5 Top-Rated Outdoor Patio Brunch Spots With A View In Fort Lauderdale, According To Reviews

Brunch has taken on a life of its own in recent years, with people traveling nationwide in search of the best late-morning dining experiences. But few cities do it quite like Fort Lauderdale in sunny South Florida. Its landscape is painted with sparkling ocean blues and winding waterways, giving even the most casual restaurant a sophisticated backdrop. Pair that with mimosas and eggs Benedict, and you have a happy, full house. 

From the outskirts of downtown to Fort Lauderdale Beach, and Las Olas — the most walkable art-filled street in the city – there are plenty of places to find patio brunch spots with a view. To make your next travel itinerary easier, we narrowed it down to five prime eateries that make locals and tourists insatiable.

As a Floridian born and raised in the city, I've dined at a few of these places and even worked at one of them. That firsthand experience helped inform our research as we compiled a list of restaurants known for brunch specials, incredible views, and, most importantly, strong ratings across different cuisines. We also reviewed traveler comments on public review platforms and social media posts to capture the overall ambiance. From beachfront locations to hidden Riverwalk gems and restaurants facing the Intracoastal Waterway, this guide highlights some of the best brunch spots in Fort Lauderdale.

Shooters Waterfront has been a Fort Lauderdale staple since the 1980s. In 2014, the restaurant underwent a multimillion-dollar makeover, transforming the property into an elegant waterfront dining spot with sweeping views. It even won "Best Waterfront Dining" by Fort Lauderdale Magazine in 2023. While indoor seating is available, most guests come for the outdoor patio. You can sit on couches, grab a table by the dock, or head to the outside bar. From nearly any seat outside, the view of the Intracoastal Waterway remains unobstructed. 

The restaurant is known for its weekend brunch, which includes both à la carte dishes and a buffet. The buffet features classic American breakfast staples such as waffles, sausage links, and eggs, while the à la carte menu includes seafood favorites like sushi rolls, smoked fish dip, and fresh oysters — along with  sandwiches, soups, and salads. To drink, choose bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys to sip on as you watch boats drift by on the Intracoastal.

Guests often highlight the overall experience. With over 13,300 reviews on Google, Shooters Waterfront maintains a 4.4-star rating. The brunch plates, dockside seating, and customer service leave reviewers with a lasting impression. One guest celebrating a 50th birthday wrote that "the food was delicious, the atmosphere was beautiful, and Chelsea's outstanding service truly made our visit memorable." The restaurant sits about a 20-minute drive from downtown Fort Lauderdale but has grown increasingly popular over the years. It welcomes about 500,000 guests annually, and has appeared on television, including Bravo's "Real Housewives of New Jersey" in 2018. Because of its popularity, brunch gets busy, so reservations are recommended. A local's pro tip: If you can't snag a brunch reservation, stop by for the weekday happy hour – the deals are just as good, and the sunset waterfront views are just as stunning.

Boatyard is an upscale nautical retreat in the southernmost part of downtown Fort Lauderdale. It's also just down the river from Las Olas Isles, a picturesque neighborhood home to luxe properties. Its coastal location backs up to a marina, where you'll see fairly large boats and yachts docked, further playing into its maritime decor. The restaurant's spacious wraparound patio includes an outdoor bar surrounded by lounge seating, a central fire pit, and dockside tables on a lower level. An upper deck features tables surrounding a large tree draped with string lights. Inside, you'll find a grand dark wooden interior, blue-and-orange cushioned benches, and circular mirrors lining the walls, evoking the design of a traditional, elegant ship. Boatyard's interior design earned international recognition at the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards in 2025.

On weekends, the restaurant draws crowds for brunch. The menu includes seafood towers and traditional American handhelds, along with bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. More than 7,000 guests have rated the restaurant around 4.4 stars on Google, often mentioning the food, lively atmosphere, and attentive staff. One diner wrote that they "wandered into The Boathouse [sic] on a coupon (never a great omen) and left declaring it one of our top 10 meals." They specifically ordered the steak and eggs and the Hudson "Benedict" toast. For drinks, they recommended the Sun Kissed, First Mate, and Whiskey Creek. 

As a local who has tried the restaurant's craft cocktails before, the unique toppings, including the caviar-topped olives for its Caviar-tini, and playful presentations such as a fish-shaped glass, are part of the experience. After brunch, it's a short walk to East Las Olas Boulevard, where you can browse boutiques, view life-size art installations, and stroll around local parks. See our feature on all of the cheap and free things to do in the city.

Fort Lauderdale Beach is the place to be, no matter the time of year. The sun is out, the water is sparkling, and the palm trees are swaying in the wind. You can only dine with these types of views at places like the sultry S3 (Sun Surf Sand). Located on the ground floor of Beach House Fort Lauderdale, a Hilton resort, S3 is known for its oceanfront dining and seafood-focused menu. The restaurant even won "Best Brunch" from Fort Lauderdale Magazine in 2025.

Weekend brunch features dishes inspired by Asian fusion cuisine alongside classic American options. Menu highlights include tuna crispy rice cakes, a hangover steak bowl, and Thai chopped salad, along with sushi and Korean- and Thai-inspired dishes. Guests can also order bottomless Bloody Marys and sparkling drinks. More than 3,600 customers awarded it 4.5 stars on Google, with brunch reviewers saying S3 is a must-visit. One reviewer said, "We had the bottomless mimosas and several apps and entrees — all of which were delicious. A+ for service and atmosphere!"

S3's patio seating is exceptionally desirable, featuring an indoor-outdoor bar setup, four-seat tables with orange umbrellas for shade, and cushioned couches centered around crystal-bed fireplaces. The sexy vibe elevates a casual beach morning. After brunch, you can cross the road and take a relaxing midday beach walk. It's the place where you can bask in the salty air and listen to the Atlantic's ocean waves.

We wouldn't be doing our due diligence if we didn't include the Paris-inspired brunch locale, Café Bastille. The restaurant first opened in downtown Miami in 2019 and has since expanded to several South Florida locations, including Fort Lauderdale and Weston. The Fort Lauderdale location, however, is a standout, boasting more than 13,000 Google reviews and maintaining a near-perfect rating. Its pastel green storefront sits tucked behind lush greenery near the Himmarshee Canal. A floral-lined gate leads to a small wooden patio overlooking the water. Guests frequently note the canal-side seating and relaxed ambiance, with one writing, "We went here for brunch and absolutely loved it ... You can sit inside or outside on the patio by the water, with beautiful views." Some also note that it gets busy without a reservation, so it's encouraged to plan in advance.

Café Bastille is reminiscent of a Parisian bistro. Its menu is filled with pastries, including pan au chocolat, crème brûlée-flavored croissants, and pistachio croissants. The Nutella croissants are the ones to look for – guests mention that the kitchen sometimes sells out! It also serves up French specialties like crêpes with strawberries, Nutella, and bananas. Just a 10-minute walk away, you can reach the Las Olas Riverwalk, where canals and bridges have helped earn Fort Lauderdale its nickname: the "Venice of America."

Boathouse at the Riverside sits along the New River and offers a relaxed riverside setting in downtown Fort Lauderdale. While the main event is the view, the restaurant's understated exterior opens onto a dockside patio shaded by white umbrellas, creating a modern boathouse feel. It also has an upper deck patio area, providing an indoor-outdoor experience. From the patio, diners can watch boats sail along the New River. As a Fort Lauderdale local, I've eaten here many times, tasting small plates with skyscrapers towering over sparkling waters. The scenery offers a peaceful atmosphere amid the downtown chaos — something other patrons seem to agree with.

The atmosphere may steal your attention, but the brunch menu is equally impressive — though it's only available on Sundays. Guests can enjoy classic Floridian seaside fare, including smoked fish dip, French toast, and chorizo hash. In 2025, the restaurant received Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award and maintains a 4.5-star rating on the platform. One reviewer wrote that they appreciated "a true brunch menu with both breakfast and favorites options," allowing diners to mix and match dishes.

Favorites among diners include the avocado-toasted flatbread, eggs Benedict, and the key lime pie — a Florida classic. When brunch wraps up, step outside to soak in the sunshine along the Riverwalk, enjoying the water view and discovering a quieter side of downtown.

Are you already opening another tab to reserve a table? Before you go, here's how these standout spots were selected. First and foremost, as a Florida local, I have been to many of these places. Personal experience helped identify several locations known for waterfront views and strong brunch menus, including Shooters Waterfront and Kaluz. From there, research expanded to beachfront options, where S3 (Sun Surf Sand) stood out for its awards and strong reviews. Moving inland toward downtown, the Boathouse at the Riverside offered scenic riverfront views and a well-reviewed brunch menu. Café Bastille also stood out for its exceptionally high review count and rating.

The café's glowing reviews inspired us to dive into the feedback for each location. To evaluate each restaurant, we analyzed customer feedback on Google and Tripadvisor and tagged social media posts. Doing so helped us decipher what the public thought about the food quality, what they were saying about the brunch service, and how enamored they were with the views. We also reviewed menus to confirm brunch offerings.

Finally, we considered reputation and recognition. Local, national, and international awards for design, cuisine, and brunch were reviewed when available. Combining firsthand experience, public reviews, menus, photos, and industry recognition helped us curate the best outdoor patio brunch spots with a view in Fort Lauderdale.