The Best Dockside Dining in Sarasota!

Where to tie up for a great mean while you’re out on the water. There’s nothing better than sipping drinks and enjoying fresh seafood right alongside the water. Check out these amazing restaurants with docks and seaside dining!

Sarasota is a place to go where the views are spectacular and the dockside dining even better. To experience all Sarasota has to offer for dining options, look no further than dockside restaurants and bars. Visitors come from all around to experience boating out in the bay and stop in for a bite to eat where fresh seafood is the catch of the day and everything from budget-friendly to fine dining is available. Check out some of the best options in Sarasota.

EVIE’S SPANISH POINT & TIKI BAR

The Point is the newest addition to the Evie’s Family. Located at the water’s edge of Little Sarasota Bay in Osprey, FL. The Point has three floors of casual waterfront dining. The ground floor offers a large seating area with two fire pits. A great location for any party or fundraising event. The second floor is the perfect place to enjoy a sit-down meal and watch the water. The third floor is dedicated to the sunset. Come enjoy the view with a cold cocktail and live entertainment.

STAR FISH CO.

12306 46th Ave. W., Cortez, (941) 794-1243, starfishcompany.com

StarFish offers cash only dockside dining with fresh fish served plain and simple. Look for long lines during the busy season as everyone wants a taste of what is available. Don’t be in a rush as one hand-painted sign will remind you, “You’re on Cortez time.” Star Fish Company serves simple sides along with fresh seafood. Their goal is to keep it simple but make the food

great and memorable.

THE CROW’S NEST RESTAURANT & MARINA

1968 Tarpon Center Drive, Venice, (941) 484-9551, crowsnest-venice.com

Catering to hungry boaters for more than four decades, The Crow’s Nest offers plenty of raw bar items, plus heartier seafood entrées and big steaks. The attached marina sells everything you need for a day on the water, and you can even rent a slip for a year or a month at a time.

DRY DOCK WATERFRONT GRILL

412 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, (941) 383-0102, drydockwaterfrontgrill.com

Dry Dock is a well known dockside restaurant serving up fish, sandwiches and entrees. Dry Dock offers one of the best outdoor dining experiences in the region, serving classic fish sandwiches and seafood entrees on an elegant waterfront patio. A fueling station available at Boathouse on Longboat nearby. Both casual and fine dining is available inside or outside. Fresh local seafood is brought in from the Gulf of Mexico for diners.

CASEY KEY FISH HOUSE

801 Blackburn Point Road, Osprey, (941) 966-1901

With a friendly dining room overlooking the water and an always-buzzing tiki bar, the Fish House is a fun destination with a long dock that hugs the Intracoastal. You can even rent a boat here, or sign up for a guided tour.

MAR VISTA DOCKSIDE RESTAURANT & PUB

760 Broadway St., Longboat Key, (941) 383-2391, marvistadining.com

Located near the norther tip of Longboat, Mar Vista has 14 slip docks ranging in depth from six to 12 feet. Pull up and enjoy a wonderful meal in the restaurant’s relaxed backyard where buttonwood trees provide plenty of shade for you to enjoy some Gulf fish and a Bloody Mary from the bar. This restaurant is top rated for serving locally sourced seafood and heritage items. Private beach available with a full bar makes it a moment to remember.

MARINA JACK

2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, (941) 365-4232, marinajacks.com

Locatied smack in the heart of Sarasota’s bayfront, Marina Jack is really two restaurants in one. Upstairs, enjoy refined dishes in a quiet ambiance with great views. Downstairs, sip a fluorescent drink and scarf down a burger in a rowdier space that often hosts live music. People love to explore by land and by water all the bayfront has to offer. Four different food concepts are on offer here: fine dining, outdoor, indoor piano bar and a banquet room. This can accommodate more people for various options including Happy Hour drinks, lunch cruises out on the bay with food and also dockside dining as a popular way to enjoy a drink and dining experience.

NEW PASS GRILL & BAIT SHOP

1505 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, (941) 388-3050, newpassgrill.com

Famous for its burgers, this waterfront shack is located along New Pass, making it a perfect destination to hit up on your way out to the Gulf or if you’re headed to a party on the nearby sandbar. Don’t overlook this unique experience in Sarasota. Accessible by car and boat with views of the bay. Award-winning burgers on offer since 1929.

PHILLIPPI CREEK OYSTER BAR

5353 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, (941) 925-4444, creekseafood.com

Cruise up Phillippi Creek from the Gulf just a bit to find this well-liked Sarasota institution, which has been plating smoked fish dip, fried shrimp and clam steamer pots for decades. The restaurant’s menu is always evolving, so keep your eyes out for any new specials. Their oyster bar is a perfect place to unwind and check out the sunset. Along with oysters is a variety of fresh fish, lobster, steak, and cocktails on order. Dine inside or out, the boat docks are right in front of the restaurant. Docks and fine dining are on offer with some of the best seafood in the area.

Shore

800 Broadway St., Longboat Key, (941) 259-4600

A stylish yet approachable waterside hangout, Shore serves well-balanced dishes from around the globe that are dreamed up by the talented chef Dylan Elhajoui, plus terrific cocktails. The tables are tiered, meaning every seat in the house offers a view of the water.