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    Blue Marlin

    4.2 (497 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Blue Marlin Photos

    Business Info

    BLUE MARLIN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Blue Marlin

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    The only photo we snapped. We ate too fast and had too much fun
    Melissa L.

    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.

    Shrimp and grits
    Christina A.

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

    Amanda T.

    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!

    Pecan Grouper
    Maddie B.

    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!

    Filet
    Sara G.

    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.

    Outdoor seating area

    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!

    Justin W.

    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.

    Outside deck with live great jazz!
    Vincent A.

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

    Pecan crusted grouper
    Laura K.

    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!

    Linguini White Clam
    Tom K.

    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.

    Edamame
    Dwaine C.

    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.

    The Snapper Tacos - a must!

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    3 years ago

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

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    2 years ago

    Too darn expensive for the quality of food. Service is very good. We can't justify going back.

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    3 years ago

    Wonderful neighborhood restaurant-if your in the area it's a nice spot to dine. We had there special and it was just fine.

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    3 years ago

    Adorable little resteraunt, pricy, (like everything on the beach!) but the food was great and the portions were good size.

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    Page 2 of 13

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    Bridge Street Bistro

    Bridge Street Bistro

    3.4
    (232 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I'll start with the food. Had the surf and turf and it was good, not great but it was good enough…read morefor my standards. Steak was cooked exactly as requested, decent flavor. The seafood accompaniment was adequate and filling. Also had a side house salad, which seemed fresh and also very nice. Good wine selection and I can't complain about the beer that I ordered. If you're comparing to a top ranked seafood restaurant in Miami or Tampa, look elsewhere. The prices were fair and I would probably go back there if I were in town again. The only weird part was the service. It was great for the first 45 minutes and then the waitress just literally disappeared. Mike was gone for 20 minutes until we finally had to ask another waiter for our check. They probably could've gotten me for a few more drinks if they had tried. I was going to get three stars, but I think they do deserve four stars for overall experience.

    I placed a reservation for a party of five on open table. We were one of three parties at the…read moreestablishment. Our waitress was unfriendly, inattentive and didn't seem to want to be there. Upon asking questions regarding the menu, she did not provide answers and was frustrated when one of our party members was not sure what wellness level they would like their fish cooked to, as they had never been offered an option at previous restaurants. No smile, no how are you doing, just frustrated and in a hurry to get it over with. The food was nothing special. High price, low quality. You'd have a better experience going to longhorn steakhouse any day. One person in our party was sick to their stomach later that night. I would not return for a second experience.

    Photos
    Bridge Street Bistro
    Filet Mignon
    Filet Mignon
    Bridge Street Bistro

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    The Doctor’s Office

    The Doctor’s Office

    3.9
    (290 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$$

    Ok. I've done all sorts of Yelp searches for this area, and but somehow i missed this place on my…read moreradar. As we wandered about looking for someplace for dinner (the place we had intended for the evening was maxed out with one large party, so needed to look elsewhere) realized we just happened upon a place we had driven by a couple of times called "The Doctors Office". They had a beautiful garden area outside where people were dining, but it was a pretty warm night, so decided to check out the inside - where we found a really cool space and were greeted by the host asking: "Do you have an appointment?" (Get it? Doctors office...reservations...appointment!? Too cute a play on the doctor's office thing! : ) Well, we did NOT have said appointment (and the main dining area was quite full!) but thankfully there was one table remaining in the back lounge area, which was through a hidden door made to look like a bookshelf! This area also had its own cool vibe. Waiter (Matt) immediately placed two little medicine cups in front of us - to sample their cherry rum punch. Delish. I ordered a cocktail (cannot recall the name but along the lines of a manhattan) while my DH stayed with red wine (boooooo-ring! ; ) We shared the smoked salmon appetizer (super yummo!) Then on to dinner. OK, we're talking seafood country here! But, over the course of the several days we've been here, I ordered seafood every single time. I adore seafood but was ready for something else. So, was being realistic when I ordered something on the beef realm. Got the short rib dish and it did not disappoint. It was excellent. Maybe not the "easily shredded with a fork" ones I have had elsewhere, but certainly super tasty and not at all tough or fatty. DH got the shrimp-lobster tacos and said they were incredible! No leftovers coming home with this guy! Our waiter, Matt, was new to this establishment (but not waitering) and was attentive and personable - above and beyond. Would highly recommend. No, you're not going to get any water views (this place is sort of hidden away in an obscure spot behind a plaza) but well worth the visit!

    Have been wanting to go to this place for years and finally went and unfortunately it was…read moreunderwhelming. I feel like the drinks used to be a lot more creative from what I saw on their socials and from what my friend said who went back in the day it used to be more of a speakeasy elevated cocktail vibe versus a tiki/dive bar vibe. We had to ask for the chips that are supposed to be given complimentary and then we ordered bread and soup which literally took an unnecessary like 30 mins or more to come out as we watched the people on both sides of us get their full meals before us when we got items that just had to be reheated. The tomato soup was very good once it finally came out, the rolls were good but nothing as great as the hype in my opinion for the menu. The drinks were good but honestly the starter shot given at the bar was my favorite which was a hibiscus Pom margarita which I ended up getting fully as my second drink. Service started out hot but then went downhill but that is unfortunately the standard of when gratuity is already included in a check. Then when it came time to pay it got weird when there was a simple mix up when my friend intentionally overpaid even with gratuity involved in her check and the bartender asked her if she wanted change and she said yes but never brought it back. My friend gave 3 - 20s on a $38 check (gratuity) already in but she wanted to tip a few more dollars because she is a very generous person and then when she asked about her change that's when it got weird and the bartender made it seem like she didn't understand why she wanted change instead of just apologizing for the mistake and they went back and forth for a few minutes with the bartender ending up just giving her the extra $20 back. Just left a weird taste in our mouths for the experience when I feel like any bartender would understand what she wanted to do with giving extra larger bills to split especially when she said she wanted change and it was a massive overpayment or if the thought there was a very generous tip like 30% would make sure with guest that's what they want and show appreciation if that were the case. It was just weird how it all was handled. The decor was on point for Christmas and the vibe was very casual but oldie vibes which makes sense for it being in Anna Maria island.

    Photos
    Dude who stayed too long
    Dude who stayed too long
    Praline Alexandra with homemade ice cream!
    Praline Alexandra with homemade ice cream!
    Old fashioned, cinnamon stick that looks like a cigarette

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    Old fashioned, cinnamon stick that looks like a cigarette
    Island Time Bar & Grill

    Island Time Bar & Grill

    3.0
    (362 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Good music,sometimes too loud. All staff are friendly & efficient. Our favorite musician is Eric…read moreVon.

    I went to lunch with close friends and was told by the parking attendant that parking was "free"…read moreand that they "work for tips." However, as I was walking into the restaurant, I was immediately approached by an attendant named Eric who asked, word for word, "Would you like to take care of that tip now?" I was surprised and uncomfortable by being solicited for a tip before I had even entered the restaurant. I am usually a generous tipper, but the interaction felt pushy and inappropriate. Unfortunately, when we left, Eric was waiting in the parking lot and approached us again. He ran up to my car and repeated, "Would you like to take care of that tip?" The second interaction felt even more uncomfortable than the first. I was born and raised in Manatee County and am very familiar with the parking situations on the island and the etiquette surrounding tipping. In my opinion, if tips are expected to this extent, it would be better to charge a parking fee rather than repeatedly soliciting guests for gratuities. This experience left a negative impression and affected an otherwise enjoyable outing. I hope management addresses how parking attendants interact with customers, because experiences like this can reflect poorly on the business and discourage repeat visits.

    Photos
    Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones - a terrific band
    Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones - a terrific band
    Buffalo wings
    Buffalo wings
    View across the street

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    View across the street
    The Chateau Anna Maria

    The Chateau Anna Maria

    4.0
    (148 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    Loud and luxurious. That's the best way I can describe this…read morerestaurant. I was caught off-guard as we approached, wondering had I made a mistake. But the loud atmosphere meant that everyone present was enjoying themselves. And soon we'd find out why. We were greeted very warmly by the host and led to our table which was decorated beautifully for my friend's birthday (yay!). We started with the Lamb Chop Lollipops which were amazing! I'd love to have an entree of those babies! For entrees I ordered the burger, which honestly wasn't worth mentioning. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't memorable either. Just a burger. The star of the evening was the Snapper entree. For a little context, we had snapper at another restaurant, which my friend said was very good, but her face seemed only mildly pleased. When she took one bite of the Chateau Anna Maria snapper, she had the biggest smile on her face that she couldn't contain! I think the word she used was 'foodgasm.' I agreed, wishing I'd ordered it too. And if that weren't enough, they brought out a beautiful birthday donut served on its own little table complete with chocolate, caramel, and strawberry dipping sauces. Such a great touch! As we headed out we had some great conversation with a manager and a regional manager who happened to be in town. Both were delightful to talk to. As we exited, one of the bussers was playing the piano in the lobby. Overall a great experience, and we will be back if we're in the area!

    This is the spot to go for a delicious decadent meal with an attention to detail and service that…read moreis elevated without being uptight. The restaurant is located on the floor of a small hotel. Parking can be tricky but available. Tables vary from family style to banquettes and high tops. There is a full bar with ample seating. Florida casual attire, after all you're on an island. I started with the French Onion Soup and my husband had the escargot. Both were excellent. For dinner, I truly enjoyed the Chateaubriand which is served atop of a carrot purée and their own potato au gratin made with Bleu cheese. These unique potatoes are pie cut and blend perfectly with the meat. It's a symphony for your tastebuds. Dessert was the owner, Buddy, mom's Ricotta Cheesecake. Homemade, Yes! Decadent, Smooth and Delicious, Oh my Yes! Want more, Definitely Yes! This restaurant is a hidden treasure. Yes, it is priced at a higher rate than most restaurants in the area, but the quality and service is also at a higher standard unlike any in our area. A wonderful combination of relaxed, unpretentious and fine dining. Where friends can gather, families can make memories and love stories are built. We need them back in Sarasota. Make the reservation, take the drive to the island, to escape your reality for a couple of hours of the best meat and seafood dishes in a unique restaurant. Guarantee you will leave as part of the family.

    Photos
    Cute Fiance in the Entry
    Cute Fiance in the Entry
    Truffle Mushroom Ravioli
    Truffle Mushroom Ravioli
    Entry

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    Entry

    Blue Marlin - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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