There’s no shortage of unique oceanfront dining experiences in Florida. What else would you expect from one of the most popular beach vacation destinations?!

When we heard about the Barefoot Dining on the Beach Experience at the Marriott Harbor Beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, our ears perked up. If you’ve been following our wine and travel journeys, then you know we love a good oceanfront dining setup. Just check out the fun we had at Larsen Restaurant in Laguna Beach or Villa Ortega in Puerto Nuevo. 

Keep reading to discover more about our experience.

What is the Barefoot Dining Experience in Fort Lauderdale?

Barefoot Dining at Harbor Beach Hotel is an oceanfront dining experience right on the beach. When they advertise this meal as one where you can “dip your toes in the sand,” they’re not joking. The table is literally on the sandy beach. 

This $175 per person experience includes a four-course tasting menu, champagne toast, and a sommelier selected bottle of white wine or red wine. The table receives one bottle per two guests, and each guest is given a 187mL bottle of Moet Chandon Brut Imperial to toast with.

After-tax and a 30% service charge, you’re looking at $455 total per couple.

What’s on the menu for Fort Lauderdale’s Barefoot Dining?

Like many higher-end restaurants, the menu at the Marriott’s Sea Level restaurant is seasonally driven. When we dined this past winter, the menu was:

Amuse: Winter Arancini with Acorn Squash, Oyster mushroom, Truffle Pesto Aioli

Starter: Beachside “Cornucopia” with Stone Crab Claws, Citrus Poached Shrimp, Yuzu Cocktail Sauce, House Mustard Sauce, Grilled Rustic Bread, Charred Florida Citrus

Second Course: Pear & Brie Salad with Florida Baby Kale, Bourbon Braised Bosc Pears, Marinated Tomatoes, Candied Pecans, Brie, Apple Cider Dijon Vinaigrette

Main Course: LAND & SEA with 1855 Black Angus Filet, Seared Florida Scallops, Roasted Garlic & Gruyere Pomme Puree, Roasted Root Vegetables, Cognac Demi-Glace, Drawn Butter

Dessert: Winter Chai Namelaka with Milk Chocolate Cremeux, Pumpkin Sponge. The dessert was paired with a Signature Chai Espresso Martini

If you dine in the fall or winter, expect a similarly styled menu. If you’re visiting the Fort Lauderdale Marriott in the warmer, we would think you will be served a slightly different variation. 

What is the experience like?

The first thing you should know about this unique Fort Lauderdale dining experience is that the setting is incredible. Does it get any better than dining right on the actual beach? Picture walking down a tiki torch lit path and arriving at your very one private, candlelit table with the ocean and the sunset in the background.

Just about every review of beachfront dining mentions how calming and romantic it is to sit by the water and dine with your partner. While we absolutely agree with these reviews, and we did enjoy the food and service, we found the over $200 per person price tag to be a little overpriced for what you get. 

To put it into context, we have dined at several Michelin star restaurants where the food and wine pairing is substantially more elevated for the price of this experience. The is pretty good at Sea Level, but, and no surprise here, what you’re really paying for is the cool experience of dining on a beach in Florida at sunset. 

Tips

• Book your Barefoot Dining just before sunset so you can settle into your table with your champagne and watch the gorgeous colors dissolve into the waves.
• Consider staying at the hotel the night of your reservation. There was nothing better than dining on the beach at Florida at night, and then having our morning coffee on the balcony with an ocean view again in the morning.

Closing Thoughts

One of our favorite things to do when we travel is seek out unique dining experiences. And while the Marriott Fort Lauderdale’s Barefoot Dining at the Sea Level restaurant was memorable – we will never forget dining on the beach while the sun set into the ocean, it was on the expensive side for what is included. 

Having said that, if you are looking for a one-of-a-kind dining experience on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this may be the way to go. We also want to take a moment to give shout outs to the service staff who provided excellent service.

Thank you to Brandon Henry, the Beverage Services Manager, Lilian Salcedo, the Food & Beverage Operations Manager, Iggi, our server, Ki, our Bartender, and Kika, the singer that evening.