Outdoor seating
Yes
Castaways On The Lake in Webster
Categories
Location on the map
Webster, Monroe County, New York, US
Service options
Kerbside pickup
Yes
Takeaway
Yes
Dine-in
Yes
Health and safety
Staff wear masks
Yes
Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Yes
Highlights
Fireplace
Yes
Great dessert
Yes
Popular for
Lunch
Yes
Dinner
Yes
Solo dining
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Offerings
Alcohol
Yes
Beer
Yes
Cocktails
Yes
Coffee
Yes
Comfort food
Yes
Happy-hour drinks
Yes
Happy-hour food
Yes
Healthy options
Yes
Kids' menu
Yes
Small plates
Yes
Spirits
Yes
Wine
Yes
Dining options
Lunch
Yes
Dinner
Yes
Dessert
Yes
Seating
Yes
Amenities
Bar on site
Yes
Good for kids
Yes
High chairs
Yes
Toilets
Yes
Atmosphere
Casual
Yes
Cosy
Yes
Romantic
Yes
Crowd
Family friendly
Yes
Groups
Yes
LGBTQ+ friendly
Yes
Tourists
Yes
Transgender safe space
Yes
Planning
Dinner reservations recommended
Yes
Accepts reservations
Yes
Payments
Debit cards
Yes
Phone: +1 585-323-2943
Site: http://www.castawaysonthelake.com/
Site: http://www.castawaysonthelake.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:11:30AM–10PM
- Tuesday:11:30AM–10PM
- Wednesday:11:30AM–10PM
- Thursday:11:30AM–10PM
- Friday:11:30AM–11PM
- Saturday:11:30AM–11PM
- Sunday:12–10PM
Comments (199)
We had a beautiful girls dinner and tried several things. We sat indoors because it was a rainy day but would have loved to sit on the patio. We called ahead to get on the wait list which is wonderful this time of year. The staff is friendly and quick and all the dishes came out hot and were presented nicely. The crab dip appetizer is a must! I also really enjoyed the grapefruit mojito with my seafood saute. We were too full to try dessert but hope to have room the next time
Really good. Went on a busy Friday night, friendly quick seating from one of the hostesses, (got one of the only available tables.) Our server Kim was very nice and attentive. Food came out fast. Entrees were both very good.
Everything was delicious! The view was beautiful! Our server, Patty, was wonderful! Thank you for a good birthday dinner!
I came into castaways for a date night with my boyfriend and the food was great!! Joe was our server and he was absolutely amazing. He said he’s a chef there and made sure our food came out exactly how we wanted it. I’m also a server and never would have known tonight was his first night serving there. 5 stars to Joe!!!
Had a lobster roll for my friend and I had the Onion soup. Both very good. View is to die for. Enjoy yourself here. Customer service was excellent.
Great food and awesome and friendly staff. Robert was our server and he is the best! The food was delicious and the Mango Margarita was also great!I had the fresh grouper grilled and it was so good!Can’t say enough good things about this place!!
We had dinner yesterday at Castaways on lake. I was keen to dine here because of the beautiful view from the restaurant I saw on pictures (here in Google maps). Indeed the view did not disappoint. I love that their waiting area is at the deck overlooking the lake. I didn’t mind the long wait because we were told there was a 30 min wait beforehand. The server was kind and attentive. However we were disappointed with the food 🥺 their lobster bisque was so-so. There was no chunk and pieces of anything other than the crackers we mixed in. It would’ve been nice if there was so we can really tell it’s a lobster bisque. The entrée we ordered was quite sad or probably say unsatisfactory. Though the cook time was good coz the shrimp, fish and scallops were soft but the taste is not extraordinary. For it’s price we expected more. The size of their serving of their mixed vegetable side is good, but bland. As for their key lime pie… it’s creamy but not the best I had. Is it worth coming back? For the view yes, for the food? Nope.
This is the first time that we have been to this particular restaurant and it was very nice! The view we had from our table was fantastic it was right at Waters Edge! The food was amazing! I had a strip steak and it was very very tender and cooked just the way I like it! My lady had the sea bass and it was very good as well! We will definitely come back!
The views and sunset here were excellent, however the restaurant experience itself left us disappointed. The service was extremely slow (took 1 hour before anything came out) and the food was extremely subpar considering it’s high prices. The lobster roll I got had the taste and texture of imitation crab and the bun was cold and soggy like it had been left out for a while. The best part was when they told us we had to reuse silverware from our meal to eat dessert because somehow they ran out. I hope they can improve their quality of food and service and not just rely on their beautiful location in the future!
Beautiful location on the water (especially at sunset), great service and very friendly and attentive staff. The food we ordered was a little too salty, but otherwise delicious and prepared very well. Ill definitely go again.
Alright - if you want some of the finest service, nicest atmosphere, and incredibly fresh and flavorful food then hit up Castaways!Ashley @ the bar was super friendly and the venue was great. The homemade sangria was phenomenal. The coconut crusted shrimp left nothing to be desired and the crab cake was out of this world.Would have 100% been worth the wait had there been one.
We came to the restaurant on a beautiful day to sit by the water but unfortunately the food and service was terrible. We waited over an hour for a turkey club wrap and a broiled haddock dinner. Once it came the fries were cold and the fish was lukewarm with no flavor. The turkey club had bacon that was so thick and hard had to remove. The tomato was absent. Will not be back. This is a shame as there are not a lot of restaurants on the water. Do not waste your money or time.
Food was good. Ambiance was perfect. Staffs was NOT friendly.
The weather was perfect for outdoor dining. I had the seafood bisque, it was the house speciality. It was good, but I have had better. I had broiled scallops, very good. The service was good, I was very pleased with my experience.
Had reservations for 6:30, got there @ 6:15, seated in minutes 10 minutes later waitress took drink orders, came back with 3 out of 6 drinks, said new bartender’s, 15 minutes brought remaining drinks and took appetizers order. 30 minutes later took another drink order, no appetizers yet. 15 minutes later came back with drinks, no appetizers yet. Took 5 dinner orders and walked away, forgot to take my order called her back and gave my order and walked away. 15 minutes later came back to the table, no appetizers and asked what did one of my friends what he ordered and walked away. Waited 30 minutes nothing on the table, waitress walked by and I told her to cancel the food and we were going to leave,10 minutes later the check arrived, tried to charge us for stuff we ordered, but never received, took check back and adjusted and we left.It was my birthday and they couldn’t care less, no compensation for service and will never go back after we left my 2 daughters said that the waitress was intoxicated
I will start by saying that I am here at the restaurant right now. Its a little busy but being acknowledged is very important to me. 22 minutes in, no one has come to our table to even offer water! The bus boy heard me complaining to my family so he grabbed us water right away. The waiter came and I had to express my concerns to her and asked to bring us an appetizer and I would appreciate it at a discount and she said she would ask. I said please do. The service is aweful. Its now been 30 additional minutes and no food in sight. Im beyond annoyed. I wont be returning.
The view at Castaways is amazing! But the food is only okay and reminds me of diner food. The sangria was also not too good as it tasted more like water than sangria. I also wish there was a more nautical theme to the restaurant.Overall I enjoyed my time there, the view, and the staff. I probably will not go back but encourage others to give it a shot.
This was my third and last time here. First two times were great. Unfortunately, this past visit my 18 month old daughter bit into a raw chicken tender. When we addressed it with the waitres, she laughed. She also took the plate back and said she was going to have the cook drop it back down. My fiancé also had a long hair that was attached to his bake fish. After this, I lost my appetite as well as our oldest daughter. To come to a restaurant where meals are $30 a dish and to be served raw chicken(on a kids meal) and hair is not acceptable. The manager was requested and the waitress came back with a message from a manager. Any establishment, the manager should come directly to the customer to address any issues. Will not come back to this restaurant.
I have to say that we were very disappointed. I gave 2 stars because the lobster bisque ($11/ bowl) was very tasty. 1 Labatt’s Blue was $5.50. My husband had fried clam strips for $23. He said they were 95% breading and maybe 5% clams. His dinner came with French fries and coleslaw. I had Chicken Asiago for $29. The server asked me if I wanted it served on a bed of linguine, I thought it would come that way. They charged me $2 extra for the linguine!! There were no other sides. Were they going to just throw a couple of fillets of chicken on a plate for $29? No rolls or salad or anything. A very expensive meal for what we got. We won’t be returning and by the looks of the sparse customers at 7 pm on a Saturday night, others have learned their lesson already.
