Good spot for lunch in Nassau?

Can anyone recommend a good place in Nassau to get some lunch? Ideally, we're looking for a place that has outdoor seating, serves conch/seafood, and is within about a 20-minute walk from the port. Somewhere we can sit outside with drinks for a couple of hours and enjoy the breeze if we choose to.

I've heard about the Fish Fry area and considered going there on a previous stop in Nassau, but did something else instead. Recent reviews, however, are more mixed - some describing the area as "shady," others talking about bad food or service. I usually take reviews with a grain of salt because opinions are very subjective, but when I see multiple reviews with the same complaint, I start to wonder. Has anyone been there recently? Were you uncomfortable? (I know "shady" is relative and would describe our comfort level as average - we are not often uneasy with our surroundings, but we don't purposely venture into unsafe areas.) Also, do any of the Fish Fry restaurants have outdoor seating? I can't tell from reviews.

Is there a better option, perhaps closer to the port? We don't have any big plans for Nassau - just a leisurely lunch, poke around in some stores, and perhaps check out the Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle, neither of which we've made it to in previous trips. We don't mind walking a bit to find a good lunch spot and don't care if it's overpriced - I'm sure every place is, to some extent. Any ideas?

The last time we were at the Fish Fry was in September and I posted a short review and some pictures on my blog: http://www.susancrow.blogspot.com/2014/09/nassaus-fish-fry.html

You can see in the pictures that some of the restaurants do have outdoor seating. We ate at Twin Brothers that trip but we've also eaten at Goldies and Oh Andros in the past.

Service in the Bahamas is just...different. It is slower because the food is made fresh and sometimes the waiters will ignore you. Some people call it bad service. I think it's just kind of an island thing.

We've also enjoyed going to John Watling's distillery for drinks.

We've never eaten lunch in town. Hopefully someone will pop in with some suggestions.

Our favorite spot is Senior Frogs. It is covered, but open on three sides. We have been to Nassau about five times. Each time we end up at Senior Frogs. I am a picky eater, but I dont have a problem there. We are not drinkers. I think I have had one beer in five trips to Senior Frogs. Actually going to be there in about 27 days for a late lunch!

Atlantis is CRAZY expensive!!! cost us $44.00 for a small pizza not including drinks

Oh Andros!

@CruisinCrow I read your blog post and it was incredibly helpful - thank you for sharing. Actually...that looks like EXACTLY what we're looking for and doesn't look shady at all. We wouldn't have a problem with waiting - that's what we expect in the islands. Food looks good, too. I think we may go over to the Fish Fry after all - now, to decide which restaurant to try. Did you walk, taxi, or take the jitney? I'd like to walk if it's not too hot - looks like it's about a mile and a half or so?

@nokidz We haven't tried the Senor Frogs in Nassau, but a friend LOVES it. Actually, I think we've only been to the one in San Juan - we went in for a drink in the late afternoon and there weren't many people there, but they started bringing out the drunk-people "spin the wheel" game! I laughed and told them that it was WAY too early (and I was WAY to sober) to spin the wheel. It still makes me giggle to think about it. I somehow ended up with mardi gras beads (did not do anything traditionally done to obtain them, though!) and a random whistle, which became a running joke for that vacation.

@LetsGetCruising I've heard that about Atlantis - and also that the food isn't very good there. We'll definitely skip that one!

We took the bus to the Fish Fry but one time we walked back to the ship. It was November then so it wasn't crazy hot and humid. It is about a mile and a half.

I think all the restaurants serve the same things so you could just walk up and down the block and see which one speaks to you. :)

Thanks, that's really helpful! We'll probably walk it - it's not very far and I'm sure it'll be a pleasant walk. People seem to be divided on which restaurant they like best, so we'll pick whichever one speaks to us, like you said! :)

Walking directions please?

We've been to Fish Fry several times and can't wait to return in May. Very easy walk. Go out of the port, quickly past the persons offering cabs, scooters, carriages, hair braids, etc. and go right. The road will be somewhat curvy, but, it is a good walk passing the beach with great views of the ships in port. Best of all, the newer Fat Tuesday's that has opened on the way. Been there twice now. I'll have a drink there, jump off the bar area into the water, its great. Then head to Fish Fry/Arawak Cay. Oh Andros, Twin Brothers, Goldies, all are good, especially for conch fritters, with lots of hot sauce. And you have to have a "Goombay smash"! :D

We've been to Fish Fry several times and can't wait to return in May. Very easy walk. Go out of the port, quickly past the persons offering cabs, scooters, carriages, hair braids, etc. and go right. The road will be somewhat curvy, but, it is a good walk passing the beach with great views of the ships in port. Best of all, the newer Fat Tuesday's that has opened on the way. Been there twice now. I'll have a drink there, jump off the bar area into the water, its great. Then head to Fish Fry/Arawak Cay. Oh Andros, Twin Brothers, Goldies, all are good, especially for conch fritters, with lots of hot sauce. And you have to have a "Goombay smash"! :D

Do you know if any of these places serve chicken?

