If you're looking for a more casual spot on the island, this is a fun one! Grouper tacos and crab stuffed shrimp were delicious! The jalapeño margarita was delicious, large and strong! read more

The Ugly Grouper - Grouper tacos - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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Food was perfectly fine, and drinks were okay. The ambiance is very fun and lively! There was live music, which was really good. Our serving staff was also so friendly, especially since we had quite a few dietary restrictions in our group. Would recommend. read more

The Ugly Grouper - Their little merch store, with fun little keepsakes. - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

This restaurant had amazing service and the vibes were on point. Drinks were amazing! The grouper tacos were to DIE FOR!!! Our waitress was Sinaéd and she did such an amazing job! The coconut shrimp were fresh and the pina colada sauce was so good! The grouper nuggets, fries, and pineapple coleslaw were also delicious. Such a cute and humble island restaurant! Would definitely recommend. We will be back soon read more

The Ugly Grouper - Waitress - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

Great outdoor, low key - island vibes place.. live music was great by Raquel.. Rosie was a great server- watched the football games.. wings were good but over-sauced, burger -OK. I guess stick with the Grouper!! :) I'll be back! read more

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Food was amazing! Service was good too! The wait was insane... we waited 2 hours to be seated.

3 of us ate there yesterday. Had a 1 hour wait. Drinks are on the pricey side. I ordered the grouper dinner $34.00, the fish was over cooked, dry and tough. The rice was cold and not very flavorful, the mashed potato and fish was a very small portion and lukewarm. The waiter never came by to see if we needed anything during our meal, and never asked how the meal was. A tourist trap, they seemed to care only about moving people in and out, not about the quality of their food. All 3 of us had a lousy meal. The bill was $96.72 with no drinks added in. Stay away. read more

What a great 'first time experience'! Very fun place with friendly personable staff, excellent food and comfortable outdoor seating! Ok, so let's address the negatives: -No Happy Hour...cause they don't need to! -Snowbird traffic getting there and leaving. Now my likes: -I've lived in the area for 8 years and "Discovered" the local amazing sandwich-'The Grouper Reuben". I've had a 2 places that were my favorites for this BUT NOW I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THE UGLY GROUPER serves my favorite version. The bread was toasted perfectly, hands down, without a doubt-the thickest/biggest piece of grouper I've been served on this sandwich. My only complaint is that the sour kraut should have been drained better because the bottom of the sandwich placed on the plate was unfortunately soggy. The sandwich was also served with delicious, crispy seasoned French Fries. For the $26 charge, a lil Cole slaw would have been nice. Bottom line is that I would DEFINITELY go back and order it again. Our server & bartender was 'Cassidy'-WHAT A PLEASURE! She was so friendly, hospitable, professional and provided great service even though she had a full bar. I will definitely go back but probably not till post season! read more

The Ugly Grouper - Groupon Reuben profile - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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What a fun restaurant!! The atmosphere was great and the food was even better. The burger was very tasty and the namesake grouper tasted great and seemed very fresh. Our waitress was very extremely friendly and helpful. The wait was a bit long but acceptable for how busy it was. This was my second time visiting The Ugly Grouper and I would definitely recommend if you are staying on the island. read more

The Ugly Grouper - The Ugly Grouper - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

Vibes were great! Service was great! 10/10 recommend visit if on Ana Maria island. Olivia was so sweet and even organized the napkins on our table read more

The Ugly Grouper - Angus burger - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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Such a fun community vibe! We always make a point to stop by on a visit to Anna Maria. Great music. Fun drinks and solid food. And they have a lot of activities to keep the kids busy. read more

Everything was great amazing food and great Service everyone liked what they ordered Definitely will be back read more

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We went for our evening meal. It was really busy, we had to wait for around 20 minutes but everything was organized and we were seated in the time promised. They had a gentleman playing the guitar and he was really good. My husband had the fish tacos and I had the island chicken sandwich. The food is great and the portions are big! This was the second time we were there and it doesn't disappoint! Our server was very attentive. read more

Appetizers, food and drinks are always amazing! Kevin and Rob B. were so nice and helpful...the nice young man that took us to our table was great too. If you go to AMI, the Ugly Grouper should be a priority stop! read more

The Ugly Grouper - Pre dinner drinks! - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

A MUST VISIT when on AMI!!! The fish tacos are just out of this world! The fried cheese on the shells just make the tacos that much better - and be sure to use the Dino sauce. I've been when it's warm and the cans help keep the area cool, but when cool they have heaters too! Nick our waiter was very attentive and sweet - helped us navigate the menu and pick the best meals. Can't wait to come back! On, and get the fries! Worth it! read more

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BAM was an amazing server and super informative. Great atmosphere and food. Cool spot with live music. read more

The Ugly Grouper - Grouper Tacos - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

