Matthew Neumann's seafood shack Hookin' Ain't Easy is a must-visit gem of the St. Pete food scene

Greasy paper towels and empty beer glasses on the picnic table. A belly full of blackened grouper. Those are just three signs of a hearty meal outside at St. Petersburg gem Hookin’ Ain’t Easy. Located at 3660 22nd Ave. S near the edge of Gulfport, the fish shack is the type of establishment that you take out-of-town relatives to in an attempt to convince them that, sometimes, it’s actually cool to live in Florida.

After walking past its air-conditioned seafood market, diners stumble upon a small outdoor bar, a food truck, and a sea of white sand and picnic tables that separate the two. Although it’s not abundantly clear on how to order food at first, employees are quick to let you know to place an order at the bar or walk over to the food truck, where its full menu is handwritten on a white board.

And for the work from home set, a Hookin’ lunch, paired with Green Bench’s Skyway Hazy Double IPA and Motorworks’ Pulp Friction IPA, is a good way to spend an afternoon letting the back of a Macbook casually roast in the midday sun.

We placed our order at the food truck after carefully scouring its whiteboard-written menu, eventually deciding on a sampler platter of conch fritters, smoked chicken wings and fried biscuits ($16.99), smoked wahoo fish dip ($15), pippin’ hot grouper nuggets ($18.99) and its margate fish sandwich special ($14.99) , which came with a side of fried okra.

Standouts included the smoked fish dip which had a sturdy, meatier texture much different than the mayo-laden offerings at grocery stores—a finishing squeeze of lemon lifted the wahoo’s natural sweetness beautifully.

The smoked chicken wings—which we ordered tossed in a sweet-spicy Thai sauce after being lightly deep-fried—arrive hot, and to our delight, moist as all get out. Credit to the cook who tossed the drums and flats just lightly in sauce; the wings were absolutely glistening in the Florida sun and their deep smoky flavor wasn’t compromised by the sticky coating at all. While the sweet chili sauce had a nice bite, these chicken wings are good enough to be eaten plain (no ranch or bleu cheese needed, y’all).

And while great seafood options are a must from a market-adjacent concept like Hookin’ Aint Easy, its barbecue offerings like pulled pork and baby back ribs are an unexpected, yet delightful addition to its menu. A nearby bar goer told the staff that the kitchen just made the “best grouper sandwich” she’s ever had, drawing envy, and while they didn’t make it to our table, the raw oysters, soft shell crab sammy and seafood boil-style crab tray are on the wishlist for next time.

The freshest seafood in town means Hookin’ Aint Easy isn’t exactly cheap eats. Owner Matthew Neumann—a lifelong St. Pete resident and commercial fisherman—either catches everything himself, or personally knows the folks who do, so there’s a rightful price to pay for locally-caught seafood of this quality.

Neumann’s welcoming, friendly nature, combined with Hookin’ Aint Easy’s laid back atmosphere and service make it the perfect place for folks looking for a casual, no-frills, core local dining experience.

According to its Facebook (where specials and menu updates are posted regularly,) scamps, blue crabs, triggers and African pompano are this season’s freshest catches—but next week’s might be totally different.

Hookin Aint’ Easy resides in the sweet spot right between Gulfport and St. Pete. Neumann and his wife Veronica opened the restaurant and bar portion of Hookin’ in the summer of 2022 as an extension of their seafood market next door, which has been open for over two years.

If you’re dining at his outdoor restaurant, chances are Matthew is taking your order, running fresh wahoo to the smoker behind the food truck, or chatting up with regular customers at the bar—doing it all in a pair of worn-in flip flops like a true Florida native.

In between bussing tables and pouring ice-cold beers, you can typically overhear him telling his customers that almost everything Hookin’ sells comes out of the gulf. “I know what I want to eat, and that’s exactly what I put on my menu,” he said one spring afternoon.

Corporate chains and out-of-towners have been trying to capture and capitalize on Old Florida’s prized charm for decades now, but natives (born here, and naturalized, alike) can quickly spot the difference between a true Gulf Coast outpost and a bastardized, Disney-fied version of it.

Hookin’ Aint Easy is the real deal for fresh seafood, but its family-run charm and plain friendly service is a refreshing respite from the dimly-lit dining rooms and white tablecloths driving droves of people to Tampa Bay and beyond.

Hookin’s nautical atmosphere matches its seafood offerings and ultra-casual dining experience, but the best decor at might be the restaurant’s spread of kid’s toys which belong to Matthew and Veronica’s toddler son. It’s truly a family affair at this low-key St. Pete outpost.

And with access to a relaxing beach-like space, live music Hookin’ hosts daily, and a slew of retired regulars looking to have a nice chat, you’re more than likely going to hang out a bit after your meal is finished.

Another round of beers, please.

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed