Sand Box Café

Tried the new location and my opinion is they should not have expanded. Get it right before you spread yourself thin. The wait staff seemed inexperienced and didn’t seem to care. Over priced menu items as well considering what’s on your plate. So many other places on LBI to choose from don’t waste your time here.

Went to the new location in Surf City today and the food was amazing.

Unique atmosphere, but food doesn’t match the price from both a quality and quantity standpoint. $ 15 for 2 overly salty fish tacos and some chips was disappointing. Maybe breakfast is their strong suit.

Best place on LBI. There are two — food is special at both — tried the western crêpe today which was delicious. The one in ship bottom is a great atmosphere and all outdoors. The one in surf city hasn’t yet acquired the charm.

Amazing food and cool ambiance. Very popular so you’ll definitely experience a wait but it’s 100% worth it.

Do you believe that someone could improve oatmeal? At the Sandbox they did. We ordered their home made oatmeal with fresh berries and it was AMAZING. Blew my mind. The have the best breakfast on LBI. And I love the garden Caribbean atmosphere

We loved coming here for lunch and breakfast during the summer. We will miss it now that it is closed :(We had one great meal after another. The staff is very nice and quick on the serving timeline. You can’t go wrong here. Go early or expect to wait. It is well worth the wait, grab The SandPaper and read up on what’s going on while waiting I suggest!

We had a fantastic breakfast during our LBI vacation this summer. We stopped in one morning for breakfast, based on reviews, and we are SO happy we did! This was our most memorable meal of the trip! We loved the funky and fun outdoor décor and loved that this was a cute courtyard with plenty of shade. It was so unique and beachy and had a great Key West sort of feel.
We didn’t wait too long, maybe 15 minutes on a Wednesday morning, and it was worth every moment. My son had the peach sizzler, which was phenomenal. It’s basically a delicious dessert disguised as breakfast! We couldn’t stop eating it. Next was the banana bread french toast. Oh my goodness… what’s not to love? It was definitely another hit. I had the clam hash and eggs. I have to be honest, my husband mocked me for even trying something called «clam hash» but I am SO GLAD that I did! It was phenomenal… crispy around the edges, loaded with clams, just delicious. One of the waitresses (whom I suspect may actually be one of the owners!) gave me a small dish of their homemade hot sauce to go with the hash and it was amazing. Definitely gave it a nice kick!
The service was great… attentive and friendly. We had a really nice time, even waiting for our food was pleasant. Great music playing, cute surroundings, nice people. What’s not to love? The bathrooms are tiny and around back, but clean and to-​the-​point! It’s definitely, definitely worth a visiti!

I wanted to give this place four stars, but there were a couple of things that stopped me. Let’s start with the positive first.
The place is decorated like you’re in Key West or like a Jimmy Buffet album cover, which was really cool. The service was very good and when we were seated we got our coffee right away and it was delicious. My wife ordered the Sandbox Omelet, which she said was delicious and I had two eggs sunny side up with sausage and clam hash, which was cooked to perfection. I haven’t any complaints about what we ate at all… now the negative…
It was 11:15am when we were seated and outside on the special board, it said they had crab cake quesadillas as one of the specials. I knew that’s what I wanted. When it was time to order, I asked for the quesadillas, but the server said that was for lunch… Please don’t put your specials out on a board for lunch at 11:15am if you can’t order it! Next, I think in this day and age, you should at least accept visa or MasterCard since it is a vacation spot. When asking for a coffee refill, another server came with a carafe of coffee but had a hard time pouring it because she said her long fingernails got in the way… Then trim your friggin’ nails! This is your job!!! Lastly, when our food was served, our table was descended upon by a whole bunch of flies, which landed all over our food and us for the whole meal.
In closing, I would like to say our original server was great and so was the food, but they need to tweak a couple of things before three stars gets changed to four…

Enjoyed eating here. Loved the atmosphere and so did my 20 month daughter. She loved seeing all the animals on the walls, she had a lot to look at! My husband loved the pork tacos & we had the Zucchini bites I think they were called. I would pass on them, they were mostly breading & not a whole lot of zucchini. I had the chicken salad which a few people raved about. I liked it but I make better chicken salad at home I thought it was a bit bland. Would go back and def try a few more items. Also, the bathrooms were on the gross side. (They need to update & clean asap) Tight squeeze in between the hallways. Unique place for sure.

WOW! If you want a unique breakfast with flavors that jump off the plate, then you need to check out Sandbox Café! We had the pancakes (which are DINNERPLATE sized and 1″ thick! they are huge but fluffy and buttery and amazing!!) I had the French toast special: Pumpkin Spice french toast topped with locally grown pears, walnuts, raisins and whipped cinnamon butter. I couldn’t put my fork down, it was so good! The owner/​chef came out and talked to us and asked us how our meal was and talked to us a bit about the ingredients and made sure we had a good experience. Top notch local place and a MUST if you are in LBI! Note– we got there at 7:20AM and there was a LINE to get in! They start seating at 7:30, so be sure to get there early or be prepared to wait. Its totally worth the wait tho :) It is now one of our favorite breakfast places on the island.