A beautiful outdoor dining experience; delicious steamed clams! The go to place for summer!
I absolutely loved this place and our waitress Dawn was outstanding we had the best Easter dinner date!!! We got the best table after another couple left after we were already seated and Dawn had no issue switching us and we were so appreciative to watch the sunset. Everything tasted phenomenal & the price was worth it!! Definitely will be coming back when it warms up...
I have visited this restaurant three times in the last year while visiting family in Rochester. We always make our way to Castaways and marvel at how much this reminds us of our area back home in Florida.The views overlooking the lake are spectacular no matter what time of day you go but the sunsets are what really makes dinner outside on the deck amazing. Between the views and the quality seafood and steaks we enjoyed on this last trip I cant wait to go back.
Really enjoyed the view and the food. The breeze off the lake made it prefect. Every flavor hit the spot. We had the fried calamari, and lobster roll. So good.
It was a nice meal, we ate in their balcony, ok view nothing outstanding, service was excellent and the food taste was very good, it was very crowded so it was so loud that there was a lot of problem to communicate, prices are reasonable for most of the plates, the appetizers are way to expensive for the amount they provide
The food was amazing and the view was delightful.It wasnt just the flavor, the food was also arraged in a very artistic way, the dish looked simply beautiful.Our waitress, Kristin was kind and attentive. We enjoyed eating at this place.
Lobster bisque a bit sweet but all the other food was very good. Nice sitting in the sun (or shade) by the lake.
We went there for Fathers day.it was terrible.His food was cold and waiter tried to give us someones elses food 3 times.paid$17 for 5 shrimp and it was called shrimp cocktail.but it came on a small@$$ saucer.nevet again
2 years ago:Horrible food, yellow jackets thick....was not fun. Update.. took sister here 7/1/22... tried again w/ my sister. Lobster roll was horrible. Not sweet like real hungs of Lobster should be. Lobster bisque soup horrible! Cole sale good, but in a tiny tiny container, French fries good. Water good. Waitress very nice!!!!
The first time I was here in 2018 the food was good but this time it wasnt that great. I got the fried shrimp and while it was edible it wasnt up to my expectations for the price. The bathrooms were also dirty and the place doesnt seem all that well maintained. The service was good both times. The view is really the biggest redeeming factor here. Idk if Id go back.
The view and the food are what makes this place. The drinks selection is good. The service was a little slow tonight--waited for about an hour for the food to come out. But the food is fabulous, the servers and hosts are all great, and the music guy is boss!!
The day I visited was a slow day I used a groupon the food is a bit over priced theyre skipping in the portion,the seafood is pretty fresh , but over priced the bread is great we had the jambalaya which I regret and the stuffed shrimp were not the best. But to be fair great location and service. Without a groupon would vist again
If you have any sort of class, do not go here. As soon as we walk in, we get belittled by their bar tender. Asking if it’s self seating, the bar tending replies “well if you let me talk, I will tell you.” Complete jerk. Also, food is terrible. Should’ve walked out from the moment we walked in.
The decor is dated, the waitress was not friendly, and the food was overpriced in my opinion. What they really have going for them is the location.
We went there this Sunday. It was busy!!! We had an amazing time! We wanted to just chill by the water after being cooped up for 5 months. The food was great. Seafood was very fresh. We had the seafood saute and blackened swordfish. Delicious! Our waitress suggested the key lime pie.It is to die for!!! She said we got the last piece left. I can see why they sell out of it. Big bonus...the sunset. Absolutely breathtaking. We will be back no matter how busy.
Awesome, melt in your mouth calamari & a yummy, perfectly assembled turkey club wrap!!Very friendly and attentive wait staff!
Killer view, very mediocre food. Shrimp cocktail was a joke for $17. Look elsewhere for better bang for your $
Location, and view are amazing. But the lobster roll taste like a tuna fish sandwich. Best thing to eat here is the fries with ketchup, and drink are about standard.
Nice view of Lake Ontario. Food was ok not much to brag about. Had mussels as a appetizer and Lobster roll for main. Was served cracked and unopened mussels and asked for salad instead of fries and was given both. Lobster roll was ok nothing special, made better at home. No big deal but not very professional.
This place is a top tier restaurant for sure. The fish is so fresh you can taste it. The flavors the chef has combined into each dish makes the dinner one everyone needs to experience. I got the scallop crusted sea bass and the flavor bomb that hit my mouth in each bite was phenomenal. On top of the food, The service was great and our waiter knew every inch of the menu. And helped us select each of our dishes. The whole experience was amazing. I will definitely be back!
I want to rate 10 stars but 5 is the limit. Oh. My. Goodness. There are no words that can describe the quality of food AND service that this restaurant provides. We started with the lobster bisque (and weve had a lot of lobster bisque!) that was possibly the best we ever had, then the Neptune salad which was perfect. But then....the entrees were delivered. I ordered the seafood sauté, it is possibly the best dish I have ever had in my life! My husbands grouper dish was just as good. But our server really made the experience. She was so classy and helpful and nice, we will be asking for her next time due to the quality of service she provided!! Thank you Castaways for making our anniversary absolutely perfect and memorable!!
We went on a Friday for dinner. So of course it was very busy. We expected that. It was nice to see so many people on the back deck eating dinner and keeping 6 feet apart. The staff was super friendly but it took a while for our waitress to get to us. Not a problem it was a beautiful night to watch the lake. The was plenty of staff to serve you from waitresses, bus boys etc. We ordered prime rib. Being outside i thought our food would not be very warm. Boy was I mistaken! It was perfect in every way. Tender, flavorful and hot. The process for drinks and food are more expensive than where we usually go but it was worth the price. Highly recommend Castaways for dinner.
Great place! The view is amazing and the food was excellent. Staff was super friendly and took great care of us. Crab cakes were probably the best I’ve ever had. Made fresh from scratch daily. Haven’t had a bad meal, appetizer or drink here.
Great seafood nice views
Great place on the water.. food was delicious 😋 I had the fish tacos yummy. My daughter got the cheese burger 😋Our server Brittany K was just the sweetest! She took care of all our needs! Will definitely go back in the future 👍
Castaways is an absolute staple and gem in Rochester. My wife and I have been coming here for years and we love it! The food is fantastic and the people are wonderful. They have the best seafood in the area, no contest. A low key non-pretentious atmosphere with quality seafood and staff. The seafood sauté is my favorite dish here, but everything is great!
Food was very delicious. I had the coconut crusted grouper and my boyfriend had the jambalaya. Our server was excellent. The dessert was definitely the best way to end the meal, very good.
Castaways was amazing! the view, the food was beyond delicious, ALL OF IT! a must have: Key lime pie!!! staff is great, so friendly! 👌Id give it more stars if I could. I had an amazing date night
This place was great! I stopped one evening with my wife while on a business trip. The girls at the front desk were nice and on top of things. Our server was pleasant and friendly, along with trying bring us things to the table before we would need them. There was also live music from a local artist who was great. I really enjoyed my experience from the inviting atmosphere, to the view, and great food.My steak, shrimp skewer, slaw, and potatoes were excellent. We also thoroughly enjoyed the crab cakes and fresh bread. I plan to come back!
Outstanding food! One of the best restaurants to eat at on Lake Ontario! Picture perfect sunsets in the summer right over the water!
The food was very good, and my French Martini was SO GOOD I could have kissed the bartender! Our party was seated outside, and we had a beautiful view of the lake. It was slightly chilly and they had heat lamps, for which I was eternally grateful! I do think the inside decor could use some sprucing up, its a bit dated. However, you will enjoy the great drinks, the good food, and the view.
Ive been here several times. It never disappoints. Fried calamari is a good appetizer. You cant go wrong with the shore platter. Service is efficient and friendly. Shirley was my server today and she was top notch. Castaways offers several dessert options, but the key lime pie is the only way to go. Its 10 out of 10. The specials are awesome too- check it out!
Great selection of menu items. The grouper and shrimp items are excellent. The sangria drinks are must. Reservations are recommended.
