10/10 view and vibe. 6/10 food. Hula bay went down hill so it's the better of the two. Stays in rotation, if no wait, haven't had something bad just not special for price. Nightmare on Friday or Saturday. read more

Good is really good Service is hit or miss, hence the 4 Star Ambiance is really amazing looking out into the water. Wish the service could ? We will keep trying read more

After you're done driving by all the apartment buildings being built, you walk right into an open deck restaurant on the water. It's a tropical, relaxing atmosphere; great for relaxing with drinks and fresh food. The open-air waterfront views, relaxed coastal vibe, and spacious layout adds to its appeal. We had a few drinks that were well made, including their house margarita and mojitos. For appetizers, the coconut shrimp was a winner. Freshly fried and crunchy paired with a lovely lemon sauce. However, the real winner was the fried snapper. The portion was large enough for two people to share and throughly enjoy. Our welcoming and friendly waiter recommended the rum cake for desert. Although I'm not much for anything with nuts, it was delicious. 10/10 recommend. Being right on the water, Salt Shack is a great place to catch the sunset! Must check out when in Tampa. read more

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Food was terrible. Drinks were terrible, ice melted very fast. Service was good. Had an hour wait. Ambiance was good but we happened to get their on an evening that wasn't hot or raining. read more

Great food with a great view of Tampa Bay. The parking lot was packed, but we were seated immediately when we arrived. I ordered the grouper fish tacos and Yuka fries that come with this delicious Sofrito sauce on top. While waiting for our food to come, I enjoyed a refreshing real fruit mango daiquiri that was non-alcoholic. There was also live music. read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Mango Frozen Daiquiri - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Haven't had a mojito in a while and I'm so glad I tried it again. It was delicious. The oysters were sweet and buttery, so good!!! The mahi mahi tacos were delicious too. The mahi is a good size, so I was full enough after 2 of em. I can't wait to go back. Can't forget to mention the amazing view of the water. read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Mahi mahi tacos - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Really cute spot on the bayside. Definitely loved the vibe and atmosphere here. The drinks were pretty good and strong. The food was alright, we ordered the shrimp basket and fries and they were pretty average but still good. The service was quick and friendly. Definitely would come back for drinks and maybe an app. read more

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First time customer and I loved the atmosphere. It's right on the water with a cool tiki bar vibe. There is a dining area and a separate bar area that also has seating, as well as tables with umbrellas closer to the water. There is live music also. The menu is extensive with appetizers, salads, sandwiches and entrees. There is also a nice drink menu. I started with a margarita and our table of 4 shared the fish bites appetizer. Our server was rushing us so much and we just wanted to enjoy a leisurely Sunday afternoon so that was annoying. The fish bites were $17.25 and there were maybe 10 little pieces. Way overpriced, but at least they tasted ok. I ordered 2 chicken tacos with fries. They came out overfilled and were hard to eat, but they were tasty. Others weren't exceptionally happy with their meals. I think service was my big issue. She rushed us to order, but once we ordered we never saw her again for more drinks or just to check on us. After we paid, we went over to the bar area and had another drink. Nicer experience. read more

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My first review of Salt Shack was as a tourist, and now that I LIVE in Tampa, I am a frequent customer! This is a place you want to take all of your out of town guests to for dinner and cocktails. I stand by my first review that the grouper tacos, coconut shrimp, and island chicken sandwich are my fave menu items! The cocktails are STRONG and they also have a great selection of local craft beer. They have recently added more tables and expanding parking, because this place is popular and gets busy! Expect a wait on the weekends, but they have a text system so you can go find a cocktail and a view while you wait. Also, don't expect to overstay your welcome, they keep a pretty strict time limit on tables, and if you are done eating, they will kindly bring your check over. All in all, a quintessential Tampa experience! read more

Atmosphere - Great! Located on the water, the restaurant has one of, if not the best, tiki bar type experiences in the Tampa area. There are tons of tables, great views and live music. Service - Far short of acceptable. Our server was constantly trying to rush us and never checked with us after our food was served. Food - Just OK. The menu is heavily weighted to seafood. I shared an appetizer of fish bites. There were roughly 10 tiny pieces that were just OK. I ordered the grouper basket. The grouper was served as small bites that were lightly batter and lightly fried, which made for a very nice meal. The French Fries were lightly seasoned, but barely warm. Unfortunately, I expected more than 6-8 very small pieces and warm fries. Overall - If I were to return it would be for the atmosphere. read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Salt Shack on The Bay is a personal favorite! The island sofrito with the calamari and yuca fries is to die forrr! So good! And the drinks are always great!! We love the calamari and the wings were delicious, crispy & full of flavor. We also enjoyed the grilled grouper tacos and grilled grouper sandwich, both good and we both went with yuca fries as our side! Service has been great both times that we went! I wish I remember the name of the server from our last visit cause she was absolutely amazing!! Cute & cozy "beachy" seating area with different options from downstairs by the water or in the shells storing the palm trees or upstairs with the bar and views. TikTok @WorthTheStopp read more

