A great place for a fun beach day. There's tons of beach space, even some under trees for maximum shade. That area also has picnic tables and grills. The parking fills up pretty fast so you should arrive no later than 10 for a good spot. The water was clean and clear and the sand was nice and white with some spots filled with shells.

A chilly day, but lots of sunshine. You may want to pack snacks or a lunch with drinks. Nice gift shop and playground for the kiddos. Food and drinks available for purchase, but let's just say...$8 is a lot of money for a grilled cheese sandwich. Beach was clean and not crowded during Off Season. (November 2025)

Some of our friends introduced us to to this spot. We went 3 nights in a row while we were in the area for our daughters’ Lax Expo. It’s clean and not too overcrowded. Good food and drink options, a free trolley that runs up and down the short strip. It felt like it was this secret place but it’s been around forever obviously. Oh! Did I mention? The parking was free too!! They had everything, food, showers, proper changing rooms, It was just a great Experience!

Wonderful beach, water incredibly clear and warm, sugar white sand, showers and changing rooms for visitors. There are no public restrooms but instead they set 3 or 4 porta potties near the parking lot. Gross… The restaurant at the Beach is handy if you don’t want to leave the area for lunch, but the food wasn’t good. Our Philly steaks came burned and the fries soggy. The playground is adorable and has lots of swings for the little ones. They also have volleyball nets. The natural beauty of the area is worth the visit.

WORTH THE DRIVE! Our favorite Florida beach! Better than anywhere along St. Pete or Clearwater. We swam for two hours and had lunch at the cafe. We had beef & chicken tacos, burgers, and the fish & chips and loved it all.

Beautiful beach with white fluffy sand!! Has a little playground for kids and a bar/restaurant with covered outdoor seating on the beach with music playing!! Could definitely hang out here!! Would probably be a beautiful area to watch a sunset too!!

Beautiful sand, water, and plenty of nearby amenities. Cleanest beach bathrooms I've seen in the last few years!

Very interesting about the history of Anna Maria Island. It's a small museum but backed with information. Plus they have scavenger hunt for kids and it's free!!! Donations accepted. And there's a small park with a kayak launch too.

To get a feel for the island and understand some of the architecture and people a good place to start your vacation is at the AMI museum on Pine st. We spent about 45 minutes going thru the museum, jail and cottage. Karen was full of interesting facts and stories. Glad we stopped by. It was a fun afternoon.

We enjoyed the historical Museum It is free to experience and there's a lot of Interesting facts The staff volunteers were very knowledgeable And a pleasure to speak with

This was a cute little free museum. Lots of artifacts and history. There is a tiny gift store, too. The volunteer working there was super friendly and helpful. She gave us tips on where to eat that paid off! The jail is interesting and offers free air conditioning! Oh and there are some movies that were in part filmed on Anna Maria Island. Might be fun to watch them for your trip. See photos for the movie names.

Anybody else our family had a great time at the museum learning about all of the history of the island. We are also able to get a tour in the cabin in the staff was extremely friendly and helpful.

Visited November of 2021. Was passing thru Sarasota en-route to Ana Maria Island. On the 2nd day on the island me and my family visited the old city jailhouse, very much "still" intact. Highly recommend to visit this piece of history if in the area. Just make sure to bring yourself and an empty drive to take plenty of photos : ) And don't forget to walk past behind the jailhouse as you will find a different spot to take photos with your friends, family and loved ones.

It was very informative about the history of the island. There were lots of artifacts inside and it was neat to see the old jail outside. I never knew how tiny of a jail Anna Maria had, and how it was ran was even more interesting. Come and visit to see more for yourself!

We like their large menu selections, but the serving was a little less than what I expected for the price. However, the dishes we ordered were delicious and did not disappoint. The kids also like their large selections on the kids menu and everyone seemed to have enjoyed their meals. The atmosphere was just fair. But the big fans they have around definitely helped mitigate the heat and humidity today and was very much appreciated for sure. The excellent service from the front host to our waiter was the best for us.

We went for an early dinner and the hostess and our server were friendly and attentive. As for the food, it lacked flavor. We ordered the Coastal Clam Chowder (tasted like it was out of a bag and super thick), the Angus burger (basic) and the Mahi Sandwich. It is a convenient spot for a quick bite, but not what we were expecting.

Was nervous to go here given the inconsistent reviews, but they were wrong! Had the pretzel, grouper tacos, quesadilla and specialty cocktails = all delicious! Sam, our waitress, was bomb with great recommendations, and the live music a bonus. Definitely go! And you're treating yourself to go out. If it's too expensive, stay home.

Food was excellent definitely try the mozzarella sticks and calamari!! Outdoor music was a great addition. Service was good and quick.

Extremely Fun place to eat, had delicious grouper tacos, and pulled pork sliders ! Also the Pina Colada was delicious and was great drinking it as live music was played and we were refreshed by an afternoon shower! Everything was spectacular and Olivia was wonderful and met all of our needs. You Must eat at the Ugly Grouper, Anna Marie Island!

The seating is all outside, but they have plenty of fans to keep it cooler. The waitress was very helpful in giving recommendations. Our appetizer was the best part of the meal. The chicken quesadilla was absolutely delicious! I wasn't very impressed with the grouper tacos or the new england clam chowder soup.

An outdoor restaurant. Parking is slim, especially on a busy tourist day. The food was good but overpriced. The wait time was reasonable. It's a decent spot. The highlight of the dining experience was our waiter, "Chris". He was phenomenal.

As a family of 5 on holiday we stopped in for a late lunch after going on the dolphin boat tour. No wait for a table, great service, and the food was excellent and plentiful. My son had the California Club sandwich which turned out to be a bit too big for a 9 year old, but they were happy to provide a container for him to take it home and eat later.

Very casual place with a better menu than you'd expect. The location and sign made me think it was just a bar but they have a full menu and it's not all sandwiches and fried stuff. I had the Grouper piccata and my husband had the maple orange salmon. The Grouper was plentiful, the potatoes were good and the green beans were fresh with a little crisp to them...perfectly done. My husband raved about the maple orange salmon. He absolutely loved it. The service was good and the drinks also good. The atmosphere was casual. All around good and definitely a place that seems to fly under the radar... It's really good though, try it.

Visited 26APR25:: my girlfriend and I came to this area as a weekend get a way. We picked this place solely based off of her sons name, who wasn't with us. She ordered the chicken your way, char grilled, the piece of chicken was a decent size, the brioche bun was good and soft just the chicken lacked flavor. Seemed as though there wasn't salt, pepper or any seasoning. Only could taste the char grilled. Island fries, which are just regular fries the server said they just named it that because we're on an island, were top 5 of what she's had. Nice and crispy not greasy. I ordeee the maple orange salmon. Lacked flavor wasn't very maple tasting or orange. I would suggest to add orange zest for a bright flavor. Good size piece. Baked potato was ordinary. The atmosphere was nice and relaxing, small but they made the seating work. Our server wasn't over the top.

We have been sleeping on this place and we regret it! This is our fifth visit to the island and our first time visiting Hurricane Hanks. We were blown away with the quality, taste and portions of the food. Rachel was our server and she was so helpful and made the experience wonderful. We had the crab cake stuffed grouper, shrimp risotto, meatloaf, chicken tenders and a side of onion rings. Come early or you’ll be on a long wait, they fill up fast and for good reason!!

RUN HERE NOW!! Hurricane Hanks has THE best key lime pie I have had in years! I stopped in for lunch and happy I did. The place is quaint, plenty of seating and great southern hospitality! I ordered a chicken wrap, unsweetened ice tea and of course my favorite, key lime pie.. Food is delicious, service friendly and attentive and great atmosphere. Only regret?? I didn't take an extra piece of pie to go!! Next time you're hungry, stop in at Hurricane Hanks!

We stopped into Hurricane Hanks for dinner on our last night out and had a great time and meal! For our starters, we had the infamous tuna stack which was so delicious!! We also had the peel & eat shrimp with butter which were fantastic- great flavor! For our mains, we had the grouper tacos, fish and chips and chicken piccata. Our only regret is not visiting and trying out hurricane Hanks sooner, but we’re sooo happy we did so we can add it to our AMI rotation!

This was an accidental run in. We didn’t even see it but stopped in for a shop next door then decided to have lunch. Hands down the best fish tacos I’ve had in a very long time and the onion rings were stellar! We sat at the bar. Didn’t get the bartenders name, but she was on point with maintaining a great pace for service with all the seats full. Lots of people came in for take out orders, so this tells me this place is the real deal! When we come back down for vacay next time, we will be going back. Definitely recommend.

So far so good. Seems to be good beach fare. Posted current prices on menu. The cups they sell at the bar are a good deal if you plan to come back for a few days. The AYCE pancakes are popular. I enjoyed them.

Ate here for the first time today for breakfast. Short walk on the beach from our air bnb. Had the 2 eggs, wheat toast, home fried potatoes and bacon and the gravy w/ biscuits and 2 eggs. Biscuits and gravy were good but the eggs, bacon, & potatoes was great! Coffee was ok..soda good..Nice to be able to eat directly on the beach. They offer ayce pancakes for 7.99! Would return. definitely return.

If you’re at this beach, this is great! Good food, reasonably priced and fast. The fries were not super great. Burger was really good for $9.00. They have a bar and ice cream! So convenience is upmost. I’d recommend this place because it’s fun, decent and you don’t need to get in the car, lose your spot, sweat, etc. It’s surprisingly good.

Just a sensational spot. We came for breakfast, we came for drinks. We enjoyed the sun and the shade, the short walk to the Gulf waters, the playful service, the evening ambience and the spectacular sunsets. Pack me a suitcase, I can't wait to go back

Several vendors on the beach. Typical beach food and drinks selection. Kids playground on Holmes, Manatee Beach access area. The picnic area has picnic benches and grills and shaded for the most part. Very clean and free of garbage as the cleaning crew on the beach is phenomenal.

Breakfast was very good, menu had a lot of options. We had some go for the "all you can eat" pancakes 🥞 that comes with sausage patties the first go round, biscuits and gravy with bacon, waffle with strawberries and whipped cream and even French toast... there were no complaints for any of it, everyone left with full bellies! Food came out quickly as well! Will be going back again during our stay!

Great variety of food and the all you can eat pancakes are irresistible! The staff is super friendly and very efficient even at peak hours. The drinks are tasty and can't be beat with your toes in the sand!! This is a must visit every time I go to AMI!

Overall good experience. I had the roasted beet salad , one of my favorite salads ever. My husband had the lobster roll. A bit pricey (over $30) but he loved it. We shared a peel and eat shrimp platter. Drinks were good and view is nice. Summer months are hot (went beginning of August) they do have fans outdoors to keep air circulating. I do feel their pricing is a bit higher probably for being beachside.

We really enjoyed everything here. We ordered some drinks before we got to our reserved table on a Sunday. Our server Turah was very kind, friendly and prompt with everything! We ordered the crab and spinach dip which was excellent, cowboy shrimp which was extremely tasty and flavorful with the right amount of spice and the crab cake which was mouth watering delicious for appetizers. For dinner we got the lobster roll which was packed with lobster and very fresh tasting, chicken and waffles which was really good but not the biggest fan of the syrup, grouper filet which you can never go wrong with, blackened red snapper with a beurre Blanc sauce with crab which was soooo good and another crab cake. Overall, the food was well worth it, even though it was a little pricey. The service made the visit pleasant and the atmosphere is perfect right by the beach to watch the sunset. I'd come here again and again.

Everything about this experience was amazing! Grabbed dinner here with my daughter and husband while on vacation. We went in on a Sunday at 4:30pm and there was no wait. We were seated outside for a fantastic sunset view! Our waitress Kitty was attentive, friendly, patient, and accommodating--excellent service. The manager even checked on us a few times. Our food was perfect. We shared the blackened chicken nachos, which were tasty. All of our meals were delicious also. I had the grilled grouper sandwich with garlic mash, my husband had the seaside shrimp tacos, and my daughter had the shrimp fettuccine Alfredo. My husband had a seaside margarita and I had a bean point strawberry limeade. The atmosphere was fun but not loud. They have a game every evening to guess the time of the sunset by time, including seconds, and whoever comes closest without going over gets a free dessert. There was free parking only one block away also, which is incredible. Its too bad we're leaving tomorrow because I would have certainly gone back.

Every single dish we ordered was a hit—from the crispy potatoes and buttery shrimp to the perfectly blackened fish and ultra-fresh oysters. The sweet potato mash and roasted veggies? Chef’s kiss. You can tell the kitchen cares about quality and seasoning. On top of that, our server was friendly, attentive, and knew the menu inside out. Great food, great vibes, and even better service—we’ll definitely be back!

Great food and service. Best crab cake and crab & spinach dip in the area. Great atmosphere, chilled, not pretentious. Amazing sunset with the Pelicans and all sorts of gulls flying and fishing for our delight, and the courtesy of the dolphins jumping to say goodbye. The show continued with a stunning moonrise behind the Sandbar. What else 😎?

We’ve been to this restaurant a few times before it was sold to the new owners. Back then, it was really great — the food was delicious, the menu had plenty of options, and the atmosphere was beautiful with the sandy beach setting. Unfortunately, we visited again yesterday and were very disappointed. The quality of the food has gone downhill, and the prices are not worth it considering how disappointing the meal was. I ordered the red snapper and it was like rubber (fish is supposed to be flakey). My bf ordered the burger and fries which he wasn’t happy with. It’s such a shame to see that happen to a place that used to be one of my favorite spots to visit whenever I came out to Florida.

We made a reservation for dinner at Sandbar and had a lovely experience! We ordered the stone crabs to start which were fantastic. For our mains, we had shrimp tacos and shrimp Alfredo. Highly recommend and look forward to coming back!

This was just incredible from the moment we parked the car! We were confused on the menu online and how it all worked. We sat at the bar and were able to do A la carte, which was great for those not wanting so much food. Every bite of food we had was just amazing and I cannot recommend it enough. The real standout here might have been the service, though. Oscar, the bartender, was a pleasure to chat with, but every person we encountered here was just so nice and helpful. We truly loved every second of our experience.

Having lived and dined in various locations worldwide, I can confidently say that this dining experience is the finest I have encountered within a 50-mile radius of Tampa. While many establishments may receive high ratings, the exceptional quality, meticulous preparation, impeccable seasoning, and exquisite presentation of the food surpasses any other in the area. Additionally, the added bonus of a breathtaking view of the Gulf and the opportunity to witness a stunning sunset while enjoying this remarkable meal truly enhances the overall experience. The service provided was flawless. The only reason I deducted one star for the atmosphere is due to the noise level in the main dining area, which is caused by the limited space, numerous tables, and loud conversations among guests.

Omg!! Talk about the most amazing food and atmosphere on AMI!! Oscar was the most calm, kind, caring, and attentive server from beginning to end. The meal is not cheap or quick (you pay for the culinary experience). It is a 4 course tasting menu to die for, and we enjoyed it on the beach during sunset and fireworks! We all agreed that we could not have had a better meal anywhere else with the spectacular food, service, and view! We would give 100 stars if possible.

Unforgettable Romantic Dinner at Beach Bistro! My wife and I had a magical evening at Beach Bistro. We dined on the beach with our toes in the sand, enjoying a breathtaking sunset and delicious food. The four-course meal was incredible - every bite was bursting with flavor! The service was excellent, attentive without being intrusive. To top it all off, we strolled back to our resort along the beach after dinner. Highly recommend Beach Bistro for a special occasion or a romantic night out!

I heard a lot about this restaurant, it turned out to be very popular and it was difficult to reserve a table. Because of that my expectations were much higher. For such an expensive restaurant, I wanted a slightly more gourmet special meal. Our table was right on the beach, it made atmosphere beautiful and romantic. But the food was by far not delicious, a lot of salt, nothing special. I even had to change the dessert, it was not very tasty. But I didn't like the new one either. Atmosphere 5 stars Cleanliness 4 stars Service 4 stars Food 3.5 stars Pricing 2 stars

We enjoyed every bite of food. Drinks were great. I enjoyed the "new fashioned " smoked. My husband tried the Pirate Punch. This was worth the price. Sat on the beach. We had a beautiful view of the sunset. It was chilly out, and the restaurant provided all of us with throw blankets, a very nice touch, and attention to detail. Service was a little chopped up, and it seemed like they should have had more than one person handling the number of tables they had on the beach. That said, Matt was lovely and was hustling to do his best to keep everyone attended to.

amazing meal - large portions for a 4 course tasting menu never had such a big thing of seared foie in my life. the lamb was cooked perfectly and the sauce was sweet and salty. just right the desserts were great. chocolate tart is a must the lobster escargot is a must as well. the wine menu is extensive and the som is quite intelligent and a character! a good thing. maybe a little dated on the inside but - feels warm and intimate

This is your sign to check out this restaurant! We ordered the fried clam strips appetizer, clam chowder soup, and grilled mahi mahi sandwich. The fried clam strips were the best I have ever had! Service was awesome. Our waitress was very sweet and welcoming. The view can’t be beat. Lunch on the ocean, it can’t get better than that! We even saw several dolphins swimming close by.

