Visit an Old Place with a New Restaurant

Sometimes while searching for a new restaurant, you end up in a building that has history. This history can include your own past, but also an interesting past of its own before you came along. Such is the case with the Sebastian Beach Inn aka SBI. The new Restaurant is called Coppola's Bar and Grille, which I had never been to before, but the building has many memories for me.

Cover of the Menu at Coppola's Bar and Grille

As you can see on the menu, there is a short history of the Sebastian Beach Inn presented. I have included the whole thing at the end of this post with the assumption that the place will not mine me sharing their history. Hey, it is partly my history too.

Official Logo

I am not sure when my first visit to SBI happened, but I know I was still a kid. I remember the World War II Watchtower and my dad explaining that these were all along the coasts of the US; used to watch for the enemy. I also remember hearing that it blew down in 2004 with Hurricane Frances and feeling sad that another piece of history was gone.

Normally, I probably would have sat on the deck to have lunch, but the wind was blowing off the ocean and there was a cold front passing through. My shorts and hawaiian shirt would not be comfortable so I went inside to the bar. There were no customers inside so I had the whole bar to choose from. It is an irregular shaped bar with many seats. I took some photos including the Shock Top I ordered from the bartender Ashley.

My Shock Top; looking West with the ocean behind me

 The bar extends outside, but as I said, it was a little chilly, down in the low 70s.

Looking north from my Bar stool (to my right)

 There is a dining room beyond the bar with intimate settings. I think there were about ten tables in there, all with an ocean view.

Looking south from my bar stool (to my left)

 There are both tables and booths on this side of the room. The far wall is a stage. I have seen a few concerts here including Bill Wharton, known as the "Sauce Boss". Bill plays blues on a slide guitar, and during his show he cooks up a gumbo. At the end of the show, everyone gets to enjoy a bowl of the gumbo. I think I have his autograph somewhere. It was on that stage that he performed.

I told Ashley I had been here many times in the past. The song "Save a Prayer" by Duran Duran came on the radio and was playing on the speakers piped throughout the dining and bar area. I told Ashley that was the same song that was playing the last time I was here back in the 1980s. She got the joke!

With the name Coppola, I was figuring the menu would be Italian, but it was just regular American fair with burgers, wraps, salad, and some seafood. I was not real hungry so I ordered the cup of chili which came with, onions and cheese on top and a plate full of corn torilla chips. I will say, the chips were hot and fresh and the chili was excellent. As you can see in the photo, it was a real soup spoon too. Nice added touch!

Cup of Chili at Coppola's Bar and Grille

As I was eating my lunch, I could remember being here in 1980 or 1981. There was a house drink, the Bahama Mama. Very strong and powerful, but if you drank three or more, SBI would let you write your name on the wall. I remember that the wall was so full, that people had moved to the ceiling.  That is where my name ended up. Of course, that has all been painted over so the memory is just that, a memory!

I also remember that the bathroom for the men had a large metal trough on the floor, no urinals but it was like peeing into a ditch. How times have changed. I went to the bathroom here and it was clean and modern. Maybe the ladies have the trough now? I did not check.

As I came out of the bathroom, I took a photo of the North dining room looking East.

View of ocean from North dining area at Coppola's Bar and Grille

 I also took a picture of the bar area inside...You can see my beer on the bar on the left, in front of the guy and his wife who were sitting in the dining area.

Bar area at Coppola's Bar and Grille

 There is a pool table and a nice mural on the wall...

Pool Table at Coppola's Bar and Grille

 And the place I remember seeing reggae bands play on Sunday afternoon, is on the deck overlooking the ocean. There were a few people having lunch out here, the sun was warm. Maybe I could grab some flying food from the wind...

Deck at SBI in Melbourne Beach

Although I did not get a full lunch here, I felt I could grade the place on the decor, the menu, the people and the view. I give Coppola's Bar and Grille a 3 (Great) and I will be back to try some of the other menu items. Any Takers!  I should mention that they still have bands every weekend. Sometimes inside, sometimes on the deck. It is a place to check out, even though you cannot see my name on the ceiling anymore....

Here is the History that is on the menu and web page:
The Sebastian Beach Inn is housed in Brevard County’s last remaining Coastal Watch Station that served our nation during World War II. The building dates back to pre-war times; unfortunately the submarine watchtower was destroyed by Hurricane Francis in 2004. This site, used as a “safe haven” for seafarers from 1903 to shortly after WWII, housed the men that guarded our shores. The men who were stationed here were often called upon to row their longboats into treacherous seas to rescue floundering sailors whose ships had encountered misfortune. Many schooner captains owed their lives, and the lives of their crew and passengers, to these brave men. The Coastal Watch Station was decommissioned after WWII and the Sebastian Beach Inn was born. It rapidly became the favorite beachside restaurant and bar for residents and tourists alike.

During the late 1960’s and 1970’s the S.B.I house drink, the “Bahama Mama,” became a legend. Those who were hearty enough to drink three Bahama Mamas were permitted the honor of writing their names upon the wall and when the wall was filled they wrote on the ceiling! Many famous names graced the S.B.I walls including those of some of our first astronauts, the first Soviet cosmonaut, movie stars, and political leaders. 

The S.B.I fell into complete ruin during the 1980’s and became a candidate for the bulldozer; but the present owner couldn’t let this historic site be destroyed. After almost a year of renovation and rebuilding the S.B.I opened again in 1990 and has been serving the community with its own special brand of hospitality since that time.

If you point your finger toward the ocean from our deck, you just might be pointing to a real treasure! During the 17th and 18th centuries, Spanish Galleons made the return trip to the King and Queen of Spain loaded with treasures of gold and silver found in the New World. They travelled in fleets to ward off the marauding pirates that plied the waters off the East Coast. Hurricanes and rough seas caused some ships making the journey to flounder and sink. In 1715 one of these fleets, the Plate Fleet with fourteen ships, sank during a hurricane off the East Coast of Florida. The galleons sank from Melbourne Beach to Ft Pierce and each was loaded with treasure.

A number of treasure hunters have worked these waters in order to find these galleons; and some have gone home rich. Mel Fisher, of Key West, one of the more famous treasure hunters, was successful in his searches off the east coast of Florida. He joined a group called Real Eight, and together they found gold and silver coins, large gold “mint pieces”, from the Mexico City mint that were as large as a man’s palm, in addition to fabulous gold and silver jewelry. One piece of treasure was actually found within the shoreline. That was only one ship; there are more than a dozen from the Spanish Plate Fleet still waiting to give up their wealth. It is said that pieces of gold still wash up on South Brevard’s shore so when you visit the S.B.I check out the beach; you may stumble across a historic and valuable find.