Stretching Away from Isles of Capri and Marco Island and Finding a Treasure

There are times we leave our beautiful communities and have an appointment or to shop in another part of our County for good reasons and, along the way, find a nugget in the rough along the way or already a gem that was just waiting to be discovered.

So, on my way to an optometrist appointment, we head down 10th Avenue and there’s a Pub that catches our eyes. Since I’m a bit early, we stop to investigate this quirky Tiki Bar on the left, heading up 10th Street. 

Personally, I like the 10th Street area because of the shops, unique eateries, thrift and antique stores and just the general ambiance of the area. So, we landed at a place we never tried, called “Al’s Dog House and Tiki Bar” at 404 10th Street, just as you turn the corner heading north across from the Depot.

The owner, Al, whose Tiki Bar is called “Al’s Dog House” has a comfortable outside dining area with several tables and a bar with exactly 26 chairs, which is just perfect for Al – not too slow, not too busy. The bar serves beer and wine and other nonalcoholic beverages under shaded canopies. There are humorous signs everywhere (see photos) and you can’t help but grin.

Next door to Al’s Dog House is a unique shop called Whitman Designs that has many unique and original designs of iron and painted furniture, metal sculpture and more. It’s a clever shop with great décor and choices and a section of outside displays that sway in the breeze and lure you to a purchase that will set your home apart from the other places on your street. Two great places next door to each other

We checked out the menu at Al’s and decided on a Cuban sandwich and a Reuben, which will be served with chips. Al cooks everything fresh for each order. Another patron drove up in a convertible with her small dog and headed for what must have been her usual seat with her pup next to her on the adjoining seat. Unique local color makes a bar a “favorite” bar.

As Al prepared lunches for three, I walked around and checked out the rest of the décor. A mural on the wall bordering Al’s place, signs high and low, with laughter bubbling up throughout my wandering as I read them. 

I discovered that Al hailed from Indiana and previously worked at the Flea Market using and selling his mother’s recipe for meat pies, including the dough, until the Flea Market closed. He was here about 12 years before he found the location at 404 10th Street and made it his own. He transformed the kitchen, added the décor, signage and personal touches to make the place feel like a place where locals would “call home” and new patrons would like the vibe so much they’d be regulars.

Lunch was fresh and delicious and Al, who seemed a bit grouchy at first, was not grouchy at all! We suspected that he had learned to be aloof, but really wanted to open up once he was reassured that the people and their questions were sincere. Who among us hasn’t felt that way in our lives? Anyway, we enjoyed our experience and recommend that you try Al’s Dog House when you have to make a trip to Naples; you’ll enjoy the Dog House and probably make it a regular stop when you have to travel north!

Bottom line? Give Al’s Dog House and Tiki Bar a try when in Naples and tell him I sent you. He’s a good guy, serves great food and beer/wine and the signs provide lots of laughs as you wait for your prepared-to-order lunch. And I can verify, the kitchen is clean!