JJ

Can anyone tell me about this restaurant on Sanibel? Will the kids find it fun? thanks

Roddy

Bubble Room is on Captiva. Not very good.

Steph

We had to get there 1/2 before opening to get in line for when it DID open. Very popular. Huge desserts that looked great though we didn't try. Lots of whimsical stuff to look at, food decent, but nothing to write home about for the price. My then 2 & 4 yr. olds enjoyed walking around the entire restaurant to see everything, but our trip would have also been great without it. You could peak in just to see what you think before actually planning to eat there.

BubbleScout

JJ,
The Bubble Room is a whimsical, fun, somewhat pricey, restaurant located on Captiva island. It is a kid friendly place. The wait staff are called "Bubble Scouts" and dress in silly uniforms. We seem to end up there on each trip to the island. The restaurant serves huge portions for dinner. The desserts are quite good and big enough to share. It is a fun place to go and the kids would enjoy it.

ABS

Save the money and skip this one. It is overpriced and overrated. Our children, ages 5 and ll at the time last summer, were not impressed but they did love the overpriced gift shop at the end of the meal.

JJ

Thank you for the replies. Does anyone suggest a restaurant on Sanibel of Captiva that actually has good food at a decent price but is also fun for the kids? Thanks Much

x

Just to keep beating a ded horse...they actually give you fried potato chips with melted cheese on them as a side instead of fries. The most disgusting, greasy mess I have ever seen or tasted. If you must, I'd stop by just for desert if the kids want to experience the atmosphere.

deb

We tried the Bubble Room and hated it, it was over priced and very trashy looking . The food tasted like something you would eat out of the frozen tv dinner section in the grocery store. Hungry Heron is good with Kids and McT's is good

Lori

Aw, c'mon Mom and Dad - let the kids go to the Bubble Room even if it's just for a big old dessert! We went for my son's birthday and they slapped a silly hat on him, sang a Happy Birthday from the Bubble Room Song, and gave him a polaroid photo in a souvenir folder. He loved it and still talks about it!

If you go during off hours you won't have the waits that other people have experienced.

Also, if you go, have someone take a pic of Mom and Dad in the Tunnel of Love.

sue

If you search this forum you will find recommendations for Mucky Duck, RC Otters, Hungry Heron. One restaurant I didn't read about but we really enjoyed on Sanibel was Matzauna. It is Italien/Pizza, not too expensive. The tablecloths were covered with white paper instead of tablecloths. The kids were given crayons and they could draw all over the table. Food and service were good.

Brian in Atlanta

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I seem to remember (from an otherwise unmemorable lunch) that there were pretty stringent rules there, like a $10 per head minimum and outrageous plate sharing charges. So maybe going just for dessert would be a problem?

liz

I second the recommendation for Matzaluna. Food & service are good. They are used to dealing with lots of families. I thought the Bubble Room food was hideous except for dessert. My 3 year old did not sit down for 2 minutes - we walked around looking at all the decorations.

Paul

I took my parents there for lunch one day and had a great time. We got there early - around 11:15AM - got sat, had good service and good food. We ordered one slice of Red Velvet Cake for dessert (delicious, btw) and shared it. We laughed and had fun. We had such a nice time that afternoon that I have their menu framed and placed on my wall at home as a momento. I don't think you will have as bad of time as others suggest... unless we were just the lucky ones. Life IS what you make it.

Happy Trails,
Paul

xxx

Bad Parenting, Again…

“Our children, ages 5 and 11 at the time last summer, were not impressed but they did love the overpriced gift shop at the end of the meal.” {Read: Spoiled rotten children.}

“I'd stop by just for desert if the kids want to experience the atmosphere.” {Read: I’ll do whatever my kids tell me to do.}

“The tablecloths were covered with white paper instead of tablecloths. The kids were given crayons and they could draw all over the table.” {Read: Because my little kids are brats and need to scribble all over tables.}

“My 3 year old did not sit down for 2 minutes.” {Read: Because I can’t control him – but the diners around us didn’t mind, I’m sure.}

xxx

ttt
one more time

Eva

Another vote for the Hungry Heron.

Scott

I have been to the Bubble Room twice. The first time i didn't like it but thought maybe it was me. The second time I hated it. Small children will like it because it has interesting decor that children enoy. It is expensive and nott good. There are not any great restaurants on Sanibel or Captiva.

OK

X, in case no one's ever mentioned this to you before you're a jerk. They are kids restaurants you goofball. The woman didn't say she actually bought anything from the overpriced giftshop, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking your child to walk around and look at the items posted on the wall that are there to look at in the first place. And what is wrong with letting children draw on paper that is on the table TO DRAW ON? Just because you do something FOR your kids doesn't mean that you do EVERYTHING they ask you to do. In your world I guess doing anything for your kids would be spoiling them. I hope you don't have any.

Renee

Sorry, I have to agree with "xxx" on one issue... if your 3 year old doesn't sit still for a minute it IS your fault. I have two children of my own, you must discipline and set rules. I do not let my children roam freely in restuaurants if they do not feel like sitting. If I can tell in advance there will be problems at the restaurant then we change our plans and do not attend.

Now back on track - The Bubble Room is a pricey restaurant, the menu is not large, and they do charge a fee for sharing. I've not sampled the entire menu but the dishes I have chosen have been quite good. The desserts are so huge you must share. Sanibel and Captiva have wonderful restaurants, pick up a copy of Coopers Dining Out Guide, which lists most of the restaurants and a portion of their menus. The guide can be quite helpful.

Sharon

Bubble Room is beloved of families who have vacationed on Captiva/Sanibel for years. It is floor to ceiling kitsch and the food is sort of mundane but the desserts are enormous and its for the kids. We used to love RC Otters which is across the street but our last meal screamed food service frozen food and we will have to go one more time before abandoning them. Mucky Duck is fun at lunch but at dinner, after sunset, there isn't much as the water view (a novelty on Captiva restaurants) is a black hole.

We currently love Katie Gardenia's Mermaid Club. This is the woman who originated the Bubble Room years ago, lost it in divorce and recently opened this fun restaurant with outstanding food as her 19 year non-compete thingy has expired.