March 29, 2016

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Best Sarasota Restaurants. Seafood Edition

We’ve got some great seafood spots to tell you about! 🐟

 

This is one of the hardest cuisine categories to narrow. I mean, this was tough. There are SO MANY fantastic places in Sarasota to eat super fresh and delicious seafood. We’ve got seafood spots that range from a fine dining experience to the seafood shack. And just about every point in between. One thing that we’ve discovered, there are no cookie-cutter seafood places on this list. They’re all unique in their own seafoodness.

The Best Sarasota Restaurants | Seafood

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Captain Curt’s Crab & Oyster Bar

Clam chowder! If you’ve ever been to Curt’s, you already know what I’m talking about. The award-winning clam chowder is off-the-charts great. And they sell it in cans for you to make at home. Also, a wide selection of crab here (as the name would suggest). A super casual place to take the whole family for a seafood night out. The Sniki Tiki has live music daily.
Capt. Curt’s | 1200 Old Stickney Pt. Rd. | 941-349-3885 | Capt. Curt’s Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Casey Key Fish House

A local fav. Old Florida feel, including sand beneath your feet. This IS NOT the place to go if you’re looking for some kind of Sarasota fine dining experience. But if fresh, local seafood and cold drinks at prices that don’t require a second mortgage are what you’re looking for, then this is the spot for you!
Casey Key Fish House | 801 Blackburn Pt. Rd | 941-966-1901| Casey Key Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Crab & Fin

Now, this is a more upscale Sarasota seafood experience. Crab & Fin is a white tablecloth experience from start to finish. They have a daily menu change depending on what’s fresh and available at that moment. So, don’t be too disappointed if one of your favorite fin foods doesn’t appear that day, It’s just an opportunity to expand your seafood horizons. This is a great special occasion seafood spot.
Crab & Fin | 420 St. Armands Cir. | 941-388-3964 | Crab & Fin Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Dry Dock Waterfront Restaurant

Dry Dock is a Longboat Key staple. They were just purchased in 2015. So, the hope is that things stay as great as they’ve always been. Dry Dock sets itself apart from other Sarasota seafood restaurants being actually ON THE WATER. For boaters, they are located at Marker 6 and have three wet slips available. Dry Dock also has a daily happy hour from 3PM to 6PM.
Dry Dock | 412 Gulf of Mexico Dr. | 941-383-0102 | Dry Dock Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Fin’s at Sharky’s

This relatively new addition to the Sharky’s family is already making a name for itself in the world of Sarasota seafood. A very upscale menu includes a big array of sushi and sashimi. Loads of oyster varieties and a big list of traditional local seafood items. For non-seafood types, they offer a real nice dry aged 18oz. bone-in rib eye steak!
Fin’s at Sharkey’s | 1600 Harbor Dr. S., Venice | 941-999-3467 | Fin’s Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | The Lobster Pot

Right smack in the middle of Siesta Village. The Lobster Pot offers a mix of very traditional east coast seafood and Florida favorites. They have a killer Lobster Bisque. You’ll want to order at least a cup of that, for sure. New England Searolls and lobster everything fills out this family-friendly Sarasota seafood menu. The village can be busy. The Lobster Pot offers valet parking!
Lobster Pot | 5157 Ocean Blvd. | 941-349-23-23 | Lobster Pot Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Marina Jack’s

This is one of the places you take out-of-town guests for the view, the outdoor atmosphere, and the classic Sarasota lifestyle feel. You can dine outdoors to live music. Or inside in a more formal setting with a great water view. Their seafood selections are traditional but well prepared. You really are going to Marina Jacks for the overall “on vacation” experience.
Marina Jack’s | 2 Marina Plaza | 941-365-4243| Marina Jack’s website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Mar Vista

