Popular waterfront restaurant owner talks highs, lows and changes amid 1-year anniversary
Fysh Bar and Grill, a frequented Port Orange restaurant known for its unparalleled waterfront views along the Halifax River, vacation-like atmosphere and extensive menu, celebrated its one-year anniversary last weekend in a three-day event that featured live music and a variety of food and beer specials.
Amid the anniversary of its grand opening, this popular waterfront restaurant reflected on a year of successes, challenges and lessons.
The local eatery, one of owner Sid Sethi’s largest projects, following its recently rebranded Port Salerno counterpart, first began welcoming customers on Oct. 14, 2022. With a casual yet quality approach, the highly anticipated opening day’s turnout was only a drop in the bucket of what was to come — a success that Sethi said he was more than grateful, yet rather underprepared for.
“With our first opening, we had a lot of hype, and it was very anticipated,” Sethi said. “We did really well, but it was also very overwhelming. I don’t think we were fully prepared for, I guess, the type of walk-in traffic and diners that came in, initially.”
Serving a vast menu of seafood selections, pasta, pizza and casual bites, like the Mahi Mahi Stix, Ragin' Cajun Mussels, Tennessee Whiskey Wings and Crunchy Calamari, the “something for everyone” style restaurant, Sethi explained, has found success among both locals and vacationers, with its resort-like concept — a carefree, scenic lunch and dinner haven where individuals and families alike can join together to bask in good company, great views and even better food.
“There was definitely a need for a restaurant like this in this area,” Sethi noted. “I think a lot of people are excited for us and looking forward to us (being able) to grow and kind of fit in with the community.”
Fysh faces challenges and changes
Although thoughtfully built upon an inclusive, community-centered concept, a seemingly undeniable recipe for success, the family-friendly eatery faced unescapable criticism online over the last 12 months, since its initial opening.
As word quickly spread of the new location, the restaurant's traffic exceeded expectations, but to many, its service did not. Customers began expressing their less-than-satisfying experiences at the new bar and grill on social media through a plethora of Facebook posts, most often noting their disappointment in the kitchen's lack of timeliness, inconsistencies in food quality, and subpar service.
The eatery's response, Sethi says, was to listen, adapt and ask for patience.
Faced with unpredictable labor market challenges, Sethi noted that the eatery has made extensive staffing changes throughout the year, rotating through individuals who best fit the company and culture, to provide an unmatched dining experience that customers new and returning deserve.
Acknowledging the eatery’s early onset of food delays, timing and service issues that have persisted over the year, Sethi noted that a top priority over the last several months has been assembling not only a personable and knowledgeable waitstaff, but a consistent and efficient kitchen that flows well and can deliver quality food in a timely fashion to remedy these shortcomings.
Making an honest effort to positively evolve over the last 12 months, Sethi insisted that no comments regarding customers’ experience at Fysh go unnoticed, but rather are used as tools to help the restaurant continue to learn, grow and better serve its community.
“I’m very well aware of everything that goes on online and everything that’s being spoken (about), but all that we can do is try to adapt,” Sethi said. “The critique is there, but I do think that if we’re consistent and we bounce back, we can show that we’re here to stay. We’re working on our service and quality, and we hope that people will give us chances and we’ll become, hopefully, a staple here.”
What's to come for Fysh
Looking ahead, Sethi acknowledges that Rome wasn’t built in a day, as they say, but that all great things take time. He hopes to continue taking in the community's feedback, improving day by day, and serving as a place of reconnection for the community, with new and exciting offerings to come as the new year unfolds.
“We’re planning for a ton of events, I’m talking festivals, fishing tournaments, bikini contests, live concerts ... We’re going to be doing that almost on a monthly basis, but it’s all in the works right now and it’s something that we’re really excited for in 2024,” Sethi said. “We’re bringing in some big names and we’ll be working with the city, so we want to make this also like an entertainment venue.”
While new changes will come and challenges inevitably arise, Sethi insists that Fysh is nonetheless proud of how far it has come and grateful for the community it has served, promising to maintain community favorites — like the all-you-can-eat shrimp and crab leg specials — while also working to further expand its offerings, improve its service and continue to best satisfy all who walk through its doors.
Fysh Bar and Grill is located at 3633 S. Ridgewood Ave. in Port Orange and is open 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday – Thursday and 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Friday – Saturday. For information, call 386-492-5252 or visit fyshbg.com.
Helena Perray is the restaurant and dining writer for The Daytona Beach News-Journal. A New Jersey native and passionate storyteller, she can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Support local journalism by subscribing
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Fysh Port Orange celebrates 1-year anniversary, shares challenges
