St. Petersburg is a charming Florida city along Tampa Bay. The St Pete area is known for its art centers, parks on the water, and of course its waterfront restaurants!
In this post, we’ll look at several of the most popular waterfront restaurants in the St Pete area, including downtown St. Petersburg, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, Clearwater Beach, and Indian Rocks Beach.
12 Best Waterfront Restaurants In St Pete And Nearby!
Photo credit – Doc Fords Rum Bar & Grille
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.
Doc Fords: Things To Do Nearby
✓ While here, you’re just steps away from everything that the St Pete Pier has to offer, including lots of entertainment and more bars/restaurants, such as Spa Beach Bistro!
✓ Also, check out the waterfront parks and downtown area.
Photo credit – St. Pete Beach Crabby Bill’s
2. Crabby Bill’s – St. Pete Beach / Indian Rocks Beach
Crabby Bill’s is a popular restaurant and place to eat. It has 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.
Want to zoom around the Gulf of Mexico and other waterways in St Pete Beach? Book the St Pete Beach Dolphin Racer Speedboat Adventure! 👈
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.
The Hut- Things To Do Nearby
✓ While at John’s Pass Village, walk the boardwalk and explore the more than 100 shops and restaurants!
✓ Here you can go fishing, rent jet skis, go on a dolphin boat cruise, or even a Calypso Breeze Tropical Party Cruise!
👉For more activities and attractions, Read this blog post: 10 Best Things To Do In Madeira Beach Florida!
Photo credit – The Drunken Clam
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.
The Drunken Clam: Things To Do Nearby
✓ St Pete Beach County Park Beach is just across the street from the restaurant with lots of parking.
Photo credit – Palm Pavilion
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.
Photo credit – Bamboo Beach Bar
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!
Bamboo Beach Bar- Things To Do Nearby
✓ Shop at the stores on the northern end of John’s Pass.
✓ Visit the Alligator & Wildlife Discovery Center while in the area.
✓ Treasure Island is to the south of John’s Pass with beach access points and Madeira Beach has a great beach just a few minutes to the north.
👉 Looking for the Best Dolphin Tour in Madeira Beach? Book the Dolphin Quest – Sightseeing Eco Cruise from John’s Pass! 🐬
Photo credit – Stillwaters Tavern
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.
Stillwaters Tavern: Things To Do Nearby
✓ While in downtown St. Petersburg, check out all the shops and parks in the area.
✓ Explore the St. Petersburg Museum of History right across the street, or the Dali Museum, which is a couple minutes south of the restaurant.
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.
Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill- Things To Do Nearby
✓ Explore the downtown Clearwater Beach area, which is within walking distance of Frenchy’s.
✓ For more on Frenchy’s and Clearwater Beach, go here!
Photo credit – Woody’s Waterfront
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.
Woody’s Waterfront: Things To Do Nearby
✓ After Woody’s, stop by The Toasted Monkey Beach bar for some food, drinks, and live music.
✓ Just south of Woody’s is Upham Beach Park, a nice, wide beach and sand dunes to explore.
10. Sea Turtle Restaurant- St. Pete Beach
If you’re looking for a casual atmosphere and beachside dinner, 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.
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.
Sea Turtle Restaurant: Things To Do Nearby
✓ Visit the beach across the street or just a couple of miles south of Sea Turtle Restaurant is Pass-a-Grille Beach, arguably the best beach around.
✓ Pass-a-Grille Beach is surrounded by lots of boutiques and bars worth visiting.
Photo credit – Caddys
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!
Caddy’s: Things To Do Nearby (Treasure Island)
✓ Caddy’s has its own private area on Sunset Beach, but just a little further north in Treasure Island is the St. Petersburg Municipal Beach
Photo credit – The St Pete Pier
12. Pier Teaki- St. Petersburg
Last but not least, Teak and Pier Teaki are located right at the end of 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.
Pier Teaki: Things To Do Nearby
✓ Go fishing on the fishing deck at the end of the pier.
✓ The Tampa Bay Discovery Center is close to the end of the pier and is a great place for learning about the area.
👉For a complete list of activities in t Pete Pier – Read this blog post: Things To Do In St Pete Pier!
Final Thoughts: St Pete Waterfront Restaurants & Nearby
As you can see, there are many awesome waterfront restaurants in St. Pete and nearby!
If you’re looking for a great place to eat while here, you’ll definitely want to check out some of the area’s best waterfront restaurants on this list.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner for two or a fun night out and good times with friends and family, you won’t be disappointed!
Booking a last-minute trip to St Pete Beach?
If so, we have you covered. Here are some top recommended tours and hotels!
Top Tours in St Pete Beach
Stunning St. Pete Beach Helicopter Tour (30-minute helicopter tour)
St Pete Dolphin Watching and Shelling Adventure (30-minute helicopter tour)
Dolphin Racer Speedboat Adventure (Opportunities to see dolphins and other marine animals)
Island Sunset and Skyway Lightshow (Top-rated evening Catamaran in St Petersburg FL)
Dolphin Tour in St Pete Beach (Highest-rated dolphin tour)
Top Hotels In St Pete Beach
Treasure Island Beach Resort – (Beautiful Beach View And Amenities)
Sunset Beach Suites – (Best Budget Hotel Near Madeira Beach)
The Saint Hotel – (Top-Rated Beach Nearby Hotel In St Pete Beach)
Hilton Graden Inn St Pete Beach – (Beachfront Hotel Perfect For Couples)
Looking To Get Around In St Pete Beach?
Check out rental car rates here! 🚗