Buttonwood Café: Dining in the Heart of the Everglades

By John Zur Wed., Jun. 29 2011 at 1:24 PM

Buttonwood Cafe_interior_Everglades National Park.jpg

via Everglades National Park

The interior view of Buttonwood Cafe

Buttonwood Café is a restaurant located in the Flamingo District of Everglades National Park about an hour south of Miami. It s a mere 38 miles south of the Homestead main entrance to the park. Serving lunch and dinner, the eatery recently changed their hours for summer (11 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

The lunch and dinner menu includes salads ($5.95 to $8.95) and soups ($3.99 to $4.99). The sandwiches range in price from the foot-long hot dog ($5.95) to the fresh grouper sandwich ($13.95). Vegetarians can try the veggie burger ($7.95), while the crab cake burger ($9.95) is what piques my interest.

Buttonwood Cafe_inside dining room_Everglades National Park.jpg

via Everglades National Park

The interior of Buttonwood Cafe.

Pizzas range in price from $12.95 for the pepperoni, veggie, and buffalo chicken to $13.95 for the meat lovers, supreme, and Hawaiian. The appetizers are the most appealing. There's shrimp ($10.95, choice of fried, Asian, coconut, or buffalo), golden brown oysters ($10.95) served with "flamingo" chips, farmed fried gator tails ($9.95), and farmed fried frog legs ($10.95), amongst other fried creatures of the sea.

Buttonwood Café's "Marina Delicacies" are entrees ($13.95 to $19.95 or market price). If the menu doesn't sport what tickles your palate, the place is surrounded by campgrounds and a marina. The "you hook it, we'll cook it!" offer for $10.95, it's not a bad deal if you've been fishing all day in the hot sun and are too intoxicated to lean over a grill yourself.

Directions to the Park can be found on the website or by calling the park at 305-242-7700.

Buttonwood Cafe_you hook it_Everglades National Park.jpg

via Everglades National Park

"You hook it, we'll cook it!"

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Location Info

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The Everglades

40001 State Highway 9336, Homestead, FL

Category: General

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Denny

I ate there today and it was the worst! It took the waitress 15 minutes just to bring me a menu and this was at 2:30pm while not busy. Then she took another 15 minutes after I was ready to order and acknowledged that she was aware that I had been ready for awhile! Then I inquire about drink prices (since they're not on the menu) and it is $2.00 for a can of soda that they bring to you with no refills (there isn't any complimentary water either it's $1.50 for an off brand bottle). Then after ordering the frozen 9$ cheese burger and fries I wasn't offered any condiments, so I made it around a few tables before I found a ketchup bottle with any in it. When finally I was cashing out I was told by another waitress that she can't cash me out only the waitress who served me could. After standing by the register as my waitress cleans off my table then a few other tables for about 5 minutes she comes to the register. Before taking my money she decides it's time to make change for the other waitress so I stand there watching impatiently for about 3 more minutes before she finally lets me leave! I spent an hour ordering, eating, and paying for a cheeseburger and fries which after taxes cost me almost 10$! My suggestion, bring a lunch since there's no other options for restaurants. Avoid that place if possible and if not, don't go during a lunch or dinner rush!! And yes I was eaten up by mosquitoes also... It's the Everglades they're out year round.

Shotoutandhow

Good help is hard to find. Espeacialy good help that will drive 50 miles out into the freekin Everglades and cook for all those people. I wish more of you would pack a lunch. I'll bet your watresses name was Marcia.. Sorry about that. Next season you can come show us how it's done. The pay is pretty good. Sorry about the mosquitoes too. We'll see what we can do about that. Stupid wildlife.

Loves good Food

If you like out of the box frozen food along with a mosquito ridded sprint from the parking lot the the mosquito ridden "cafe" this is your place. The saving grace is the lovely drive through the wild everglades. Add 10$ for the park entrance. If you have a lead foot beware of bored park rangers running radar