_{Photo credit: Caribbean Jack’s}

Those who know me already know that I absolutely LOVE Florida. It is by far one of my favorite vacation destinations. With so many fun places to visit like Disney World, Daytona Beach, and Cape Canaveral (just to name a few), there is never a lack of fun or adventure when you go to Florida.

You’ll find out in my later blog posts that I absolutely adore going to Disney World, but one of my other favorite spots in Florida is Daytona Beach. My husband and I love going to the Daytona 500 and just taking in the beach when we visit. We’ve even watched a SpaceX rocket launch from our beachfront hotel balcony one night (that was incredible). The area has such a nice vibe. But one of our favorite parts of Daytona is, of course, the food.

And for us, the absolute best place to eat is Caribbean Jack’s! They have the best food, drinks, and atmosphere, hands down. When you dine, you have a choice of indoor or outdoor seating. We always choose outdoor and ask for a gliding table (yes, you can gently rock back and forth while dining waterside, it’s so fun). They often have live music some nights as well (mainly on the weekends).

But enough about the setup, what about the food? Let’s start with the appetizers. I’ve enjoyed several during our many visits, and all of them are SO good.

On our last trip, we tried the spinach dip (one of my husband’s favorite things to eat) for the first time and it was some of the best we’ve ever had. Our usual go-to is an order of alligator bites, which are insanely delicious. I’m not a very adventurous eater, so I was very reluctant to try them our first trip, but I am so glad I did. Now we get them every single time. They have the best flavor and are prepared absolutely perfectly! Who knew I’d end up loving gator? One of the best surprises from our last trip a week ago was the Florida-style crab cakes. I am not usually a huge crab cake fan, but the ones at Caribbean Jack’s are amazing. So good we got them again on the way back home.

But we’re just getting started. Now it’s time to talk about the main entrees. We’ve tried so many of them…grilled mahi-mahi, fried shrimp, fried fish basket, mahi-mahi tacos, and the chicken caesar salad.

My husband’s all-time favorite (and for good reason) is the grilled mahi-mahi with steamed vegetables and a side of fries. The mahi-mahi is the freshest we have ever had and it is grilled and lightly seasoned to perfection. He gets this dish every single time, and I don’t blame him.

I’ve tried several entrees, and while I’ve liked them all, my favorite is the fish and shrimp basket. Great fish and the best fried shrimp I’ve ever had (the flavor is unreal). It’s so good my husband usually orders a skewer of fried shrimp to go with his mahi-mahi.

Honestly, we haven’t eaten anything at Caribbean Jack’s that we don’t love. The flavors are great and the quality is the best. And while we love the apps and the main course, the dessert is probably our favorite.

We usually get the same dessert each time we go to Caribbean Jack’s, but on our last trip, we decided to try something different. So we opted for the Brownie Bliss, which consists of two homemade brownies stuffed with vanilla ice cream and covered with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. It was fantastic, but definitely sugar overload! The portion is meant for sharing, so be sure to grab a few buddies before trying to tackle this one (thankfully we were dining with my brother, nephew, and sister-in-law who helped us out).

My brother tried the key lime pie, and I tried a bite or two. It was amazing and perfectly balanced (not too sweet, not too tart). Highly recommended.

But for me, the holy grail of desserts, the best thing on the menu, and quite possibly the best thing I’ve ever eaten, is their world-famous Bananas Foster. It consists of two puff pastries stuffed with vanilla ice cream and smothered with fresh sliced bananas and pecans with the best bananas foster sauce. It is so good and has incredible flavor. Again, this is one to share though because the portion size is HUGE.

So those are some of my favorites at what I consider the best restaurant in Daytona Beach. If you’re ever in the area (or close enough to make the trip), be sure to check it out. You won’t regret it. Check out their menu here and see all the other amazing things they have to offer.

What looks like something you’d like to try if you make the trip? Have you been and have something else to share? Any other restaurants in Daytona Beach we should try? Be sure to sound off in the comments!

Until next time. Travel safely and make a lifetime of memories.