Last Updated on July 4, 2019 by Marybeth
We all agree enjoying a meal with beachy cocktails overlooking the water is idyllic. In Florida your choices of waterfront restaurants are bounteous: some with your toes in the sand… or atop a deck… perhaps the view from a floor-to-ceiling window… with the water right out there, just feet away. But what about dining OVER the water?
The ocean rushing underneath your feet! You look down and gin-clear water is all around, and you can actually feel it as the waves crash against the pilings! Exhilarating and peaceful at the same time. Restaurants on piers in Florida are elevating the entire vacation-feels dining experience.
(You know I had to use the word “elevating” somewhere! Not sorry at all!)
We’ve rounded up quite a list of restaurants on piers in Florida for your heightened enjoyment of food, drinks, and conviviality, all combined with the salty smell of long forgotten summer fun.
(That last part I read somewhere and wrote down on my notepad I keep with me at all times, like Harriet the Spy did. If those lovely words belong to you, please let me know so I can give you credit.)
We’re going to talk first about the restaurants that are actually out on a pier, over the ocean. Secondly we’ll list the restaurants out over the water that isn’t the ocean but are still coastal (as opposed to inland on rivers – that’s another post for another day) and thirdly restaurants that sit at the beginning of a pier; the ones where the water isn’t roiling under your feet but is just a few steps away. For us there is a distinction. And for those of you for whom that swath of sea all around you may be a tiny bit anxiety-producing, you’ll want to peruse the 2nd and 3rd lists!
Starting on Florida’s East coast with the most iconic pier restaurant – the only one we know of that is at the very end of the pier:
Dining out over the ocean
Cocoa Beach
401 Meade Ave.
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931 • 321-783-7549
Open Sun-Thurs 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-11 pm
• Rebuilt after hurricane Matthew and even better than before, at the end of the 800 foot pier; check out those 360º overwater views!
• Menu items include burgers, wraps, salads, wings, seafood dip – something for all seafood and land lovers. The kids’ menu is decent sized, and the drink menu is lavish!
• Live music Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun; check their calendar on their site by clicking their name, above, for more details.
• Make note to park in the pier parking lot is $15-20 ($20 when we went, but we’ve read reviews that said $15); there is metered parking on the streets nearby. To walk to the end of the pier costs $2 but you receive a token at the bar for credit when you order food or a drink.
401 Meade Ave.
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931 • 321-783-7549
Open Sun-Thurs 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am- 11 pm, Happy Hour 4-7 pm Mon-Fri
• Not such a long walk as to the end of the pier but you will still experience the ocean flowing underneath; depending on the tide you also may be sitting over the beach. Great people-watching!
• A much more extensive menu than Rikki Tiki; choose from starters, oysters, clams, platters, buckets, pails, specialties, tacos, sandwiches, burgers, salads, desserts, many specialty drinks, and a kid’s menu as well.
• Parking fees are the same as above. If you’re able to park at your hotel/resort/a friend’s house and walk, do so!
Daytona Beach
3701 South Atlantic Ave.
Daytona Beach, FL 32118 • 386-756-4219
Open Sunrise – 10 pm Crabby Hour 4-7 daily in the Calypso Bar
• Located on the Sunglow (don’t you love that name?) Pier, Crabby Joe’s offers those overwater views and food all day long.
• Click their name above to visit their sit and peruse the menus before you go, because there are so many choices it’s going to take you awhile! We had a tough time choosing between Joe’s Famous Fish Sandwich, Surf ‘n Turf Challenge, and Joe’s Seafood Combo Platter so we ordered all 3! Delicious.
• Parking is free in front of the pier, and if that (rather small) lot is full there’s a huge lot – also free – belonging to Crabby just across the street.
Lake Worth Beach
10 South Ocean Blvd.
Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460 • 561-582-9001
Open Mon-Sun 7 am-9 pm, Breakfast & Lunch 1st come 1st served, make a reservation for dinner, Happy Hour 3-6 pm Mon-Fri
• “Where every day is a vacation.” Spend the day on the beach and have breakfast, lunch and dinner at Benny’s! Parking is $3/hour, pay at the kiosk.
