At first glance, Eddie V’s looks like another upscale steakhouse opening in Naples.

The reality is a little more interesting.

The concept was founded in Austin, Texas, in 2000 by restaurateurs Guy Villavaso and Larry Foles, who wanted to build something that combined serious seafood with the energy of a live music venue. That’s why nearly every Eddie V’s includes a V Lounge featuring jazz performances, cocktails, and a livelier atmosphere than the traditional white-tablecloth steakhouse. The concept grew steadily before being acquired by Darden Restaurants (which owns, among others, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and The Capital Grille) in 2011, and today has locations across the country.

Now Naples has its own location at Waterside Shops. Eddie V’s Prime Seafood brings a menu built as much around seafood as steak, which helps it stand out in a city already crowded with chophouses.

The dish that longtime fans mention first is often the crab fried rice. It sounds like a side dish but has developed something of a cult following thanks to generous chunks of crab, mushrooms, scallions, and enough richness to threaten the rest of your dinner plans. The Chilean sea bass is another signature order served Hong Kong-style in a light soy broth.

Steak lovers aren’t neglected. Center-cut filet mignon, prime bone-in ribeye, and New York strip are among the restaurant’s signature cuts, alongside seafood-heavy starters like lobster bisque, jumbo lump crab cakes, oysters, and shrimp, as well as a signature seafood tower (“The Big Eddie”).

And if you ask regulars what not to skip, many point toward dessert. The Bananas Foster Butter Cake has become one of the restaurant’s most recognizable dishes nationwide, earning almost as much attention as the steaks themselves.

Naples certainly didn’t need another steakhouse. But a restaurant built around seafood towers and live jazz? That might be a different story.

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood

765 Seagate Dr, Naples, FL 34103
Daily Happy Hour 4–6:30 p.m. | Live Music Nightly
Dinner: Sun–Thu 4–9 p.m. | Fri–Sat 4–10 p.m.
eddiev.com

Originally published in
The Naples Florida Review.
Read the full edition here.