Seafood Dining Guide

Aqua Grill
950 Sawgrass Village Dr. Ponte Vedra Beach. 904-285-3017

Seafood is their specialty, but they also serve steaks and “eclectic American cuisine.” Although they have a rotating menu that changes nightly, they always feature American dishes with an Asian twist.

Barnacle Bill’s Seafood House
14 Castillo Dr. St. Augustine. 904-824-3663

This St. Augustine institution is famous for their seafood chowders and wide array of shrimp. Treat some out-of-town friends to some gator tail with Datl Do-It Hot Sauce made from real St. Augustine datil peppers.

Billy’s Boathouse
2321 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville Beach, 904-241-9771

From clams and oysters to fish entrees with an Asian twist, including Cashew Crumb Swai (a snapper dish) and Salmon Hiro, Billy’s Boat House is perched right on the water and often features live music on their patio while you dig into some fresh caught fish and a cold beverage.

Bonefish Grill
2400 South 3rd Street. Jacksonville Beach, 904-247-4234

This Florida seafood restaurant started in St. Pete and they are now littered throughout the country. Their specialty is grilling fresh fish on their wood-burning grill then topping it with one of their famous sauces. Salmon, grouper, swordfish or sea bass, Bonefish has it all. They also have a mandarin location.

Cap’s on the Water
4325 Myrtle Street, St. Augustine. 904-824-8794

Located on the Intracoastal Waterway in St. Augustine, Cap’s has terrific outdoor dining, the fattest oysters in town, and a great Sunset Oyster Bar where they will shuck them for you.

Chart House
1501 Riverplace Blvd. Jacksonville. 904-398-3353

Not a Jacksonville-based chain, Chart House is known for fine dining on the richest seafood. From the Crab Avocado Mango Stack from their raw bar menu to the Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi, they are a top-shelf contender for scoring date points.

Clark’s Fish Camp
12903 Hood Landing Rd, 904-268-3474

Clark’s has everything from escargot to rattlesnake on their menu. Whether you want down-home classics such as fried catfish with a dessert of key lime pie or something truly wild, such as kangaroo, Clark’s has it.

Conch House
57 Comares Ave, St Augustine, 904-824-2046

Get irie on their infamous reggae night or just make the drive to St. Augustine when you want cuisine and atmosphere that is one-of-a-kind. They have Minorcan Crab Cakes, Butter Rhum Scallops, and fried oysters. Best of all, it is served to you on a private cabana along their winding dock, so you are literally on the water.

Dolphin Depot
704 1ST St N, Jacksonville Beach, 904-270-1424

Dig into some low-country cuisine such as shrimp and grits and enjoy a southern ambience. Low country food is indigenous to coastal South Carolina, so you get the delicious down-home flavors of fried fish alongside the buttery charm of shrimp and grits or low country boil.

Homestead
1712 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach. 904-249-5240

Once a Jacksonville institution, Homestead has vastly improved since being purchased by the people that owned First Street Grille. Get the sea bass or try their Sunday brunch buffet.

Kingfish Grille
252 Yacht Club Drive, St. Augustine, 904-824-2111

From their horseradish crusted grouper to their fisherman’s stew, this place is authentically a seafood restaurant. You’ll find oysters, shrimp, calamari and crab cakes on their menu too.

Outback Crab Shack
8155 County Road 13 N, St Augustine, 904-522-0500

Although it has been there since 1975, people in Jacksonville seem to have discovered it only in the last year or two, but it has quickly been a place known for being worth the drive. They call the restaurant a cypress shack, they have music, and they are laid back (no shoes no shirt, no problem). Obviously their specialty is soft shell crab, but they also have everything from oysters to alligator.

Plantains
Sea Turtle Inn, 1 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach, 888-782-9722

This is Florida living. In addition to one of the best brunches in town, they serve some of the finest cuisine at the beach with a spectacular view of the ocean, which is oddly rare at the Beaches. From their Lobster Ravioli to their more Caribbean dishes, there is plenty on this menu to keep you coming back. The service, however, often leaves something to be desired.

Ragtime Tavern & Seafood Grille
207 Atlantic Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, 904-241-7877

Ragtime plays up a New Orleans theme with their Blackened Flounder, Barbecue Oysters and Louisiana Crawfish.

The Reef
4100 Coastal Highway, Vilano Beach, 904-824-8008

Their prime rib is reportedly the best in the St. Augustine area and their seafood (like the Thai Chili Snapper) is known to be delicious, fresh and innovative.

Safe Harbor
4378 Ocean Street, Mayport, 904-246-4911

This shop is first and foremost one of the best fresh fish markets in Jacksonville. Featuring a constantly changing array of the freshest fish to come off of the boats that dock right next to it, Safe Harbor can give you the raw materials for a fantastic dish, or their experts can prepare the fish you pick out right in their kitchen.

Saltwater Cowboys
299 Dondanville Rd. St. Augustine Beach, 904-471-2332

Saltwater Cowboys is a part of that old Florida. Their “Florida Cracker” combo comes with gator, frog legs, and “cooter.” I’m not sure what cooter is, but the Oysters Dondanville sound scrumptious.

Sliders
218 1st Street, Neptune Beach, 904-246-088

This Neptune Beach favorite is the perfect place to slip away from the beach for a cold beer and some delicious oysters. Their raw oysters are known for being the best, but even if you like them cooked, they have plenty of styles to tickle your fancy.

Whitey’s Fish Camp
2032 County Road 220, Orange Park, 904-269-4198

This may just be the best thing about Orange Park. From their sweet potato fries to their Snow Crab dinners, Whitey’s is an institution. The view of Black Creek ain’t bad either, and there’s plenty of great live entertainment every weekend.