6 best waterfront restaurants for outdoor dining in Cortez

Few things are more satisfying, or relaxing, than dining on fresh seafood dockside, in a historic setting that also happens to be a real deal fishing village. 

After recommending waterfront restaurants for outdoor dining in Sarasota and South Sarasota County, as well as around Anna Maria Island, we head back to Manatee County, to the working waterfront of Cortez Village, easily one of my favorite places in Florida.

For those not familiar, Cortez can be found nestled along north Sarasota Bay, just east of Anna Maria Island and nine miles west of downtown Bradenton. Founded in the 1880s, it’s one of the last commercial fishing villages in Florida. Mullet, grouper, stone crab claws (in season) and shrimp are among the freshly caught sea creatures offloaded at the docks. Large quantities are shipped around the world while the rest stays in town. Not in the mood for seafood? That’s OK. Cortez offers lots of other tasty dishes, too.

For this list, I included all six restaurants in Cortez offering outdoor dining on the water. My wife and I have been frequenting all of them regularly for years and routinely have wonderful experiences at each. Also, for this list, it should be noted all the restaurants are locally owned and operated, often by folks living right in Cortez Village with Cortezian parents and perhaps even Cortezian grandparents and great-grandparents. These are all fun, casual places where T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops are the standard dress code.  

To determine the popular menu items, I consulted with the restaurants and also offer many personal picks. And keep in mind, that with masks required in Manatee County, you will need to wear a face covering to each of these places.

Finally, I have not forgotten about all the great restaurants offering outdoor dining along the Manatee River in Bradenton, Palmetto and Ellenton. There are also a bunch of outstanding beachfront places in Englewood. I’m hoping to feature all of them in the future.

Annie’s Bait and Tackle

4334 127th St. W., Cortez; 941-794-3580

A bait shop since the 1950s that still provides boaters and fishermen with fuel and supplies, Annie’s Bait and Tackle is also a great place to dine on fresh seafood and more dockside by the eastern base of the Cortez Bridge, just a few steps north of Cortez Road, overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. Owned and operated by Bruce Shearer for over 25 years, Annie’s is currently open 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily, usually staying open until 6:30 p.m. or so on Friday and Saturday.

Popular menu items include “Our Famous Grouper” sandwich and the fresh ground half-pound burgers with topping options that include cheese, bacon and grilled onions, or mushroom and Swiss. Another popular handheld is the “Almost Authentic Cuban” sandwich served regular or spicy, with black beans and rice and chips. The shrimp and scallops dish is a favorite among the entrees.

Cortez Kitchen

4528 119th St. W., Cortez; 941-798-9404; thecortezkitchen.com

Located in the heart of the historic fishing village, Cortez Kitchen is a delightfully funky open-air wood structure found right on the water with easy access to Sarasota Bay. A favorite among locals and tourist alike now for about two decades, the Kitchen has been owned by Joe Oelker for the majority of those years and he can often be found there overseeing everything. Cortez Kitchen is currently open 3-8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 1-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1-8 p.m. Sunday.

Popular dishes include the Buffalo grouper bites (fresh grouper deep fried and dipped in Buffalo sauce) and seafood platter containing shrimp, scallops, grouper and stuffed crab as well as delicious sides like the cheese grits and hush puppies. Oh, and you can’t ever go wrong with the blackened mahi sandwich.

Seafood Shack

4110 127th St. W., Cortez; 941-794-1235; seafoodshack.com

Overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway just north of the Cortez Bridge, Seafood Shack has been a Cortez landmark since opening in 1971. Following new ownership about five years ago, the restaurant with a second floor banquet hall and full-service marina enjoyed an exciting makeover while retaining all of its Cortez charm. Seafood Shack is open 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. daily and until 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

In addition to Chef Gerard Jesse’s specials, popular menu items include the fish tacos featuring blackened fresh local catch (it’s been mahi-mahi during my recent visits) with aged cheddar, cabbage, Baja sauce and pico de gallo in a soft flour taco shell. Highly recommended handhelds also include the Shack Burger (an eight-ounce Angus beef patty served with hickory smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, fried onions, bibb lettuce, tomato, house-made pickle on a swirl bun); and the Gulf Shrimp Dinner is popular, too. Also, it’s always nice to start with the Shack Spicy Clam Chowder and/or the Shack Onion Rings. 

Star Fish Company

12306 46th Ave. W., Cortez; 941-794-1243; starfishcompany.com

One of the most famous restaurants in Manatee County, Star Fish Co. places diners right on the docks where you can enjoy an amazing meal while watching commercial fishing boats return to A.P. Bell seafood distributor next door. Established in 1940, A.P. Bell supplies fresh seafood to Star Fish and various other local, as well as international, restaurants and businesses. It’s run by Karen Bell, who opened Star Fish in the ’90s and and is also co-owner of Tide Tables (see below). Star Fish, which is cash only, is open 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday and Monday and 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. 

Probably the best way to experience Star Fish for the first time is to order the combination platter “highliner” containing shrimp, oysters, sea scallops and grouper; and it comes with their outstanding Southern sides: cheese grits, slaw and hush puppies. For my wife and me, though, it’s typically the Cortez Special (choice of two) highliner with scallops and grouper plus an additional highliner containing blackened mullet. Cortez has been called “the town that mullet built” and I have yet to find a restaurant anywhere that cooks and prepares that delightfully fatty fish better than the folks at Star Fish. 

Swordfish Grill

4628 119th St. W., Cortez, 941-798-2035; swordfishgrillcortez.com

Featuring a handsome indoor dining area and bar, Swordfish Grill also has a wonderful waterfront patio with tables, a tiki bar and covered stage right there on Sarasota Bay. Opened in 2011, the restaurant is owned by John Banyas – who also owns the neighboring Cortez Kitchen property and N.E. Taylor Boatworks as well as Cortez Bait and Seafood – with Bob Slicker as general manager. Swordfish is open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. 

Popular menu items include the seafood platter containing grilled market fresh fish, shrimp, scallops and a fresh fish cake; as well as the comfort food fave, lobster mac and cheese, made with smoked gouda and authentic Atlantic lobster. The shrimp and grits – large shrimp over a bed of cheese grits, topped with a creamy sauce, bacon, and chopped fresh tomatoes and scallions – is another popular dish. Of course, you can’t go wrong with the daily fish specials, which often include the namesake swordfish. 

Tide Tables

12507 Cortez Road, Cortez; 941-567-6206; tidetablescortez.com

Featuring lots of outdoor dining and bar seating, along with an indoor dining and bar area, Tide Tables put its patrons right on the Intracoastal Waterway by the eastern base of the Cortez Bridge, just a few steps south of Cortez Road. Opened in 2014, it’s owned and operated by Bobby and Gwen Woodson, along with Karen Bell (see Star Fish). Tide Tables is open 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.

Popular menu items include the must-try fish tacos made with choice of blackened corvina, mahi-mahi or grouper, topped with coleslaw, cheddar jack cheese and an awesomely flavorful sesame ginger sauce, in soft flour tacos. You also can’t go wrong with the fresh Gulf shrimp and another one of my personal favorites, grouper bites. Lightly breaded and fried in a special seasoned breading and served with tartar and remoulade sauce (dip with a bit of both), they are highly addictive! 

More:10 best waterfront restaurants and tiki bars for outdoor dining in Sarasota

More:10 best waterfront restaurants for outdoor dining around Anna Maria Island

More:10 best waterfront restaurants for outdoor dining in South Sarasota County

Wade Tatangelo is the Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s entertainment editor overseeing the weekly Ticket publication. Email him at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com.