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Outstanding, and so far it's the best restaurant ive dined at in my 6 years in Tampa. Today's visit makes my 4th visit in the last 30 days. And I drive 29 miles each way so that should tell you how much I love this place. The only negative is the parking situation and the crazy parking lot. But once you get up to the host stand all is forgiven. The fried oysters are delicious and I always order them but the last two visit they've been stingy with the portions but they are still worth getting. The atmosphere with the view of the Bay is amazing. The service has been great 3 out of the 4 times I dined here. Especially from "Chris" and "Anna" who seemed to enjoy their job and making the experience appropriated. The food is always fresh especially if you order off the daily chalk board selections. Today I had the grouper sandwich with rice & peas. Absolutely delicious!! My wife who had to work wanted one of the fish that was on the chalk board. When I got it home she devoured it. I brought both my sisters for their birthday dinners and one had the shrimp salad off the menu and the other had the fish grouper bites and the both loved their meals. We sat at a high top with a very beautiful view of the bay and there was a really good breeze that kept us cool. Again our server today was "Anna" and she was amazing. Always there when we needed her plus she was funny, friendly and very sweet. I'd strongly suggest asking for her or "Chris". The are both amazing and worth waiting for. I strongly recommend this business read more

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This place was busy but worth the wait. We ended sitting near the bar which had allot of traffic by our table the whole time. Drinks were good, my tacos were great. Even saw a Lightning player pass by us read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Another amazing visit to Salt Shack in the books. I love the ambiance and the food is so fresh and flavorful. Service was also excellent and I loved that they let me choose my seat since I wanted to be closer to water and away from the large group that was dining. After coming the first time with my honey , I decided to treat myself to a good book and early dinner before hitting the road. If I lived closer , I'd be here a lot more ! read more

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You come here for the ambiance/view. What a great location. Right on the water, you can watch the ocean, the cars drive over the bridge. It feels like a vacation spot. We got here around 1ish on a Sunday and while there were a lot of people, we got sat within 10 minutes. By the time we left arounf 2:30, it was packed again and people were clearly waiting so we got lucky I guess. We had a great waiter. Just right amount of friendly and playful. Didn't rush us to turn us over to the next table. We got the smoked fish dip, fried oysters, mahi tacos, and crab cake sandwich. All good, solid dishes. Nothing is amazing but it's better than average which is not bad. A lot of seaside restaurants rely heavily on the scenery and don't put a lot of effort on their food so a pleasant surprise to get tasty food. The smoked fish dip was probably my favorite. I liked the chopped jalapenos to add crunch. It was a good flavor overall with a little bit of tanginess. The fried oysters were good too. I'm not a huge fried oysters fan especially if there's too much oyster or the oysters are too briny but this had the right amount of crunch to oyster and they were good oysters. The mahi tacos were good if not a little bland. Could've used more seasoning and probably was the most disappointing of all the dishes. The crab cake sandwich was pretty good. Nice salt to the sweetness of the crab contrast. The fried onions added a nice added crunch and the aioli was a good balance with a hint of sweetness. All in all, the main reason this gets a four star is because of the location and ambiance. The food doesn't ruin it so that's a plus. Be prepared to wait a little, especially if you have a big group. read more

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I really enjoyed my meal at Salt Shack. I'll admit, I was hesitant at first because the crowd made it look like we'd be waiting forever. That definitely wasn't the case -- and honestly, the crowd should've been my hint that the food was worth the wait. We only waited about 20 minutes, and we ended up with the best view. I ordered the red snapper, and I should've taken an "after" photo because there was nothing left but the head. Perfectly seasoned and fried just right. I'm also a french fry junkie, and their fries were the perfect match for the fish. Looking forward to my next trip already. read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Catch of the day! - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Was in Florida two week ago and I can honestly say, Salt Shack was our favorite eats out there. So good we had two trays of raw oysters The place was beautiful, live and full of energy (even on a really hot day). We sat outside by the edge of the water to get a nice view. It was around 93 degrees that day so we needed shade and a little breeze. Started off with some beers and cocktails and here's what we ordered Gatorade bites - 10/10 juicy and flavorful Calamari - 10/10 and the sauce was sooo delicious Caesar salad - 7/10 needed a tad bit more dressing and dressing was lacking a little flavor to pull it together 2 dzn raw oysters - 20/10 sooo fresh and delicious Cold shrimp - 8/10 flavorful and easy to peel Server was friendly and always checked on us anytime he passed by. Very attentive and was pretty funny! lol good dude. Definitely will always come here when we visit! Thanks Salt Shack! read more