This place is a gem! They have the best crab cakes! Everything else we ordered was delicious too. Add a dessert and get the key lime pie made in house, its amazing! Will be going back many times
We absolutely loved our dining experience, here! We had great service. My husband had scallops and I had lobster tails! Yummy! Well be back many more times!
My husband and I went last night to celebrate our anniversary. Jessica took care of us. Shes AMAZING! Very knowledgeable, down to earth, has a great vibe and a contagious smile. She made our evening even better. We spoke with the owner about our experience and hes a great listener. Didnt rush us and was very welcoming. Well definitely be back and hopefully Jessica can take care of us again. Great food, environment and service! Overall great experience!
We had an excellent meal, the fresh caught fish was cooked to perfection. Our server Anthony did a great job he made us feel welcome he was obviously a professional, gave good information about the menu. We will certainly come back and enjoy the lake view!
The waitress was super compassionate and nice- really wonderful service. The food was large portion sizes & quick to come out. Really enjoyed the crab cakes and fish tacos. Recommend- right on the water
Beautiful near the lake. The service was a little slow, we didnt get salads until the meal came. I had a special order because of dietary issues, and someone accidentally took my meal and they had to remake it. The only thing that would have been nice about the baked potato would be if they had a margarine instead of butter due to milk restrictions. I ordered the Delmonico steak and it had great flavor. It was super delicious. The atmosphere is very nice and it was fun to eat outside. They were able to accommodate most of my diet restrictions. Overall, I would go back on a special occasion because it is pricey. I think the service issues were just a fluke.
I will start by saying I normally dont frequent seafood restaurants, but went here as it was suggested by the boyfriend. Considering how packed and busy the place was, the 45 min wait was not so bad. It was a relatively nice day so we hung outside near the hampton chairs. Once our table was called, we sat outside in the back. For drinks, I recommend the Shipwreck and the Summer Sweet Tea for cocktails. The Bahama Mama and the Ruby Red Breeze were meh.After some drinks, we started with the crab cake appetizer. I must say they were flavorful, savory, and light. Didnt feel dense nor soggy. However for $16, more than 2 crabcakes slightly larger than a donut hole, I would have expected 3 or 4; not 2. Still, it was very delicious. The Shore Platter was also ok. The haddock was not bad but not great. The shrimp were cooked to perfection which could only been improved if it came with clarified butter. The scallops were cooked well but maybe if it was pan seared with an herbal finishing oil, it would have elevated this. Essentially it was more or less just a bland dish. It also came with crab cakes which was incredible and yet again. amount of crabcakes were limited. The Surf and Turf was done well at least. Got the strip steak and lobster tail. Again, missed opportunity with not including clarified butter. A note I must say is the rice that came with the surf and turf....it is obviously the microwave Uncle Bens rice. Not sure what is worse, to use store bought rice or make rice that tastes store bought. Tsk tsk.For a seafood focused restaurant, it is sad that the highlight of the meal was the key lime pie for dessert. I think they added a raspberry sauce drizzle on the base of the pie, which honestly was unnecessary and the chefs should just let the pie highlight itself.Now to the decor. OMG, whatever era this is from, it has been long gone. This place is incredibly out dated. I somehow decided to still eat here.The staff were all over the place and I mean it in a good way. The place was busy and the servers were constantly in and out checking up on tables, taking orders, and checking in on us. Our server was great. The moment there was a sprinkle outside, she got us a table inside as the covered area in the back was already full. She also recommended drinks and helped suggest some items. Particularly, she was the one that mentioned the Key Lime Pie being amazing. whispers It was!Overall, I may come here for drinks with a view along the water but for almost $200 for 2 people, the food was quite underwhelming. Good spot for drinks and dessert if you choose to sit outside.
Excellent place for a nice dinner, great food , an acoustic guitar and decent vocals of 80s music and our server Sam was the best server weve had in a long time ...
Nice view just had drinks. Food did look good
Fantastic birthday lunch for my hubby today! Food delicious and service was great! Hate to see the season coming to an end.
Wonderful staff. Such a relaxing location along the lake. Good food. I had grilled scallops while my husband had a fried combo platter. Only drawback we had were bees hovering. I got stung. One bee ended up in my water cup, which the server fortunately noticed before I took a sip.
Let me preface this by saying it was Fathers Day and it was very busy. We were seated quickly, drink order taken pretty quickly too. Waited a while for drinks but the tropical ones were well worth it. It’s a beautiful place by the water. The rest, not so great. We had to go to the bar to order a second round of drinks as no one checked back to see if we needed anything. Waited quite a while to get salads/soups. I ordered chicken French and it was barely warm, so thin you could see through it, rubbery and tough. The sauce was disgusting. My bake potato was literally charred and so cool the butter never melted. The other choices in our large group complained about tasteless chowders, fries, horrible ketchup, no spice at all to the jambalaya. The waitress questioned if I wanted a take home box and I explained my meal was inedible she said sorry. They never took anything off the over $400 bill and proceeded to charge us with a $14 surcharge for using a credit card. Safe to say, we won’t be back.
We had a reservation for a party of 15. We were seated on time. Tables were clean and well stocked a single waiter Jerry worked our party. Did the work of 4 people. Food was served all at once, was hot and all orders were correct. Great selection of food for every taste. If you dont go here to eat you are making a mistake. I will visit again.
My experience at this restaurant was great!!! Our server Christine was just awesome! She was very communicative which I like and she made sure we had everything we needed! Absolutely marvelous! If you are visiting Castaways ask for Christine you won’t regret it! The food was awesome as well! Would definitely go back!
This place has a mesmerizing view that my mother and I felt was very attractive. The Neverending lake view with a gentle breeze was addicting. However, let me talk about food. It was very basic American dishes that were overpriced for what they were. I wish they had some sort of specials to make them stand out instead of relying on looks because the inside of the place was less than enchanting. The bar was kind of disgusting to the eye and had a distinct ick quality to it. We ordered the Fishermans Platter which consisted of fried seafood. While it was not very greasy, it was not filling or tasteful. I found no fault with the staff and our server was pleasant to have. I would suggest going here for the view and a some wine rather than a full dinner.
This was our first visit to Castaways and It was fantastic! We loved the location, the friendly staff and our waiter Anthony was fantastic. We ordered the stuffed haddock and it was deciduous! Coconut Shrimp too! Anthony was so friendly and the service was excellent. This will be a regular place for us now.
I gave it a second star only for the location and it was a beautiful night to eat outside. Sercice was bad and food wasnt great. Just hope I dont get sick from my undercooked fish. We were literally here for 2.5 hours, and just have up on the meal and asked for the check. Didnt get a salad we ordered, fries, water or bread. Nice place for a drink, wont be back for dinner...
Our experience was great! Our server Heather was attentive and fast. The food was fresh and delicious. So good we ate there two nights in a row!
We have come many times over the years. Not sure we will be back. Food was extremely high price (nothing under $30) and food was very mediocre. Never heard the specials but we heard other servers telling tables near to us. Swordfish ordered blackened but came plain. and utterly tasteless. Crab cakes just ok. Our server seemed disinterested and forgot drink order till end of meal. For $ 116 for two, know you will have the wonderful view, but that’s it.
I love local business, but I have to be honest in my review. I’ve eaten here twice. The food is ok, but not amazing. They can’t cook a steak at all (my medium rare came well done), but the cut (NY strip) was bad to begin with. The waitress got our appetizers started but didn’t take our order. I had to flag her down (she wasn’t checking in our table) an hour after we were seated to put in our order. Literally sat at 5, put in orders at 6.I recommended this for a business dinner and was embarrassed by the lack of quality it displayed. I will probably never eat here again. Great view though.
