About Us
Our Home
Hey there! We're James and Pam.
At Island Time Marina & Restaurant, we’re all about good food, strong drinks, and even better company. Whether you arrive by boat or car, this is your no-shoes, no-worries waterfront hangout.
With fresh seafood, tropical cocktails, live music, and killer sunsets — we’re proud to be Cocoa Beach’s best spot to dock, dine, and unwind.
Island Time isn’t just a name — it’s a state of mind.
Our history
Island Time Marina & Restaurant was born from a love of boats, good food, cold drinks, and waterfront living. What started as a simple marina serving local boaters has grown into Cocoa Beach’s favorite dockside hangout — where locals, tourists, and boaters come together to eat, drink, and soak up the view.
Over the years, Island Time has become more than just a restaurant — it’s a community gathering spot, a live music stage, and the perfect place to catch a sunset and a seafood platter after a day on the water. Whether you’ve been tying up here for years or you’re dropping anchor for the first time, you’re officially on Island Time now.
Our specialities
Fresh-From-The-Dock Seafood — From peel & eat shrimp to fish tacos, we serve up the catch of the day with a tropical twist.
Tropical Cocktails — Frozen rum runners, coconut mojitos, and our famous Sunset Punch — because every drink tastes better with a view.
Big, Juicy Burgers — Piled high and messy in all the right ways.
Live Music & Sunset Parties — Because the only thing better than good food is a dockside soundtrack.
Dock & Dine Perfection — Cruise in, tie off, and let us handle the rest.
About Island Time Marina & Restaurant
More Stories for Yar!
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, James Stadler first visited Cocoa Beach in the summer of 1971, driving the grueling 900 miles just six weeks after obtaining his driver’s license, with his best mate Dennis. What the two expected to be a vacation turned to fate as James fell in love with what Cocoa Beach has to offer – the natural beauty of the palms and mangroves, rocket launches?, the southern charm of friendly locals, and surfing.
Three years later, in 1974, the calm waves of Cocoa Beach called his name once again as he packed his van and loaded his surfboards up for his second trip south to the Space Coast. That summer James learned the meaning of “Island Time”; surfing when he wasn’t working, meeting friends for drinks and tunes, and enjoying the wildlife in the bioluminescent waters. When it was time to head back north for the winter, James swore he would be back someday to buy a home and if he was blessed, own a restaurant and marina.
Thirty years later, James bought his marvelous canal home right here in Cocoa Beach and started searching for a spot on the water to build his restaurant. There were no marinas readily available, but he found a plot for sale off of Cocoa Beach Causeway and got to work building Paradise Cove. He built that restaurant from the ground up, installing a dock as well as the bathhouses. He wanted boats to be able to come down the canal to dock in his harbor. It was at Paradise Cove where he met his first mate and confidante, Pam. However, due to the neighbors not wanting heavy traffic down the canal, Mr. James knew he would have to move marinas someday. So when a few years later in 2014, the longstanding strip mall and marina across the street went up for sale, he jumped on the opportunity.
Although this marina had an old dock and buildings, they needed a lot of work. James and his pirate crew got busy rehabbing the dock, piling posts into the water, constructing a stage/tiki hut and outhouses, and landscaping the grounds. The new restaurant was built from the rubble of the old, and Island Time Marina was ready for business in 2019, as the second of James dreams was complete. Two years later, after pulling through the hardships of covid, shutdowns, social distancing and the like, Mr. James came across an old pirate boat, sunken and derelict on the shores of Tampa Bay. He brought it to the Marina, with plans to put it in the water and set sail. Alas, the boat had seen better days. Like the old marina, it needed to be rebuilt from the ground up, so he and his pirate crew got to work. From fresh paint, to brand new pontoons, and even a complete rewire of the electronical and steering systems, there was plenty to do. Three years later, after several hurricanes, lots of hard work, and a few pirate curses, the boat has been launched and we are ready to sail Banana Lagoon in search of adventure and treasure!