$13, gator bites and conch fritters $17, salads $11-$12 protein $6-$8 extra, wraps and sandwiches $14-$17 or market, fish baskets $14-$17, burgers $14-$16, entrees market price.
- Sample dishes: Cajun gator bites, Southern Style Smoked Fish Dip, Fish sandwich (redfish and mahi), Fish Reuben (snapper and mahi).
- Pro’s: No frills, fresh seafood with fair portions at a reasonable price. Great tropical cocktails. Tropical key west vibe with old school Florida charm.
- Con’s: They are not located where we live.
- Bonus tips: Go when there is live music to enjoy the ambiance. Get an outdoor table. Have a cocktail. Ask your server which fish they recommend.
Craving fresh seafood in a laid-back, Florida Keys atmosphere? Look no further! If you’re exploring Florida’s central west coast near Punta Gorda or Port Charlotte, add this hidden gem to your must do list! We suggest that you plan your visit for an evening with live music, it adds to the whole experience. Accessible by car or boat, the restaurant offers amazing casual cocktails and a vibe straight out of Key West. Places like this get a lot of buzz, and in this case, the hype is real!
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I love Nav-A-Gators. Wr brought some friends from Ohio and they said this is a great place and can we come back. We said, of course.
Burgers were fresh! Seafood was fresh!
I had a Bloody Mary that didn’t have anything in it but a lemon. Not sure why.
But we love this wonderful restaurant.
Place is fantastic!! No one in our party had the burgers glad they were good. Seafood fresh and cooked smartly. Happy to see you concur with our review.