10 best waterfront restaurants for outdoor dining in South Sarasota County

After recommending waterfront restaurants for outdoor dining in north Sarasota County and around Anna Maria Island in Manatee County, we’re southbound to spotlight 10 more great places for dining, drinking and enjoying sunsets on the water. 

To create this list, we picked our favorite waterfront restaurants offering outdoor dining in in Venice, Nokomis and Osprey. To determine the popular menu items, we consulted with the restaurants and also offer some personal picks.

And while on the phone with the restaurants last week, we were told by 9 out of 10 that they’re requiring their employees to wear face masks while following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Specific information is included with each restaurant item below. 

Also, keep in mind that while Florida’s ban on drinking at bars remains in effect, “restaurant bar areas are allowed to operate at 50% capacity, with social distancing, and seated service only,” according to the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association.

Finally, we didn’t forget about all the great restaurants offering outdoor dining along the Manatee River in Bradenton, Palmetto and Ellenton or in the historic fishing village of Cortez. There are also a bunch of outstanding beachfront places in Englewood by the Sarasota-Charlotte County line. We’re hoping to feature all of them in the future. 

Casey Key Fish House

801 Blackburn Point Road, Osprey; 941-966-1901; caseykeyfishhouse.com

An Old Florida icon located right on the Intracoastal Waterway next to the historical Blackburn Point Swing Bridge, Casey Key Fish House serves lunch and dinner daily at its restaurant and tiki bar.

Popular menu items include the grouper sandwich, chargrilled burger and, from the dinner menu served after 4 p.m., the snapper encrusted with almonds and topped with a lemon butter sauce.

The employee who answered the phone at the tiki bar on the afternoon of Aug. 5 and Aug. 7 said that servers are not required to wear face masks.

Crow’s Nest

1968 Tarpon Center Drive, 941-484-9551; crowsnest-venice.com

Named one of the “100 Most Scenic Restaurants in America for 2019” by OpenTable, The Crow’s Nest Restaurant & Marina is a Venice landmark dating back to 1976 that overlooks the South Jetty, a gorgeous sight marking the exit of Dona Bay into the Gulf of Mexico. Now with additional outdoor tables downstairs as well as the second floor open-air seating, Crow’s Nest serves lunch and dinner daily.

Popular menu items include the Grouper Key Largo (seared grouper, shrimp, sea scallops, lobster meat, mushrooms, citrus beurre blanc), Walnut Crusted Salmon (teriyaki glaze, ginger aioli) and, from the “Classic Steaks” corner of the menu, the filet mignon with Gunther Gebel-Williams’ steak sauce, a recipe from the legendary Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus lion tamer who was a longtime Venice resident.

Servers are required to wear face coverings.

Dockside Waterfront Grill

509 N. Tamiami Trail; 941-218-6418; geckosgrill.com/dockside-waterfront-grill

Part of the Sarasota-based Gecko’s Hospitality Group, Dockside Waterfront Grill places diners in a fun, Old Florida setting overlooking Roberts and Dona bays. Open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. popular menu items include the two cold water lobster rolls that are mixed with light mayo and green onion, and served on toasted, buttered New England frankfurter split rolls and garnished with lettuce and tomato.

There’s also the fresh Gulf grouper filet sandwich that comes grilled, blackened or fried and served on a toasted brioche bun; and the tuna nachos featuring crispy wonton chips topped with sesame-crusted, seared rare yellowfin tuna and wakame salad, with wasabi cream and soy sauces, garnished with pickled ginger and scallions.

When asked via email Aug. 7 if the servers at Dockside wear masks, the publicist responded: “Absolutely, both our front of house and our back of house teams wear masks and (back of house) has always worn gloves. As a restaurant, exceptional sanitation protocols are simply a part of our life, but since March, we have upped those protocols and, among other procedures, practice daily electrostatic fogging with EPA-approved, hospital-grade equipment in conjunction with constant sanitation in the restaurant, sanitation stations for teams and guests, socially distanced tables, etc.”

Evie’s at Spanish Point

135 Bayview Drive, Osprey; 941-218-6114; eviesonline.com

Recently reopened following a temporary closure due to construction, Evie’s at Spanish Point now offers a freshly paved parking lot leading up to its charming tiki-style structure offering panoramic views of Little Sarasota Bay.

Popular menu items include the fish tacos featuring blackened or grilled grouper, shaved cabbage, tomato and shredded cheese; fish and chips made with fresh white fish hand-battered in Yuengling beer batter; and the nachos topped with warm queso, shredded cheese, cabbage, crema, and choice of chicken, pulled pork or Boar’s Head chili. And when you visit the tiki hut, you will notice the brand new, Key West-style, three-story restaurant and bar that owner Mike Evanoff hopes to have ready by mid-September.

Servers are required to wear face coverings.

Fins At Sharky’s

1600 Harbor Drive S., 941-999-3467; finsatsharkys.com

Sharky’s fancier sister restaurant located next door and opened in 2013, Fins At Sharky’s overlooks The Venice Fishing Pier and the Gulf of Mexico on the south end of the island of Venice with outdoor seating as well as indoor dining behind polished windows overlooking the water.