Located at the north end of Longboat Key, Mar Vista has a fantastic, casual old Florida feel. Dine inside or out. Although I highly recommend outdoors. Oh, the Bud & Old Bay Shrimp Bowl is a slam-dunk winner. It has a little Maryland mixed with a bit of New Orleans. For boaters: You can arrive by boat at ICW Marker 39. That would be a stylish way to take in Mar-Vista!
Mar Vista | 760 Broadway St., LBK | 941-383-2391 | Mar Vista Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Owen’s Fish Camp

This Burns Court restaurant is super popular. In season, it can be a pretty tough seat to get. But if you’re patient, it will be worth the wait. The laid-back, old house setting fits the culinary style perfectly. There are not a ton of menu choices. I like that, actually. Lots and lots of fresh seafood. The one standout that should not be missed is the Low Country Boil For Two. Crab Legs, Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, Andouille Sausage, Potatoes & Corn. Spread all this out on some newspaper and dig in!
Owen’s Fish Camp | 516 Burns Ct. | 941-951-6936 | Owen’s Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar

A family place if there ever was one. Picnic tables, paper towels, you know the setup. There is no better way to eat casual seafood than these kinds of places. The Norfolks and Creek Steamer Pots (for 2) are delicious. And the Maryland Spice Shrimp has just the right amount of Old Bay to make it really pop. Cold beer is served, and you can sit outside right at the water’s edge. That’s how you eat seafood here in Sarasota!
Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar | 5353 S. Tamiami Trl. | 941-925-4444 | Phillippi Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Pier 22

Upscale Sarasota seafood. Or, more precisely, Bradenton. Fantastic fresh Florida seafood, along with great water views. A 225 slip marina lets those who enjoy arriving by boat do so in style. There’s a casual but still elegant outdoor dining area at Pier 22. They feature a fresh catch of the day along with lots of other “always on the menu” options. For the carnivore, Friday and Saturday feature 8, 12, and 16oz. prime rib.
Pier 22 | 1200 1st Ave. W., Bradenton | 941-748-8087 | Pier 22 Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Siesta Key Oyster Bar

When you hear folks around town talk about SKOB, this is the place! The Siesta Key Oyster Bar is one of the hottest spots in Siesta Village. And OYSTER is in their name! You can get a fantastic fish taco here. Talk about a Happy Hour. From 3pm to 6pm every day, SKOB features a dozen oysters for 7 bucks. Or a bowl of steamed NOLA crawfish with andouille sausage and corn. A great stop after the beach too.
SKOB | 5238 Ocean Blvd. | 941-346-5443| SKOB’s Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | The Sandbar

The farthest north of all of our favorite Sarasota Seafood spots. The Sandbar is located at the north end of Anna Maria Island. But it’s worth the trip. It’s right smack on the sand (as you might have guessed from the name). Relax, unwind, and order up a cold beer and some Sandbar Smoked Fish Dip. The entree prices aren’t seafood shack, but the food and the atmosphere are genuine Florida beach-style. You’ll love it!
The Sandbar | 100 Spring Ave., Anna Maria Isl. | 941-778-0444 | Sandbar Website

Sarasota Seafood Restaurant | Walt’s Fish Market

Walt’s is back! After a few years of trying to figure out what they wanted to be, Walt’s has it completely dialed in. One of the best all-in-one seafood market and seafood restaurant combos in town. The fish market itself has just about every variety of Florida seafood you could want. The restaurant menu cooks all of that up just right! Plus, the new outdoor tiki bar with live music completes the picture. Where else in town sells LIVE Blue Crabs!?
Walt’s Fish Market | 4144 S. Tamiami Trl. | 941-921-4605 | Walt’s Website

There you have it. Those are our TOP 15 Sarasota seafood restaurants. FYI – They’re in alphabetical order for your convenience. These are OUR fifteen favorites. Oh, if your favorite seafood place didn’t make our list, please add it in the comments section and let the rest of the world know that we left one out. We can’t do all the work, you know. You’ve got to help out. 

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