This part is not their fault, but there were sooooo many "love bugs" at their entrance. I could not stand out there without freaking out. Once our large group was seated, there were fans around us, so the bugs went away. I am from California, so I am not used to good service lol, so I was pleasantly surprised with all the "Yes ma'am," "Thank you, ma'am," etc. The server was nice and a total trooper with the number of people he had to keep track of because we all had separate checks. He did an amazing job, and we were extremely grateful. I tried their Housemade Crab Dip, and it was delicious. It was a great portion, really creamy, and well seasoned. For my meal, I had the Admiral's Platter. Everything was delicious, not too oily, and I loved the dipping sauces that came with it. Overall, it was a great experience with great service. If I'm ever back in Sarasota, I would love to come back. read more

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We were very disappointed with our food. This place is missing an opportunity to be a great vacation dining spot. First, we'll start with the good. The location is amazing. We sat on the water and enjoyed a beautiful view. The decor and atmosphere is beachy and relaxing. The cocktails were good. The parking is convenient. The bad part that made it disappointing. The food was not great. My grouper sandwich was fair. It was kinda bland. The slaw was dry. The fish and chips was odd. The fries were decent. The fish was inside a very thick coating of batter. The crab legs were good. The coconut shrimp were good but too heavily battered. The green beans on the side were totally unseasoned. The worst was the chicken sandwich. It was tasteless with a a thick greasy batter. It was bad. Once we decided to send it back our server took forever to return to table to check on us. We were mid meal before we checked on. My daughter decided to pickup something else at a different restaurant after we left. How do you mess up a chicken sandwich? Unless you are just coming in for drinks(or crab legs) I would recommend a different choice of restaurant. The view adds one star to the rating. read more

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First stop for dinner on our vacation and was pretty disappointed. Starting with the positives, the location is lovely, I enjoyed the beautiful water view from our table. No issues at all with the service. The two stars are for the food... I ordered the Firecracker Wrap with deep fried chicken, my partner ordered the hot dog and shrimp appetizer. My chicken was bland and mushy inside of the wrap, the side of coleslaw it came with was a 3 bite portion. My partner's hot dog was also bland, absolutely not worth the price. If quality and flavor matter to you, I would 100% skip this spot. read more

The Old Salty Dog - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Drinks are great and the view is awesome but was disappointed in the fried shrimp this trip l. Usually they are crispy and have a nice coating but these were greasy and had the tempura batter which was so disappointing read more

Took my pup to this beautiful spot overlooking the water and enjoyed wonderful blackened mahi mahi tacos with an unbelievable pineapple slaw. The service was friendly and quick. They brought a bowl of water for the dog. We will definitely be back. read more

Food and atmosphere were all wonderful. Perfect place for a meal with a beautiful view.

Need an off the normal location with with great views of the bay and boats, here you are. Nice seating arrangements plenty of dockside seating and indoor as well. Decent background music not too loud to hinder conversation. Service was good food came out fast but could have been better. The hush puppies were very dry and not much flavor. The shrimp basket was good but the grouper tacos a disappointment. They were very bland and tasteless. So nice view and location but the food needs to step up some. read more

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Perfect for a burger and a beer on the water. In for a quick lunch, just as they opened as I had been in the bat with a team hunting up sea urchins (not for eating). Service at the bar was great, a fan behind me provided a nice breeze and the beer was cold Cool spot on the bay with a spacious waterfront deck. read more

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My mother-in-law loves this place, so for her birthday she wanted to come here for lunch. It was our first visit. It did take a while for a host to greet us-we had to ask since we were left standing for a bit--but once we were seated, the service turned around. Everyone was kind, attentive, and made sure we were well taken care of. Come hungry, because the portions are generous and the food is delicious. One of the best parts is that your furbaby is welcome in certain areas of the outdoor seating, which is such a plus. Overall, a great spot to enjoy good food and celebrate with loved ones. read more

