Rocco Smith
Sarasota is a unique and spectacular coastal city along Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coastline that has become quite a prosperous and popular hotspot for taking a vacation or even relocating to become a full-time resident. After all, once you get a glimpse of the crystal clear waters and pristine sugar sand beaches, you’ll want your vacation to turn into permanent residency.
What attracts most people to the Sarasota area are the beaches and shopping malls, obviously, but one of the things that makes this such a wonderful place to live and visit is the sheer variety and quality of the restaurant scene around town, especially when it comes to delicious seafood.
During my time in Sarasota, I made it my mission to find all the greatest places to get fresh seafood, so I scoured the area and came back with a list that’s going to blow your mind. Sure, there’s no shortage of great seafood restaurants, but I’ve managed to find the cream of the crop.
Right down below, you’ll find the fruits of my labor in the form of a list ranking all the best seafood restaurants Sarasota has to offer, so go ahead and get started working your way through them all!
Best Seafood in Sarasota
- Owen’s Fish Camp
- Walt’s Fish Market Restaurant
- Siesta Key Oyster Bar
- Crab & Fin Restaurant
- Duval’s Fresh Local Seafood
- Marina Jacks
- Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar
- Dry Dock Waterfront Grill
- Connors Steak & Seafood
- Lucky Pelican
- KaCey’s Seafood and More
Owen’s Fish Camp
516 Burns Ct #7030, Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: 941-951-6936
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Coming away with the first-place spot on my list is none other than Owen’s Fish Camp. This should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with this amazing place because they have some of the freshest fish and shellfish you can get in Sarasota.
I highly recommend the fresh, grilled oysters to get you started, but be sure to bring a friend and try their low country boil for two. It’s absolutely incredible.
Check out Owen’s Fish Camp over on Burns Court right next to the Burns Court Cinema, just down the street from the beautiful Bayfront Park.
Walt’s Fish Market Restaurant
4144 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231
Phone: 941-921-4605
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Up next on my list of favorite seafood spots in the area is Sarasota’s own Walt’s Fish Market Restaurant. You can find this place off of South Tamiami Trail near the Oyster Bay neighborhood, just past Fogt’s Gulf Coast Music Center and before Trader Joe’s.
What I love the most about Walt’s Fish Market is that you get to choose your own freshly caught fish from their market and have it cooked any way you like. You can seriously taste the open waters of the Gulf in every bite, it’s that fresh. There’s even a chance your fish was caught that same day!
Siesta Key Oyster Bar
5238 Ocean Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34242
Phone: 941-346-5443
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Up next is Siesta Key Oyster Bar. Besides all the delectably fresh fish and shellfish, the location of this restaurant is absolutely unbeatable.
Siesta Key Oyster Bar, as their name suggests, is located on the famous Siesta Key Beach surrounded by beautiful hotels, right around the corner from the Siesta Key Public Beach Access 2 which is extremely popular.
What I think everyone should try when they come to Siesta Key Oyster Bar is an order of oysters Rockefeller and then definitely something else tasty from the sea like scallops and risotto, but they also have land-based dishes as well.
Crab & Fin Restaurant
420 St Armands Cir, Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: 941-388-3964
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Crab & Fin Restaurant is the next incredible Sarasota seafood restaurant I want to talk about and you’ll quickly see why. This place is a wonderful place to grab some delicious fish and shellfish when you’re near St. Armands Circle because of their convenient location right off of the big roundabout.
When you come to Crab & Find, be prepared to be amazed. This place is one of the more upscale eateries I’ve got listed here, so if you want somewhere to go on a romantic night out for seafood, this is definitely a place that I would highly recommend.
Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood.
1435 Main St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: 941-312-4001
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Next up is a place called Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood. and I can never get enough of this place when I’m in town. The name really says it all when it comes to Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood., but the taste of their food says so much more.
I love coming to Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood. when I’m in the mood for an authentic seafood bouillabaisse, but they have a seafood platter here that comes with just about everything you could ask for, including lobster tail, shrimp, scallops, potatoes, and veggies all on one plate.
Marina Jacks
2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: 941-365-4232
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Marina Jacks has made our lists before and I’m happy to mention them again because of the top-tier experience and high-quality food I have each time I pay them a visit. Not to mention, Marina Jacks offers some of the most beautiful waterfront views, being located right in the center of a busy marina overlooking Sarasota Bay.
I usually go for an order of the Caribbean jerk salmon when I come to Marina Jacks, but there are so many other great menu options like grouper sandwich and the soft shell crab sandwich with a side of fries.
Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar
5353 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231
Phone: 941-925-4444
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Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar is a hidden gem of Sarasota when it comes to fresh seafood. This little restaurant is tucked away off of South Tamiami Trail just north of Phillippi Estate Park, nestled on the shores of Phillippi Creek, complete with boat docking for any hungry mariners out enjoying the gorgeous Sarasota waterways.
Of course, once again, I have to recommend the fresh oysters from Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar, but I mainly come here for their wide assortment of delicious fried seafood options. My favorites are the flounder and the clam strips, but there are plenty of other delicious choices.
Dry Dock Waterfront Grill
412 Gulf of Mexico Dr, Longboat Key, FL 34228
Phone: 941-383-0102
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Just over the John Ringling Parkway bridge from the Sarasota’s Lido Shores neighborhood into Longboat Key is a great seafood restaurant called Dry Dock Waterfront Grill. It’s a great place to stop in for lunch or dinner after spending the day at the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.
I really love eating outside on Dry Dock’s waterfront patio while I watch the boats pass by, but they have a nice dining room that still affords great views of the water.
I recommend trying the crispy calamari to start with. After that I suggest trying a lobster roll, they’re absolutely amazing.
Connors Steak & Seafood
3501 S Tamiami Trail #1165, Sarasota, FL 34239
Phone: 941-260-3232
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This next place is called Connors Steak & Seafood and you can actually find this restaurant in many cities across Florida, so if you happen to see one in your area and you find yourself hungry for seafood, go ahead and stop in. You won’t be disappointed!
Connors’ Sarasota location is inside of the Crossings at Siesta Key shopping mall where you’ll find other fun attractions like the CMX CinéBistro Siesta Key movie theater.
I always go for the surf n’ turf here at Connors and I think that’s what everyone should try when they come here because it’s the best of both worlds.
Lucky Pelican
6239 Lake Osprey Dr, Sarasota, FL 34240
Phone: 941-907-0589
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Lucky Pelican is located over off of Lake Osprey Drive right around the corner from some really awesome shopping destinations in Sarasota like the Apple University Town Center, the University Town Center, and the Shoppes at University Center. It’s a perfect restaurant to visit when you get hungry for some fresh seafood during a shopping spree.
I really love the raw bar offered by Lucky Pelican. They serve some raw delicacies like Blue Point oysters as well as Gulf oysters so you can actually take your pick. They also have something called an “Ocean Burrito” that you should definitely try.
KaCey’s Seafood and More
4904 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota, FL 34232
Phone: 941-378-3644
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Last, but not least, is KaCey’s Seafood and More. This seafood place is casual and laid-back, so I like coming here for lunch, mostly, but they are actually a fantastic spot for a fresh seafood dinner as well.
You can find KaCey’s on Fruitville Road in the Fruitville area of Sarasota, just west of the Sarasota Crossing shopping center.
What I love to order the most from KaCey’s is their mind-blowingly delicious mahi-mahi reuben sandwich, but the shrimp po’boy is a very close second. No matter what you order, though, you won’t regret it here at KaCey’s.
Final Thoughts
As you might come to expect from one of Florida’s many little coastal slices of paradise like Sarasota, there’s plenty to be had in the way of fresh seafood like fish and shellfish. Hopefully, my guide to the best seafood restaurants can help you find one of your new favorite places to eat in the city!
If seafood isn’t your thing, check out some of Sarasota’s most amazing waterfront restaurants!
Did we leave a restaurant out of this list? Make sure you leave us a comment and we’ll check it out!