I went here tonight for dinner with my husband for the first time. The first thing I noticed was the staff seemed stressed and under appreciated. The second thing I noticed was the sound of glasses smashing which happened 3 times during our time there. When we were waiting to be seated someone from the kitchen came out and started down talking to a waitress right in front of customers. That was uncalled for. It was also very unorganized there. The lady told us to follow her to be seated then she told us to wait while she makes sure we can be seated then told us she was going to put us on a 15 minute wait list and we can sit at the bar. We had our baby with us. Then she said never mind another waitress just came in and sat us. Thankfully we didn’t have to wait. Once seated the wait for someone to take our drink and food order was not that long. It took around 15 minutes to get our drinks once ordered. The food was not a terrible wait. Didn’t take long to get the check. It did however take around 20 minutes for the waitress to come back with my husband’s card. The food was not good at all. I hardly touched my food. My husband’s food tasted like something we could have cooked at home and neither one of us are excellent cooks. My cocktail was also flat. The food is also extremely over priced for the quality. The waitress was very nice but seemed stressed and over worked like the rest of the staff. I felt bad for them. None of them seemed to enjoy their job which is a shame. We still made sure to tip because none of this was the waitress fault. The view was very nice. That was the only good thing about the experience. The view however is not enough to make us ever come back.
👎🏻 Taking it down to one star from last year. (After leaving a review in 2017, the manager apologized and asked me to try it again... exact same issues).The service is terribly slow, not very friendly and not very accurate. I took a video of all of the flies around the bar (gross). There was also a shrimp shell in one of the dinners.This could be such a cool place for dinner... For the prices that they charge, the service and flies arent worth it....Suggestion: fix the problems or lower your prices.If you are reading this and you agree, please voice your opinion through reviews and/or your wallet by choosing another spot 😎Support better businesses 💪🏻
It was our first time at Castaways and our experience was phenomenal. We loved our server Christine as she was very personable and attentive to us. We had a beautiful view of the lake and the food was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend coming here for dinner!
I am not sure where to start. We understand it’s a busy day but our reservation was at 6pm and we didn’t get seated until 6:50pm. Our waitress was wonderful & Was doing her best given the chaotic environment. The coconut shrimp was full of oil. The lobster tail my boyfriend got was like a big piece of rubber. The fries were burnt and taste like the grease they were cooked in was days old. The view is beautiful and I’m guessing that’s the only thing that gets them through. But people work hard for their money and to enjoy a decent meal and it sucks that they are serving garbage for 100s of dollars
The food was incredible, ambience was great, but what blew us away was the service. Sam is the best waitress that we have EVER had & we’re a family of servers. She’s super attentive, she’s personable & she is unbelievably conscientious. Thank you for making our families experience so great, we’ll be back for Sam.
Phenomenal food and phenomenal atmosphere. absolutely love coming here in the summer for great food and drinks
Food is amazing! Everything we had was delicious and in very generous size. And the lobster bisque is the best I had ever!Our waitress Christine was super nice and helpful.Well back for sure :-)Strongly recommend this place ❣
Great food 18oz demonic steak cooked medium with snow crab was the most perfectly cooked steak I ever had. The deck was closed do to rain but they still even let us go out there and check it out being our first time. Kid friendly but sadly no kid cups with lids and straws for the littler ones but we made do. The chicken wings were honestly my favorite part and im glad our waitress offered dessert because the peanut butter pie was everything! Our waitress was young and blonde cant remember her name I was busy with the baby but she made the experience all more worth it. Love her attitude and conversation and I hope to get her when we go back again!
Excellent service! Beautiful scenery!!Lobster rolls lack luster. The lobster tastes like imitation and buns were stale. Too much Mayo.I’ll certainly go back, but try something else. if they are going to feature lobster rolls in such a beautiful landscape, they better up their game significantly!
All in all, a pleasant experience.The weather was perfect - and thats always a good start!It was a Friday evening and the deck was pretty much at capacity. We were a large party of 11.Our server was pleasant and introduced herself shortly after we were seated. She excused herself and was awhile getting back to take our initial drinks order. They were a bit slow in arriving, but again, it was crowded. It was a bit of a wait again to get our appetizers ordered, and a fairly long wait to get them. We had the fried calamari and clam dip. Both were nice, although the calamari platter was definitely short on marinara.Entrees once ordered, were again slow in coming. When they did they were staggered leaving that awkward time when some had food and others didnt.The reviews were mixed at the table with good marks on several plates. The jambalaya, prime rib (special) and fried seafood platter got thumbs up, fish fries were Ok, and broiled scallops with rice were poor and remained mostly untouched by our diner.Desserts were ok, but the key lime pie, contrary to what the large sign at the door said, was not the best in town.I get that its tough to service a large party on a busy night. Under the circumstances I think the Castaways came through in at least an average to good fashion. And the servers were pleasant.
Went there for dinner tonight with out reservation around 5 pm. Were seated outside with a beautiful view of the lake. Food was excellent and our server was wonderful. We will Definitely be back!
Fantastic view of the lake and very amicable staff. Beyond accommodating in terms of seating and service.
Bahama mamas in 60° weather perfect! :P
This is a hidden Gem! The service is amazing, every employee was exceptionally nice , friendly and professional. They are still wearing masks and tables are apart from each other. The Calamari and artichoke French was delicious. The baked fish, scallops and shrimp tasted as if it was caught and cooked on site.It is the freshest seafood in Rochester and surrounding Towns. This is definitely worth the visit!
The evening started out very nice but once our meals arrived it was all down hill. I had ordered crab cakes with a baked potato and side salad. When it was brought to me it had French fries and no salad. My husbands dinner arrived at the same time minus the coleslaw he ordered. My dinner went back and when it came back I still had to ask for the salad. We had ordered the artisan dinner rolls and had to ask twice for them. When my meal arrived I asked for an iced tea. When the rolls arrived they were burnt and cold. I asked for the iced tea again. My husband gave me one of his shrimp to try and it was like rubber, I had to cut it with a knife. We finished the meal and asked for our check, when the check was brought I also received the iced tea. I said I didnt want it but it was on the check. The meal, three drinks was over $ 114.00 and to add insult since I had paid with a card an extra 3.5% was added to the bill.This was our first time there but unfortunately it will be the last. I looked forward to a relaxing evening with my husband but it turned out to be bittersweet.
Good spot for lunch. Staff was friendly and quick with drink refills. Nice scenic view of the lake. Parking lot across the street was swamped with the high lake water levels, so parking on the grass was the only option.
First time here never again. It was a 55 degree weather thought it be nice and warm to eat outside by the fire to keep warm. Our waitress Nastia, sat us away from the fire, cold. I asked to put the fire near us on and it turned off so i asked to sit near the fire. At least the other waitress sat their customers near the fire like the waitress prefer them. We didnt felt welcoming. The food and drinks, over priced! I would expect something high class to match the price. The food was ok. They dont have a dish their known for. Only whats on the menu. Nice experience by the lake and the duck Lucy, coming in for entertainment
Probably the best restaurant around! Delicious soups, and clams! We loved everything about our dinner and service was great too. Relaxing and easy going atmosphere.
Awesome service and food! Had the swordfish and clam chowder...outstanding! Dine outside or in. Definitely on my best places to eat on the Lake.
Wife and I have been here many, many times. The food and menu are always fantastic. Its definitely an area landmark, and if youve never been, you need to try it. Reservations are recommended, if not required at times.
Great food, friendly staff. Try the key lime pie!
The seafood platter was fairly tasteless and the crab cakes were more mush than cake. Ate on the deck which was nice and the service is good. The Lobster Bisque was good. All in all not bad but probably not on the schedule to return.
Bailey, our server, was friendly and when told about my allergies was receptive and checked that my dinner would be okay. My husband got the Shore Platter and it was rather bland. The shrimp didn’t even taste like shrimp. He did say the lobster bisque was good. I ordered the crab cake sandwich. This was not lump crab meat but rather shredded and mixed with a filler. When I tried to cut my sandwich in half the crab cake just squished out. The French fries weren’t crisp at all. The view was great so there’s that.
My husband and I had dinner there Wednesday It is a nice place with plenty of parking. The prices were appropriate and the portions were good. The outdoor dinning on the water makes this place so special. the staff was attentive and friendly.
Waitress was very rude, appetizer of crab cakes were the size of a silver dollar and burnt, $15 for two tiny burnt crab cakes is not worth it, your better off buying it frozen at Wegmans. Our drinks were very weak, main course was not what was said on the menu and they never got my side with my meal. Had to wait for veggies that were cold and very hard when finally brought out. Waitress held up her finger to my boyfriend telling him to wait when he wanted to order another drink. Needless to say we wont be back to this place. Way too damn expensive for very bad burnt food and service.
