Bob Heilman's Beachcomber
447 Mandalay Ave, Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
About Bob Heilman's Beachcomber - steak house in Clearwater, Florida
Longtime restaurant with multiple rooms, popular for its fried chicken, seafood & old Florida charm.
Customer Review Summary
The restaurant Bob Heilman's Beachcomber has received mixed reviews. One customer praised the knowledgeable bartender and delicious chocolate espresso martini, noting the enjoyable live music. Conversely, another reviewer was extremely disappointed with the service from an older male waiter, describing it as disrespectful and unprofessional. Despite wanting to salvage their evening, they found the food mediocre and not worth the high price, stating it was one of their worst dining experiences. Some patrons enjoyed the food, particularly the French onion soup and shrimp dishes, appreciating the great service and atmosphere, although one mentioned overpriced food that lacked seasoning. Another review highlighted issues with food preparation, including raw chicken and a poorly cooked steak, while acknowledging the quality drinks and friendly service. Overall, experiences varied widely, with some customers loving the atmosphere and service, while others reported significant issues with food quality and staff professionalism.
Key Features
From the business
- Identifies as women-owned
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Great beer selection
- Great cocktails
- Great coffee
- Great dessert
- Great tea selection
- Great wine list
- Live music
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Hard liquor
- Healthy options
- Wine
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Restroom
- Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
- Cozy
- Historic
- Romantic
- Trendy
- Upscale
Crowd
- Groups
- Tourists
Planning
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- High chairs
- Kids' menu
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Paid parking lot
- Valet parking
Customer Reviews
Rating Distribution
Valerie Marrero
Came upon open. Never been. Riley the bartender was knowledgeable of the food and drinks. Tried an chocolate espresso martini that was not only delicious but an innovative way to keep ever sip cold and refreshing. The pianist promptly started at 6pm and played upbeat New Age music with a classic vibe. I think I found my new favorite spot. Highly recommend
Karim George
Extremely Disappointing Experience I visited this restaurant on January 2, 2025, after reading many glowing reviews, but my experience was anything but positive. The service, specifically from an older male waiter, was appalling and completely unprofessional. He treated us with a shocking level of disrespect and condescension, making the entire evening uncomfortable. While observing other tables, it was evident that the other waitstaff were excellent—polite, attentive, and efficient. Unfortunately, the individual assigned to our table displayed none of these qualities. When I politely asked if everything was okay, he launched into a tirade about how tired and overworked he was during the holidays, all while maintaining an arrogant and dismissive tone. This interaction was not only uncalled for but ruined what was supposed to be a pleasant family evening. We decided to ignore his behavior to salvage the night, only to be served food that was mediocre at best—certainly not worth the $200 we paid. This was, without question, one of the worst dining experiences I’ve ever had. The management should seriously evaluate how they train their staff to ensure professionalism and respect toward customers. I won’t be returning and strongly advise others to think twice before dining here. We will never ever come back
Andy Ramirez
Spectacular bourbon selection. My wife's favorite place for French onion soup. I'm not a big soup fan but even I think it is great. Burger is well seasoned but a little overpriced for what it is. 2/1/25 Update - Had to drop overall rating and food down to 3 stars. Extremely disappointed in the only sides available with my last meal. Porkchop was great, the whole reason I stopped in. Mashed potatoes and the broccoli were probably two of the worst sides I've had at a restaurant. Zero seasoning in the potatoes and broccoli was undercooked and no seasoning.
Mike Bayer
My wife went to dinner there on 2/20/2025. I heard the fried chicken was their specialty. The chicken breast came out raw not once not twice but three times before I gave up. They took it off the bill. My wife had surf and turf lobster was very good ordered steak medium wasn’t even cooked rare. The waitress was very nice and actually felt bad for her. The drink were excellent. But sorry I wouldn’t go back or recommend this place.
Aaron
Great food. I have the shrimp and my wife had the snapper. Great service. Our waitress was amazing. Great atmosphere. Loved the decor. Great location in the heart of everything. Great live piano music. The music did not start until 6:15 pm so plan to arrive at 6pm. Great toilets. Everything was clean. It was not crowded when we went on a Saturday night in October.
Mary Woodward-Thomas
The piano player certainly made our visit quite enjoyable but the food was mediocre at best. Our server was excellent, polite & knowledgeable but the four of us agreed that we would only return for a cocktail and perhaps appetizer at the bar. Food was high priced but not great. I have no problem paying high prices for a great meal but it was not a great meal.
Laurie Kreissl
The server Melonie and food are great 👍 been going there 40 years. The reservation lady was put out when called , The hostess not professional and not dressed for an upscale restaurant. I spoke with the manager Jeff just to share this information, and he really did not care. Was just a different vibe than what we have experienced in many years.
Moose Kernoff
We had dinner there last night. The Dining Room is exquisite, and reminds me of true fine dining from years ago. The piano player was excellent, the food was very good. But what made this an absolute wonderful experience was our waiter Danny. He was so helpful and so pleasant, we could not ask for more. If you eat here, Danny will make your experience much better !
Location
Contact Information
Hours of Operation
Price Range
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