Open daily for lunch and dinner, Fins is best known for its steak and sushi with popular menu items including the Smoked Rib Eye, which is a 14-ounce cut of Meyer Natural Angus Choice jerk-rubbed and cooked in Fins’ Josper oven that’s used as both a smoker and a grill, with fruit wood used to to smoke meats — and vegetables — before loading it with mesquite charcoal for grilling. Other Fins favorites include the Chilean Sea Bass and, from the sushi selections, the Spicy Salmon Crunch (tempura fried roll, spicy salmon, scallion, avocado, cream cheese, red pepper, tobiko, sweet soy, crunch).

Servers are required to wear face coverings.

Nokomo’s Sunset Hut

690 Tamiami Trail S., Nokomis; 941-488-1324; nokomos.com

Located right off Tamiami Trail on Dona Bay, Nokomo’s Sunset Hut provided two floors of open-air seating in a tropical tiki setting. Serving lunch and dinner daily and staying open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Nokomo’s popular menu items include all things ahi tuna: the “Sunset” appetizer, the wrap, salad, and the seared ahi tuna tacos with sweet chili slaw, lettuce, fried onions and orange mandarin ginger dressing.

Popular handhelds include the JoJo’s Lobster Roll and Philly Cheese Steak. For entrees, check out the Land & Sea Luau featuring barbecue-style pulled chicken or pulled pork on a bed of seasoned yellow Spanish rice, sazon black beans, sauteed sweet onions, sauteed green, red and yellow and orange peppers, and “island sauce” surrounded by tortilla chips.

Servers are required to wear face coverings.

Old Salty Dog

1485 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice; 941-483-1000; theoldsaltydog.com

Don’t let the front fool ya. Walk through Old Salty Dog in Venice and you’ll find plenty of open-air seating in the back overlooking MarineMax and the Intracoastal Waterway. Part of Judy Fryer and Philip Needs’ Old Salty Dog empire that started with a Siesta Key pub in 1986 and now also includes the City Island location included in our list of best waterfront restaurants in Sarasota, the Old Salty Dog in Venice has been serving folks for the past five years. 

Open daily for lunch and dinner, popular menu items include the must-try Loaded Salty Dog featured on “Man v. Food.” It’s a quarter-pound hot dog dipped in batter and fried to a golden brown and topped with sauerkraut, bacon, grilled onion and mushrooms, American, cheddar, pepper jack and Swiss cheese. Other popular dishes include the fish and chips, as well as the grouper reuben sandwich.  

Old Salty Dog management explained that not only are servers required to wear masks but that they're also asking guests to wear masks until they sit down to eat.  

Pop’s Sunset Grill

112 Circuit Road, Nokomis; 941-488-3177; popssunsetgrill.com

Hugging the Intracoastal Waterway across from Nokomis Beach and Casey Key, Pop’s Sunset Grill has a rich history dating back to the 1940s with the current owners running the place since 2001. In late 2018, they opened a three-level tiki bar, which joined the restaurant’s previous inside and outside bars.

Popular menu items include the their “Famous Grouper Reuben” and the coconut shrimp rolled in a coconut breading, golden fried, and served with an orange ginger dipping sauce. And then there’s the homage to Urbanek’s Fish Camp, which first settled on the plot of land currently occupied by Pop’s Tiki. The Original Urbanek’s Steamship Pot includes 20 steamed shrimp, corn on the cob, red bliss potatoes, onions, carrots and celery with drawn butter, spicy cocktail sauce and your choice of one of the following: 20 oysters, two pounds of mussels or two lobster tails. Yeah, definitely enough for two!

Servers are required to wear face coverings.

Sharky’s On the Pier

1600 Harbor Drive S., 941-488-1456; sharkysonthepier.com

Routinely voted best beach bar in Florida, Sharky's is a Venice landmark dating back to 1987 that places diners right on the sand at the base of the Venice Fishing Pier overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

Open daily for lunch and dinner and as late as 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, popular dishes include the Boathouse Salad — which many diners choose to top with blackened grouper — (marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, red onions, mushrooms and olives over mixed lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes with feta cheese); Mike’s Fresh Mahi Sandwich that comes chargrilled, fried or Cajun-style blackened; and the Captain Sharky’s Platter containing Gulf shrimp, North Atlantic scallops and fried Gulf grouper.

Servers are required to wear face coverings.

Snook Haven

5000 E. Venice Ave., Venice; 941-485-7221; snookhaven.com

Perhaps no place in Sarasota County boasts as much delightful Old Florida history as Snook Haven. Reportedly discovered by smugglers during Prohibition, it then became a location for the 1930s Hollywood films “Prestige” and “Tarzan’s Revenge” before opening to the public as a fishing camp with a restaurant in 1988. Sarasota County purchased the property in 2006 and in 2013 the restaurant reopened under its current management team, Venice Pier Group, which also owns Sharky’s on the Pier and Fins at Sharky’s.

Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday, Snook Haven places diners right on the Myakka River for popular dishes such as the Jumbo Smoked Chicken Wings and the flour tortilla tacos filled with smoked pulled pork or pulled chicken, and then topped with homemade corn salsa, lettuce and cheddar cheese. Another favorite is the Snook Platter with pulled pork, beef brisket and ribs, homemade potato chips, collard greens, and Texas toast.

Servers are required to wear face coverings.

More:10 best waterfront restaurants for outdoor dining in Sarasota

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