The only thing I loved was my drink. The fried calamari was way undercooked and there was a long black hair in my jambalaya. It was our first time going and I was not impressed. Definitely wouldn’t recommend and wouldn’t visit again. $122 for two people, not well spent.
Beautiful views, right on the water and good service. Lunch menu was ok
I was going to order my usual surf & turf steak and lobster tail when my wife proclaimed, Wheres the adventure? I promptly switched to the swordfish and it was superb. The lake side views, the ambiance, the excellent service, the friendly professional staff and last but not least, the menu. From Calamari to lobster rolls they have got you covered.
Views are great. Food is subpar. They charge for a basket of rolls on top of astronomical prices for basic supper. Waitress was very nice and attentive. While we were there, it was windy so they had a tent and heaters, which was nice, but the sides weren’t tied down, so the tent flapped around violently and loudly during our entire stay. I think for now we will go elsewhere for waterfront dining which is a real shame because this could be such a great place to go. Lower your prices and provide much better food!
From start to finish, one of the best meals and most enjoyable dining experiences Ive had in a long time. Starting with the Lobster Bisque (which I have to try at every restaurant I visit) I was immediately impressed. Easily in my top 5 Ive ever tasted, perfectly balanced and remarkably delicious, not a drop was left behind. The Lobstercargots were also a pleasure; tender morsels of tail broiled with an herbed butter that begs to be soaked up by the accompanying toast points. Rounded out the meal with the Shrimp and Grits which was simply outstanding. Amazing flavor palette in every bite of the Cajun shrimp, Andouille sausage and Jalapeño asiago grits, the plate went back almost as clean as if it had just come out of the wash.My wife ordered the charcuterie board, which was a well thought selection of pairings that challenged the diner to create their perfect combination of flavors. The house made blueberry/pecan/bourbon Chefs jam was a particular stand out. The childrens menu was also a big hit with my kids; one of the few times I havent had to encourage them to eat their dinner.Well deserved compliments to the Chef, the friendly and accommodating staff, and our very attentive and helpful server Scot for a phenomenal experience. Thank you for the meal.
We met friends for dinner at Castaways. Its a wonderful location. The waitress was very friendly and hated to let our friend know that they were out of swordfish. You may want to save this for a special occasion as its expensive but worth it as we all enjoyed our meals.
It was my first visit today for lunch with my daughter. I had seen photos and reviews and decided to go. The view did not disappoint me however the food was another story. I ordered lobster bisque, which looked as bad as it tasted. The coconut shrimp was burnt and lobster roll had no flavor. It could of been imitation. My daughters fish tacos had so much pepper she couldn’t eat them. This all after a long 2 hour wait for our food. Will not visit again.
Food was just ok, reminded me of 1980s seafood restaurants but very over priced. Restaurant decor has not been updated in decades. Outdoor seating was ample & we got seated quickly but the $$$ really defined the meal. $35 for fried fish, fries, clay strips, shrimp.
I would love to give Castaways five stars. The view cannot be beat. Sitting on the deck last night as the sun faded was perfect. There with my husband and another couple. We all had the french onion soup and agreed it was amazing. My husband had surf and turf (mystery price, but I imagine it was quite high; we were being treated by the other couple). He loved it! The other couple had stuffed haddock and a sirloin. Raves all around. I love a good steak but this steak and seafood restaurant only offers a sirloin or flat iron (i.e., skirt steak). I chose Chicken French. One of my favorite dishes and a Rochester invention. I cannot describe how quickly my joyful anticipation faded with that first bite. No trace of lemon. No trace of cooking sherry. Basically, I was served two flour dipped cutlets in pure butter sauce. I did not want my hosts to feel bad so I ate one and complained of being full from the soup. So all I can say is -- stay away from the Chicken French - and I would imagine the artichokes French too. Would love to understand how their chef thinks this is Chicken French.
We ate outdoors on a chilly May evening, and all the food was lukewarm when served. The fries were hard and crunchy (overcooked and left sitting) and also cool. The flavor and brownness of the Maryland crab cakes dinner was good, but nothing on my plate was hot! I guess eating outdoors on a chilly evening makes a difference. Of course the view is lovely. But with one glass of wine each, it was $103 for two entrees. They really need to find a way to keep the food hot while waiting for the server( who has to walk a very long way to the tables)to serve the food.
Relaxing lunch overlooking Lake Ontario. Nice selection, good service. We ate on the deck under a canopy. It was quite comfortable with a breeze off the lake. There is access by ramp outside to the deck. The interior and restrooms were not handicapped accessible.
Our food was amazing. They make sure you are taken care of from start to finish. Our waiter Scott went above and beyond to make sure our service was exceptional! The Seafood Saute was absolutely sensational. I highly recommend this establishment!
Service was horrible. Too bad for a great lakeside setting. Waitress was essentially non existent. Waited at least 1/2 hour between each course, drinks and dessert when she bothered to show. When first course arrived, only had half our order which she mixed up. Half had meals, others waited until she showed up again 1/2 hour later, and again mixed up who had what. There was more in this vein. And parking stinks too, tiny lot full; had to park way the hell down the road. Dining in is a euphemism, meal was nothing extraordinary. When we finally got it.
Loved everything about this restaurant!!The atmosphere is very relaxing, but the food takes all the credit.Mike, our server was very attentive, but mostly friendly. We will be here again, but with friends!!
Great seafood here! Had the Coconut Shrimp entree with wild rice, and broccoli. Asked for the broccoli to be cooked to tender and it was absolutely perfect just the way I like it! The shrimp was delicious with a sweet and tangy orange dipping sauce. Enjoyed my visit! 👍👍👍
This place never disappoints. The hostesses always greet with professionalism and a smile. We have been here several times and the food is amazing and worth every penny. We have tried steaks, pasta, seafood and burgers here and not once were we let down!
Dont waste your time or money. After my second bad experience and reading the reviews, I dont know how they stay in business, because obviously they dont care. $16 for a salad that was iceberg, two unripe tomatoes, a handful ( and I mean a lot) of canned black olive slices, a cucumber slice and 4 strips of chicken. Charged $2 for crumbly Bleu, to only be given a hunk of gorgonzola that I had to cut up. Charge $4 for an iced tea, and then charge you another $4 for a refill that took a half hour to get. Fries were cold when they came out, and were even colder by the time I went to the bar to get ketchup that the waitress never brought despite asking for. After 4 requests, she finally brought napkins. I dont mind paying for good food and good service. However; the only good thing about this restaurant is the view.
Food is fresh and amazing! Service was perfect, food came out in a timely mannerWe had mojitos to drink and you could actually taste the alcohol in them.Key lime pie and cheesecake for dessert yum!Would definitely recommend and go back.
Really nice view and the service is excellent. Perfect for a hot day especially with the breeze from the lake cooling you down. The food was a tad overpriced for the quality but the service and view makes up for it.
Went here for lunch on a nice sunny day and sat outside. We had a nice table for two overlooking the lake. Like most restaurants post COVID-19 the service was slow but the food was good. I would go there again.
Awesome location right on the water. A beautiful place for dinner on a summer evening. Unfortunately, the food is just mediocare and extremely overpriced for what it is. Primarily a seafood restaurant with steaks. Swordfish special seemed like it was a frozen swordfish steak and blackening seasoning was almost tasteless. Other dishes in our party were ok but I have had similar quality for around 40% less at other places. Desserts were the best part of the meal as was the location. I could be happy with the average food if I wasnt paying $35 for frozen swordfish and undercooked, hard rice. Go for the location, maybe lunch. Order the simple dishes and be prepared to pay more than you think its worth.
Service was great. I got the broiled seafood platter, which was fine. French fries were luke warm and soggy. Being able to enjoy the view of the lake was a bonus!
Food was great. Nice atmosphere. Got here around 330 on a Thursday with a party of 11 and they were able to seat us quickly. Probably the best restaurant Margarita Ive ever had and the service was great!
