Island Hotel & Restaurant is a historical building offering a perfect experience to slow down time. The ambiance, antique hardware, aged wood, beautiful balcony, and landscaping are an absolute gem. The hospitality and service are first rate, with friendly staff and owners providing established hospitality. The food is fantastic, wonderfully flavored, and consistently good from a varied menu. Favorites include the shrimp and grits, the bacon-wrapped filet, the house salad with hearts of palm, and fresh fish dishes like the fish in paper. Live music is offered most nights. Guests enjoy the balcony for island breezes, an amazing view of Cedar Key, and the amazing sunset. This cool vibe hotel and restaurant is a multi-dimensional experience and a must-try, highly recommended for a taste of a quality experience.
Good food and drinks. Appreciated them serving me 10 min before close since everything else in the area was closed before 9
July 2026
The best dining we've experienced since the last time we were there in 2024. Everything was off the charts. Food, atmosphere, service and people. Crab Bisque is to die for. Don't change a single thing. Best wishes for the most successful future.
July 2026
The pictures online don’t do it justice. The building is in great shape, the decor is spot on, the rooms are clean, and the staff is super friendly and helpful. It definitely has haunted vibes, but friendly haunted.
The Island Hotel is a fine place to sample Cedar Key's claim to fame: the sleepy fishing village is the U.S.'s No. 1 producer of farm-raised littleneck clams. Built in 1859, the hotel is purportedly haunted by 13 ghosts, particularly during grisly weather. Even if you don't believe the story of the restless spirit of a murdered former owner, you'll enjoy the hearts of palm salad (supposedly invented here by the hotel's original owners), the crab bisque, or just a drink in the chummy bar. The dining room is a bit rarefied, but you start feeling fairly comfortable when tucking into a steaming plate of Low Country grits with shrimp and scallions ladled with bacon gravy.
