Try the Jamaican Surf and Turf at Bier Fest Busch Gardens Tampa—bold flavors, tricky skewers, and a tropical bite worth battling for.
Ah, food festivals—the land of live music, frothy brews, and $13 dishes that dare you to justify the math. One of this year’s contenders at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Bier Fest Brews and BBQ is the Jamaican Surf and Turf: garlic-lime shrimp, seasoned beef skewers, and coconut rice. For $12.99 (without using a sampler lanyard or passmember discount), you’re handed a little plate with a lot of ambition… and a couple of skewers that may double as medieval weaponry. This festival item came from the Island Hoppers Cabin at Bier Fest.
The Good of the Jamaican Surf and Turf : Flavorful Protein and Tropical Intentions
Let’s start with the positive—because there is plenty to like here. The shrimp, despite its somewhat divisive texture, delivers bold, chargrilled flavor with a pop of garlic and lime. The beef is seasoned well and cooked just enough to avoid the dreaded shoe-leather chew. If you’re looking for a hearty and flavorful bite between beer tastings, this definitely delivers in that department. In short: the meats are solid, and when the proteins do their little surf-and-turf dance with the rice and beans, there’s a nice tropical beat playing in your mouth.
The Rice: Coconut in Theory
Now, about that coconut rice. Let’s just say the coconut was more of a concept than a component. It looked promising—fluffy, warm, with some delightful beans tossed in—but the flavor didn’t quite show up to the luau. While the beans added some texture and earthiness, the dish would’ve benefited from a more robust coconut presence… and more rice overall, if we’re being honest. After all, four bites of rice does not a base layer make.
The Skewers: Tiny Swords of Inconvenience
And now, the skewers…Listen. We understand this is Bier Fest, and there’s a fun global marketplace theme going on. Perhaps the skewers were meant to evoke some kind of tropical street food fantasy—maybe something you’d be handed on a beach in Montego Bay while someone plays steel drums nearby. Unfortunately, these skewers are less Caribbean paradise and more culinary fencing match. Guests will struggle to get the beef and shimp off the skewers
Each skewer featured one lonely shrimp and two chunks of beef, impaled with the precision of someone trying to defend a castle. Removing the food from the skewer required either brute force, a precise Jedi-like twist, or a complete loss of dignity. It’s hard to enjoy your food when you’re in a battle with your cutlery. Pro tip for future festivals: ditch the skewers and go bowl-style. Just give us that tasty beef and shrimp laid lovingly over a more generous helping of rice and beans. Less jousting, more eating.
Final Thoughts on Jamaican Surf and Turf: Tasty, Pricey, and a Bit of a Forklift Job
At $12.99 (without a sampler lanyard or annual passholder discount), the Grilled Jamaican Surf and Turf is on the pricey side for the portion size. Still, when it comes to flavor, it holds its own among festival fare. The grilled elements shine, and the dish wants to be great—it just trips over a few bamboo sticks on the way there.
If you’re a fan of smoky, grilled meats and aren’t afraid to wrestle a shrimp into submission, this dish can be a satisfying pit stop between brews. However, next time, maybe ask the chefs to retire the jousting gear and bring on the bowls.
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