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It had been a few years since we've been to the Old Salty Dog, but was happy to be back there for drinks, dinner, and the sunset, last night! With the hurricane last year, the restaurant took a hit, but they did a great job with the cleanup and repairs and it's back to being a fun place to go to. We sat outside with a great view of the sunset and enjoyed drinks before dinner. I had a bowl of clam chowder and the original Old Salty Dog hot dog. The food was very good. I really enjoyed the fried hot dog with sauerkraut and onions. If you're around Sarasota looking for a fun, casual place, The Old Salty Dog is a great option! read more

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Cool place on the water with some inside and outside tables and a wrap around bar. Service was near perfect and never had to wait for anything. The gumbo was tasty but more like a thin soup. Probably not a roux base like real gumbo should have. Conch fritters also pretty good but not a lot of conch but for $12, not too bad. All in all a great spot to go have a drink and some food. read more

This is a cute restaurant and bar right by the water. We got a table right next to the water, and the view was amazing. It's a really nice place to relax and enjoy a meal. I ordered two IPA beers, and they were both really good. I also got the coconut shrimp as a starter. It came with a jalapeño raspberry sauce, which was sweet and a little spicy. The flavors went really well together. My husband ordered the Loaded Salty Dog, which was featured on Man vs. Food. The hot dog was huge and had pretty much everything on it. If you're really hungry, it's a fun one to try! We finished with a slice of key lime pie, and it was delicious, sweet, tart, and super creamy. I would definitely recommend coming here. The food is tasty, and the views are beautiful! read more

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I'm so confused on why this place has low stars. We came for the weekend and dined here on a Friday night. Had zero wait- Michelle was our server she was helpful, quick and efficient. The food was great and drinks even better: the views (at sunset) were stunning. No complaints-well be back read more

My wife says this is the best peel and eat shrimp she has ever had. I tried the salty dog and that was just ok. Views are amazing.

Casual waterside location to have a beer, some no frills food and hang. very lowkey setting with lovely views. Had the wings and a salad and it was the perfect afternoon snack. read more

Had an amazing late lunch/early dinner w/in-laws from England...we had crab dip for an appetizer, they wanted to try the English style Fish n' Chips, and a pot of steamed mussels & I had the Salmon BLT...Courtney was our amazing server, answered all our questions, kept our drinks flowing & was attentive to all our needs. Very pleased w/our dining experience & will be back w/future tourists! Thank You! read more

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Great food, fresh, on the water and the staff is SO amazing. Ambience is perfect for a meal on the Gulf and I can't recommend their fish tacos enough. read more

Simply THE quintessential Florida marine restaurant experience. Draft beer, amazing wings, grouper sandwiches, peel and eat shrimp and fun staff. Expect to wait to get a seat for lunch on weekends. And parking can be tough if not impossible as it is co-located at a MarineMax location. Worth it. We've been a dozen times. Go out of our way to swing by. It is Florida. Got the T-shirt. read more

Great views, service & prices! We enjoyed the peel & shrimp app, For dinner we got the grilled hotdogs with fries well done with some toppings. NOTHING was well done. The waitress came by & we told her our issues & she got us some crispy fries which were fantastic! Trying to figure out if the kitchen messed up or the waitress. I thnk it was the kitchen. read more

This place has amazing views. Wonderful deck! The fish tacos are great, and my kids love their kids menu and the free frisbees they're served on :) Super friendly service. Love their salads too. Recommend for a good time! read more

The Old Salty Dog is the perfect beach dive! Beautiful view and great eats. The fried grouper is to die for - we had it on the sandwich, but I bet it is equally amazing in the tacos!! Wish I had time to come back while on our visit here! read more

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This is a great spot. It's a bit tucked away, but that's okay! The view of the marina was gorgeous. The staff was incredibly nice. Food was good. One thing I do want to note, I was a bit surprised by how small the lobster roll was. It was served on a normal piece of sandwich bread instead of like a sub bun, which is how I usually see it. There wasn't that much meat in the roll in my opinion as well. The roll was taken over by lettuce more than lobster, but it was still good. read more

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Really chill on-the-water vibe with gorgeous views and reasonable prices. BUT, you need to know you ARE NOT going for the food. Pretty much everything on the menu from the dull and lifeless cole slaw to the mushy one-tone lobster roll TASTES EXACTLY THE SAME-- bland and cafeteria style. You don't even need a menu-- just tell your server to bring anything and it will taste like everything else. Go for the views and vibe but plan on ordering a pizza after. read more

I don't go to too many places 2x in 3 days, but yes, Salty Dog will get my business whenever I am out here! Their grouper sandwiches are out of this world! One of us had it blackened and another fried- wow. Both were phenomenal and the slaw and fries are delicious too! Second trip I had THE BEST clam chowder I've ever had! The perfect mix of tender crab meat and potatoes. Super creamy and a dash of old bay on top! Wow! Hubby got the lobster roll - equally perfect- definitely the best one we've ever had. Sons got the fish and chips - crispy, perfectly fried and delicious! Other son got the Salty dog - huge and delicious. Our waitress was pleasant and made sure everything was ok. And the views! Sit by the water - wait if you have to, you will not regret it! We saw dolphins! They have an extensive drink menu although we did not partake. I am sure they are phenomenal- everything is! 12/10 hands down! Go. Now! And don't forget the key lime pie - the creamy consistency of flan with a delicious taste of lime. I could eat the whole pie! read more

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We've eaten at this location in the past and it's been fairly good. I ate there the other day and had the shrimp basket. I have never seen shrimp so greasy! I picked them up to eat and the grease literally dripped off my fingers. I ate at the bar and never a question "how's your meal" or anything of the sort. In fact the gentleman tending bar had little to say at all. Certainly not a friendly feel! read more

The atmosphere makes it worth it. Food was good. They have unique dishes such as coconut shrimp with raspberry jalapeño sauce. I would go back just to sit on that porch. Our food also came out very quick! read more

Lovely sunset view on the water.. Food was very good and portions were a good size. The seafood was fresh and excellent. Breading on fried fish was light ad not greasy. Wait staff was efficient. Price range was great for the product. Will definite go back. read more

They finally opened back up after being devastated by the storms in 2024, sat outside on the water great view. The service was ok but it's expected when you have been closed for so long and trying to get back into the groove of things. I had the peel and eat shrimp. Perfectly seasoned with old bay. Felt like i was back in Baltimore. I also ordered the lobster roll. Very tasty and good pieces of meat. Looking forward to coming back and trying a salty dog and maybe some grouper. read more

The Old Salty Dog - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Skip it. Saw the reviews and many says its a staple here. Well that's what is keeping it in business clearly. The server was great, friendly, attentive. The view of the water beautiful, the food...well go somewhere else I ordered the shrimp platter deep fried in their local batter. The shrimp was good, way to thick of batter. Fries unseasoned and warm, the mango or pineapple coleslaw (can't say which it was) was bland and warmer than the fries. They so have some nice drink specials but I did not drink so cant say anything about them. Final thought....drive by see the water from the draw bridge and go somewhere else for dinner. read more

My wife and I were in Sarasota for a week and saw The Old Salty Dog on Yelp. We found a spot on the waterfront dock and ordered a local IPA from our attentive waitress. The place is definitely chill and I ordered a grouper sandwich with a side salad. The coleslaw that came with it wasn't my favorite, but I am not really a french fry type of guy. I would have liked a toasted bun with my fish sandwich, but it was okay. The atmosphere couldn't have been better looking out at the water and we even saw some guests come in on their boats to grab a bite to eat. I probably wouldn't go back, since there are still a ton of places to try in Sarasota, but it was worth a stop. read more

The Old Salty Dog - Blackened grouper sandwich. Side Caesar with coleslaw. Not bad. - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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I have been coming here since I was 3 months old. My humans have been coming here for the last 10 years. This is always a great meal on the water with a casual feel and stunning views. This time we didn't see dolphins but plenty of ospreys, pelicans, and other cool birds. I am always treated like royalty here and Courtney did the same. Courtney made sure we had all our drinks and the food was perfect. My human companions got the Admiral plate, Island Tacos, and a cheeseburger. Everything cooked perfect and plenty to eat. I of course got a cheeseburger (rare) and green beans. Perfectly cooked and I also managed to score some mahi from one of my humans and it was also delicious. The decor is excellent and gives off that beachy feel vibe. It's always nice that dogs are welcome. I have to say this was one of my favorite visits here. Met an out of state family and had a nice visit with a young fella by the name of Rocco. He gave me his frisbee from his kid's meal. That's the kind of people Old Slaty Dog attracts. Really cool special people and dogs. Well done Old Salty Dog and Courtney!! Highly recommend this for locals and if you are visiting from out of state you have to make this a must go to place!! I didn't do such a good job of taking picture of my humans food as I was busy playing with Rocco-oh well next time :) read more

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We have lived in Sarasota for over 10 years and this is always our "Go To" place. Always a good meal and a variety to choose from. They treat our Pup Bodhi like royalty and the service is always superb!! and the view is stunning From the pelicans to the Osprey and every bird in between!! We even occassionally spot dolphins frolicking out in plain site. Morgan was our waitress and she was super attentive, alwsys made sure we had everything we needed and filled our sodas and tea as fast as we could drink them... Had a great burger, stone crabs and the seafood plate. Never had a bad meal or experience here. glad they came back stronger after Milton. super dog friendly!! read more

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Great hot dogs. Got the whole loaded salty dog featured on man vs food. Delish. Hotdogs from a local German butcher. Half pork and beef. Divey type of place but can't beat the location! Water view everywhere. Truly a tiki experience. read more

The Old Salty Dog - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Cool down to earth spot for some quick bites and chill vibes. Bartenders are great and friendly with great prices on drinks. Good food and fast eat in the water with a view. Their salty dog is an amazing take on a hotdog and a must here. Kids even get a free frisbee with their meal. read more

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We usually bring visiting guests here, because everyone wants to be at the water when they consume food. The food is average, the seating is basically all outdoors, so windy weather blows through the open indoor area. The staff is very nice. read more

Foos was ok. Mussels lacked flavor, grouper was good, don't like beer battered shrimp. Drink was weak. Great outdoor view, service was average. read more

Beautiful waterside dining with parking. Indoor and outdoor covered seating. Staff was friendly and attentive. Cold beer! read more

The Old Salty Dog - Beer - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Casual waterfront eats spot. Unpictured is my mom's grouper plate and my pound of peel & eat shrimps. Make sure you get their chickpea edamame salad side. It's unique and slightly sweet from dried cranberries and vinaigrette. Liked their Bloody Mary and the grouper egg rolls were a very unique app recommendation by our server :) read more

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Pretty cool location on the water but very average bar food. The service was friendly but nothing to remember. The food arrived very quickly and all of our orders were correct. My daughter loved that the kids meal came on a frisbee for her to take home and play with. The portions were all pretty small for the price but the favorite dish was probably the Chickpea & Edamame Salad which my dad loved. The patio is nice with some of it covered and with heaters during the colder rainy days like we had. They welcome dogs in a designated area on the patio and bring over a bowl of water, which was cool to see. Convenient location next to the aquarium, which is why we stopped in for lunch, but we probably wouldn't go out of our way to stop here. read more

The Old Salty Dog - Firecracker Wrap with Fried Grouper and fries - Seafood Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Such a fun and casual spot on the water. Makes for a perfect lunch after kayaking or boating. We took out of town family here and they really enjoyed it. The batter they fry in is more like a beer batter, but I personally liked it. My husband got the tacos and they looked amazing. Our server was super sweet and when rain blew in-- the moved us to where we would stay dry. read more