Florida Gulf Coast University Marlins Brewhouse/ CaliBurger Reviews

FGCU Good Grubs is a blog created to inform and give personal food insight on restaurants within Estero, FL. Our team, which consists of three members, Keaton, Tara and Pino, will post weekly blogs of a given entrée from a restaurant of our/your choice. We hope to provide our readers with valuable information and opinions regarding the restaurant/meal we have chosen for that week.

This week FGCU Good Grubs has chosen to review the Cali Burger from Marlins Brewhouse, located in University Village. The address of Marlins Brewhouse is: 19800 Village Center Dr. Suite 235, Fort Myers, FL 33913. 

We will provide you with our personal reviews below.

Keaton’s Review:

“I’ve been to Marlins Brewhouse only a few times since it has opened. Every Monday, Marlin’s has a special on their Cali Burgers for around $3. Earlier today I went in there to try the Cali

Burger for my first time. I ordered my burger via the Kiosk machine near the front entrance. This gave me the opportunity to put my order in without dealing with a server, making my entire dining experience more efficient. During the process of ordering the burger, I had the opportunity to add ingredients of my choice. I chose to add cheese, avocado, Marlin’s special sauce, and ketchup. The avocado and cheese were each a $1.50 upcharge, so my burger came out to over $6. Overall, it wasn’t the best burger I've ever had, but it also wasn’t the worst. Personally, I hate well-done and slightly burnt burgers. The Cali Burger was tender and cooked through making it enjoyable to bite and chew. The combination of the cheese, avocado, ketchup, and special sauce boosted the overall flavor of my burger. I really enjoyed the Cali Burger, but like I said earlier, it was not the best burger I have ever eaten. I would recommend Marlins to anyone who enjoys bar food. The atmosphere and service was excellent. Altogether, my dining experience at Marlins Brewhouse was amusing and the food was great. I would give the burger a 7.8 rating on a scale from 1-10.”


Tara’s Review:
“I have been to CaliBurger two times now and have not been let down yet. On Monday’s the special of the day is $3 burgers and beers. The restaurant gives a futuristic vibe when entering, with

Kiosks that are used by customers to place their food orders. The technologically advanced establishment features a robot that fries the fries in the back, which could be seen through the glass window by the bar. When purchasing my $3 single patty burger, I added cheese for $1.50 and tomato, grilled onion and special sauce. I also tried the “Cali Style Fries”, which were not what I was
expecting. The fries featured melted American cheese, grilled sweet onions and their special sauce. When obtaining my food, I was pleasantly pleased with the portion size that I received, as well as the toppings sizes. The burger itself was not too chewy or overly cooked, I was pleasantly pleased with my overall meal for only $9, as well as the portion sizes I did receive for that kind of deal. My overall opinion on the burger was not enjoyable, but I feel the burger could have been put together better. My burger fell apart a couple times which made it very messy. I think the establishment deserves an 8.2 out of 10, due to targeting college students with convenience, price and atmosphere.”

Pino’s Review:

“Overall, I believe the restaurant, CaliBurger is a breath of fresh air to residents in the Fort Myers/Estero area. I have been there countless amounts of times since their opening in fall 2019, and each time I am pleased with the outcome. I try to expand my horizons by trying something new each time I visit, and my thoughts keep getting better and better. The burgers are their specialty and offer just the right amount of variations of toppings to enjoy. The prices are perfectly matched for the audience they’re trying to appeal to, that being college students. Not too many places in the area have it where you can enjoy a freshly made burger for a price ranging from only $4-7. Not only is the quality and pricing of the food great, the atmosphere is unique as well. It is located inside of Marlin’s Brewhouse, which is very convenient for customers who want to grab a drink, yet also get a quality meal for cheap. Since it’s located in University Village, it is easily accessible for FGCU students to grab a bite to eat so close to our college campus. Even though it’s not a drive-thru, the six touch screen menus that greet you as you walk in will have you ordering and receiving your food in no time. I would have to give CaliBurger a rating of 9 out of 10, due to its fast, easy, accessible, and great newly found treasure in the area.”