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This place is absolutely a sight to see. Very cute entrance with lawn chairs, and all seating is "outdoors"; under the shade or out of shade but full view of the water. This is a great spot to enjoy the views and feel the nice weather. Service was excellent, we were seated fast and the waiters were also friendly. I got the Salt Shack Margarita (i think was the name), tasted like juice and i got a double shot 10/10. I will say, as for the food, it is freshly caught but I wasn't too much a fan of the taste. You can tell all the meat was fresh, but the flavor was very subtle. The calamari and fish had about the same flavor just different texture. I do wish they had more seasoning, it'd rate the food 5/10. Price wise it was very reasonable considering the location and freshness of their seafood. Would I come back, definitely for the drinks and something new on menu :)! read more

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The views alone are worth it. Parking isn't fun, and of course with views like that, there's always going to be waits but it's huge, all outdoors, seating right by the water. Service was fast. Opted for the blackened grouper sandwich and it was delicious! Lots of flavor, solid grouper. Fries were fries. Drinks were pretty good as well. For the location, prices were fair enough, but of course know you will pay for the location. read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Lucky to have lunch here on a beautiful spring day. We sat at a table by the water and it was beautiful. Didn't see any dolphins though. Mojito was cold and tasty. The coconut shrimp and fish sandwich were excellent. Service was great as well. read more

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I was looking for a waterfront restaurant for date night and finally made it to Salt shack. The ambiance here was everything you love about FL. You feel the vacation vibes and laid back atmosphere right away. The days stress just melts away. They had live music playing from a boat they had "beached" in the front. This was awesome! There was a long wait (to be expected for sunset in FL) but it was well worth it. We waited about 1.5 hrs but spent the time watching the sunset, listening to music, relaxing and sipping cocktails on their property. They have a walk up bar and servers for the guests waiting. It was perfect! I had a coconut mojito and a Painkiller. Delish and strong! For dinner I had the crab cake sandwich which was Honestly the best one I've ever had. My s/o got the grouper sandwich which he said was great! I love everything about this place and can't wait to come back soon! Only wish is that they took reservations. This place is definitely a new favorite and worth checking out ! read more

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The food was pretty good. The chicken tacos (not pictured) were seasoned well and had a slight kick to them. They have outside seating right by the water. There was no wait on a Thursday afternoon. We spotted two dolphins in the water very close by, which was a treat. Got eaten by bugs though, The service was slow at the end. Took forever to get the check and receipt. read more

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Salt Shack is one of those places you go for the vibe more than the food. It's right on the water with really great views we saw 4 manatees: I also love that it's super casual. You can just walk in for lunch, no big deal. We got a table right on the water, but there's also shaded seating if you don't want to be in the sun, and a bar area called "The Island" that looks like a really nice spot to just chill or hang out. Service was great too, very easygoing and attentive. Food-wise, I'd say like a 3.5. * Calamari was good, crispy, probably one of the better things we got * grouper sandwich + fries were okay, $30 nothing special, a little dry * Chicken tacos $18 were actually pretty solid, good flavor and sauce * Veggies were just... veggies * Mac and cheese was super basic my daughter enjoyed it * Fruit bowl was fresh though, nice and light Overall, I'd definitely come back just not necessarily for the food. It's more of a "come for the view, hang out, and enjoy the atmosphere" type of place. read more

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Yikes, first and possibly last time coming here. The atmosphere is perfect, right on the water across from bridge although we couldn't see the sunset it was still a nice vibe and not too crowded on the Thursday night we visited. That's about the last of the positive things I can say though as I now need to talk about the disappointing food and service. We started with gator bites and calamari as an appetizer. The gator bites were tasty but came out so cold that I doubt that had even been sitting under a heat lamp. The calamari weren't as cold, but it was still obvious they had been sitting for awhile before being brought out to us. For my entree I had the seafood pasta and again it was just cold food. I would have loved to have asked for the food to be reheated or something, but getting checked in on by a server at this place is apparently a luxury and not just something you should expect even when sitting at the bar. At our end of the bar multiple people complained about how long it was taking to put orders in, etc, but some of the girls behind the bar were genuinely rude when customers were giving this feedback - I won't give names because anybody can have a bad day, but hopefully management reads this and has a conversation with the entire team. With how long it took to be able to place drink and food orders you'd hope that the drinks would at least make up for the wait, but no, they were embarrassingly bad to the point I questioned if the liquor pour had been skipped. I had a Mai Thai and 2 top shelf margaritas with Patron and I felt not even the slightest buzz on top of the drinks just not tasting good. Maybe I should have tried one of their speciality cocktails but that menu was never given to us Very disappointing considering this is half the drive I would need to make to The Getaway which remains my favorite waterfront bar in the Tampa area. Hopefully service, food and drinks improve in the future. One last thing I want to say is that the experience with bad service was coming from 2 girls behind the bar, but Jordan was incredible and outshined her coworkers in every way - she was so sweet and attentive the entire time she helped us, but this was unfortunately late in the evening after we had already been given our food and drinks and dealt with the rude girls that must have just decided they were done dealing with our side of the bar. read more

