Ino’s Hideaway

Mari Ness brings us a delicious and transformative review.

~ Julian and Fran, September 28, 2025

For September, The Sunday Morning Transport brings you new stories by Cecilia Tan, Brenda Cooper, Jennifer Hudak, and Mari Ness. As always, the first story of the month is free to read.

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Ino’s Hideaway

by Mari Ness

Arguably the most perplexing part of life here in our little coastal community is the distressing lack of seafood restaurants. Steakhouses? You got it, with no less than three choices at last count. Thai? Everyone’s pad thai needs can be amply fulfilled at the Blossom on Main Street. Vietnamese? Absolutely. Italian? Not just one, but two, one boasting an impressive 4.8 Zagat rating. Mexican? Taco Norteno might not be fancy, but we dare you to find better street tacos outside of Mexico. Doughnuts? Bagels? Four separate bakeries meet our needs every morning.

But despite our abundant ocean access and views, seafood, not to be found, forcing seafood lovers to either cook at home (perish the thought) or travel at least two hours to fulfill that fried shrimp craving.

So to say we were thrilled to hear about the plans for Ino’s Hideaway, a new beachside specialty seafood restaurant located right over the ocean (more on this soon), is a bit of an understatement. Especially after we were able to confirm that Ino’s Hideaway would not be owned by any chain restaurants or megacorporations (not that we object to such places in dire emergencies) but would be a locally owned, locally sourced establishment.

And like everyone else, we could not help but be intrigued by all of the urban legends that immediately sprang up around the place. Did the new owners of Ino’s Hideaway really sport tattoos that look exactly like fish scales on their wrists and arms? Were the chefs really wheelchair users? Did a pod of dolphins help install the restaurant’s pilings? Were all the dishes served on mother-of-pearl plates? And—perhaps most important—was the seafood—samples of which were served at the city’s annual Spring into the Sea Festival prior to opening—really and truly out of this world?

We couldn’t wait. So the second we could get our group together—your two local foodies, two out-of-town food critics, a writer in town for a visit, and a marine biologist—we headed out to Sandals Beach to see what we could taste.

First, one bit of truth—Ino’s Hideaway is indeed well out into the ocean, connected to Sandals Beach by a 1000 foot long pier that is, on its own, well worth the visit. We spotted abundant seagulls, pelicans, mullet, and even one stingray on our way out; the owners assured us that the occasional manatee or dolphin also stops by. Be warned, however: the pier has no lighting and no boat access. A full moon provided more than enough light for our mildly inebriated return, but those who don’t see well in the dark might want to consider another restaurant during a new moon.