The Ugly Grouper was so good we ate there twice on our recent visit to AMI. So, you might ask why I only rated them 4-stars. Read on but it has nothing to do with the service. Expect a wait if you see people standing around. Both times we ate there, we had at least a 15-minute wait. This place is hopping!!! All the seating is outdoors, which would normally not be an issue except on the second visit. Obviously, they cannot control weather but if there is a solid rain, it shuts down half the seating areas. The service staff was incredible! We had Izzy the first night were there and unfortunately, I don't recall the servers name from the second night. They both did an incredible job. Waiting on many different tables and still able to keep up. They had several runners, so the food came out in a timely manner both times. The first night I had the grouper tacos, and they were absolutely delicious. I've never had tacos made quite like those, so it was a welcome deviation from the status quo of fish tacos. Night 1 was fantastic and that was the reason we came back a second time. The second visit is the reason for the 1-star ding. Everything started out OK. We had a little longer wait than the first night but that was fine. It had rained so we were understanding of the quandary. I saw a dish on the menu the first night we came that I just had to try. They had a seared ahi tuna dish and ahi tuna is one of my favorites. I do a lot of reviews on Yelp, and I am always most critical of my favorite dishes. Therefore, I had an expectation that a place called The Ugly Grouper would know how to properly cook seared tuna. At first appearance, it looked absolutely cooked perfectly but after the first bite, it became increasingly apparent that the dish had either been put too close to a heat lamp, or it sat out too long while they were preparing the other dishes. The tuna was seared about 1/8" around all 4 sides and perfectly raw in the middle. Absolute perfection in most cases. In this case, the center was warm. The other issue was the sauce. I have no idea what sort of sauce it was but thank goodness it was on the side. It was awful. Lastly, the bathrooms need some serious attention. The men's bathroom had a single toilet, and the urinal was missing from the wall. It needs a serious facelift. With everything I have said, I will summarize by saying that The Ugly Grouper is a must visit if you go to AMI. It would deserve all 5-stars, but buyers beware if you buy the seared ahi tuna. read more

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Amazing food, fun place, excellent service! One of the best places on the island. Will be back again soon! read more

The Ugly Grouper - Grouper Kabobs - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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Great atmosphere! HAVE to experience the atmosphere:)!! Great service, great food; overall a FUN NIGHT OUT!!

Good food, fun experience, great live music and fabulous service. Our waiter Nik was absolutely amazing. read more

The Ugly Grouper - Nik, our waiter made this a special evening for my family. He was over-the-top friendly and helpful. Great personality! Thanks Nik! - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

Excellent food. Grouper tacos and Cole slaw, amazing! Friendly service. Thank you! Thank you!

Just finished dinner. For apps we had nachos which were very heavy on the toppings with the chips hidden underneath. Would not order again. Giant pretzel was ok - hard crust that was unexpected. Grouper tacos were not good. Grouper sandwich was ok. Fries like other reviews were soggy. Coconut shrimp were a bright spot for the mains. Service was great - the only bright spot. That's why I gave two starts. Don't recommend. read more

I had the grouper tacos and a margarita all while sitting outside in front of the guy playing music on a beautiful day.Our sever was super awesome and kept bringing us ice when the ice in our drinks melted. She was very on top of knowing exactly what we needed at exactly the right time. Thanks for a great experience. All gluten free too! read more

We came to The Ugly Grouper on our way out leaving AMI. We took a short weekend trip here and decided to have lunch before hitting the road. There is parking along the sides of the restaurant, we got lucky and parked right outside. We traveled with our dog so thankfully this is one of the few dog friendly places we found. We were seated quickly at a table across from the live music. From our table we were able to see families playing ring toss and a couple other games around the corner (Jenga and corn hole). Our server was nice but a little forgetful. Food and drinks were decent but not quite memorable in taste. Overall, we were glad to make the stop here! read more

The Ugly Grouper - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

I hadn't been to UG in years but so happy we went today! Delicious meal for lunch! Honestly blown away at how tasty the grouper tacos were. My favorite bite of the trip. Service was great as well! Our waitress was attentive and knowledgeable. The manager even came by and talked to us. Can't wait to be back! read more

The Ugly Grouper - Grouper tacos - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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Quick, friendly servers. Wide variety of foods to pick from. Portions are HUGE. Love, love, love this place. read more

The Ugly Grouper - Cheese logs - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

amazing food! we ordered the famous grouper tacos, grouper sandwich, kids burger, and cheese logs. could've easily shared the grouper tacos w two and still had enough food. everything was so good but the fries were honestly otherworldly! don't even get me started on that ranch it was toooooo good. our server austin (the one that looks like mac miller) was v chill and super attentive. you NEED to go if you visit anna maria island read more

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Avoid this tourist trap at all costs. Usually I can find at least one thing positive to say about a place no mater how bad but, not this stink hole. Terrible Management, service was completely non-existent, and to top it off, food was absolutely disgusting. Outdoor dining was a nightmare sitting us in the beatdown sun without an umbrella or shade of any kind. We showed up at 5:30pm and waited 40 minutes when 7 open tables sat empty the whole time. Crappy bar with no alcohol in the drink specials. Parking is terrible and witnessed kids almost getting ran over just trying to walk to the front door. Avoid, avoid, avoid!! read more

The Ugly Grouper - Fried grouper tacos, wasn't fried at all and the fish looked pretty-chewed with zero flavor. - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

