Waterfront restaurant to open new Port Charlotte location

Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·2 min read

A waterfront restaurant and bar with locations throughout the Tampa Bay area, including Sarasota-Manatee, has announced plans to expand to Charlotte County.

Whiskey Joe's Bar & Grill will open a new location at 5000 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, according to a press release. An estimated opening date was not provided, but a groundbreaking ceremony took place Jan. 10.

The Port Charlotte Whiskey Joe's, overlooking the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor, would join the restaurant's other locations currently open in Ellenton on the Manatee River, Tampa on the Courtney Campbell Causeway, Port Richey on the Cotee River, and on Pensacola Beach Boardwalk. Whiskey Joe's is part of Specialty Restaurants, which operates a number of other restaurants across the country, including fellow waterfront destinations Rusty Pelican in Tampa and Key Biscayne and Whiskey Red's in Marina del Rey, California.

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Whiskey Joe's Bar & Grill, which has locations in Ellenton, Tampa, Port Richey and Pensacola Beach, plans to open a new location in Port Charlotte.
Whiskey Joe's Bar & Grill, which has locations in Ellenton, Tampa, Port Richey and Pensacola Beach, plans to open a new location in Port Charlotte.

Whiskey Joe's offers Floribbean cuisine blending Florida and Caribbean flavors, with entrees at its Ellenton location including regular or crab cake-topped grouper, strawberry-guava barbecue glazed ribs and garlic-and-ginger-marinated chicken breast topped with a rum-glazed pineapple mango salsa — several of which are served with island rice, black beans and plantains.

The menu also features a variety of appetizers, soups and salads, raw bar offerings, tacos, burgers and other handhelds, sides and desserts. Whiskey Joe's "Barefoot Tiki Bar" will have a drink selection that includes tropical cocktails and local beers, as well as fire pits and live music.

Whiskey Joe's Bar & Grill will be at 500 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte. An estimated opening date was not provided, but a groundbreaking ceremony took place Jan. 10.
Whiskey Joe's Bar & Grill will be at 500 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte. An estimated opening date was not provided, but a groundbreaking ceremony took place Jan. 10.

Whiskey Joe's Port Charlotte location will be in close proximity to fellow waterfront destination Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, which opened in mid-December after years in the works. The resort operated by Allegiant Travel Company also features several restaurant and bar concepts, including its own seafood and casual fare spot Half-Cracked Tiki Shack Restaurant.

For more information on Whiskey Joe's, visit thewhiskeyjoes.com.

Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Whiskey Joe's to open new waterfront Port Charlotte restaurant