Fish shacks are a classic staple of Florida, and with the Gulf at our feet, Tampa Bay has some of the best in the state. Whether you’re craving fried grouper, raw oysters, a giant seafood broil, or just a cold beer, here are some of our favorite seafood joints in Tampa Bay. Flip flops are required.

Rick’s on the River 2305 N Willow Ave., Tampa Rick’s on the River is where raw oysters and bar bites meet drinks and live music. The riverfront pub has a full marina for boats to pull into, and it offers wet slip rentals. Stop by for coconut shrimp, fish filet or some oysters and clams. Photo via
Hog Island Fish Camp 900 Broadway Ave., Dunedin Hog Island Fish Camp is, of course, just by Hog Island, and it serves locally-sourced seafood and Southern sides. There’s fried grit cake, hush puppies, collard greens and of course, hogfish. Photo via
Bait House 45 Causeway Blvd., Clearwater Beach Yes, the Bait House does sell bait along with fresh fish. The dockside fish stop and tackle shop opened in the 1940s and is located in the Marina on Clearwater Beach. The menu includes locally caught seafood, with the famous drunken shrimp, smoked fish spread, tuna tacos and locally-crafted beer. Some of the highest quality tackle and gear is offered there. Bait House/Google
Ballyhoo Grill 7604 Ehrlich Rd., Tampa At Ballyhoo Grill, stop by for anything from oysters to steak. The casual restaurant in the ‘burbs serves a snow crab dinner with butter and lemon and a side, firecracker shrimp tacos and ballyhoo bowls. Photo via
Big Ray’s Fish Camp 6116 Interbay Blvd, Tampa Big Ray’s Fish Club is located south of Gandy in Interbay, just miles from Ballast Point where chef Raymond “Nick” Cruz learned to fish with his grandpa. Now, Cruz serves lobster corn dogs, plus grilled, blackened or fried grouper along with classics sides like conch fritters, a deviled crab and even fries with garlic parmesan. Photo via
Bar Fly Fish Shack Bar & Grill 1026 Nebraska Ave., Palm Harbor Bar Fly Fish Shack Bar & Grill serves sick merch, like a camo “One Love” trucker hat and a bloody fish shirt, along with fresh catch. Originally opened as a bar, the spot now has a raw bar, nibblers, tacos and cocktails from across Florida. Photo via
Salt Cracker Fish Camp 25 Causeway Blvd., Clearwater Beach At the Salt Cracker Fish Camp, you can eat breakfast, lunch and supper all with a side of fresh caught fish. Not even kidding, there is a shrimp and grouper omelette and a grouper and lobster benedict for the morning. Later in the day, you can feast on shrimp and oyster Po Boys, shrimp and grits and fish from the raw bar. The restaurant even prepares the fish you catch after you dock. Salt Cracker Charter Boats are just outside the restaurant, and they can take you on a fishing trip as well. As for drinks, happy hour is all day every day, with two drinks for $10. Photo via
Crab Shack 11400 Gandy Blvd. N, St. Petersburg At Crab Shack, the meals are prepared on the spot, so the wait may be a little longer. But the seafood is fresh. The restaurant has gator bites, a jumbo Maryland crab cake, Wisconsin cheese curds and seafood served with Cajun seasoning. Photo via Crab Shack/Google
Woody’s River Roo Pub & Grill 5717 18th St. E, Ellenton Located right on the Manatee River in Ellenton, Woody’s River Roo cooks up American eats and cocktails underneath the tiki bar and alongside live music. The casual riverside joint is named after the other businesses Woody once owned, Woody’s Restaurant, and The Lost Kangaroo, as well as the neighboring river. It’s known for its clam chowder, fish spread, grouper sandwich and thick steak cut fries. Photo via
Carvor’s Fish House 907 Douglas Ave, Dunedin Friendly, and casual, Carvor’s Fish House sells fresh and frozen fish. The seafood restaurant serves grouper sandwiches, crab cake sandwiches, potato salad and conch fritters. Most menu items are sandwiches and sides. Photo via
The Fish House 1902 W Shell Point Rd., Ruskin In an outdoor picnic-style setting, The Fish House cooks deep fried seafood and sides. The casual spot serves soft shell crabs, fried mullet and cheap fish sandwiches. Photo via The Fish House/Google
Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish 1350 Pasadena Ave. S, St. Petersburg Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish stop opened in 1951, and it spans five generations with the same fish spread and German potato salad recipes from the ’50s. To make the famous fish, it bakes over a smoldering fire of red oak for four to six hours. Photo via