The place is adorable and the breakfast was fantastic. I had Parmesan egg bake and my friend had a pancake sizzler and both were unique and delicious. Highly recommended!!!

Awesome friendly place with great food. I had banana bread French toast and my wife had pancake. Both were great but my wife couldn’t get over how awesome the pancake was. It was fluffy and just the right amount of density to not just sit in your stomach like a rock. We are staying right across from it and plan on going over every day.

We waited ½ hour on a Monday for a table but it was worth the wait. My husband, the pancake king, couldn’t finish the short stack. Each pancake is about the size of a dinner plate and about ½ thick. They are delicious but they soak up syrup so best way is just add to small batches.
It is cash only but they warn you and the owners wife is gregarious and very friendly– she makes you feel at home.

don’t go here unless you have no choice. Food is mediocre at best. Looks nice from the street but owners are really obnoxious and wouldn’t shut up while we where trying to eat. Your much better off going to ferraras bakery a couple doors down.

Went here for a late breakfast on a Monday. Their signature sizzling pancake specials are tasty and the Parmesan baked eggs are amazing! Long wait for big groups, but seated quickly for two. Portions are a good size — not too big, but you’re not left hungry. Staff is friendly and attentive. Cash only. We’ll definitely come back again!

Everyone raves about breakfast, which i’m sure is excellent, but if you’re not a huge breakfast person like my boyfriend and I, try something from the lunch menu! My boyfriend couldn’t stop raving about the pulled pork tacos! I tried some and it was a fiesta in my mouth! SOO GOOD!
I got the bacon and cheese burger and they happily accommodated toward my dietary needs and put it in lettuce instead of a bun. OH AND THE BACON… THE BACON! thick cut, crispy but not dry. and plenty of pieces to make every bite beautiful. Perfection! The burger was also cooked exactly how I asked. It was a thick patty and perfectly juicy. I’ve been to almost every burger joint on LBI and I must say the Sand Box Café has THE burger. (letting you in on a little secret — I used blue cheese dressing on my burger and i’m still dreaming about it)
Staff was hard working and very friendly as well! Thank you Sand Box Café :)

The Sandbox Café continues to be a family favorite on LBI for five years now. We love it so much that we have actually driven the two hours to get there in time for breakfast on a Sunday morning! We recently spent a week on LBI and visited the Sandbox three times; twice for breakfast and once for lunch. Dana, the owner, is simply amazing and so kind. She makes the experience even more enjoyable with her customer service. My 7 year old son adores her!
The sizzler remains a favorite breakfast entrée, especially the blueberry with sweet cream cheese (although my boys are partial to the chocolate chip sizzler!) The coffee is the best around too!
For lunch, my husband loves the bada bing, while I love the chicken salad sandwich in a flatbread. I had the fish sandwich recently and it was delicious and fresh.
The Sandbox Café combines an excellent menu, great fresh recipes and a warm and relaxing atmosphere. It is the perfect shore place to relax and enjoy. It’s worth the wait for a table! The new awnings look amazing too! We always look forward to visiting again when on the island.

Not the cheapest ($ 140 for 8 of us) breakfast option, but the setting is unique, the staff warm and friendly, and the cooked-​from-​scratch food was excellent.
Our party of eight was a bit cramped at the picnic table nearest the exit, and space throughout is at a premium, but in the end it was all good. Hell, where else can you spot a lobster devouring Ozzy (or was it Michael Jackson)? The owner was obviously very involved with the operations and took the time to chat about business, Sandy, etc. The place has an interesting history (which you’ll see if you visit the bathroom, as there’s a working bathhouse behind the restaurant!).
One more note — I was walking past later in the afternoon, after they had closed, and a staff member was spraying & wiping down what is, perhaps, the dirtiest item in any restaurant: the menus. My guess it’s indicative of the attention to detail given to other areas as well.
Perhaps after a couple more trips, the rating will go to a 5, but for now it’s a solid 4 with no reservations (pun intended).

Here is the break down of positives and negatives according to my experience:
Positives:
— has its own wonderland vibe. Very bright and colorful. Cosy yet crammed at the same time. While I enjoyed the closeness and small space my company felt lack of personal space…
— if you’re regular customer (w/​o any die try restrictions) I can see why you’d like it. It’s very basic, not too different in presentation or flavor. And you get the typical Lunch salads, burgers, wraps etc…
Negatives:
— it is not a Breakfast-​Brunch place. The menu offers only 1 egg dish in a form of a grilled skillet idea AND 1 crêpe choice. It is a true Lunch spot
— very few options for Vegetarian and/​or Gluten Free eaters. Gotta think a little how to combine and substitute items on the menu to make it work
— the hostess was left confused when I asked to substitute the fish on the salad with a Veggie Burger Patty… (Sigh…)
— taste or presentation of food is very mediocre