I went here on this past Monday evening with my fiance and my two children. I have a daughter that is 15 and another one that is 16 months. We were seated within the first 10 minutes of us getting there after we made a reservation. Initially the waitress came over took our orders and it took probably about 45 minutes or so to get our meal. When our meal came my 16 months old chicken fingers were raw and there was two pieces of hair found baked into my fish I ordered the castaway shore platter. Now Ive been to this place several times prices are usually pretty good this time prices were between 30 to $40 per plate. When youre paying that much for a meal you expected to be correct after I have informed them that the chicken fingers were raw and I had hair in my food they attempted to refire the chicken fingers. It took another 10 or 15 minutes for those to come back to the table. I was so upset I did not ask him to refire my food but I did ask to speak to a manager. When the manager came over he expressed that he was short-staffed and that they were having issues and apologized and then offered me a Delmonico steak. The manager also offered to take off my daughters chicken fingers and my meal. Then the waitress brought out the steak for me to take home and brought us our bill and said oh yeah by the way I have to charge you $15 for the steak instead of arguing we just paid the bill and left. After this experience I will never come back and Ive advised all my friends and family to never patron this restaurant again. If youre charging 30-40 per plate the food should be immaculate.
First...the view is amazing! It was busy, but we were seated relatively quick. We ordered as soon as waitress came to our table. We waited roughly 30 mins for our sub-par appetizers. Then waited 40 more mins for food that was Not exactly as we ordered and cold. For the price the food is not worth it., especially after waiting over an hour for dinner after ordering. Service was not great either. Only gave stars for the view and drinks.
From making our reservation to finishing dessert, we had an amazing experience. Castaways is a must dinner location on the water. I highly recommend the ribeye, mussels, and key lime pie.
Food is very good, enjoyed the calm but hectic atmosphere.....
The chicken asiago was so good. Our waitress was very friendly and the view is amazing. A bit pricy, but Im definitely going again.
Not a good experience. They splashed hot food on my gf which ruined her shirt. when a tray fell on the floor behind her. Which was also the last two swordfish entrées and they gave us a free dessert. I dont feel like they made this right. The food we did have was good.
Seems like it used to be a cool lakeshore hang out, but could use some updating. Haddock sandwich was good. Crab cake sandwich was okay. Lobster bisque was kinda on the thick side. Was surprised at the $55 for snow crab legs! Maybe its post covid, but would expect to pay that for king crab. Waitress was very friendly.
My husband, parents and I celebrated my birthday last night at Castaways and had the best time. We each had different entrees which we all absolutely delicious....NY strip steak & Alaskan King Crab legs were to die for!! We loved our waitress, Morgan!! Well be back!!!
The drinks were flavorless. We asked for bread, it never showed. We ordered 5 different meals. They were tasteless, cold and overpriced. When one person in our party sent his food back it returned overcooked and rubbery. The waitress tried her best but the restaurant failed.
We went on July 4th for dinner. We had to wait 40 min. to be seated. Lobster bisque was cold and crab cakes were over done. Food was disappointing. The only thing that was nice was the sunset.
Fantastic location beautiful lake views. Totally awesome service oh, and the best seafood I have had in a long time. All of this at a great price. Highly recommend you try this place out, you wont regret it
Best place at the lake to go for a lovely lunch. Wines, cocktails, food, everything was great. The service is awesome, and the location is unbeatable. We’ve gone back twice now. Do make a reservation as this is a popular spot!
Today was hot, so we ate inside. Service was great. The food was overpriced and frozen, not fresh.Ambiance on the deck is probably amazing when the weather is more comfortable.
The large patio overlooking Lake Ontario is my favorite reason for coming to Castaways. The food is great too. The service was a little slow, but very friendly. Knowing how hard it is to hire staff with the unemployment stimulus, the wait for our food wasnt that long.
Nice place to go with a covered terrace and beautiful sea views. Food is ok and service very good!
We had dinner at Castaways this past Wednesday. The food is pricey for what you actually receive. The Chicken French is on the high end as far as pricing goes, and you pay extra if you want it over pasta. Pasta is normally standard with this dish. The shrimp in the Jambalaya had no taste and the sausage was not spicy. The Pasta Rustica had hardly any linguini. Come on! Its pasta! This place needs to step it up. They cant depend on the beautiful sunsets to get everyone by. I want to spend my money wisely. One more thing, the server was excellent, but we noticed the young female hostess just had a sad face/no expression-is she in the wrong position?
Steak was overpriced and mostly fat. The one person in the party that ordered a fish fry was pleased but the other six were not. Orders were between pasta and chicken dishes. Not fine dining by any means. Make sure to get a table that isnt covered in bird poop.
Delightful service, wonderful food and an amazing Lakeside view with Sunset
Awesome staff and amazing food! The lobster bisque was awesome. We visited twice so far to try different menu items and all of it was fresh and cooked to perfection. Would definitely recommend. There is something on the menu for everyone!
The only thing great was the view. The food was overpriced. Coleslaw was already wilted. I had a big curly hair in my food and they came right back with more but it was cold like they had only removed the hair. She only comped one drink. We waited forever for the check. I am still hungry 😥
Our party of seven were pleasantly surprised Castaways! Christine was our bartender and server. She was attentive, courteous and had a great sense of humor.The food was wonderful. Everything is made to order. Im not sure who the chef was last night, but the crab cakes I had were as good as you can get in the Chesapeake area yet with a little kick which was a nice touch. The rest of our party raved about their meals, which were all different items off the menu. Their pricing is competitive with other waterfront restaurants.I cant wait to go back! Thanks so much for a memorable experience!
Good ambience, meh food. We had great service and were seated quasi-outdoors, in a tented area. Hazy partial view of the lake. Food is strictly mediocre... Salad (extra charge) of iceberg lettuce and cup of dressing, preassembled. Fish fry and fries ok. Desserts were also very mediocre-- we wished we had gone elsewhere for dessert.
Don’t trust the wait time! We were told one hour and once we realized, we had another hour to go, with hungry kids we had to leave. When I asked the server why she didn’t just tell me the wait time was longer, her response was “management only allows me to say one hour, plus.” Well when you have little kids a honest answer is better! Sorry to my husband for ruining our Father’s Day dinner.
Unbelievable dishes, service was ok, but the food & drinks were Perfect!
Was a bit pricey but good. I got prime rib and lobster tail. Rib was great lobster tail a little over cooked but good. Loaded baked potatoes again good but a little over cooked. My date got crab legs good as well. Mixed drinks are 8.50 so if you go there and want to drink it gets expensive quick. Over all view was great server was excellent. Good experience I will try again
The food great! The atmosphere and Outdoor seating was enjoyable. Live music was good as well! The Coconut Shrimp was amazing! Cant beat the view!! 🌊🌊🌊🌊
The outside seating is nice but that didnt make up for the disappointing service and food. Also, the inside of the restaurant was very dingy. The menu could use a few more options for people who dont like or cannot eat seafood. Theres no burgers on the menu. I got a salad, which was decent, but the chicken on it was cold. My husband had the wings and he said they were pretty good. My mother in laws dinner was cold along with my dads. We all ordered fries and they were cold too. The wait was around an hour for 2 salads, an order of wings, and 2 orders of chicken French. Theres a note at the bottom of the menu that says wait times could be longer because everything on the menu has different cook times. Thats the case at every restaurant. The food should come out HOT. Our server was pleasant, but did not apologize for the long wait. It seems like long wait times are to be expected at this place. They werent even that busy when we were there, maybe a total of 15 tables. Other wait staff was outside too and could have pitched in but it seemed like they were only there to prep for their rush. Cant imagine the wait times when this place is actually busy.
The service was Impeccable and the meal was exquisite.. I highly recommend Castaways to anybody looking for a Top of the line dining experience.. The key lime pie is homemade and untouchable.
The ambiance was amazing! The waves were perfect coming in during our dinner. Their seafood is amazing but their key lime pie is AMAZING!!!!
Ive lived and working in many seafood restaurants in Florida and this reminds me of like every tourist trap by the beach. The view is stunning, the server was great!.. the rest fell flat. Waited at a table for like 30 mins with no water or menus, noone came up to say well be right with you. Plastic cups for water and only 1 person got a refill of water the whole time. The food is ridiculously overpriced for what you get. Bland watery seafood 😖 literally the cheapest thing on the menu was, what should be complementary bread and butter. We were 2 minutes into the starter when the entrees came out.. so we wolfed those down quick and then felt let down that it was just a wet tray of seafood. The saving grace was our server who was kind and hardworking but we could tell she wasnt able to build much rapport with her tables it was all turn and burn. I get it, its busy and as it should be with that back patio but meh. I dont anticipate it being my new favorite spot. Study the menu before you go, wear lots of sunscreen and skip the seafood platters. Also avoid the bathrooms. The urinals are more of a suggestion. 5 stars for the server and the view, 1 for everything else.
