Schooner's Seafood House

We are local and often go out to decent restaurants that serve good food and are reasonable. Schooners has been around for a while, but the last few visits have been a nightmare. Their food is no longer seasoned and well below even dog food standards. The cocktail drinks are no longer made correctly, and the beer selection is poor. They are no longer what they once were; we are no more and just trying to feed the older folks.I regret to inform you that we lost another seafood restaurant that has turned its back on the reason it became so popular.

I recently visited this restaurant after not visiting for a while. I found the food to be awful. The fish I ordered had a thick coating that was without much taste or flavor and the vegetables tasted as if they were cooked all day. The only thing that was worth eating were the French fries and I think they pretty much can be cooked by anyone. I don't plan to return after giving them a second try. Too many other good restaurants in the local area. I wouldn't waste my money here. The service was adequate and the restaurant was clean. That's all I got!

I occasionally work in St Augustine and Schooners has been on my radar. I decided today was the day to stop in and see why their parking lot was forever full. I left scratching my head in wonder!I arrived about 3pm and since I was a party of one sat at the bar. The bartender saw me seated but continued with her cleaning duties for an extended time before greeting me. There were employees seated at the end of the bar eating and having very loud conversation. Then the party got larger as it was obviously shift change so gathering grew and their conversations became louder and louder. I ordered a an IPA from Ancient City Brewery. It was served in a mason jar.I was offered an early bird special 12 fried shrimp with 2 sides and hushpuppies. The salad was modest iceberg lettuce grated carrot and a tomato quarter. Nothing special. The meal served the shrimp were butter fly, fries were crinkle. Now let's talk shrimp. Those things were not fresh nor were they crisp. The plate came with some red creamy sauce- tasteless. Now the shrimp were not golden and kinda mushy. I honestly think they were pre cooked dipped and flash fried. So weird.I ate my meal learning things a person should never know about strangers. The conversations were intimate and loud.I never saw anyone that appeared to be in charge. Now I know and will wave the next time I pass.

I love this place! I was in the area and this was nearby. It was like a cute little seafood diner with a bar top that had about 10-12 seats at it. Service was good and the food came out quickly once we ordered. I got the stuffed shrimp and it was 10/10 I would order again. The prices were very reasonable as well. Definitely returning here when I'm back in the area!

This was very disappointing to say the least. We had a party of six on Tuesday celebrating our anniversary and know one was happy with their food. Everything was cold. I had the crab stuffed mahi mahi there was 0 crab and the mahi filet was dry. The cabbage was over cooked the beans were ok the coleslaw and Hush puppies were good. Last time for us!! Osteens from now on !!

Schooners is always busy. We were seated as soon as we arrived. The food was consistently good and the service was great. The workers help each other out so there is always a good dining experience.

What could improve? Food, service, ambience!Seafood house? The fish was overcooked.The sides were overcooked and bland.The bartender was sweet as pie to her octogenarian regulars and a real sarcastic pluperfect beeyotch to us. At first I thought she had a sense of humor and was playing but nope. Just nastiness.My friends had flown in on a really early flight to see their new home and were hungry and tired. They took a minute to decide whether to eat at the bar or wait the 20 minutes for a table. That evoked a comment or two. Very busy place filled with older regulars - and we are in our 60's.We asked about the catch of the day - there were 2. I asked what the fish sandwich was, she said fish doesn't change, just how it's cooked. But I'd heard her tell my friends something about the Mahi not available in a certain dish. Sitting at a noisy bar, my bad ear toward them, I didn't quite catch everything she said.My girlfriend and I asked about the geriatric sides as we ordered, made a change or two, then when her husband ordered, the bartender said wow, first one that got it right! We laughed - we really tried to keep it light but - wow. Very condescending all the way through.Four other groups at the bar who ordered after us got their food first. Hmmm. Apparently they have good onion rings but my Brussels sprouts were boiled grey and bland. The pickled beets were from a can. Typical 70's fish house like the one I worked at during high school, only nothing's changed.She started to list all her desserts, but I wanted the first item to take to my mom so I stopped her and said yes please, my mom would love that! She got mad at me for interrupting her script! I said I'd already heard her telling the ladies at the table behind us that she'd fix them one to go, and I thought my mom would enjoy that - plus she was so busy - she retorted thanks for the story. I felt like we were in kindergarten or maybe high school and she was the mean blond cheerleader.I had been hesitant to try the place ever since we'd moved north from Brevard, even though they always looked busy. Now I have. Been there. Done that. End of story.

Excellent choice for our son/grandson's 25th birthday celebration! Thank you Virginia from Best Western Historical Inn for referring me to Schooner's Seafood. Very good Seafood Platter, large portions. We ordered cold peel and eat shrimp they came out more room temperature but still delicious and we ate most of the lb we ordered. Our service was impeccable, she was always around when we needed her but not a hovering one at all. Thank you for an excellent experience. Vegetable plate was great, you have to order a La cart but delicious!

Have been there several times and the food is always very good. The last time we went they had Trigger fish which I'd never had. The waitress recommended I try it. It is amazing. It's very hard to find in a restaurant or live seafood place. Believe it or not we found it recently at the Daytona flea market. They actually have a seafood place that you can buy food cooked or frozen. We bought a couple of filets, took them home to cook and they were great. Thank you to Schooners for introducing this to me. I recommend you try and make this a regular menu item.

I don't eat fried food but was told by a friend I could get any of their fish grilled. Not true. Everything (besides mahi) I tried to order grilled, didn't come that way. The only fish they agreed to grill was stuffed with crab . Definitely not the place for me.