• Helpful tip: review their menus online before you go (click their name above) because there is so much to choose from. Some possibilities for lunch: Fried Green Tomatoes with Burrata Cheese; Marinated Veggie Naan Bread; Cheesy Brisket Dunker; or Choose Your Fish and then Your Dish.
• Live music several afternoons/evenings a week, with karaoke, bingo and trivia other evenings; check their schedule on the website for details.
Dania Beach
300 North Beach Rd.
Dania Beach, FL 33004 • 954-929-1400
Open Sun-Thurs 11 am-11 pm, Sat & Sun 11 am-Midnight
• If you’re looking for more of a classic, upscale experience at the beach, award-winning Quarterdeck is your destination. With a Master Sushi Chef, Corporate Chef and a Spirit Master, and the promise of reasonably priced dishes rivaling the most upscale, expensive restaurants in their neighborhoods, you can’t go wrong.
• Choices are many, including world class lobster specials, gourmet hand made burgers, ribs, steak and chicken, pasta dishes, salads, sandwiches and more. Check their menus by clicking on their name above.
• You will have to pay to park at the Dania Beach location.
Dining out over the Bay
Anna Maria Island
875 North Shore Dr.
Anna Maria Island, FL 34216 • 941-778-1885
Open Mon-Sun 8 am-9 pm
• An off-the-beaten-path hidden treasure, the Rod & Reel Pier is on the quiet, more residential north end of Anna Maria Island. Operating since 1947 and recently renovated, this place is a not-to-miss experience.
• Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, you’ll find traditional Florida-style coastal restaurant dishes such as Peel & Eat Shrimp, Chicken Wings, Fried Oyster Po Boy, various seafood dinners (including a chicken breast dinner for those who don’t want seafood), homemade Gumbo, and Clam Chowder to name a few. A Kids’ menu, dessert, and beer and wine are offered. Breakfast sounds delicious as well (though we experienced dinner here ourselves.)
• Park for free in the Rod & Reel’s parking lot, or better yet stay at the Rod & Reel Resort and walk a few steps to the pier!
Sebastian
Squid Lips Overwater Bar & Grill
1660 North Indian River Dr.
Sebastian, FL 32958 • 772-589-3828
Open Sun-Thurs 11 am-9 pm, Fri Sat 11 am-10 pm, Happy Hour Mon-Fri 3-7, Sat 2-5, Sun 2-5 drinks only
• Squid Lips has three locations (Melbourne and Cocoa Beach) all on the water, but the Sebastian Squid Lips is OVER the water, as you can see in the photo. Sebastian is a fun town in itself, with many bars and restaurants all along the water on Indian River Drive (in fact, we did a “bar sampling” post some years ago where we tried to not stumble our way to all of them!)
• Come by boat or car! Try their Baja Fish Tacos, Clam Strip Basket (we get this almost every single time!), their famous Abaco Fish Sandwich, Curry Chicken Salad Wrap, pasta, steaks, raw bar… visit their site by clicking their name, to look over the vast menu before you go!
• Live music on Saturdays, check the schedule on their website for details.
Dining out over the beach overlooking the pier
Because we didn’t want to leave these fun restaurants out of our list. Some of them have “On the Pier” in their names…
Flagler Beach
215 Hwy. A1A
Flagler Beach, FL 32136 • 386-439-0011
Open Sun-Thurs 7 am-9 pm, Fri Sat 7 am-10 pm, Funky Hour daily 4-6 pm
• Located right at the beginning of the Flagler Beach Fishing Pier, Funky Pelican hovers over the beach and sometimes, depending on the tide, you may look down from your outdoor seat and see ocean beneath…
• Owned by the same folks as Crabby Joe’s Daytona, you can expect the same outstanding food, service and oceanfront experience. Starting with breakfast – Meat Lover’s Omelette, Maddie’s Shrimp & Grits, or how about The Pesto Funk? Read the mouthwatering description on their menu, click their name above. Dive into their extensive menu of handhelds, fresh seafood, specialties from land and sea, soups and salads, Fried Right, and more. Also, as a former advertising agency graphic designer, I just love the visuals of this menu! Job done right, whoever your designer is, Funky!
