Best beach bar in Florida? Top 10 we love for drinks, food, views and waterfront fun!
Following our USA TODAY Network Florida Dining & Entertainment story about our favorite waterfront restaurants, we turn our attention to the Sunshine State's best beach bars.
While we love relaxing on our famous Florida beaches, we’re even bigger fans of enjoying the same warm and sunny setting while seated at a beach bar in our most casual attire. After all, there’s nothing better than enhancing that toes-in-the-sand experience with a tropical cocktail, fine wine, or ice-cold beer — perhaps paired with a delicious grouper sandwich or "cheeseburger in paradise."
From the Gulf Coast to the Space Coast and the Panhandle to South Florida, here are 10 of our favorite beach bars from around the state, presented in alphabetical order, that we love to recommend for drinks, food, views, and fun!
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Beach House
200 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach; 941-779-2222; beachhousedining.com
Beach House lives up to its name by placing guests right on the sugary white sands of Bradenton Beach, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, on the southern end of Anna Maria Island just south of Tampa Bay. While Beach House offers indoor dining as well as an inside bar, the place to be is on the covered patio area, where you'll find a bar overlooking the public beach.
For libations, consider a glass of Lola, an acclaimed Napa Valley wine whose founder is from Bradenton. Another fine option is Beach House's Category 3 Margarita, featuring house-infused jalapeno silver tequila. As for dining, the restaurant's grouper sandwich is among the best in the Sarasota-Manatee region. You'll also want to consider their signature burger: a thick, juicy patty covered with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, smoked Gruyere cheese, and strips of bacon, with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a toasted and buttered bun, worth every extra calorie. — Wade Tatangelo, Florida Region Dining & Entertainment Editor
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Benny's On The Beach
10 S. Ocean Blvd., Lake Worth Beach. bennysonthebeach
Serving locals and visitors for nearly four decades, this beach bar is not located just on the beach, but, depending on where you sit, literally on the water. Situated on the Lake Worth Pier, and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this destination offers incredible views paired with fresh seafood, burgers, sandwiches and more. Benny's has a creative and very beachy cocktail menu as well with beverages including Max's Pineapple Colada, made with frozen Parrot Bay Coconut Rum piña colada, served in a fresh-cut pineapple with a Myer’s Dark Rum floater; Florida Lemonade, featuring Tito’s Handmade Vodka, peach schnapps, strawberry purée & fresh-squeezed lemonade; and the Rubber Ducky Punch, made with Cruzan Light Aged Rum, blue curaçao, fresh-pressed pineapple, lime and a toy rubber ducky. — Eddie Ritz, Palm Beach Post
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Blue Parrot
68 W. Gorrie Dr., St. George Island; 850-927-2987; blueparrotsgi.com
Tallahassee residents are just 80 miles away from a beachy paradise. You can walk up to the breezy Blue Parrot from the beach, rinse your feet off on the boardwalk and order a margarita from the deck with a front-row view of the Gulf. Specialty drinks include an Island Girl (coconut run, pineapple juice, OJ, served on the rocks with lemon lime soda), St. George Island Breeze (citrus juices with cherry infused vodka on the rocks) or brave The Sand Blaster. It features mango, blackberry, lime and rum and comes with its own danger warning and 151 floater. "I've been Sandblasted" T-shirts are also available.
Order a dozen raw oysters or smoked yellowfin tuna dip and enjoy the salt air. Blue Parrot also has a covered upper deck and inside dining room where patrons can feast in the shade. Beachy fare includes conch fritters, shrimp baskets, seafood and fish platters, burgers, and the ever popular grouper sandwich. The restaurant is the host of the annual St. George Island Mullet Toss in June. — Martha Gruender, Tallahassee Democrat
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Doc’s Beach House
27908 Hickory Blvd., Bonita Springs; 239-992-6444; docsbeachhouse.com
If you’re looking for a no-frills beach bar and restaurant with spectacular sunset and beach views, this Bonita Beach landmark is for you. While Hurricane Ian raged through the first floor of this family-friendly beachfront favorite of locals and visitors, the upstairs was completely untouched. As soon as it reopened 14 months later, we were seated at a corner table in that bustling second-floor sports-themed bar area, enjoying ice-cold beer, signature Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches and a clear view of the beach. We also love the tacos, wings, burgers and crowd-favorite Chicago tavern-style pizza (served after 4 p.m.).
Customers can also walk up from the beach into the completely redone downstairs, with new floors, ceilings and bar. The front patio with thatched roof is another great option at Doc’s, which opened in 1987 and is still cash-only. And lastly, you can get your order to go and eat at one of the first-come, first-served beachside tables for a complete feet-in-the-sand experience. Wherever you sit, Doc’s is one beach bar you don’t want to miss. — Robyn George, The News-Press
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Flora-Bama
17401 Perdido Key Drive, Perdido Key, 850-492-0611; florabama.com
When a bar's name makes it into a Jimmy Buffett song, you know it has to be pretty iconic. In his song "Bama Breeze," Buffett articulates the memories that took place in the "world famous" beach bar that straddles the Florida-Alabama state line.
"At the Bama Breeze/ I turned 21 down there/ Had too much fun down there/ Stumbled out with the sun down there."
The night Buffett is describing (in the song authored written by Nashville songwriters Mark Irwin, Josh Kear, Chris Tompkins) is a typical one for the Gulf Coast dwellers, who frequent the Flora-Bama for its five stages of live music that you can hear spilling out onto the white sands of the Gulf of Mexico. Even on the hottest Florida day, you can count on the cool relief of a Key Lime Colada or signature Bushwacker, a frozen rum-based, milkshake-like cocktail, which has been a Gulf Coast staple since the 1970s. Not only is the atmosphere immaculate, but the food is a destination of its own with three separate dining areas with different styles and price points.
