12 Waterfront Restaurants- St Pete and Nearby To Try (2024)!

1. Doc Fords- St. Petersburg

Doc Fords Rum Bar and Grille is one of the best restaurants in the area, and right at the base of the St Pete Pier.

Come here for amazing views of the bay and downtown St. Petersburg, while having a drink, good food, and delicious appetizers, inside or on the outdoor patio.

Enjoy their wide selection of seafood, consisting of grouper, several varieties of shrimp (Yucatan Shrimp!), fresh oysters, salmon, and fish sandwiches, all made from the freshest local ingredients.

They also offer Texas baby back ribs, pork tenderloin, and chicken.

Doc Fords has live music most days, too.

2. Crabby Bill’s- St. Pete Beach/Indian Rocks Beach

Crabby Bill’s is a popular restaurant and place to eat with two branches,  one in St Pete Beach and the other in Indian Rocks Beach.

If you are on the Gulf Coast looking for some of the freshest seafood with ocean views and friendly staff, then Crabby Bill’s is a perfect place for you!

Come for the spectacular views of the Gulf from their rooftop lounge and tiki bar or get some shade and eat inside – Don’t miss out on their signature stone crab.

They have lobster, crab cakes, coconut shrimp, grouper, oysters, and more.

Of course, you can always get a burger or chicken sandwich here, too.

3. The Hut- Madeira Beach

Madeira Beach is about 20 minutes west of St. Petersburg (north of St. Pete Beach), on the Gulf of Mexico.

The Hut is a well-known, casual, waterfront restaurant in Madeira Beach.

This restaurant and bar is located at John’s Pass Village, which is a boardwalk area filled with lots of shops and restaurants.

At the Hut, you can eat inside or outside on their dock.

They have a large assortment of craft beer, surf drinks, frozen drinks, beach buckets, wines, and more.

For food, they have appetizers, seafood or chicken sandwiches, hearty burgers, and tacos/quesadillas.

Waits for a table can be long so it’s nice that there are lots of things to do nearby while you’re waiting.

We waited about 45 minutes for an outdoor table mid-afternoon on a Saturday, definitely worth the wait, though!

There are great views to enjoy from the deck.  Live music daily.

4. The Drunken Clam- St. Pete Beach

The Drunken Clam is not just a bar on the Family Guy, cartoon!

It’s an actual restaurant and bar in St. Pete Beach, about 15 minutes away from downtown St. Petersburg.

While it’s not right on the water, the Drunken Clam is just off Gulf Blvd, across the street from St. Pete Beach.

This place is a perfect spot to surf and turf, wings, and beer.

5. Palm Pavilion- Clearwater Beach

For a laid-back, casual vibe and beach dining experience, there is Palm Pavilion in Clearwater Beach.

A popular spot for the locals and live music most days on the deck, this restaurant and bar is right on beautiful Clearwater Beach.

It’s about a 50-minute drive from downtown St. Petersburg.

Palm Pavilion offers re-imagined beachside cuisine from fresh salads/bowls, burgers and wraps, tacos, ribs, steak, key lime pie, and lots of seafood options.

Even a large selection of delicious food for the kids.

And you can’t forget about the drinks while you are here!   They were named the Best Beach Bar for 2021 according to Visit St Pete Clearwater.

Try The Palm Rum Runner or one of their other specialty drinks.  They also have plenty of beer and wine options.

6. Bamboo Beach Bar- Madeira Beach

Another laid-back beach bar and grill at John’s Pass Village, Bamboo Beach Bar is a fun place to go for a great time in Madeira Beach.

This tiki bar is one of the oldest bars in the area.  Bamboo Beach Bar is known for its fish tacos, Philly cheesesteaks, burgers, and eggplant fries.

Also, come here for some frozen tiki drinks, drink specials, and live entertainment!

7. Stillwaters Tavern- St. Petersburg

Right in the heart of St. Petersburg’s downtown shops and restaurants on Beach Drive, is Stillwaters Tavern.

Stillwaters Tavern sits just across the street from the St. Pete Pier and Tampa Bay.

This upscale, casual spot is known for its craft beers, wines, and cocktails.

They have several kinds of sausage freshly made on site.  They also have starters, salads, shrimp, salmon, steaks, ribs, and sandwiches.

8. Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill- Clearwater Beach

Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill is another Clearwater Beach favorite.

Just like Palm Pavilion, Frenchy’s is directly on Clearwater Beach.

In fact, the two restaurants are right across from each other and share the same parking lot!

Frenchy’s is a great place to go for delicious seafood.  Try their grouper sandwich and oysters!

They have live music here on most days and you can see the amazing Gulf sunsets right from their outdoor seating and dining area.

9. Woody’s Waterfront- St. Pete Beach

Overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and Blind Pass, Woody’s is a waterfront cafe and beach bar, located on the inlet of St. Pete Beach.

Woody’s Waterfront is about 30 minutes from downtown St. Petersburg.

Don’t forget to try one of their popular menu options, come get a half-pound Woody’s Burger or Woody’s Wings.

They also have large salads and seafood dinners.

This place is known for its happy hour specials and every Sunday/Monday they have half-priced happy hours.

FYI, you can only pay with cash here.

10. Sea Turtle Restaurant- St. Pete Beach

If you’re looking for a casual atmosphere and beachside diner, then Sea Turtle Restaurant is a perfect choice!

Located across the street from St Pete Beach, Sea Turtle Restaurant sits right in front of The Drunken Clam (See #4).

Sea Turtle is about 15 minutes from downtown St. Petersburg.

Come to Sea Turtle Restaurant for breakfast, lunch, or dinner for reasonable prices.

Boasting a large breakfast menu, try one of their Sea Turtle Specials, with sausage or bacon.

They also have salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, fish, and meat entrees

11. Caddy’s Waterfront Dining- St. Pete Area

Caddy’s Waterfront Dining is famous in the St. Petersburg area, with several locations.

Treasure Island is their flagship location, but there are also restaurants in Madeira Beach, Indian Shores, St. Pete Beach, and Gulfport.

There’s also a Caddy’s across the bay in Bradenton.

From comfortable beach dining, great food, and live music, Caddy’s is sure to make some great memories.

Most locations also serve bottomless mimosas and sangrias on weekends!

12. Teak/Pier Teaki- St. Petersburg

Last but not least, Teak and Pier Teaki are located right at the end of the St Pete Pier.

Come here for the ultimate waterfront views while dining and having drinks!

Teak is a restaurant on the 4th top floor with a full lunch or dinner menu items, including starters, salads, sandwiches, entrees, flatbreads, and pasta.

Of course, they have lots of fresh catch seafood options here and plenty of drinks, too.

Pier Teaki offers more bar bites and drinks.  They are on the top at the end of the pier.