Ahoy there mateys!

We recently found ourselves at Caribbean Beach Resort (Maybe we were on a Skyliner Crawl. Who’s to say? 😉 ) and in need of a little lunch! While we’ve enjoyed (for the most part) the renovation at Banana Cabana and Centertown Market. we decided to check out Caribbean Beach’s other, somewhat secret Quick Service Spot: Spyglass Grill.

SAY WHAT? Caribbean Beach has another Quick Service Restaurant? You bet your (pirate) booty it does! Spyglass Grill is located in the Trinidad “neighborhood” — about a 10-minute walk from the main dining and pool area. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and on mobile order!), the spot offers its own unique menu of burgers, tacos, drinks, and more.

Are you ready to follow the map to Trinidad, where Spyglass marks the spot?

Atmosphere:

Spyglass Grill is a rather small location, with solely outdoor seating. Luckily, it’s located right next to the Trinidad neighborhood pool, so you can enjoy your food poolside as well!

Spyglass has a fun pirate theme, which is made known through props and artwork — such as this drawing of a pirate map and compass on the side of the restaurant. (This looks like Jack Sparrow’s compass to you too, right?!)

We spotted the pieces of eight in a glass case…

…as well as Pirate trinkets and treasure on the shelves.

Even though it’s small, Spyglass Grill had a solid beverage station set up —

which had soda…

…tea and coffee…

 

…and even hot cocoa!

We also spotted a Spa water station, with complimentary fruit-infused water — perfect to refresh you after getting rays at the pool.

We took note of the microwave and toaster situation (ideal for breakfast),

in addition to the bakery case.

After taking in this small but fun spot’s decor, it was time to check out the menu!

Eats:

Spyglass Grill’s menu is much like Caribbean Beach in general — classic theme park foods, but with a tropical twist.

We decided to start our meal off with something tropical, and after a quick Google search (more on that in a moment), decided on the Spiked Ortanique Lemonade. Though not listed, we were asked if we wanted to spike it with Light Rum, Dark Rum, or Tequila. We chose Light Rum — when in the islands, right?

If you’re wondering what an ortanique is, don’t worry — that’s what we had to google. From our quick search we discovered it’s a cross between an orange and tangerine and was created in Jamaica in the 1920s. Seems pretty fitting for Caribbean Beach, huh?

This drink was quite delightful! It was sweet because of the ortanique, but tart thanks to the lemonade. It wasn’t aggressively boozy, but you could still taste the alcohol. Overall, it was a simple, yet unique, cocktail that we could see ourselves enjoying again — particularly poolside.

As far as food goes — one item really caught our eye: the Chorizo Burger.

We love burgers, we love chorizo — will we love them together?!

The Chorizo Burger is a Grilled Chorizo Burger topped with Crispy Pork, Provolone Cheese, a Pink Sauce, and Crisp Potato Straws. It’s served with lettuce and tomato on the side, and your choice of yuca and plantain chips or french fries.

We went for the yuca and plantain chips, cause we’re in the Caribbean y’all! These were quite tasty. While they are simple chips that have been fried and salted, we appreciated their crunch and natural flavor. They’re a fun side dish specially made for this resort, so why not try them out?

The Chorizo Burger is a patty made of chorizo, and topped with crispy pork and potato straws — no beef here! There’s also a sweet and spicy pink sauce, which has a tomato base.

Our server warned us as we ordered that because it’s chorizo, the patty may appear pinker than a traditional beef patty. But not to worry, cause it’s cooked through!

So how was it? In a phrase, pretty darn tasty!

The chorizo was perfectly cooked, so it had a little heat and spice, but was still something the majority of pork-eating folks will enjoy. We loved the crunch from the potato straws and were happy for the tomato and lettuce to add some needed freshness. The pink sauce was a great addition as well, bringing a bit of acidity into the dish, and helping to balance the provolone cheese.

At the end of the meal, we were pretty darn satisfied! We’d enjoyed both an unusual cocktail and entree, both of which could be repeats should we find ourselves at Spyglass Grill again soon!

Overall:

Try the Spyglass Grill if:

• You’re having a resort day at Caribbean Beach and your room is close to Spyglass Grill.
• You want a step up from classic “theme park” fare but still don’t have a super adventurous palette.

Skip Spyglass Grill if:

• You aren’t staying at Caribbean Beach Resort.
• You want a bigger menu and indoor seating.

At the end of the day, both items we tried at the Spyglass Grill were tasty, and we’d even go so far as saying we’d order them again. That said, neither item is worth traveling out of your way for — and certainly not worth derailing your Skyliner Crawl to grab them. However, if you’re staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort and looking for something a little unusual, we recommend checking out the Spyglass Grill at least once. Savvy?

Will you be walkin’ the plank over to Spyglass anytime soon? Let us know in the comments!