I don't like to criticize a business but my experience was just average. I unknowingly arrived between lunch and dinner live music performances. My fault. The scene resembles a bunch of picnic tables in an unpaved parking lot in front of a mobile home community. Service was casual with several "no problem" responses to our requests. (This is not my preferred response.). The food was ok. Nothing about it was bad. Portions were not large and I could have eaten more but it wasn't cheap with our two entrees and one mediocre cocktail. After we finished, my wife asked why I wanted to come here. I said I had heard about it and wanted to try it. Her response was "ok you can check that off your list. We don't need to come back." I agree. read more

The food was good and reasonably priced. The server was very friendly. The vibe is just what we love about Florida! Outside drinks food and live music. read more

The Ugly Grouper - Clam chowder - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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We will ask for Bam every time we return! Great food and service. Recommend the grouper tacos or grouper sandwich. My friend had a Bloody Mary spicy, and she raved about it. Will come back soon! read more

The Ugly Grouper - Bam was amazing with service! We had grouper tacos and sandwich. We also had the cheese logs. Worth every single penny! - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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Fun spot with good food and excellent service. The place is all outdoors but offers shaded table and heaters if needed. Grouper is made differently than many other island restaurants. The tacos are unique and so is the grouper Rueben sandwich. read more

The Ugly Grouper - Grouper tacos - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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Food was average. Grouper tasted it has been frozen a while. Service was good and drinks were also good.

The ugly grouper was great! It's an outdoor restaurant with a live music area which is really nice. We got the cheese logs appetizer and they were so good! I got the grouper dinner grilled with the seasonal vegetable and rice which was good as well. Our waiters was really nice and offered to take our picture if front of the grouper statue. read more

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Our server was awesome! Great personality, very accommodating, and let us split checks up with no problem. All outdoor seating with live music! Parking can be tricky, but luckily we snagged a spot! We were told it was going to be 1.5 hour wait for 7 people, but we only ended up waiting about 40 mins. Win! We grabbed a drink a the bar while we waited and listened to live music. They have an outdoor merch shop, bar, cornhole, and ring toss so there is plenty to do while you wait. My skinny spicy marg was very average. Wouldn't recommend unfortunately. Cold beers were great! My grouper tacos were yummy too. read more

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The wandering reviewer checking in from Holmes Beach May 2025. If you're on the hunt for that quintessential beachside spot where locals and vacationers mingle, The Ugly Grouper is a solid choice. With oversized tables perfect for big family gatherings and an easygoing, laid-back vibe, it's the kind of place where flip-flops feel right at home. Naturally, I went for the blackened grouper--after all, it's in the name. The fish itself was cooked to perfection: flaky, moist, and fresh. The seasoning, however, leaned on the mild side. Don't expect it to be the most flavor-packed grouper you've ever had, but it's still a satisfying choice. For sides, I chose rice and seasonal vegetables. Apparently, "seasonal" meant broccoli--lots of it. Unfortunately, the sides could use some love; the broccoli was plain, and the rice was just as underwhelming. My wife opted for the fried cod, which I sampled and thoroughly enjoyed. It was impressively light--no greasy heaviness--and the breading complemented rather than buried the fish. If you're ordering for a group, don't skip the cheese sticks--or rather, the cheese logs, as they're aptly named. These are the great whites of the fried cheese world: massive, crispy, and absolutely worth it. You won't feel shortchanged. read more

Staff was great but food is subpar, rice tastes like it's from a microwave bag, grouper tacos were soggy and not very good. Atmosphere is good. I would come here for drinks only! read more

Went back to AMI for my bachelorette party this weekend and we all wanted to spend an evening at The Ugly Grouper. I was raving to my girls about the great tacos and vibes. Both nights we tried to go (a Friday and a Sunday) we weren't given access in since they closed early. The website says the place closes at 10pm and we went around 8:30pm-- on a weekend no less! On Sunday we tried to call them around 8pm to see if they were taking orders and considered ordering takeout and their phones were down. So we had to go there and then they said they were closing. On Friday we were a group of 8 and another party of 4 people tried to come at the same time. They lost the business of 12 people since they chose to close early. I don't recommend trying to come here later in the evening or planning your night around this place because they erroneously close and don't answer their phones. Such a bummer since it's a good place during the day but very unpredictable in the evening. read more

The Ugly Grouper - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

The vibe is pretty unique as it's open outside sports bar kind of vibey feeling. Unfortunately, we got caught in the rain but because of the roof top we remained safe and dry. The service was a bit slow. The workers seemed to be hiding in the back. We didn't get helped until we all turned around a server came to serve us. Once we were helped the food came fairly quickly. After, scrolling the pictures of yelp. I decided on the famous grouper tacos. It has nice crispy fan cheese along the edges which gives a nice crunch as well as nice soft impact due to the soft tortilla and abundance of grouper inside. They are not stingy on the amount of fish inside. read more

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Great spot ! Grouper was outstanding! If it's bots grab an ugly cream ale. Ask for Cjay - she really took care of us!

Great food, service and atmosphere. Perfect location too. Tacos were huge and the french fries were legit. Very good dood read more

The Ugly Grouper - Bars Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida