The Blue Marlin is a small and intimate restaurant with delicious food! Make sure to get the lobster grilled cheese, it was the best!! read more

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1st time here - we live in downtown Sarasota. We were looking for a quaint/"off the beaten path" vibe. Service was great... Parking was interesting, offsite, parked my Range Rover between garbage trucks in a spot marked "public works parking only" ..then someone drives you back on a golf cart...outside table next to two people playing reggae covers, it was so loud it made any conversation (even with our waiter) almost impossible. Drunk people dancing & filming themselves. Otherwise, outside would be nice. Table next to us was a group of 5 extremely intoxicated adults w/ a toddler. Unfortunately, food wasn't great - entrees $38-$49 for greasy potatoes, asparagus & a average sized piece of grouper covered in some sort of batter that seemed like a cracker... the entire time, you're thinking ...did this really cost $65 plus salads and drinks came to $195 for two adults -I'll stick to Shore LBK and Harry's moving forward. Better atmosphere with food that never disappoints! read more

Ok. So I've passed this place many times. Looked very cool. We decided to have NY Eve dinner there. The good - very comfy place. Nice little bar. Outside featured live music. Service - bartenders were good and very nice. Ordered the Sautéed Black Grouper with yellow rice and cheese grits. Partner ordered a Peanut Salad and Potato soup. The not so good - server was a bit how you say 'inexperienced.' But not a bad fellow. The grouper came either blacked or sautéed. I like it grilled. It was just ok. Sides were ok. My partner said the salad had too much dressing. She said the potato soup was good. We asked for Key Lime pie which was shown on the menu. They brought us a Guava-Lime pie which wasn't what I wanted but that's what they said they had. It's was just ok although let's say not beloved by my partner. Can't say much more other than it's a bit overpriced there. It's was a nice place with a good vibe so I give it that. read more

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We were so excited that Blue Marlin had finally reopened. The space was beautifully updated and honored the original space. Ample seating indoor & out plus an expanded bar. A lot of the old staff came back, a great sign when we arrived. Tonight's menu felt very similar to pre-hurricane menu. We got two grouper dishes (pecan crusted and blackened over Parmesan pasta) and both were incredible. Added on shishito peppers, shrimp curry puffs, corn bread, and a very unique onion dish that I can best describe as a soup-less French onion soup. Service was excellent, and cocktails were good, if small. My only complaint was that the beer menu dropped off - they used to carry a nice variety on tap and local brews but mostly bland big-name beers now. I'll definitely be back again, glad to have it in the rotation of great local restaurants! read more

Food very pricey but just average quality. We had two salads that were flavorless. Also had fish tacos that were two small tacos with very little fish. The white clam chowder was ok, but a bit salty. The server was good. Not going back anytime soon. read more

We showed up post-hurricane with no reservation, a newborn baby, and zero expectations--except maybe to be turned away. But instead, we were welcomed like old friends. Huge thanks to the amazing woman at the outside bar who got us a seat inside--you made our night! We were celebrating our 1-year anniversary while grieving the recent loss of two close friends, so emotions were high. But Blue Marlin lifted our spirits in the best way. The Grouper Fettuccine? Life-changing. The Thai Nugs? Crispy happiness. Drinks? Yes, please--and they were perfect. Bri and Morgan gave us top-notch service with warmth and humor. We felt taken care of in every way. This wasn't just dinner. It was a beautiful, healing experience we'll never forget. Blue Marlin is now officially our place. Thank you for turning a hard week into something joyful. read more

Blue Marlin - The only photo we snapped. We ate too fast and had too much fun - New American Near Me - Bradenton Beach, Florida

We were regulars before the hurricane - went for the first time since they reopened this weekend. They've rebuilt it and it looks great inside - more room. The menu was super limited since reopening. Barely any appetizers. Very few food items to choose from. With that being said - the service was absolutely terrible. Our waitress was borderline hateful and couldn't care less about our experience. For a fine dining spot on the island - they have a ways to go to get back to what we're used to there. read more

We are in Anna Maria multiple times a year and always walk by this place and think we need to try it, but saw the prices on the menu and decided to wait until we are not paying for 6-8 people. (This place is very pricey) We made our first trip with 4 of us and were really impressed with the food and service. A nice upscale restaurant on the bridge street walkway. We enjoyed the Margaritas; and I also tried a few other cocktails and was happy with them as well. We recommend these dishes: Lobster grilled cheese Grouper fish tacos as Grouper is "their specialty" Shrimp grits and Glt sandwich A nice place to grab a good meal while on the island! read more

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Food was okay. Our bill wasn't terrible for what we thought we were getting, but the execution lacked. The only thing good about our experience: the potato soup. Loved it so much! Croutons were amazing. I ordered the filet, brown butter sage potatoes, and corn muffins with honey butter. I received a burnt & dry steak, no brown butter potatoes, & no honey butter with my muffins. My husband ordered the seafood stew. My husband said his seafood part of his food was delicious, but the stew itself lacked flavor. Service. There was none. Our waitress, Jamie, brought us drinks and took our order. She wasn't friendly. She wasn't attentive. We never saw her again. I had to flag down someone to get our check and the same person came back and took our card. Ambiance. Terrible. Five drunk people at the bar and the bartender kept on serving. Cussing like sailors. And louder than imaginable. So much for romantic dinner. Cleanliness. DESPICABLE. FRUIT FLIES EVERYWHERE. Could this have been from us sitting near the bar..yes. Should that even be an excuse? No! Clean your bottles. Clean the bar. I couldn't even finish my food. See pictures of the fruit flies. Thanks for a non romantic and nasty experience. read more

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Nothing special about this restaurant. Watered down cocktails, music so loud you can hardly have a conversation and $30.00 for a very small portion of shrimp and grits is crazy. Pecan salad was nothing more than a couple of handfuls of mixed greens and with only a sprinkle of goat cheese and about 6 pecans. No reason to return. read more

Food was excellent. Service was excellent. The whole staff was happy and so kind. The vibe was perfect. a memorable night was had by all! read more

Blue Marlin - Outdoor seating area - New American Near Me - Bradenton Beach, Florida

I was recommended Blue Marlin from family that visited about a year ago, but was extremely disappointed in my experience. Our shrimp appetizer was very good but the Cioppino was extremely underwhelming. My wife got the Caesar salad (delicious) and the lobster bisque that was under seasoned - she was hoping for a creamier and more decadent bisque. The lobster tail and shrimp in the Cioppino were very chewy and the dish lacked flavor. Our fried green tomato side had good flavor but was soggy. The staff seemed less than amused to have customers on the night we were in, but we are hoping the experience was just an off night. read more

Blue Marlin - New American Near Me - Bradenton Beach, Florida

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Excellent, grouper dishes excellent appetizers. Excellent, live music excellent service. What more would you like? read more

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I was excited to get back to the Blue Marlin but have to say that I was very disappointed. We had been there years ago and finally made it back for a week at AMI and my first thought was getting a meal there. The menu these days is VERY limited for choices and unfortunately most of the options did not suit our taste as we like getting catch of the day specials. We had made a reservation so felt obligated to stay and eat. If you are looking for a place to have a drink and an appetizer this might be for you but in my opinion it is not a good dinner option. read more

Always my choice when looking for good food on the island. Their pecan crusted grouper is amazing as is the GLT sandwich. They offer kombucha on tap as well as a variety of craft beers. We have been coming for years and I have literally never had a bad dish. Live music outside on the weekends. Service is always exceptional. If you are looking for an exceptional dinner on Anna Maria Island, this is your place! read more

Blue Marlin - Pecan crusted grouper - New American Near Me - Bradenton Beach, Florida

Our first visit; this place would totally be a five except for one thing. Our server Tim was 10 out of 10 with his food and wine recommendations. We started with one of the specials, a smoked fish dip. Amazing, and a very large portion. I had the pecan grouper (nice portion, soft buttery fish) and my wife had the Thai grouper (awesome dish, spralized veggies). So why not five stars? We sat on the patio on a night that had a feels like temp of 95. They have this great fan setup that made it very comfortable. They sat the table next to us with folks that didn't like the blowing air and asked their server to turn off the fans. We heard this and told our server no way as it's so friggin hot out here. Next thing we know fans are off. I left with a wet shirt because I was sweating so much. This is a patio of maybe eight tables and they catered to the privileged one at the expense of the other seven. Will we be back, a big maybe at this point. read more

