Castaways becomes more beach club, less bar and grill

Have we all been sleeping on Castaways, or just me?

I haven't been to the North Avenue Beach spot in more than a decade, and even then I don't think I tried the food.

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Driving the news: Stefani Restaurant Group closed Castaways Bar and Grill last summer for a $3 million renovation to transform the restaurant in a faux shipwreck to the more modern Castaways Beach Club.

• It reopened Memorial Day weekend.

Dig in: The food also got an upgrade with new Mediterranean-inspired dishes alongside a lobster roll and classic wraps.

Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios

Best bites: The watermelon and beet salad with feta was a nice balance of the peppery arugula with sweet, fresh watermelon that was firm enough to prevent the salad from getting sloppy. ($17)

• The grilled veggie wrap with tomatoes, squash and zucchini was a little messier with a generous slathering of harissa mayo that made it super-spicy. ($17)
• If it hadn't been a work day, I might have sprung for the frozen Sevilla Sunset with orange gin and lavender ($16) but instead had a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri ($9).

Jaws of the Lake is a $140 cocktail for the table with rum, pineapple, mango, orange and grenadine. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios

The vibe: Fairly laid back on a hot weekday late afternoon, but with a very loud soundtrack of MC Hammer, Shakira and Rick Astley.

If you go: Don't drive! I pulled an amateur move and paid $25 to park in the beach parking lot.

• Castaways Beach Club is open every day 11am-10pm and located at 1603 N. DuSable Lake Shore Drive.