Bar food and drink – Natural light photo of romantic beach evening on the sunset with glass of water and dinner — Courtesy: Yarlander
Even while we adore lounging on our well-known Florida beaches, we’re even larger fans of taking in the same warm, sunny environment while reclining at a beach bar in our most relaxed clothes. Nothing beats elevating that toes-in-the-sand feeling with a refreshing beer, good wine, or tropical cocktail – maybe even better when coupled with a mouthwatering grouper sandwich or “cheeseburger in paradise.”
These ten beach bars are our top picks for entertainment, food, beverages, and views around the state, ranging from the Panhandle to South Florida from the Gulf Coast to the Space Coast. They are listed alphabetically!
Beach House
Beach House stays true to its name by situating visitors directly on Bradenton Beach’s beautiful white sands, which overlook the Gulf of Mexico. Bradenton Beach is located in Tampa Bay, on the southern tip of Anna Maria Island. Although Beach House has an interior bar and eating space, the action is on the covered patio area, which has a bar with a view of the public beach.
Lola is a well regarded Napa Valley wine, whose originator hails from Bradenton. It’s a great choice for libations. The Category 3 Margarita at Beach House, which uses house-infused jalapeño silver tequila, is an additional excellent choice. When it comes to food, the restaurant serves some of Sarasota-Manatee’s greatest grouper sandwiches. Additionally, you might think about trying their famous burger, which is a thick, juicy patty topped with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, smoked Gruyere cheese, and bacon strips. It comes with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a buttered, toasted bun, and is well worth the extra calories..
Benny’s on the Beach
This beach bar has been serving both residents and tourists for almost 40 years. Depending on where you sit, you can even be directly on the ocean. Located on the Lake Worth Pier, this restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and supper and features amazing views to go along with burgers, sandwiches, fresh seafood, and more. Benny’s offers an inventive and beachy cocktail menu as well. Some of the drinks are Max’s Pineapple Colada, which is made with frozen Parrot Bay Coconut Rum piña colada and served in a fresh-cut pineapple with a Myer’s Dark Rum floater; Florida Lemonade, which consists of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, peach schnapps, strawberry purée, and fresh-squeezed lemonade; and the Rubber Ducky Punch, which combines Cruzan Light Aged Rum, blue curaçao, fresh-pressed pineapple, lime, and a toy rubber ducky.KY.
Blue Parrot
Residents of Tallahassee are only 80 miles from a paradise with beaches. You may order a margarita from the deck with a front-row view of the Gulf, walk up to the airy Blue Parrot from the beach, and wash your feet on the boardwalk. Specialty drinks include the bold The Sand Blaster, St. George Island Breeze (citrus juices with cherry infused vodka on the rocks), and Island Girl (coconut run, pineapple juice, OJ, served on the rocks with lemon lime soda). It has mango, lime, blackberry, and rum flavors and is packaged with a 151 floater and a hazard warning. T-shirts that read “I’ve been Sandblasted” are also offered.
Savor the sea breeze while ordering a dozen raw oysters or smoked yellowfin tuna dip. Customers can eat in the shade at Blue Parrot’s indoor dining room and covered upper deck. Seafood and fish platters, burgers, shrimp baskets, conch fritters, and the always-favorite grouper sandwich are examples of beachy cuisine. In June, the restaurant is the venue for the yearly St. George Island Mullet Toss.
Doc’s Beach House
This iconic Bonita Beach location is the place to go if you’re searching for a casual beach bar and restaurant with breathtaking sunset and beach views. The upstairs of this popular family-friendly beachside restaurant was unaffected by Hurricane Ian, despite the first level being severely damaged. We were sitting at a corner table in that busy sports-themed bar area on the second floor as soon as it reopened, fourteen months later, relishing in ice-cold beer, Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches, and a perfect view of the ocean. The crowd-pleasing Chicago tavern-style pizza (served after 4 p.m.) and the tacos, wings, and burgers are all highly appreciated.
A completely renovated downstairs with new floors, ceilings, and a bar is also accessible to patrons walking up from the beach. Doc’s, which started in 1987 and is still cash-only, has a wonderful front terrace under a thatched canopy. Finally, for the whole feet-in-the-sand experience, you may take your order to go and eat at one of the first-come, first-served beachside tables. Doc’s is one beach bar you won’t want to miss, no matter where you sit.
Flora-Bama
You can tell a bar is truly iconic when its name becomes a Jimmy Buffett song. In his song “Bama Breeze,” Buffett sings of the experiences he had at the “world famous” beach bar that is located on the border between Florida and Alabama.
Buffett describes a typical night for Gulf Coast residents who frequent the Flora-Bama because of its five stages of live music that spill out onto the white sands of the Gulf of Mexico. The song was written by Nashville songwriters Mark Irwin, Josh Kear, and Chris Tompkins. The iconic Bushwacker, a frozen rum-based milkshake-like beverage that has been a Gulf Coast mainstay since the 1970s, or a Key Lime Colada will always provide refreshing relief, even on the hottest Florida days. The food, which is served in three distinct eating spaces with varying pricing points and styles, is a destination unto itself in addition to the spotless atmosphere.
Situated closer to the Alabama border, the Flora-Bama Yacht Club is well-known for its locally sourced products and delicious fish. Small plates like the char-grilled oysters and the “World Famous Gumbo” with Conecuh sausage and Gulf shrimp are available there, as well as larger dishes like the eight-ounce hand-cut filet mignon or the Blackened Gulf Tripletail with Cajun filthy rice. Who said a beach bum couldn’t have a fancy supper, after all?
Kane Tiki Bar & Grill
Collier County’s only award went to Kane at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, which earned a coveted spot on Southern Living’s list of the top beach bars. In order to create foods that complement the atmosphere of Kane’s sunset fire dancing performances, chef de cuisine Sherene Hutchinson combines her love of Asian cuisine with her Jamaican heritage.
What is important to understand? If you don’t want to pay $25 for valet parking, parking is $15 and a pain across the street from the steep path. Pro tip: Try parking your chairs close to one of the public entrances and take a stroll if you’re not a resort visitor. While there is no clothing requirement, keep in mind that Marco Island is a conservative place, so think twice before wearing your swimsuit. Wear footwear to protect your feet as the beach is quite covered in shells. Considered to be the prettiest tiki-chickee hut around, seating is first-come, first-served.
Lemon Bar
Of course it’s called the Lemon Bar; it’s located at the end of Lemon Street and has bright yellow awnings. Beachgoers in the Jacksonville area have long loved this beachside tavern because of its chilled beer, chairs with surfing themes, and convenient location close to a public beachwalk.
Situated in a quirky and artistic neighborhood, it’s within a short distance from Pete’s Bar, another well-known local favorite. Parking in the neighborhood is pay-only, and spaces may fill up quickly during busy hours.
It is situated in the historic Seahorse Inn’s seaside courtyard, which Shad Khan, the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, acquired in 2022.
Not even indoor seating is available at the Lemon Bar. A sizable deck made of concrete pavers is dotted with a few dozen tables. Nearly majority of the chairs are outside, as they should be at a beach bar, with a few palm trees offering some shade. Awnings cover the kitchen, bar, and a few seats. For live entertainment, there is a tiny stage in one corner of the deck.
Naturally, the menu is full of frothy and frozen beverages, but the Lemon Bar also serves beer in a can or on tap. Tacos, fish sandwiches, burgers, and BLTs are among the beach bar meal options available on the menu.
Lou’s Blues Bar & Grill
Space Coast locals know Lou’s Blues well. For almost twenty years, this beachside bar and grill has been a beloved local hangout, offering outstanding burgers, an extensive beer menu, and live music. If you enjoy blue cheese, try the house-made chips from Lou’s Blues, which are topped with melted blue cheese, scallions, and balsamic sauce. Make sure to pause and enjoy the varied décor by taking a look around, even above you.Additionally, if you want to enjoy some karaoke, this is the place to go.A pro tip for an even greater seaside vista is to schedule your visit around a rocket launch.
Ocean Deck Restaurant and Beach Bar
The ultimate beach bar is Ocean Deck, a beloved destination for locals and tourists alike that offers a toes-in-the-sand, artisan cocktail, and live entertainment experience year-round. With dining options ranging from the first-come, first-served outdoor deck to the lower-level bar and nautical upstairs dining room overlooking the Atlantic, this “no shirt, no shoes, no problem” location is directly on Daytona Beach.
Monday through Friday, Ocean Deck hosts a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Additionally, it has an extensive drink menu including 32-ounce Bacardi party buckets, 64-ounce pitchers, tropical mocktails, and traditional “deck drinks.”
The restaurant also serves a variety of light fare, mostly seafood. Some of the crowd-pleasers are the fried gator nibbles, the buffalo wings with lemon pepper dressing, the big daddy burger with layers of onion and pickles, and the Caribbean coconut shrimp. The vibrant beachside restaurant offers weekend beach karaoke along with live music every day from local bands and DJs.
Waldo’s Restaurant & Bar
In 1935, Waldo Sexton constructed the Driftwood Inn on Ocean Drive in Vero Beach. He planned to utilize the timbers of a dairy barn that had been wrecked by a storm as a family beach house, but there weren’t many hotels nearby, so he started getting requests for rooms. Later, it grew into the Driftwood Resort, which features an oceanfront restaurant with seating for both indoor and outdoor events, live music on weekends, and a pool for guests only in the center of the wood deck. It is included in the Historic Places of America National Register. Taste Waldo’s famous chicken salad, which is served with homemade beet chips, pasta salad, and fresh fruit. The salad has pulled white meat, walnuts, and special seasonings.
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Mike has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations. He once owned his own agency and has worked with some of the largest brands in the world.