The Dog House and More 106 N U.S. Hwy-41, Ruskin Bask in the sun under a thatched roof at The Dog House and more. The stop has an outdoor pit and picnic tables and offers hot dogs and BBQ. Fresh seafood is of course served, too. The homemade baked beans with pineapple bites, brisket with onions and BBQ sauce sandwich, shrimp Po’Boy and fish tacos with mango salsa are all hits. Photo via
Frenchy’s Multiple locations Frenchy’s opened back in 1981, and the restaurant is named after the owner Michael Preston, who was nicknamed Frenchie for his Quebec roots. You know the fish is fresh there because Frenchy’s also owns a seafood company with fishing boats. Frenchy’s is also tied to a hotel. The original cafe is famous for its grouper sandwich. Photo via
Salt Shack on the Bay 5415 W Tyson Ave., Tampa Salt Shack on the Bay is indeed on the bay, just off the Gandy Bridge in South Tampa and accessible by boat or car. As one of Tampa’s last outposts, the casual bar serves a Caribbean-inspired menu with fresh seafood, seasonal cuisines and tropical cocktails. It serves coconut curried shrimp, mojo marinated steak and fish tacos. Photo via
Happy’s Bayou Bites 431 Skinner Blvd., Dunedin Some days at Happy’s Bayou Bites in Dunedin, long lines and bikes wrap around the food trailer. Munch on some Po’boys and gumbo at the picnic tables, and relax in the casual environment. Photo via
Crabby’s Beachwalk Bar & Grill 333 S Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach Ornamented by palm trees and red umbrellas, Crabby’s Beachwalk Bar & Grill is a classic Clearwater Beach stop. The beachside restaurant serves every meal late into the night, with sunset views and live music. As the name entails, the crab and spinach dip is a speciality, along with the tuna tacos and garlic mussels. Photo via Crabby’s Beachwalk Bar & Grill/Google
Morgan Mae’s Oyster House 606 N Pinellas Ave.,Tarpon Springs At the sponge docks, Morgan Mae’s Oyster House offers lots of oysters. The oysters are steamed, raw, fried, grilled and served as specialty dishes with blue cheese or as Oysters Rockefeller with butter, parsley and bread crumbs. The restaurant also has a full bar. “We’ll have steamed, raw, fried, grilled, as well as specialty oysters like blue cheese and Oysters Rockefeller.” Photo via
Cajun Cafe on the Bayou 8260 66th St. N, Pinellas Park The Cajun Cafe on the Bayou used to be an old shack on the water, but in 2019 it moved to a new location. Open for 25 years, the spot cooks Cajun cuisine, along with seafood dishes. Check it out for some jambalaya, Creole gumbo, crawfish cornbread and a shrimp bowl. Photo via
Old Salty Dog Multiple locations With three locations to choose from, in Siesta Key, City Island and Venice Island, the Old Salty Dog has served seafood for 36 years. Right on the water, the Florida favorite is known for its loaded hot dogs. The “salty dog” is a fried quarter pound hot dog, and with toppings, it includes sauerkraut, bacon, grilled onions and mushrooms, plus a variety of cheeses. Talk about filling! Photo via
Owen’s Fish Camp 516 Burns Ct. No. 7030, Sarasota Outside among the many trees and lights and inside with eclectic decor, Owen’s Fish Camp serves seafood with a twist. The menu features spicy jambalaya with shrimp, chicken, andouille, crawfish and rice, oyster and shrimp baskets, a soft shell crab BLT and cheesy grits on the side. Owen’s Fish Camp/Google
Rusty Bellies 937 Dodecanese Blvd., Tarpon Springs A 20 to 60 -pound male grouper is called a “rusty bellie,” and it is only caught by true fishers. At Rusty Bellies restaurant, the family has owned boats and caught fish and been in the seafood business for three generations. The waterfront grill and tiki bar is in Tarpon Springs, so of course it sells Greek salads, among diverse fish items like sushi and steamed clams. Photo via
Sea Sea Riders 221 Main St., Dunedin, 727-734-1445 Downtown Dunedin is also home to 30-year-old Sea Sea Riders, a family-owned restaurant with styles of an Old Florida cracker house. Some popular items off the menu include the scallop ceviche, jambalaya, pulled pork sandwich and gulf shrimp. Photo via Sea Sea Riders/Google