By Henry Oscar Edmonds - Photos by Wen McNally
Coco’s Sunset Grille
Quit monkeying around, it’s time to get down to business! This month’s Food Spy
was none other than Coco’s Sunset Grille. This brightly colored building with
an incredible roof top deck sits on Tybee’s own Lazaretto Creek next to Captain
Mike’s Dolphin Adventures. If you came across the bridge, you saw it. Coco’s tag
line is “where FUN is the best thing to have!” But I can also tell you the food is
spectacular as well (trust me, I eat here at least four times a week). For this trip I
was joined by the always ballsy Wen McNally, everyone’s favorite Jeremy Riddle,
and the only person who notices when I miss my deadline, our very own Alaina
Loughridge. Let’s dig in!
Right off the bat I knew it was going to be a great evening. Manager and former
Bartender of the Month, Rodney, had set us up a great table in the bar area. We
were up against a wall of windows, overlooking the creek. You know the seafood is
fresh when you watch the shrimp boats pull up to the dock, as the dolphins jump
for the by catch. Our server, Kellie, came out right away with a Mexican Cheese
Bowl, an edible tortilla bowl full of queso dip made in-house. This was near buried
under a mountain of fresh made tortilla chips. The queso was cheesy, creamy, and
perfect! We knew there was a lot of food coming, so we skipped the optional salsa
and sour cream (not that you should!).
Coco’s has the best Beer Battered Calamari, I don’t care who I offend. It was
thinly battered and fried to perfection. Served with a mildly spiced chipotle aioli,
made in-house of course. Alaina and I tore this up before Wen was finished taking
the photos of the next dish. Speaking of the next dish, we were blessed with one
of my favorite appetizers on Coco’s menu. The Tuna Bites. Wild caught Atlantic
Tuna, gently tossed in blackening seasoning, before a quick sear on the flat top.
We ordered ours medium rare, take my word for it, it never needs to be cooked
longer. This beautiful Tuna was drizzled in a sweet Thai chili sauce and is one
8 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | JULY 2019
of my absolute go-to menu items (be sure to check out their Thai Tuna entree -
masterpiece)!
Bartender Chrissy, who regularly refuses to be featured, brought us out the Tybee
Tea, sweet tea vodka and lemonade. You can’t taste the alcohol but I promise you
it’s there. This drink will sneak up on you fast. If you’re looking for something a little
fruiter, get yourself a Parrot Head. I can’t give away the recipe, but it’s a whole
lotta rum, and a bunch of fruit juices. This is my go-to cocktail at Coco’s. It totally
fits the vibe!
On to our entrees... Next out from the kitchen the Tybee Salad, uniformly sliced
sirloin atop a bed of mixed greens, shredded carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
The steak was drizzled in that Thai chili sauce everyone loves, and topped with
fried onions. Served with a spicy house ranch dressing on the side, this plate was a
crowd pleaser. It’s no wonder at this point Chelsea (from all those other Food Spys)
appeared out of nowhere and grabbed a plate. What can I say, she has great taste!
The next two I had been dreaming about for days, so it was vital we ordered them
to tell you how great they are. Shrimp Cake Sandwich, not a crab cake, Tybee is
a shrimp town. This patty had no filler, it was shrimp, and shrimp, and shrimp. On
a toasted bun, and some more of that chipotle aioli. This sandwich was packed
with flavor! We paired this with the Scofflaw Basement IPA. Your mother called,
she said you need to do the same.
Real talk - Bourbon Glazed Salmon. Thick, beautifully cooked salmon, on a plate
of skin-on mashed potatoes and firm green beans covered in a house bourbon
glaze. This is a lick the plate clean item! I’ve never lied to you. Trust me. Order this.
Paired with a glass of Art of the Earth Pinot Grigio. Your taste buds will thank you.
We couldn’t leave without trying Coco’s homemade Key Lime Pie. Made fresh
almost daily, and before you discredit me for saying that, know they almost sell
out every night! A flaky graham cracker crust and tart key lime, this is a perfect
end to a great meal! Except it isn’t, there was no chance we were going to leave
without trying their world famous (featured on multiple television shows) Deep
Fried Strawberries. Fresh berries, dipped in a sweet batter, and fried, I can’t give
it all away, just do yourself a favor and go order some!
Coco’s Sunset Grille is located at 1 Old US Highway 80 East. Turn at the Welcome
to Tybee sign. Open daily from 11am to 9pm, Coco’s offers fresh local seafood,
daily lunch and dinner specials, daily cocktail specials, and happy hour Monday -
Friday 4:15-6:15.