“Do they have outdoor seating?”
That has probably been the most asked question of the last 11-12 months for obvious reasons. For a large majority of people, dining out hasn’t been a real option unless the opportunity to dine al fresco existed at a particular restaurant.
Well, now as winter begins to loosen it’s grip on us, the desire for outdoor dining is doubled up. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy some of these beautiful Spring time days we’ve been enjoying lately outdoors? Of course we are. It’s what we do around here.
The Wyld Dock Bar probably leads the way as a Savannah locals favorite for outdoor dining. They certainly aren’t the only venue to offer good food and pretty views, but they may be the best combination of both.
Unless your idea of pretty view is the beach. Well that’s a whole different story and your plan then should shift to The Deck on Tybee Island.
“We spent about $200,000 over the winter.” says Anthony Debreceny. Owner of not only The Deck on Tybee, but also the incredibly popular The Collins Quarter and CQ at Forsyth. Both of them fixtures on our food scene.
If you remember what the old Marlin Monroe’s looked like out on Tybee then you will understand how dramatic this facelift is. No, it hasn’t happened overnight. Anthony and his team have had The Deck for a few years. Since they took over, there have been tweaks here and there but its all been little by little.
This latest update represents their largest cosmetic step forward. And it’s beautiful.
If there is a word to summarize what they’ve done, it’s glass. Long panes of nearly floor to ceiling glass now surround the dining room almost all the way around. Clearly, the goal was to maximize views for people eating indoors. We all know that while it is beautiful now, come July and August some people prefer to avoid oppressive heat and humidity.
Now they can accommodate those requests in greater numbers without sacrificing the vistas.
The same goes for the new-look bar inside. It’s larger and it’s surrounded by glass as well with perfect temperature controlled views of the pool next door. Which for the record is NOT available to guests at the The Deck.
But the beach is. In fact, for those that aren’t familiar, The Deck is Tybee’s only beachfront restaurant. Right after lunch or dinner, you can walk right down the ramp to the dunes. The ocean is about 150 yards away. If that.
Speaking of lunch, we ate there a couple of weeks ago and it was perfect beach food. My blackened Red Snapper (pictured above) was very good, but it was the Crab Gumbo that it came on that I was talking about for a few days. I’d been told it was delicious, but then when am I not told a dish is delicious?
After one bite and I immediately grabbed for my menu to see if it this gumbo was available as a starter. It is not. But it should be. Fantastic.
The oysters were fresh and delicious. The “Atomic” horseradish absolutely was and the hot sauce granita was a welcomed addition. The Smoked Shrimp Quesadilla with cilantro-lime pumpkin seed pesto was not only good, but right in line with their desire to offer something different than the dishes you are very likely to find up and down most spots on Tybee.
You won’t find a fried shrimp basket. Chicken fingers only on the kids menu. From day one The Deck has aimed to be different and for the most part they’ve succeeded.
Now they have a space that perfectly compliments the vibe and the menu.
The Deck has been swabbed. Now all you need to do is Eat It and Like It.
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