My son was in town, so we decided to check out this waterfront restaurant. It's on a fishing pier, so it's over the water. The vibe is uber casual, to the extent that our waiter was wearing a sleeveless, wife beater style shirt. We ordered a pitcher of beer, which at $10 translated into $2 per beer, which was a great deal. We started with an onion rings appetizer, which were good but not really enough for 3 people. My son and I both ordered grouper sandwiches, mine grilled, and his fried. Both were super fresh and delicious. My wife ordered the scallops and she said they were great. It's a chill place to eat fresh seafood and catch a sunset.

That was pretty good. This place has been around a while, and I can see why. We all got the Fish and Chips (16.95), and it was really good. Got a large portion and the onion rings were outstanding. Id pass on their rice as a side. Right on the water, good seafood and a fun atmosphere, it's a nice place to get a meal.

Our 1st visit. We are in love with this place. We had the best seats! Got to see dolphins surfacing, a giant stingray, a couple pelicans and the giant school of minnows at the dock was mesmerizing to watch. Perfect weather, nice breeze. The food was awesome. Staff was nice and we had a great server. Parking was a little tough but everything that followed was perfect. We will be back.

Nice little place to eat and watch manatee and dolphins. Came here for lunch while on vacation. I ordered the grouper sandwich while my son and mother in law ordered chicken strips and fries. Everything was delicious! Staff there were friendly and the food came out fairly quickly! Highly recommend visiting here if you're on vacation!

We had lunch here before hitting the beach. The menu is simple and the food was very very good. I would say that the Cuban sandwich and the shrimp chowder are a must try. They may not always have the corn and shrimp chowder, it was a day special when we were there. This soup was very delicious, we had the "best clam chowder" at another restaurant the day before. This chowder, although not clam based, blew that one out the water as far as flavor goes. We also tried the wings and the wedge salad. If you have an hour, you can rent some rods from the nice gentleman that runs the stand. You can also buy some bait, live or frozen. I had seen some videos about people fishing here but we did not have much luck, we only caught a small perch. We did see people with their own gear so the fishing might is probably good when you bring in good gear. You can always swim after your meal but there are better beaches to check out if you are only here for a few days. There is also a free trolley that takes you to manatee beach and further south, this is their most northern stop on their route. Enjoy y'all!

The iconic Rod and Reel Pier. We had breakfast here twice during our stay and enjoyed the breakfast sandwiches, mixed fruit and especially the seafood omelette. Flat top seating inside and outside. Great views. Friendly service. Bar downstairs. I’m told there can be a wait to eat during the busy season. The pier gives everything you expected. Eclectic fisherman, sea life, dolphin sightings, a variety of birds, boats. Peaceful in the morning. I definitely recommend.

Stopped here by luck while on a day trip while on vacation in Siesta Key and exploring the barrier Island. This place is a must. Delicious food, amazing views and wonderful & friendly team! I wish this place was close to my home, I would be a regular! My family of 5 all loved their food! Calamari, Lobster Bisque, Burger, Mac and Cheese, Grouper Taco and Desserts were all hits.

This was our first time and the food was delicious! We will be back! The lobster bisque was delicious. My sister and I both ordered salmon cakes with mashed potatoes and season veggies. Everything was delicious. Definitely a meal I would order again if it's on the menu.