Went for Father’s Day . 45 minute wait. Sat at bar, bartender couldn’t keep up with the drink orders. Waited 20 minutes for a$3.00 cup of COLD coffee and a $9.00 glass of BOX wine. Sat us after 25 minutes, gave us a over priced dinner menu and said they are not serving any lunch. Flies everywhere in the bar area. Got up and walked out . Menu prices were outrageous. All the PPP stimulus they received and nothing was remolded or fixed up. Out dated over priced dump.
The dinner salads were very light in the amount of lettuce served & our server wasnt very attentive. Prices have gone up significantly, so we expected better. And having to pay for dinner rolls?? Thats just crazy☹️
2nd time here and continues to exceed expectations. Food was absolutely fantastic, Ryan was one of the best waiters, absolutely no complaints, except we ate so much, we were stuffed
Amazing guest experience, great service, and a breath-taking view!
One of the best seafood places in the area!! We enjoyed the coconut shrimp, the crab cakes and the Parmesan encrusted mahi mahi! The homemade coleslaw was delicious! Highly recommend Castaways! 🤩
Food is good. Excellent place to have lunch or dinner on a nice day looking out on the lake! Seating outside is a must - not a place to eat inside IMO.
Loved it.. and must I say the waitress was fantastic, had a great attitude and overall the best experience in the thirty one years I have been coming to Webster. I wish I have got her name. I will be back next week and will sit in the same area. Food was delicious and the atmosphere was great. Overall a great place to eat if your in the area. Kevin
Big positive wow on food quality, preparation and service. Sitting outside with a stunning view of the lake added more flavor to the dining experience. The Steamed Edward Island Mussels and the Steamed Little Neck Clams were succulent bringing the taste of the sea right to the table. The Fried Calamari was spot on. The Broiled Shore Platter with shrimp, haddock, crab cake and scallops was perfectly cooked. Too often restaurants get this wrong by over cooking one or more of the seafood selections, but not Castaways On The Lake. It was all done right and the lemon butter accented each item. The highlight for me was the Flat Iron Steak. There was no compromise on the quality of this cut of beef. It was cooked as I asked for it...outside charred and rare inside. Great food, chef and experience. Highest recommendation.
Great food, great drinks, great service, beautiful view and COVID safe! Started with a frozen margarita and some crab dip. I had the filet mignon as main dish and it was really good. My boyfriend had the herb fish and that was even better to be honest!
The only good feeling you have here is the warmth of the sun from the view. The hospitality is lackluster at best and they tend to ignore you at the bar as if your an inconvenience.You cannot just bank on the fact you have a great location, you must follow through with hospitality and service. Its about the entire experience, not just a decent view
The service was outstanding. The food was excellent. The view of the lake is peaceful. Great prime rib and grouper. The coconut shrimp was excellent, all topped off with a delicious piece of key lime pie. Several decent, reasonable wine selections as well.
Amazing, fresh food! We ordered lobster tails and a pitcher of sangria. Everything was delicious and the service was excellent. Would definitely recommend.
Possibly the best service we’ve ever had and definitely some of the best food. What a relaxing, enjoyable meal. You can’t go wrong here! Loved it!
Let me make this simple - “Mediocre”.I’ve heard good things, and finally made a night of it Saturday, 6/27/20. The food and drinks were ok, by no means great. The service was fine, but fell short (I’ll get to that). Basically it was “greasy spoon” quality at “Black and Blue“ prices. The deck and view of the lake are fantastic, and meeting our friends there made for a wonderful night. But the dining experience simply fell short. Aside from the food, the service lacked when rainwater had built up in the tent canopy over our table and a little gust of wind sent it cascading down onto our table, and directly onto our friends toddlers. The kids were naturally upset, and the staff was quick with napkins and towels to dry off with but maybe it would have been nice if the kids were offered a complimentary dessert or maybe a free round of drinks for the table..... nothing. Missed opportunity by the staff.
Great location on the lake side! There is outside seating so you can eat and see the water. The bartender, Sadie, was super friendly and helpful and she made us a delicious margarita!
This restaurant rocks! We had such a great experience. The vibe and the food was excellent. Thanks Christine for taking care of us. Definitely a place to come back to 😊
Lovely setting right on Lake Ontario. Perfect for sunsets. Food is good, drinks are good. Inside seating, outside heated tent seating, and open deck seating. Dont forget delicious key lime pie!
The view of the lake is amazing at sunset. Absolutely magnificent!! The service... not so much. We waited an hour to get our dinner (we had our kids with us) which is ridiculous under any circumstances. The food was mediocre at best. My daughter’s pasta had a fly in it. She was not happy. The wait staff was unapologetic and rushed. What were they rushing around for?? Considering dinner took an hour, it begs the question doesn’t it? The overall look of the place was rundown and kind of shabby. We were looking for something summery and fun after months of quarantine. I would maybe go back for a drink and to watch the sunset, but not for dinner. It’s expensive and not worth the price. Go for the view... and that’s it.
Food was excellent as was the service and the view absolutely gorgeous!
Amazing servers, amazing food, amazing everything! I will %100 come back in the future. P.s. if you go, ask to be seated by the windows closest to the water if you dont outside. Its beautiful!
The view was amazing, the food was delicious and the service was great!
Went with a party of four last night for a 7pm reservation. We were seated about 15 minutes after arriving and didnt receive appetizers for an hour after we ordered them. Took another hour after that to receive entrees! The food was that of an overwhelmed kitchen- our calamari appetizer had about five actual pieces of calamari and the rest were the crunchy bits of batter from the bottom of the frying basket. Tasted like the frying oil was old. Cannot believe the chef allowed that to leave the kitchen. Otherwise the food was mediocre- definitely not worth the price we paid for it. $30 Shore platter had three shrimp, three scallops, a burnt and tiny crab cake and a small piece of fish. We had to ask for drinks more than once before receiving them. Its a huge space and the wait staff was clearly overwhelmed. Other tables left before being served. The kitchen/staff should be able to accommodate the number of tables out on the deck and it was apparent that they just couldnt. Love supporting local establishments and I see the potential in the space and beautiful view for a great restaurant but they just werent able to deliver what we expected for a $183 meal.
Horrible, no other way to put it or dont order king crab bc it comes over cooked or dont order surf n turf with a strip steak and lobster tail bc you get a square flat iron looking thing with a lobster tail half gone the half that remained was curled up and over cooked like the king crab legs, $193 down the drain. Drinks were great.. Should have complained but didnt waitress was new and clearly overwhelmed, im not trying to add to a young girls stress
Prices were pretty drastic. The waitress recommended the two most expensive items of food on the menu. Service was pretty slow. The people there were nice. Great view from the patio. The ketchup was pretty bad. They have really cool heaters to be used in the outside seating area when it is cold outside. Even though the Lake Ontario is currently over 32 inches and many businesses were flooded, they still kept carrying on business as usual.
Service was fine, very long wait but the place was busy. The food was not very good, under seasoned and horribly over priced. Best thing about it is the view, come for a drink on the deck and then eat anywhere else. Super disappointing.
Amazing. Came here for wifes bday. Highly recommend the following appetizers, crab cakes, calamari, and coconut shrimp. To much to list, but everything we had was amazing, and the ambiance was beautiful.
Me and my husband decided to go for our birthday after we seen other people on social media going. The bar area is quite shabby and could use some cleaning. Our waitress was wonderful, the scenery and ambience was beautiful. We ordered the Castaway Shore Platter and it was subpar and mediocre at best. They sprinkled paprika over the seafood for $32.00. The food was mediocre and could use some salt and pepper. I won’t be back.
The service and the view were great, but the food had no flavor. There were 5 of us and we were all disappointed. Not worth the price, not returning.