Pensacola Beach
41 Fort Pickens Rd.
Pensacola Beach, FL 32561 • 850-932-6313
Open Sun 10 am-10 pm, Mon-Thurs 11 am-10 pm, Fri 11 am-11 pm, Sat 10 am-11 pm
• Casino Beach Bar was recently voted the #4 beach bar in Florida by Florida Beach Bar!
• From brunch to small plates to soups and salads, tacos, flat breads, sandwiches, kids menu and desserts, there is something for everyone. Peruse their extensive menu by clicking their name, above. Try their Shrimp and Green Mango Ceviche, Chargrilled Oysters, Mojo Chicken Flatbread, Casino Beach Burger, and more!
• Casino Beach Bar is named after the original Casino Resort that opened in 1931 at this spot; one of the first tourist retreats on the island. Besides food and drink, fishing tournaments, beauty pageants and boxing matches happened here!
Navarre Beach
8579 Gulf Blvd.
Navarre Beach, FL 32566 • 850-710-3239
Restaurant open 7 days a week 11 am- 10 pm, Bar open 11 am-til
• Located at the beginning of Florida’s longest pier, Windjammers features locally caught Gulf seafood plus burgers, sandwiches, salads, a kids menu, desserts; something for everyone. Try their deep-fried Wisconsin Cheese Curds (yes, I know, sounds weird to us, but seriously, TRY THEM, yum) or their Pier Burger, Cast Net Combo, and finish off with Mike’s Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake!
• Live music from local musicians Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Venice
1600 Harbor Drive South
Venice, FL 34285 • 941-488-1456
Open 11:30 am-10 pm Sun-Thurs, 11:30 am-12 am Fri Sat
Happy Hour Daily 3 pm-5 pm and Fri, Sat Late Night 10 pm-12 am
• Located Smack Dab on the Water since 1987 at the site of an outdated beach concession, Sharky’s is the place to while away your day or evening with gorgeous views in the Shark Tooth Capital of the World!
• Sharky’s has been Voted Best Florida Beach Bar for the 2nd year in a row by Florida Beach Bar!
• Award winning Sharky’s also gives up some of its famous recipes on their site! Click their name above to view. While visiting try their Riptide Shrimp (made with creamy Chili Sriracha sauce), Sharky’s Famous Grouper Wrap, Chicken Quesadilla, and much much more (click on their name above to view the giant menu) or choose from their Gluten Free menu.
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
2 Commercial Blvd.
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL 33308 • 954-491-6007
Open Mon-Thurs 8 am-11 pm, Fri Sat Sun 8 am-12 am
• Located right at the foot of the Anglin Fishing Pier in the more peaceful Lauderdale-by-the-Sea (not to cast shade on the busier, bustling Fort Lauderdale or anything…) Anglin’s Beach Cafe gives you those gorgeous views along with organic food and live music.
• Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, choose their homemade hummus, New England clam chowder, Organic Greek Salad, mussels marinara or a variety of organic pizzas. Visit their website, click their name above, for more info.
What are your favorite overwater, or by-the-pier dining places in Florida? Have we forgotten any? I may have mentioned I lie awake at night sometimes worried that we’ve left a well-deserving, hard working bunch of businesses out of our articles. Ahh the fears and pitfalls of a travel blogger… Is it Happy Hour yet?
The first photo of this article is courtesy of Crabby Joe’s Daytona on Instagram
2 Comments
Gray Reeves
I love your website Marybeth!! Great photos. I love pier restaurants. I was at “Rod & Reel” and “Sharkey’s” three weeks ago. Happy Birthday my dear old friend. Gray.
Marybeth
Hi Gray thanks so much for your comment and your kind words. SO COOL that you went to Rod & Reel and Sharkey’s! Great memories of us being friends as kids, and your brothers and your parents. Good times! Take good care.