Chef Rolf's New Florida Kitchen

Christmas buffet was a disappointment, as advertised, there was no peel and eat shrimp (waited for a waitress to bring out a small plate a long time) never put on buffet. Said there was a carving station, not there, asked and was told chef carved and put out in turkey and ham, I’m sorry but a carving station means fresh carved meat… ?? Speaking of Turkey, no dressing, no cranberry, turkey was dry. Finally, no dessert whatsoever, had to buy… seriously????

I first came to Chef Rolf’s about four years ago, and didn’t think I would be back. Yet year after year, I find myself coming for multiple meals. I love this place. The seafood is the best around. The menu is actually interesting and behind it all is Chef, ever present. The staff is amazing, friendly and super professional. Had Lindsay tonight attend to myself and fiance and we could not have had more fun. It’s dated, yes. But that’s part of the charm. As long as Chef Rolf is still turning out his amazing food, I’ll remain a loyal customer!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

If you’re going to emblazon your own name across the front door, the very least you could do is serve food that’s remotely edible. Instead, what I experienced was a masterclass in culinary mediocrity.

The dishes were astonishingly insipid — a parade of flavorless compositions so profoundly bland they bordered on gastronomic nihilism. Each bite felt like an exercise in palate-punishing monotony, as though the chef had gone out of his way to demonstrate a complete and utter absence of seasoning, technique, or soul.

For someone so publicly enamored with himself, you’d expect at least a modicum of culinary competence. Instead, the cuisine was an uninspired, under-seasoned testament to overinflated ego — a stark contradiction to the pompous persona attached to the establishment.

If you appreciate edible food, balanced flavors, or even the faintest whisper of effort, I recommend dining literally anywhere else.

Also - check your prices... Go elsewhere if you value your $$$

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

This review is intended as a professional heads-up to artists, musicians, and entertainers considering performing at Casey Key Mainland Resort under Chef Rolf’s management: Proceed with caution regarding payment practices.

From my experience and reports from others in the industry, there’s a recurring pattern of delayed or unfulfilled payments. Common excuses include “come by next Tuesday to pick up a check” or “the chef never signed the check,” which create frustrating loops that often lead performers to give up on collecting what’s owed. This isn’t just an occasional glitch—it’s a tactic that seems aimed at avoiding compensation altogether.

To protect yourself, always insist on payment upfront before performing, or at the very least, verify a signed check is ready on-site. Reliable venues pay promptly and without hurdles; unfortunately, that’s not the case here based on multiple accounts.

I hope management addresses these issues to support the creative community fairly.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

1 out of 5 stars

Chef Rolf’s New Florida Kitchen – Mainland (Casey Key Resort)

November 15, 2025

Zero stars isn’t an option, so here’s one. We walked in without reservations hoping for a nice pre-check-in dinner (we were supposed to stay at the beachfront property, however that also turned into a nightmare experience). We fled in under 30 minutes without ever ordering food.

The dining room was oppressively hot. Every staff member looked flushed and defeated. Maybe the reason was shouting from the open pass-through: a man I assume is “Chef” Rolf was constantly shouting to the wait staff, full volume, in front of all the guests. It was non stop, hostile, and cringe inducing.

Our server was sweet, apologetic, and clearly hanging on by a thread. She was the only good thing in the building.

The menu is one giant, overwhelming, double-sided laminated sheet that looks like a diner threw up on an Italian-Swiss-seafood steakhouse. Hundreds of items crammed together with zero focus. It’s not “something for everyone”; it’s a neon sign that nothing is fresh, nothing is good, and the kitchen is drowning.

We ordered two simple margaritas with salt. Twenty minutes later (restaurant almost empty) they arrived in two completely different glasses and tasted like rancid pool water with a chemical burn. I gagged on the first sip and could still taste it an hour later.

We told our server we were leaving and wouldn’t pay for the drinks. She looked relieved and whispered “I get you” like this is a nightly occurrence. We tipped her generously because none of this was her fault; she’s just trying to survive the chaos.

We left and had an incredible meal five minutes down the road.

The Good
• Our waitress was kind and deserved hazard pay
• Didn’t get charged for the toxic drinks

The Bad
• Chef shouting at wait staff in front of customers
• Sweltering dining room
• One massive, confusing, low-quality menu that screams spoilage and corner-cutting
• The worst margaritas either of us has ever tasted
• Zero professionalism anywhere

Avoid this place like the plague. Eat literally anywhere else in Nokomis. One star only because our server earned it.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 3

I went in for breakfast at the restaurant and specifically ordered a dish without eggs due to dietary restrictions. When the food arrived, it still contained eggs. When I pointed out, she told me ‘just remove the eggs’ instead of offering to replace the dish. Even after explaining that I don’t eat eggs, she gave me a strange look and walked away. When I asked again, she said she was packed and would see what she could do but never followed up.
I eventually decided to leave without eating, as I didn’t feel comfortable after how the situation was handled. I asked for the check, and after I paid, the waitress commented that ‘gratuity isn’t included’ which felt unnecessary and unprofessional given the experience. I chose not to leave a tip because the service was dismissive and disrespectful.
It was a disappointing way to end my stay. When you list dietary options or restrictions on your menu, please ensure your staff is trained to respect them and treat guests courteously.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

My wife and I visited the restaurant and had a wonderful time. The Lobsterfest / Oktoberfest menu was amazing, and the food was delicious. Courtney took fabulous care of us and we will be back many many time. 5 stars Chef Rolf and Courtney.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Customer service great.we got 2 $20 vouchers as a discount and thought it was a really good deal and save money it just seems like they spiked up all the prices .with the tip we ended up getting supposedly $80 worth of breakfast and paid about $55 but the food was so high the reason I have it a 3 is because they charge almost $6 for my daughters apple juice box which is insane,and charged .99 for each slice of avocado..I didn’t finish my food my omelet was crunchy and dry no seasoning.my daughter didn’t eat her eggs and she loves eggs.I don’t mind paying but I just don’t think it was worth it.the prices didn’t match the food at all.The 2 waitress was nice and gave my daughter markers and color paper which was the highlight of the morning

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Chef Rolf catered a birthday party for my 90 yr old mom. Family and friends raved about the array of delicious dishes he prepared. Everything delivered hot and tasty! Thank you for making my mom's birthday party a huge success.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We had a great time with a Poolside Birthday Party. We had the pizza. It was very good.
There as a singer out there. Overall a fun time.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great scallops and great servers!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great food,great chef Rolf’s

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Awesome experience. Chef was willing to make vegetarian options that were not on the menu to cater to my diet.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Worst experience ever in Nokomis! Horrible all you can eat steak and crab legs! Who can’t cook crab legs correctly? This place! And they will not even give you a decent salad to top things off. I would pass on eating here!

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Great food and service, Doreen was great and took good care of us!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5