Bonita Bills restaurant closing after 30+ years of service

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Bonita Bill's
Credit: WINK News

Bonita Bill’s will be closing its doors after more than 30 years of service.

The restaurant, tucked under the Matanzas Pass Bridge as you head to Fort Myers Beach, will close on Sunday, Jan. 5.

They will continue with regular operating hours; they are closed on Mondays. They are open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (lunch and dinner only), and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. They will be open on New Year’s Eve during regular hours.

The restaurant, which opened in 1991, was a testament to Southwest Florida’s resiliency after Hurricane Ian.

It was a favorite spot for many. After Ian, it also became a bit of a tourist attraction. A yacht is wedged between Bill’s and the restaurant’s next-door neighbor.

Bonita Bill's

After the storm, a sign was hung above the bar as a reminder of Ian’s surge.

Bonita Bill's

The restaurant was put up for sale in June.

Bill Semmer, the owner of Semmer Electric and Bonita Bill’s, died on Jan. 20, 2023, at the age of 76.

Their online store should be launched by the end of the year.

From their website, you’ll be able to purchase tanks, tees, sweaters, hats and visors.

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