Krystian Martinez named general manager of Bonita Fish Company

HM Restaurant Group has promoted Krystian Martinez to general manager of Bonita Fish Company, Fort Myers Beach’s newest restaurant. Martinez, an employee of the restaurant group for eight years, most recently worked at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille on Sanibel Island.

“Krystian is a remarkable leader who embodies our focus on gracious hospitality and customer service,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group, which is transforming the former Bonita Bill’s into a destination seafood restaurant. “He has worked his way from server to a managerial position at several of our restaurants in just a few years.”

HM Restaurant Group owns and operates Bonita Fish Company as well as the neighboring Dixie Fish Company and Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille on Fort Myers Beach and is envisioning a revitalization of Fisherman’s Wharf as a destination for dining, entertainment and waterfront and marina access.

“I look forward to introducing Bonita Fish Company’s exciting new concept to Southwest Florida with amazing food, service and atmosphere,” Martinez said. “I’m also excited about training and coaching staff and helping them gain the confidence they need to surpass their goals.”

Opening this fall, Bonita Fish Company will feature coastal-inspired cuisine focusing on fresh seafood, a large center bar, daily live entertainment and picturesque views of Matanzas Pass. The new restaurant will offer 300 indoor and outdoor seats and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. An independently operated floating dock marina with 30 slips will cater to boat-in customers, provide long-term rentals and accommodate boats up to 90 feet with shore power and water.

Bonita Fish Company will also feature Bayside Private Events, an indoor-outdoor waterfront event venue accommodating plated dinners for 70 guests and up to 150 people for standing receptions. It’s one of a select few standalone waterfront event spaces in Lee County.

Martinez began his managerial career with Doc Ford’s on Fort Myers Beach, transferred to Dixie Fish Company in 2020 and two years later was at Doc Ford’s Sanibel location.

“Each restaurant provided a different challenge but with a very similar goal of amazing hospitality that not only helped me learn how to grow but also adapt to master any situation,” Martinez said. “It never feels like work. You meet locals and people from all over the world and get to be a part of a celebration of all kinds. I also have the privilege of working with some of the most amazing groups of individuals.”

Originally built in 1926 as Bonita Fish House, the nearly century-old restaurant has a storied past as a gathering place for the Fort Myers Beach community. Like the neighboring Dixie Fish Company, the new restaurant pays homage to the heritage and history of old Florida fish houses.

Philanthropy and community outreach are engrained in HM Restaurant Group’s philosophy. Proceeds from specialty cocktails at Doc Ford’s have raised over $133,000 to support children’s hospitals in Southwest Florida and St. Petersburg. HM Restaurant Group also supports local nonprofit organizations dedicated to conservation, community, education and the environment. The “Ding” Darling Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament has donated over $1.57 million for conservation and water-quality research at Sanibel’s J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge since its inception in 2012. The 14th annual tournament is May 15, 2026.