Wasting Away Again
I am proud to say that I have visited two Margaritaville Cafes since May. They are a must for anyone who has ever listened to a Jimmy Buffett song and thought to themselves, “I want to party with this guy.” Jimmy may not be there in person, but his spirit will definitely smack you in the face as you walk through the door. The dining area features tables fitted into fishing boats, hosts cavorting on stilts, and a huge volcano above the bar that erupts periodically.
Of course, there are ample varieties of margaritas to sample, made from Jimmy’s own Margaritaville Tequila. There are also numerous “boat drinks” served along with his newest trademark, Landshark beer. The menu is characteristically Jimmy Buffet; not extremely innovative, but it is amusingly entertaining. It features the obligatory Cheeseburger in Paradise in various incarnations, volcano nachos, and a very tasty crab-shrimp-oyster fondue.
The only drawback to Margaritaville is that everyone wants a part of it. Expect to wait for a seat. We happened to jump on some newly-opened bar seats in Panama City on Thursday, but many are not so lucky. The wait for dining room seating was estimated at over two hours. Fiona and I waited for almost an hour in Vegas. Fortunately, there is a gift shop to piddle away the time. There are just over a dozen restaurants open along beaches in the US, Mexico and The Caribbean, with more on the way. There are even plans for an Atlantic City Casino. Sure, this is little more than in your face name marketing, but it’s a name I approve of; otherwise I wouldn’t wear my t shirt or have the bumper sticker on my truck.