I completely understand the popularity of this place now that I’ve had a chance to visit. I live near the island and this has been on my list of popular dining spots. Now I see the hype 😊 The esthetic appeal was the selling point. Relaxing, quiet with a calming ambiance! The best calamari I have ever eaten and I’m not a fan of this dish. Service was top notch. Highly recommended ✌🏼💛🌊☀️

We came in on a Saturday night. As expected on the island we had a wait which was fine. We ordered 3 Moscow mules and one rum and coke at the bar while we waited. The bill for the drinks was 70.00. There wasnt much sitting room at the bar but some wrap around bench sitting outside so we did that. After about an hour and 30 we got called and sat on their back patio area. They had plenty of fans to keep us all cool. The bread that was bought to the table was amazing!! We ordered fried green tomatoes which were very good and Brussels, thank goodness our waitress told us that for some reason when the Brussels come so do the flies, so just to be prepared, she was right!! But we managed okay. Once she took them away no more flies. I ordered the shrimp and grits, let me tell you it was the best I have ever eaten. The grit cake in the center and the sauce with plenty of sausage and shrimp, it was chefs kiss. My husband ordered the special which was I believe halibut and it was like butter. Great atmosphere and the waitress was very attentive. Definitely will be our go to place when we visit in the future.

The 1st thing we experienced was ordering our drinks and asking the waitress 20 minutes later where our cocktails were. She said that was a normal time due to it being a craft bar. (Ive never waited that long for drinks ever) We went during the week in August (8th) it wasn't that busy. The food was average and edible besides the brussel sprouts (avoid). Everything took so long that by the time we got our food it was almost closing time (went over an hour before closing) and we felt a bit rushed. The steak we ordered was supposed to be med rare but most of it was med well. So many other options on the beach to choose from. Quite dissapointed. Won't be returning. Dessert was good, we got that to go.

What an incredible experience at The Waterfront on Anna Maria Island! The view alone is absolutely breathtaking. And the food? Outstanding! I had the best blue mussels in garlic sauce of my life - perfectly cooked, flavorful, and unforgettable. Everything else we tried was amazing as well, from taste to presentation. Beautiful atmosphere, fantastic food, and a view that makes you want to stay longer. Highly recommend!

We stopped in early for lunch to beat the crowd. Seating inside was full so we sat on the front porch overlooking the water. Even in the heat it was comfortable with all the fans they had. I ordered grouper tacos with pineapple coleslaw and it was excellent. The two tacos had large chunks of grouper and it was more than satisfying. My wife had thr BLT on a croissant severd with Neuskes bacon and plenty of it. The server was very attentive. There is also a large salt water fish tank inside so next time we'll try to sit inside. Prices were reasonable and the view was great. This place is worth the trip.

We like their large menu selections, but the serving was a little less than what I expected for the price. However, the dishes we ordered were delicious and did not disappoint. The kids also like their large selections on the kids menu and everyone seemed to have enjoyed their meals. The atmosphere was just fair. But the big fans they have around definitely helped mitigate the heat and humidity today and was very much appreciated for sure. The excellent service from the front host to our waiter was the best for us.

We went for an early dinner and the hostess and our server were friendly and attentive. As for the food, it lacked flavor. We ordered the Coastal Clam Chowder (tasted like it was out of a bag and super thick), the Angus burger (basic) and the Mahi Sandwich. It is a convenient spot for a quick bite, but not what we were expecting.

Was nervous to go here given the inconsistent reviews, but they were wrong! Had the pretzel, grouper tacos, quesadilla and specialty cocktails = all delicious! Sam, our waitress, was bomb with great recommendations, and the live music a bonus. Definitely go! And you're treating yourself to go out. If it's too expensive, stay home.

Food was excellent definitely try the mozzarella sticks and calamari!! Outdoor music was a great addition. Service was good and quick.

Extremely Fun place to eat, had delicious grouper tacos, and pulled pork sliders ! Also the Pina Colada was delicious and was great drinking it as live music was played and we were refreshed by an afternoon shower! Everything was spectacular and Olivia was wonderful and met all of our needs. You Must eat at the Ugly Grouper, Anna Marie Island!

The seating is all outside, but they have plenty of fans to keep it cooler. The waitress was very helpful in giving recommendations. Our appetizer was the best part of the meal. The chicken quesadilla was absolutely delicious! I wasn't very impressed with the grouper tacos or the new england clam chowder soup.

An outdoor restaurant. Parking is slim, especially on a busy tourist day. The food was good but overpriced. The wait time was reasonable. It's a decent spot. The highlight of the dining experience was our waiter, "Chris". He was phenomenal.