On the Inlet - Port Douglas

We walked in on a Saturday with no reservations and were invited to wait in the bar for an available table.

I sat down here for a "treat yoself" lunch of a margarita and oystersThe margarita was weak, with lemon juice and sugar syrup.

Great place to see the fish feeding. Lovely view of the water. Don't expect great service. And a bucket of prawns is one a quarter of a bucket

We stayed recently for a week in Port Douglas and visited On the Inlet twice - so it must be pretty good!At sunset, this restaurant is one of only two or three with 'that' view. On a warm evening, its just about the perfect location for a romantic sunset meal watching the sun go down and seeing the boats return from their day trips. As a result - it gets busy and certainly for evening dining at peak times (immediately after sunset) you will need to reserve a day or two in advance minimum.The favoured routine is to arrive before 5pm and have a drink or three in the bar and watch the groper feeding. This happens every day at 5pm. Be warned - the groper isn't always hungry but when he is, its worth seeing! In winter, sunset follows pretty quickly so a 6pm reservation is perfect.When we dined, food was fresh, generously portioned and tasty. Seafood is the preferred option for most diners. Prices are at the higher end for the town but not outlandish.We had two great visits and some wonderful memories.I must say though that it's not perfect. Given that many customers are here for a special occasion or romantic dinner, I think they could run to tablecloths in the evenings. It still has an informal bar/cafe feel at night with just laminate tables. Service too can be good on some occasions but is often a bit brusque for me. When making reservations, the front desk lacks charm and the restaurant approach is a little scruffy. I wonder if the prized location leads to a little complacency.Having said all that - we wouldn't dream of going back to Port Doulas without visiting On the Inlet at least one more time. Make sure you bring your camera and order a glass of fizz while you wait for the groper! (incidentally - you can just visit the bar if you don't want to have dinner)

The food was excellent I shared a seafood platter very tasty right on the waters edge didn't have to book nice place and friendly staff couldn't ask for anything more for my 60th Birthday