The Dolphin Bar’s Sunday Ritual in Martin County Brunch with a View
Sunday brunch at The Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House in Jensen Beach offers more than just a meal. It offers a story. A story woven with Old Florida charm, cinematic history, culinary indulgence, and sweeping waterfront views that make time pause just long enough for another mimosa. Locals know it. Visitors find out quickly. And anyone who’s ever been knows: brunch at The Dolphin Bar isn’t simply a meal, it’s an event. To understand the magic of The Dolphin Bar, you must first meet its original muse, the legendary actress Frances Langford. A radio, film, and television icon of the 1930s and ‘40s, Langford lit up screens with her golden voice and magnetic charm. Best known for her roles in wartime musicals and her tireless efforts entertaining troops with Bob Hope’s USO tours, Langford became one of America’s most beloved stars. But off-screen, she found her heart’s home in Florida. Langford eventually settled in Martin County, where she and her third husband, Ralph Evinrude, became pillars of the coastal community. Evinrude was no stranger to fame in his own right. He was the chairman of Outboard Marine Corporation, the maker of Evinrude outboard motors, a name synonymous with American boating. It was a fitting union. She brought the star power, he brought the engines, and together, they brought a legacy to life on the Indian River.
Polynesian elegance with classic Florida ambiance. The restaurant on site quickly became a gathering place for celebrities, boaters, and locals alike. Ralph Evinrude’s influence was unmistakable. With its prime location along the Intracoastal Waterway, the resort catered directly to the boating community. Guests often arrived by boat, tying up at the dock before stepping inside for a seafood feast. After Frances Langford’s passing in 2005, the restaurant was lovingly restored and reimagined as The Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House. The spirit of the Outrigger and the Langford-Evinrude era still pulses through its wood-paneled walls and riverfront decks. Today, diners can browse a mini-museum of framed photographs, memorabilia, and vintage motor displays that quietly nod to Evinrude’s legacy and Langford’s luminous career. It’s more than decor, it’s storytelling with a sense of place. The connection to boating remains just as strong, with docking available for brunch guests and frequent sightings of yachts, fishing vessels, and dolphins dancing through the tide. Come Sunday morning, the Dolphin Bar becomes a lively celebration of local flavor and laid-back elegance. The air is perfumed with fresh coffee and salty breezes, the sun shimmers on the water, and the clinking of champagne flutes rings across the deck.
In 1961, the couple opened The Outrigger Resort, a sophisticated waterfront getaway that blended
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