My boyfriend and I went to the Blue Marlin based off of a recommendation from the owners of the condo we were renting. We were told you had to have a reservation, as the restaurant is small. We are glad we did, because people did get turned away at the door. The service was amazing. It was our one year anniversary, and everyone stopped by to congratulate us. They also brought us complimentary champagne. The food was overall just ok. We ordered the Lobster Grilled Cheese as an appetizer, and it was good except the lobster inside was cold. We ate it, but it definitely wasn't as good as it could have been. The cheesy grits were good and made up for it some. We were enjoying our night, so I opted not to say anything as the dish came so highly recommended from our hosts. We also got complimentary honey butter biscuits, and my boyfriend loved them which was nice! Shortly after, the Pecan Grouper and the Low Country Seafood Stew arrived. My boyfriend loved his stew. I tried it and agreed it was delicious, however, I did not love my grouper. The crust fell off and revealed a very plain fish. The pesto potatoes were good. Overall, it was mediocre at best especially for the price. The cocktails we ordered were pretty good. The restaurant was cute, and others seemed to love it. I think I could be persuaded to go again for the service, and order different dishes. I think I just had higher expectations considering the prices, which is on me! read more

Blue Marlin - Pecan Grouper - New American Near Me - Bradenton Beach, Florida

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The blue marlin on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach is a spot to search out if you're looking for fantastic fresh seafood preparations with local touches that never disappoint !! From the freshest black grouper and snapper to the shrimp Thai egg rolls, their soups and salads are solid offerings as well and the relaxed service by Brie and superb drinks from Drew made our holiday night out just superb !! go try this quaint seaside cottage putting out some power packed flavors I'm sure you will enjoy read more

We were advised to Make a rez because the restaurant is small. So,we went at 5:00, right when they open. Nearly every table was taken when we left at 6:30. I had blackened Blk Grouper & substituted cheesy grits for the rice (Well worth the 1.00 upcharge!) & hubby had the pecan encrusted grouper. OMG! Both were amazing but the delicate pecans from a farm outside Macon were so perfectly prepared... it was our favorite. We shared the key lime creme brule' for dessert and were not disappointed. I can't wait to have the guava key lime pie that we got to go, for breakfast!!! Everyone was so pleasant, but ask for Shepherd. He has a wedding in Jersey to pay for! heh Heh HEH Kudos to the mgr for the table visits and Chef for the yummy food! It's obvious how much pride the whole team has in this wonderful place! Parking on Bridge street is difficult but they offer a shuttle. read more

I always wanted to try that place, beautiful and cozy restaurant, I had the Clams Linguini, very good and a big portion. The only issue was our server, not very pleasant, zero smile, bad posture. Sad about that for the price of that place. I want to try more food but definitely another server. read more

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Sevice tonight was excellent. We had two waiters outside while listening to great jazz musicians. The salted edamame was delicious and so much better than bread. My old fashioned was spot on. They have a spectacular bourbon or whiskey selection. We started with the Cesar salad that was cool and crisp with the correct amount of dressing. I had the whole fried snapper and it was white and flaky sooogood. My wife had the shrimp and grits. The shrimp were fresh and delicious. We had the best night. Can't wait to return. read more

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Great place on AMI! Went here for my daughters birthday, group of 6. As you can imagine great seafood, they have a filet not on the menu and some (not many) vegetarian options for those of you who don't like fish. Oh and save room for the Pecan Cheesecake! For the kids, small but nice options. Additionally they have sandwiches and burger on the menu as well. Small cute place, outside seating that I did not explore. If you are vacationing on AMI, save one night to come here ... walk Bridge St. before/after dinner. COVID status - you have to use OpenTable for inside dining reservation; call them for outdoor reservations. Mask required, but not at the table. Employees wearing masks. read more

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We hadn't been to the Blue Marlin in well over a year. It's a bit a drive from east Bradenton and we tend to visit a competitor when in the area due to their sunset views. But, I had an expired "Eat Like a Local" $25 coupon worth it's $17.50 purchase price so we made a reservation to eat there and then hit the beach for a sunset afterwards. Let me start the review with raves about our server Jamie, who paid just a perfect amount of attention to us and made some great recommendations. We had the Blue Marlin Salad to start and it was perfect. Then we shared the pasta with house made alfredo sauce and blackened Black Grouper chunks. It was AMAZING. The serving was easily sharable and we had enough left over to take care of my lunch needs tomorrow. Can't wait. When it came time to check out the restaurant honored the bonus element to our coupon even though it had expired 14 months ago. And that was despite the fact that I specifically told Jamie that we had no expectations for that. So, will we be back? Yes, for sure, and next time we'll bring some friends. read more

Wow! We were driving through this small town and heard the live music, which drew us in, but the food and service proved to be just as spectacular! Food was divine. The restaurant perfectly charming. The music was the cherry on top! Tim and Hudson were great as well! Make sure to ask Hudson for the Melody beverage. :) (Peanut butter whiskey, kahlua and French press topped off with whip cream). You're welcome. read more

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Definitely would eat here again. Had a good experience sitting at the bar. We're bar people and this one is small so go early if you want to score a seat. I had the Grouper Dijonnaise, my bride had the Linguini and Clams and we both had the clam chowder. Both entrees were excellent but a bit disappointed in the chowder. Too many potatoes and didn't like the clam shells. Fresh clams yes, but not in the shell. Clam shells in linguini is a yes because it is a broth. In a creamy chowder, it is messy to pick them out. Sitting at the bar we met a nice couple from IN that had a place down there and ate at the bar regularly. Why we always sit at the bar, to meet nice people. They said the burger and the fish tacos are the best, which they ordered. By the looks of it I'd concur. Next time I'm going to try the Low Country Seafood Stew. Love that type of stuff. read more

Ridiculously overpriced. Three Grouper items on the menu each over $50??? Menu was unimaginative. My "Grouper Pecan" arrived dry, with no sauce, shriveled up asparagus. and an odd sweet potato side that didn't compliment the fish at all. Fellow diner had a Grouper Sandwich which could be found anywhere else on the island for less than half the price. The "Lobster Grilled Cheese" was a greasy mess. The stand out in our party was the Thai Grouper. Ambiance was nice, nautical. Service was fine except for an exceptionally long wait for entrees. This is an honest review of a first time visit. Can't imagine going back and paying over the top prices for local caught fish. read more

I visit Florida twice a year and I always eat here at least once during my trips. Never been disappointed

Great little hidden gem that was recommended to us to try. We started with the clams which were amazing in an amazing butter sauce. Then we each had the blue marlin salad which was really good, it had strawberries, sweet pecans and I believe goat cheese. The dressing was great!! Hubby had the shrimp and grits and the shrimp large and fresh and the grits were yummy. I had the blacken grouper which was the catch of the day with the brussel sprouts and potatoes. The fish was a bit to salty for me, maybe to much seasoning not sure. Our overall experience was really good. And would definitely come back and try something new. Staff was super friendly and service was great! Highly recommend!! read more

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This is one of the few restaurants on the island that takes reservations and they took us in as soon as we arrived. We opted for outdoor seating which was a bit on the hit and humid side given that the restaurant does not face the wafer and Florida evenings do get very muggy. However, our server rectified the issue by putting a large fan that blew air our direction. This helped dramatically. For appetizers we got the steamed clams and the Cortez cracker shrimp. The clams came with a delicious garlic butter base which we just couldn't get enough of. The Cortez shrimps were battered with Cajun cornmeal -- they say lightly dusted but they had a significant coating of batter. They tasted great but were a bit more fried than I would have liked. For dinner, I got the pecan grouper which came with crushed pretzel and pecan crust with honey butter.It was very good as was the blackened fish Alfredo. The cocktails were excellent here and the service was professional. read more

Blacken Grcouper with potatoes and broccoli delicious Black Grouper came for the snapper but they did not have any today this was a good substitute read more

Blue Marlin - New American Near Me - Bradenton Beach, Florida

every year this is my favorite meal. Parking is a little tricky, you definitely need to know that when you pull up to the restaurant they have a golf cart valet they will follow you to their parking lot. Otherwise it's impossible to park. Decor and ambience is super cute very old Florida vibe to it. Bartenders are great, they know how to mix some nice drinks in the wine list is fairly varied and fun. Everyone who works here is super friendly. But the most important thing is the seafood is extremely fresh and everything is really, really good read more

I highly recommend this restaurant. We were celebrating a friend's birthday and it was just an outstanding experience from start to finish. We had reservations and were seated right away. The service was outstanding in every way. The food was mouthwatering. Amazing!! They brought a desert with a candle for her birthday. You, definitely have to make reservations ahead of time. I made them before I left home. Thank you to the staff and the chef for making our experience so delightful. read more

Try the rice. It is the best I have EVER had. Ordered the Wahoo special last night and the entire dish was amazing to my tastebuds. Drew, the bartender, is welcoming and loved that he is still there after having his help back last year. This place is a true hidden gem. So happy we found it. read more

This was our least favorite restaurant while visiting. Our waitress didn't have any suggestions on what is good. She did suggest a cocktail, which I ordered, it was not good at all. The lobster grilled cheese was just ehh. Take it or leave it. The grouper was ok nothing special about it. read more

The shrimp and grits pairs great with a dry red wine. We sat at the bar and had great service and recommendations from the server! Pricey, but very nice experience. read more