Thanks!

We've been to Fish Fry several times and can't wait to return in May. Very easy walk. Go out of the port, quickly past the persons offering cabs, scooters, carriages, hair braids, etc. and go right. The road will be somewhat curvy, but, it is a good walk passing the beach with great views of the ships in port. Best of all, the newer Fat Tuesday's that has opened on the way. Been there twice now. I'll have a drink there, jump off the bar area into the water, its great. Then head to Fish Fry/Arawak Cay. Oh Andros, Twin Brothers, Goldies, all are good, especially for conch fritters, with lots of hot sauce. And you have to have a "Goombay smash"! :D

Thanks! I'm so glad to see that Fish Fry is getting so many recommendations! It was our backup plan last year and I was hoping to do it this year, but some mediocre reviews on TA had me worried. We're definitely going to try it out, and maybe Fat Tuesday's for a drink on the way there or back, too!

BE CAREFUL, the Fish Fry area is high crime... The US State Department just issued a critical warning.

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U.S. Citizens in Bahamas Updated on Recent Violent Criminal Incidents in Popular Areas of Nassau

Mar 25, 2015 - 5:04:59 PM

The following is a security message from the U.S. Embassy:

The U.S. Embassy in Nassau advises U.S. citizens residing in and traveling to The Bahamas to be aware of their surroundings and remain on heightened alert to avoid being a victim of crime. As reported in the State Department’s Country Specific Information for The Bahamas , armed robbery remains a major criminal threat facing U.S. citizens in The Bahamas, with the crime threat on New Providence listed as “critical.”

This past weekend, two violent incidents occurred in areas heavily frequented by U.S. citizen visitors and residents. On Sunday night, March 22, a man was stabbed and killed on the main sidewalk of Arawak Cay, in an area known as the “Fish Fry.” In the early morning hours of March 23, a man was at his business establishment at Compass Point when an unidentified man shot, critically wounded and robbed him before fleeing on foot.

In light of these events, U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to The Bahamas should review their personal security plans. Remain aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitor local news stations for updates. Maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security.

If you are the victim of a crime abroad (including the loss or theft of a U.S. passport), you should immediately contact the local police (dial “919”). Contact with the Embassy should be made as soon as possible thereafter.

If you encounter a violent or threatening situation, try to remain calm and immediately get yourself out of harm’s way. If confronted by armed criminals, remember your vehicle or valuables are not worth your or anyone else’s life.

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in The Bahamas enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) . STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Regularly monitor the State Department’s website, where you can find current Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution. Read the Country Specific Information for The Bahamas. For additional information, refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad” on the State Department’s website.

Contact the U.S. embassy or consulate for up-to-date information on travel restrictions. You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Follow us on Twitter and Facebookto have travel information at your fingertips.

In The Bahamas, the Embassy is located at 42 Queen Street in downtown Nassau, and can be reached at 242-322-1181.

Yep, all serve chicken, some grilled, fried, burgers, etc. I'm a seafood person, so, I've always had conch and fish. You can "google" and find menus and pictures of the area. As for crime, I always go in a group, never by myself, and not just in Nassau, any port. With that, from what I've heard, I'd never be in port after dark. Getting back to directions, the main road is Bay St; go up to Bay, about a block away from the ship, then go right. And if I'm in a large group, we've taken a cab/van back to the ship depending on the number or goombays we've had.:rolleyes:

Yep, all serve chicken, some grilled, fried, burgers, etc. I'm a seafood person, so, I've always had conch and fish. You can "google" and find menus and pictures of the area. As for crime, I always go in a group, never by myself, and not just in Nassau, any port. With that, from what I've heard, I'd never be in port after dark. Getting back to directions, the main road is Bay St; go up to Bay, about a block away from the ship, then go right. And if I'm in a large group, we've taken a cab/van back to the ship depending on the number or goombays we've had.:rolleyes:

Thanks for the suggestion and quick reply!

@poison7fl Thanks for posting the security message, I saw that as well. While we will certainly take reasonable precautions, I'm not too worried about this. The two events described in the message took place at night and the victims are not identified as tourists or US citizens, which leads me to believe that this is "normal" crime that has nothing to do with tourists. I have not traveled extensively in the Bahamas, but that has been the case on several other islands that we've traveled to more than once - rumors spread about a place being a "high crime area", but when you look into it, you find out that the crimes are drug-related, not in tourist areas, or they occur in the middle of the night. We'll definitely we careful and stay alert, but I think that's probably what's going on here. Not to say that there isn't a fair amount of petty crimes committed against tourists, but that's true of most places - it happens in my own city.

We ate at Junkanoo beach at one of the little huts there...i think it was called the tiki bikini hut...they had jerk chicken,conch fritters and salad