Bonita Bill’s suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Ian on September 28, 2022. With a storm surge making its way to the ceiling, the docks being battered to oblivion, and boats still stuck in the marina; we are lucky to say we are still here. We survived.

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The primary restaurant structure and the event building amazingly did not receive have any severe structural damage … but boy did it come close! With efforts from Bonita Bill regulars, the local island community, volunteer organizations, and the Bonita Bill’s crew, under the leadership of founder and former owner Bill Semmer, the clean up began. Debris was removed, the buildings were stripped back to their bones, and boats were pushed off what was left of the docks and even the roof - but bit by bit, Bill uncovered Bonita Bill’s and he began the monuments task of putting it all back together.

 

Sadly, Bill was diagnosed with an aggressive form of melanoma in late 2022 and he passed away in January 2023, with his family by his side. His three children and now co-owners, rallied together to finish what he started – building back Bonita Bill’s. On March 18, 2023, Bonita Bill’s reopened.

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It’s been a long hard road, and there is still so much left to do, but we are determined to preserve this special place that all means so much to us, our family, our extended Bonita Bill’s family, and our community. Our goal is to build back and ensure that Bonita Bill’s is here for the next generation to carry on Bill’s dream.

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Whether this is your first trip to Bonita Bill’s or you are returning as an old friend, we thank you for your support and helping us to keep this dream alive – to remain a local family operation. We hope you will see the progress each trip make and that you enjoy this little piece of paradise just as we have all these years. We thank you for your patience and understanding as building will be a long, slow process but can promise you, we WILL build back!

 

Pictured: Bill Semmer's grand-daughter AnnaKat.