I Sea Food. Do You?

Yes, I know. Shocking how it’s taken me a few months to review a seafood restaurant while living in a coastal city! To be honest, it took me this long because there wasn’t one within a twenty minute drive of my house. But, the wait it over!

Dining At The Deck

It was race week this past weekend in Daytona so, naturally, I took myself to a eatery that’s always packed with race fans - Our Deck Down Under. Located under the Dunlawton Bridge and on the water of the Halifax River, ‘the deck’, as locals call it, has been a seafood staple in the community for decades. For the most part the food and decor has remained the same throughout the years, but that’s the way regulars like it as they keep coming back for more.

To get to the deck, you have to take an immediate right turn off the bridge which takes you right to the parking lot directly under it. The fishy smell is strongly present, but if you can tolerate it you’ll be rewarded with some good seafood.

The building itself is made primarily out of wood and decorated with retro neon signs. A deck surrounds the perimeter of the restaurant and is over the river so customers can eat while watching boats chug by and fish swim.

The tables and chairs were made of plastic on the outside while they were made of hardwood on the inside and the fans on the ceiling of rusted metal. It truly made me feel like I was at a ‘80s restaurant for fishermen with the cheap, low-scale vibe that one would expect from a local seafood restaurant on the water. However, the looks are not as important as the taste, and they had quite the selection of sea fare such as fish, shrimp, crab, oysters, clams, and lobster available in sandwiches or dinner plates.

Surf And Surf

I was hungry for some fish and shrimp! So, I ordered a pound of seasoned shrimp, which was a mistake because that was ridiculously $18, and a fried fish sandwich. I was informed I had the choice of redfish from China or mahi-mahi but became disappointed when my waitress said I could only have the redfish fried.

Eventually the food came out after about an hour wait, but the restaurant was packed at the time. The seasoned shrimp was tasty and fresh, but there was barely any seasoning on it. The fish sandwich contained two large fillets on a bun larger than a Grand Mac from McDonald’s, but the sandwich was pretty standard. I could tell the fish came pre-fried and the only other item on the sandwich was lettuce. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the food I ordered, but it was a bit below my expectations.

Takeaways

I can see why the deck has such a large following. The restaurant is unique, the scenery is beautiful, and the food isn’t bad. However, I probably wouldn’t order what I did again. I’m looking for unique food packed with flavor and what I received was standard food at a high price. I will return, but only for a special occasion. Let me know in the comments what your experience was with the deck.