pompano beach

Pompano Beach

For many years we visited Pompano Beach, just north of Fort Lauderdale, for a week in late summer. Here are some notes I kept during those trips about restaurants and businesses we tried.

Restaurants

Pat's Place: On Atlantic Boulevard east of Dixie Highway. Good cheesesteak, poor beer selection, non-smoking, sports
Hobo's: On US1 in Key Largo near mile marker 111. Decent food, if a bit bland (tried the baked mahi sandwich). Excellent service, Yuengling on draft
Flanigan's: On Atlantic Boulevard east of US1. OK, good pina coladas, no oysters, good tuna. We tried the seared steak and the hoagie
Sands Harbor Patio Bar: On Riverside behind the hotel just north of Atlantic Boulevard. Good pina colada, waterside, very good shrimp, limited menu, no oysters, good fried fish and grilled fish sandwiches, rum runner. Shirley was our waitress two years running.
Sneekie Pete's: On Atlantic just west of Powerline. Excellent garlic wings (order them extra wet), bad cole slaw, smoking, everything is fried, beef on weck very salty
Spoto's: On PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens. Very expensive, excellent oysters, very good salmon canneloni, excellent service
Perkins: On Military Trail in West Palm Beach, I-95 exit 64, left to Military, then right
Umberto's: On Atlantic Boulevard east of US1. Good oysters, Grandma's Pizza very good, excellent service, awesome marinara, meatball sub
Brew: On Second Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, I-95 south to Broward Boulevard, east on Broward, right on Avenue of the Arts, left on Second. $6/hour to rent a laptop, one hour free with purchase. Great selection of beers and coffees, nice atmosphere, near the Las Olas district
Sea Watch: On A1A in Lauderdale by the Sea. Taco salad good and huge, good margarita, amazing avocado soup. Sit on the porch. Small good oysters, croque monsieur, cobbler
Catalina: On US1 in Fort Lauderdale, north of Sunrise. Excellent mojitos, Argentinean skirt steak and garlic shrimp. Expensive but worth it, one appetizer and one entree was enough to split three ways

Jai alai

Dania Jai Alai: I-95 to Stirling Road, east on Sterling, north on US1. Wednesday night is the best time to go: frozen drinks, food and admission specials. It took about half an hour to get there on a Friday evening. Bet on Celaya and Ochoa but not Iru.
Miami Jai Alai: I-95 to same exit as airport, get directions before going. It took about an hour to get there on a Wednesday afternoon, longer to return due to traffic. Not as much of a fun experience as Dania.

Snorkeling

Red Reef State Park: On USA1A in Boca Raton. US1 north to Palmetto Park Road, north on A1A. $16 entry fee, reentry allowed. Good reefs with plenty to see. Sandy walk-in directly in front of lifeguard hut 9. Grills and picnic areas available. No facilities other than restrooms (i.e. indoor showers). Good shell and bone hunting in bowls of reef (southern shallows)
John Pennekamp State Park: On US1 in Key Largo. Catamaran charters around $35 per person. Good reefs, colorful fish, sharks, lots of jellyfish
Wekiva Springs State Park: Turnpike to I-4 east, exit 94 (SR 434) west, go 1.0 then right on Wekiva Springs, go 4.1 then right on Wekiva Circle. To head home, right on Wekiva Springs, go 0.5 then right on E Welch, go 2.5 then left on N Park, go 2.3 then right on E Main, go 0.9 then take Orange Blossom (SR 429), go 10.2 then continue north on Turnpike

Stores

Groceries: Publix on Atlantic Boulevard east of US1
Farmers Market: Festival Flea Market on Sample Road at the turnpike (gone in 2009)
Wal-Mart: Copans Road at the turnpike
Target: On US1 north of Sample Road