Blue Marlin - Shrimp and Grits. - New American Near Me - Bradenton Beach, Florida

The food here is great. I had the pecan and pretzel covered grouper which came with asparagus and sweet potato slices. The portion of sweet potato was very small, and obviously there wasn't a lot of asparagus. We could have used some bread, rather than edamame, which was served with the table. We had the guava key lime pie, which was also very good. I'm not upset, and would head back, but the prices are steep. The slice of pie was $12, and not big. The fish at $44 also seemed on the high side compared to other nice restaurants. The live music was really fun. Apparently they have it on weekends, but the whole week of Christmas. They can't get five stars because they deleted our reservation and blamed it on open table. It was clearly the guy that did it... it happened right before we arrived. Not the biggest deal because they found us a small table, but I don't like people or companies that obviously do bad things and then lie about it. There is no excuse and they are lucky to still get four stars. read more

We were seated promptly the staff was amazing. Food was excellent the Grouper was so delicious.

Great food and drinks! Service was excellent and atmosphere was very relaxing. Delicious food and kid friendly. read more

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Three margaritas $45. No buzz at all. Food good. Drinks not so good ! ambiance great. Service great !

My boyfriend and I came down to Bradenton for a quiet getaway and were looking forward to trying some fresh seafood. We heard about blue Marlin online and decided to give it a try it was a little difficult to find parking but we found the best way to secure a parking spot was to park alongside the beach rather than try to park near the restaurant. It was about a 5 minute walk. We went on a Wednesday night at about 7pm, did not have a reservation and only had to wait about 20 minutes. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the items on the menu and gave us great recommendations. Appetizer: We started with the crab cake appetizer which was AMAZING - I could have licked the plate clean! It was fresh and not fishy. The chef didn't drench the crab cake in the remoulade sauce - there was just enough and it was incredible! We got 2 very generous sized crab cakes. We also got the Steak Ajillo which my boyfriend LOVED. It came with a Crustini and was loaded with cooked garlic. While there was a lot of garlic, it wasn't overpowering to the dish. There was a great au jus with it to dip the bread in which was fantastic. The meat was thin and cooked perfectly. Main Course: My boyfriend got the special of the day which was a Thai Red Snapper with Brown Rice, Julienne Vegetables and a hush puppy. I tried a bite and was blown away. The fish was cooked perfectly and nearly melted in my mouth! The Thai sauce was more of a sweet chili sauce that really helped to elevate the dish. The vegetables were cooked through but not over cooked. They still had a little crunch to them. The fish was a decent size portion it was a little bigger than the palm of my hand. I have never liked Alfredo sauce, but was in the mood for pasta and thought I would give the blackened fish Alfredo a shot and I am SO happy I did! The pasta was not over cooked and there was the perfect amount of sauce without causing it to feel like my food was drenched. The sauce was so creamy and cheesy and AMAZING I couldn't stop! The fish came in smaller chunks and was seasoned absolutely perfectly. Sometimes with blackened seasoning I find there is way too much but this was the perfect amount to give a little kick to the fish and it was paired perfectly with the creamy, cheesy Alfredo sauce. Our server came over to check on us and we couldn't even speak - our mouths were full and it was just SO good! Drinks: Calusa beer on draft - we were recommended to try this beer by a local and it did not disappoint. We aren't usually IPA beer drinkers but this blew us away. It wasn't super hoppy it looked kind of like an orange juice, but wasn't sweet. It was smooth and very tasty! Also very cool that it is locally brewed! Service: Our server was amazing. Very attentive, funny and kind. He was very helpful and provided recommendations when we asked without being pushy. The staff were all fantastic! Cleanliness: The restaurant is smaller, but very clean and decorated nicely. Bathrooms were kept up and the overall atmosphere of the place was great! Pricing: We found this restaurant to be a little pricier than some others that we visited on our trip. However when you take into account the quality of the food and the service the location and even the portion sizes you are definitely getting a bargain when you come to Blue Marlin. It was well worth the price! In all our bill was $118 for 1 corona, 2 Draft Calusa beers, 1 order of crab cakes (2 in an order), 1 order of steak Ajillo, 1 special of the day - Thai Red Snapper and 1 Blackened Fish Alfredo. If I could I would give this place 10 stars! We will definitely be recommending and visiting again when we visit Bradenton again! read more

Blue Marlin - Blackened Fish Alfredo (bottom) & special of the day "Thai Red Snapper - Julienne Vegetables " Hush Puppies (came with the snapper) - New American Near Me - Bradenton Beach, Florida