The Flora-Bama Yacht Club, which falls more on the Alabama side, is known for its fresh seafood and local ingredients. There, you can score everything from small bites, like the char-grilled oysters and "World Famous Gumbo" with Conecuh sausage and Gulf shrimp, to full entrees, like the Blackened Gulf Tripletail with Cajun dirty rice or the eight-ounce, hand-cut filet mignon. Because who says a beach bum can't also indulge in a bougie dinner, right?
In the warmer months, you'll likely be met with a lively crowd or rub shoulders with a famous country artist who finished a concert close by. But some of the most memorable times to visit are during the festivals. Some of the most beloved annual events include the Polar Bear Dip, Mullet Man Triathlon, Interstate Mullet Toss and Beach Party, Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo, Frank Brown's Songwriters Festival and Flora-Bama's Thanksgiving Potluck. Once you make it once, you become part of the "Bamily," or Flora-Bama family, for life. — Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal
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Kane Tiki Bar & Grill
400 S. Collier Blvd., Marco Island; 239-394-2511; kanetikibarandgrill.com
Scoring a coveted spot on Southern Living’s best beach bar list, Collier County’s sole honors went to Kane at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. Chef de cuisine Sherene Hutchinson incorporates her Jamaican roots with her fandom of Asian fare to craft dishes matching the vibe of Kane’s sunset fire dancing shows.
What to know? Parking is $15 and a schlep across the street from the steep walkway unless you valet it for $25. Pro tip: If you’re not a resort guest, try parking your chairs near one of the public entrances and walk. Though the dress code is casual, consider a cover-up over your swimsuit, as Marco Island is rather conservative. Also, the beach is quite shell-y, so wear something to protect your feet. Guests are seated on a first-come, first-served basis at what might be the fanciest tiki-chickee hut dining option around. — Diana Biederman, Naples Daily News
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Lemon Bar
2 Lemon St., Neptune Beach, lemonbarjax.com
It's at the end of Lemon Street and sports bright yellow awnings, so of course it's called the Lemon Bar. The beachfront bar with cold beer, surfboard-themed chairs and a spot right next to a public beachwalk has long been a favorite of Jacksonville-area beachgoers.
It's around the corner from Pete's Bar, another iconic local favorite, in a funky, artsy neighborhood. You'll have to pay to park in the neighborhood, and spots can be scarce at peak times.
It’s located in the beachfront courtyard of the venerable Seahorse Inn, which was purchased in 2022 by Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan.
The Lemon Bar doesn't even have indoor seating. A couple dozen tables are sprinkled around a large concrete-paver deck. Awnings cover the bar, kitchen and a few seats, but nearly all the seats are out in the open, like they should be at a beach bar, with a handful of palm trees providing a bit of shade A small stage stands in one corner of the deck for live entertainment.
Frosty and frozen drinks, not surprisingly, are all over the menu but the Lemon Bar also offers beer on tap or in a can. The menu offers beach bar sort of fare, with tacos, fish sandwiches, burgers and BLTs. —Tom Szaroleta, The Florida Times-Union
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Lou’s Blues Bar & Grill
3191 SR A1A, Indialantic, 321-779-2299, LousBluesBarAndGrill
Lou’s Blues is a Space Coast institution. A local favorite for more than two decades, this beachfront bar and grill is known as a fun hang with great burgers, plenty of drinks and live music. If you’re a fan of blue cheese, get Lou’s Blues house made chips covered in melted blue cheese, scallions and balsamic glaze. Be sure to take some time and look around (even above you) to enjoy the eclectic décor. This also is the spot to go if you’re looking to enjoy some karaoke. Pro tip: time your visit around a rocket launch for an even better beachfront view. — Michelle Spitzer, FLORIDA TODAY
Ocean Deck Restaurant and Beach Bar
127 S. Ocean Ave., Daytona Beach; 386-253-5224, oceandeck.com
Ocean Deck is the quintessential beach bar — a go-to offering that toes-in-the-sand, craft cocktail, live entertainment experience that locals enjoy on the regular and vacationers look forward to year after year. The “no shirt, no shoes, no problem” spot sits right on Daytona Beach with dining options ranging from the first-come-first-served outdoor deck to the lower-level bar and nautical upstairs dining room overlooking the Atlantic.
Ocean Deck offers a 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. happy hour Monday – Friday and a lengthy drink menu ranging from 32-ounce Bacardi party buckets to 64-ounce pitchers, tropical mocktails and classic “deck drinks.”
The eatery also offers a range of casual, mainly seafood bites, with several favorites including the fried gator bites, the lemon pepper tossed buffalo wings, the onion- and pickle-layered big daddy burger and Caribbean coconut shrimp. The lively beachfront joint promises live music daily, featuring local bands and DJ’s as well as weekend beach karaoke. — Helena Perray, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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Waldo’s Restaurant & Bar
3150 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach; 772-231-7091; historicwaldos.com
Waldo Sexton built the Driftwood Inn on Ocean Drive in Vero Beach in 1935. Using the timbers of a dairy barn destroyed in a storm, he intended to use it as a family beach house but received requests for rooms because of limited hotel options in the area. It later expanded into the Driftwood Resort with the oceanfront restaurant, which has indoor and outdoor seating, live music on weekends and a guests-only pool in the middle of the wood deck. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Try Waldo’s signature chicken salad with pulled white meat, walnuts and special seasonings, served with pasta salad, fresh fruit and homemade beet chips. — Laurie K. Blandford, TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Best beach bars in Florida for drinks, food, waterfront views and fun