This place is pretty cool. They have a great view of the lake and epic outdoor seating. Im guessing I had a bad experience because the food took about an hour and fifteen minutes to arrive at the table.The food came cold. Im guessing the seafood is a hit or miss. The fish fry was very bland. The Crab Cakes looked burnt and very dry inside. The chips for the appetizer dip were stale. The shore platter was not a platter at all and just a few pieces of seafood on a large plate. The first iced tea tasted completely different from the free refill. Not even sure if it was the same drink.Overall, the place looks nice. Id go back for a great view with steak/chicken. Definitely not worth visiting if youre looking for a seafood dinner.
Wow! What a delightful dining experience! Shane, the owner welcomed us and showed us to a table with a glorious view of lake Ontario. The sun was just starting to set and there was a lovely breeze coming from the lake. Kathy, our server, introduced herself and patiently took our order for drinks. That set the stage for her excellent service. You see, she had the difficult task of serving 2 octogenarians and one septuagenarian. She told us the specials, and answered more questions than the number of items on a very complete and varied menu. What made it difficult is the array of choices from which to select. I ordered the prime rib which melted in my mouth and was so ...so juicy and tasty. My dinner was the best Ive had in at least 15 years ! I am new to Rochester, and this was my first dining experience at Castaways. My brother, visiting from Florida, ordered the Salmon, ...so tastefully prepared! My other brother enjoyed the fish fry, cooked to perfection! Following dinner, We took time for pictures, and lingered on the patio beside the lake. Thank you for terrific dining and a memorable evening!
This place was AWESOME. The staff are great. The food was fantastic! Relaxed atmosphere and close to the lake. The crab cakes are BEYOND AWESOME!
Everything about my experience was great. The service was fast and friendly. I had the stuffed shrimp and couldnt have been happier with it. The restaurant is in a beautiful location I would like to go back when the weather would accommodate eating outside on their very nice lakefront deck.
I love this restaurant. When I am done with my clients for the day. I enjoy a nice cocktail or two with my dinner here. Their service never fails. Every employee is on point. Even if its not their area. They still say hello and ask if I need anything. Their food has always been freshly made to order.
Great view ....sunset is amazing ...food is delicious.....can be a little on the pricy side but everything makes it worth it....also great for a cocktail on the water
Drinks were good, our waitress was friendly, but the food was just terrible. We had artichoke French as an appetizer and it was not bad but luke warm on arrival. I ordered the chicken and shrimp jambalaya, and all I could taste was ketchup. My wife ordered a seafood dish that was so salty she couldnt eat it. They took my dish off the bill, but for the prices they charge I expected a better experience. Very disappointed.Nice atmosphere, but wont be going back.
The bees on the deck are the worst. Very annoying. No reason this place cant bring in someone to spray. Crab cakes are all bread crumbs. The only thing going for it is the scenery.
Grouper & margarita great service beautiful view
Waited an hour to be seated for dinner and werent allowed to order drinks even though we were staying for dinner. I know this is the way theyre interpreting Cuomos directives, but it was WAY too long to wait. After being seated, we did get our drinks and starter food quickly enough but our main entrees took an extremely long time to come. Our server was very pleasant and did her best, but the kitchen must have been backed up.
Food was just ok. Nothing great. Expensive for the quality. The waitress was less than happy to be there and was not friendly at all. I still gave her a good tip but her attitude was terrible and completely unwelcoming.
Total reviews rating 4
199 Reviews for Castaways On The Lake 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-14We enjoyed our dinner out on the deck with the absolutely beautiful view. The staff were super friendly and very accommodating and even though we came at a peak time on a Saturday evening, we were seated almost immediately. The food was very good and the drinks were tasty. We didnt have to wait too long for our food to come even though they were pretty busy with a few large parties of people there at the same time. It was slightly pricier and less of a food selection than what we thought we saw online before we came but with the exception of a few picky teenagers who were too old for the kids menu, we were all able to find something we loved.
Review №2
2022-07-02Beautiful view!! Slow service and mediocre food. I ordered the lobster roll ($20). Came with fries and coleslaw. It was good but smaller than those Ive had in Maine. My husband ordered the shrimp and chicken jambalaya ($34). There were only 3 medium sized shrimp. The sauce was not very spicy or flavorful and it came without bread. We wont be back.
Review №3
2021-08-04My friend took me out to dinner for my birthday. I wanted to eat near the water. I was going to treat myself to something a little more expensive than I would usually buy for myself for lunch. I decided to get the lobster roll for $20. I ordered the lobster roll it comes with french fries and coleslaw. When my lunch came. I am always surprised that restaurants do not give you a lot of french fries its the cheapest thing for them to sell. And the coleslaw its in a little teeny cup. My opinion on the little lobster roll was that it was the exact same stuff that I buy at Costcos for Lobster Dip it probably cost $10. Skip on buying it there for $20. When you can make it at home and make 10 sandwiches.. I was very disappointed
Review №4
2022-05-08$178Steak+ crab legsSteak + lobster2 bottom shelf margaritas.We initially ordered the Shrimp Cocktail was 6 shrimp that were FROZEN the cocktail sauce my husband tried to chip at with his fork.The waitress filled up the tiny water once and my husband went with an empty glass for over 20 minutes. The waitress forgot his salad and after he reminded her he still waited an extra ten minutes for lettuce a slice of tomato and a slice of cucumber.The steak was flavorless and under cooked, the lobster was overcooked.The French fries were good and the margarita was good.If youre going to charge these prices please make sure its worthy of the charges. I can understand being busy because it was Mothers Day but it was beyond that point.
Review №5
2022-06-27Busy Friday night they were short staffed. I was told many call ins.Wait was reasonable 35 min. Kitchen chef was helping with sitting people. He was very friendly and kept us informed of wait. Once seated waitress and chef got us drinks and order in a few minutes, They were fantastic and they constantly checked in with us and kept us informed of when our food would come. Meal was great food was very tasty. Got to enjoy a fantastic sunset. This one of the only restaurants right on the Lake Ontario in the Monroe county. Would definitely come again.
Review №6
2022-05-19Amazing!! i went to castaways for dinner and everything was amazing the food was delicious i got honey buffalo shrimp for an appetizer and it was soooo good everything about my dinner was great from the scallops to the 2 sides i got with my dinner as well definetly worth my time and money my server christine was great told me about their worlds best homemade keylime pie and let me tell you she wasnt kidding that was better then the keylime pie i get in florida .the staff was extremely friendly and attentive i ordered a bahama mama it came in this tall glass with fruit on the rim the bartender made it just right. they even have adirondack chairs i got to sit and relax after my dinner so i could watch the sunset and i have to say it was the most beautiful sunset ive ever seen i felt like i was in the bahamas drinking my bahama mama drink ive never had a experience like that that around here before but i will be going back to try more of the delicious food options and definitely need a another slice of the best keylime pie thank you castaways for the amazing experience
Review №7
2021-08-06My mother and I decided to try out this restaurant and we really enjoyed our food and the view. The hot crab dip was sooo good! I also had the lobster roll, while my mother order crab cakes and haddock in lemon butter. It was all very good. Our waitress Makayla ( Im not sure if this is the correct spelling) was super attentive and friendly!
Review №8
2021-06-27The view is absolutely stunning. Truly is. The food was very good. I only took a star away because I felt they couldve handled the list of reservations and wait listed people well. We were really patient because I know the waitresses were really overwhelmed, but we waited for over 3 hours before getting a table. That is the longest Ive ever waited anywhere. And I love in NYC, where things are busy every day. But again, that said, once seated, it was an extremely enjoyable experience with amazing service. Dispute the wait, thank you for the great night. Special shout out to our waitress Michaela (I know thats not how she spells it, but I cant remember how she told us it was actually spelled).
Review №9
2022-06-13A friend told me about this place the view is absolutely beautiful! We had the coconut grouper and a NY strip steak order it medium its was so tender and juicy I feel apart in my mouth! After dinner went to the bar and had a few more drinks there were 2 bartenders theyre busy and still joking with me and my wife I will definitely be back for fathers day cant wait to see the specials because that steak was amazing!!!
Review №10
2022-05-23Service was good. Staff was attentive and friendly . Pretty standard prices for a seafood/ Steak place. Was pleased they had a heated, tent area to still be able to enjoy the scenery. Steaks were dry and over cooked which was disappointing since we asked for medium rare. Probably wouldnt return for that reason.