Last week, several residents of the Homeless Family Shelter unexpectedly got to dine on takeout meals from Bobby’s. Courtesy of Vero Beach 32963, we might add. No thanks go to restaurant owner Bobby McCarthy.
Each year, we try to review all of Vero’s major dining establishments for columns in our weekly papers, and for inclusion in the 32963 Vero Beach Dining Guide. The 2017 edition will be published just a couple of months from now.
Most Vero restaurants are eager to appear in the Dining Guide, which people keep around all year to help them decide where to eat – and to have the restaurant’s phone number handy to call for reservations.
But not Bobby! It’s a toss-up as to which Bobby hates more – dining reviews, or American Express (which he doesn’t accept).
Bobby each year hassles our photographers – we try to always show off a restaurant’s tastiest looking dishes – and the past couple of years, he has flatly refused to prepare dishes to be photographed.
So after I had dined there for this year’s review – and we mostly say very good things about Bobby’s, because this long-established beachside hangout has been serving good food for as long as we can remember – our photographer went to the restaurant, and ordered several items from the menu.
After they were served, she photographed them, then asked for them to be boxed up – and took them to the Homeless Family Shelter. Bon Appetite !
The irony in all this is that my recent experiences at Bobby’s have all been very positive.
When we went there a couple of weeks ago, our plan was to try a couple of the seafood entrées, which we rarely have at a restaurant better known for its burgers and steaks.
I ordered the blackened scallops ($25.95) and my husband ordered one of the nightly seafood specials, the broiled snapper ($31.95). Both of these were served with baked potatoes and several nice spears of asparagus.
The snapper and scallop entrées were good – the seafood here is always very fresh – but if you’re craving fish, Vero has better options. Our companion that evening, who shrewdly declined to participate in our seafood test, ordered her favorite Bobby’s burger ($11.95). It was, as always, luscious.
So with memories of her burger lingering in our minds, we returned several nights later and all ordered burgers. Bobby earlier this year declined to participate in the Vero’s best burger competition (never would have seen that coming), but there’s no question that the burgers here are the best in town.
The steaks at Bobby’s are pretty darned good as well.
On previous visits, I have enjoyed the prime rib, which is touted on the menu as “local’s favorite.” The prime rib, juicy and tender, may even be worthy of this accolade.
Another time, I had a flatiron steak served with five shrimp prepared scampi style. Then there are the steak tidbits, strips of marinated London broil served open face with gravy on garlic bread. Bobby’s says this is its number one seller, and it is easy to see why. The steak is as tender and tasty as you could possibly ask. One of my favorites.
Dinner for two with a modest bottle of wine, before tip, runs about $90. If you stick to Bobby’s excellent burgers, the tab with wine runs about $60.
After all these years, Bobby’s is still going strong. It’s a place where you can dine fairly late by Vero standards, and still enjoy a good meal. Bobby may be more than a bit difficult to deal with, but his burgers are difficult to live without.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at [email protected].
The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