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The ambience and food here deserve 5 stars. I stopped by here on a holiday with a large party and there was a 0 wait time. They have an outdoor waiting area with live music, seating by the water and plenty of parking. The food here was so fresh and delicious. We ordered everything from the oysters, shrimp burger, grouper bites, Caesar salad, jerk burger, chicken tacos. The grouper, yuca fries, oysters and Caesar salad were must order. Definitely get their jerk sauce and Miami vice drink as well. Highly recommend coming here if you want great food, drinks and amazing views of the bay. read more

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We've heard a lot of mixed reviews about this place so we came in with very LOW expectations. We thoroughly enjoyed everything! The peel and eat shrimp was delicious and very plump. You can tell it was fresh! The other appetizers were great and very flavorful. I got the mahi tacos as my entrée and they were so juicy and exceeded my expectations. The atmosphere is also very dope with a great view. My only complaint was the sweet tea, it definitely tasted like unsweet tea. And they didn't have bug spray so I was getting bit up out there. But I definitely will be back and will bring my parents. They also have plenty of free parking, which is always a plus! read more

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Salt Shack on the Bay in Tampa was such a great experience! I went with coworkers, and we sat right along the water while watching the sunset -- the views were beautiful and the vibe was perfect. The food was delicious, the drinks were great, and our server was wonderful. The hosts and servers were all very nice, welcoming, and accommodating. We were able to relax, enjoy each other's company, and actually hear each other speak, which made the evening even better. I had the grilled fish special, and our table also enjoyed fried oysters, alligator bites, fish tacos, and chimichurri steak. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and cooked well. Definitely a fun waterfront spot with great food, great service, and a beautiful atmosphere! read more

My favorite is the coconut shrimp and their citrus mustard sauce - YUM!! Good wings. Not large portions. Free parking. Beautiful water view! Very friendly and attentive service (Sebastian aka looked like Bradley Cooper's son) LOL The alcoholic drinks are bit pricey for not really feeling like there's much alcohol?! read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Coconut Shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Came here the night before my wife's birthday for dinner on the bay. Beautiful scenery and the best food I've had in a long time! Very friendly staff as well! read more

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I've been to Salt Shack a few times now and I've never had a bad experience. The food has always been good, and I've tried multiple dishes. Everything has been consistent each time I've gone. Sometimes there can be a bit of a wait depending on when you visit, but I've also gone and been seated right away. Either way, the view makes it worth it. You truly can't beat being right on the water. The atmosphere is lively and busy. It can get a little loud, but not to the point where you can't have a conversation. Each time I've been, there has been live music, which really adds to the ambiance and makes the experience even better. We have a lot of visitors come in from our home state, and this is one of the places we always take our guests. It's a great spot to show off the area. Overall, great food, great vibes, and an unbeatable waterfront view. Definitely a solid spot to check out. read more

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Salt Shack on the Bay is one of those perfect laid back Tampa spots with great food and even better views. The shrimp ceviche was super fresh with just the right citrus kick, perfect for a hot day. The pulled pork tacos were also a win: flavorful, tender, and satisfying without feeling too heavy. Come for the waterfront vibe, stay for the solid food and drinks. It's an easy go-to for a casual lunch or sunset hang. read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Shrimp ceviche - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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We had such a great experience at Salt Shack on the Bay. The setting alone is worth the visit -- it sits right on the bay with a beautiful open-air space and relaxed coastal vibe. It's the kind of place where you want to linger for a while with a drink and just take in the water. The food was fantastic from start to finish. We started with the Shack-style calamari rings, which were perfectly fried -- light, crisp, and not rubbery at all. They came with an island-style fruit sauce that was absolutely incredible and a fun twist you don't usually see. We also ordered the Gaspar's tuna tartare, which was incredibly fresh and beautifully balanced -- the right mix of sweet, salt, and crunch. The ceviche was another standout: bright, fresh, and just outstanding. For mains, all of us ordered the fish tacos, and they were excellent. We added yuca fries (so good) and the jicama slaw, which was crisp and refreshing alongside everything else. Between the gorgeous waterfront setting, great drinks, friendly service, and truly excellent food, this place is a gem. If you're in Tampa and want fresh seafood in a beautiful spot on the bay, Salt Shack absolutely delivers. read more

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If you're anywhere near the Tampa Bay area, do yourself a favor and pull up to Salt Shack on the Bay. First things first -- ample parking. No circling the lot, no stress. We were greeted by the hostess and immediately seated outside, which was the best decision of the day. Sitting on the patio with that breeze rolling off the bay? Elite vibes only. Beautiful weather, waterfront views, and that laid-back Florida energy. Our waitress came over promptly and took our drink order. I got the sweet tea because listen... if you're in the South, you have to order sweet tea. It was fresh-brewed (you can taste the difference), not that syrupy tap situation. Major plus. For my entrée, I ordered the fried oysters. The batter was light, perfectly portioned, and fried to golden perfection -- crispy on the outside, tender inside. Exactly how fried oysters should be done. Now here's my one little deviation -- I might officially be becoming a fry snob because the fries were just... so-so. Not bad, just not memorable. One of my dining companions ordered the 1/2 lb eat-and-peel shrimp, and let me tell you -- steamed perfectly. Plump, seasoned just right, and the kind of shrimp you could sit there and eat all afternoon without saying a word. Of course, I had to end with key lime pie. I wasn't too keen on them leaving the tip off my slice (presentation matters, friends!), but flavor-wise? Spot on. Sweet with that perfect key lime tartness and a delicious graham cracker crust. The slice was HUGE -- I enjoyed that pie for days. Overall, Salt Shack delivered on atmosphere, seafood, and that breezy bayfront experience. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the Tampa / Clearwater / St. Pete Beach area. Waterfront dining done right. read more

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Salt Shack on the Bay actually sits on the bay. So the views are gorgeous. We were having a late lunch but were encouraged to come back for sunsets. Christina has just the right personality for being a top notch server, making suggestions and speaking positively about menu items and the restaurant. The cocktails were delicious. You have to try the mango Pina Colada. The gator bites were cooked to perfection, sweet and succulent, perfect for our appetizer. We had the grouper and the jerk burger. I cannot believe I don't have more photos or that I have been here before this. Oh well, guess I'll just have to go back. read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - View of the bay - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Prime location right on the water, definitely some scenic views and I appreciate the open air setup. We got ceviche and the mahi dip. Ceviche was served in a small (like 4oz) bowl and was probably the most mid iteration of ceviche I've ever had. Just chopped cocktail shrimp with maybe a squeeze of lemon juice. The chips served with it were good. The mahi dip was decent, served with saltines which was.. a choice. Service was decent. They were obviously busy but attentive. read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Ceviche and mahi dip. - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Lived in Tampa my whole life and have never been here and I am devastated! This place was AMAZING! Right on the Bay this restaurant is perfect on a sunny day. It is totally open with plenty of tables with gorgeous views of the ocean. A manatee swam by as we were eating. So cool! Our server Marie was very friendly and attentive. The food was spectacular- burgers, all types of seafood, chicken, salads, and tacos. Pet friendly, resident cat greeting the tables, 2 bars, AND live music. Definitely will be making the drive to South Tampa more often to enjoy this gem. read more

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Nothing beats a piña colada here on the water and a free magical dolphin show. The sunsets on this side of the bay are just gorgeous. The shrimp is out of this world fresh and the drinks are choice here. Service is attentive and if you're looking for your typical Florida bar on the water, this is it. 10/10. Also, be aware that once the sun goes down those mosquitoes are out! read more

Salt Shack On The Bay - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Went here for dinner with a friend, great water front location, very large place with 2 bars and open seating. Large selection of seafood, all good. Had deep fried oysters for the app, then went to the great lobster bisque and finished with grouper prices all of which were cooked well and had a great taste. Our server was very nice and made great suggestions, definitely a come back place to go to. read more

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Great spot to enjoy lunch and a view. Our waitress was great! Ordered appetizer, ceviche! Yum. Shrimp and fish tacos were delicious! read more

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Came here to have seafood, sunshine, and a sunset and we got all three to our delight! Got there early enough to sit outside on the water - so pretty! We figured that we should focus on seafood they can do well. Fried oysters were very good and a generous portion. Clams were good and the salad. My painkiller was tasty too! Altogether exactly what we were looking for on our last night in Tampa! read more

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