8 Florida Seafood Shacks So Good, People Travel Hours Just For Lunch
Florida’s coastline hides incredible seafood treasures that locals guard jealously. These unassuming shacks serve up the freshest catches with minimal fuss and maximum flavor.
From Key West to Fort Lauderdale, these eight seafood spots have earned cult followings and inspired road trips just for a taste of their legendary dishes.
1. Alabama Jack’s — Key Largo
Perched on stilts over Card Sound Road’s turquoise waters, this barge-style institution has been serving monster conch fritters for over five decades. The open-air deck fills with bikers, boaters, and food pilgrims on weekends.
Live country music provides the soundtrack while customers crack into fresh stone crab claws. I once drove three hours just for their smoked fish spread – worth every minute of the journey.
2. JB’s Fish Camp & Seafood — New Smyrna Beach
Sandwiched between the Atlantic and Mosquito Lagoon, JB’s runs its own clam farm mere yards from your table. The weathered dockside spot specializes in rock shrimp and jumbo soft-shell crab sandwiches that make seafood lovers weak in the knees.
Kayakers often paddle right up to order, creating a delightful boat-to-table experience. Even renowned chefs make the pilgrimage to this unassuming seafood haven.
3. Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish — St. Petersburg
Smoke billows from this Tampa Bay landmark, where mullet transforms into culinary gold through red-oak smoking. The no-frills cinderblock building houses a smokehouse tradition unchanged since 1951.
Their smoked fish spread on saltines creates instant converts. My grandfather first brought me here thirty years ago, and I still crave their smoky perfection monthly.
Regional chefs regularly declare it “the best smoked mullet known to humankind.”
4. Rustic Inn Seafood Restaurant — Fort Lauderdale
Wooden mallets pound rhythmically at this waterfront crab palace, where garlic crabs have reigned supreme since 1955. Plastic bibs are essential fashion accessories as diners attack mountains of seasoned shellfish with gleeful abandon.
The sprawling outdoor deck offers prime iguana-watching alongside your feast. Don’t expect white tablecloths – newspaper-covered tables and finger-licking messiness are part of the authentic experience.
5. Southport Raw Bar — Fort Lauderdale
Canal-front and character-rich since 1973, Southport embodies old Florida charm with boat slips right outside. Oysters arrive by the dozen on metal trays, glistening and briny-fresh from Gulf waters.
Ceiling dollar bills tell stories of past visitors while ceiling fans battle the humidity. Their pink shrimp arrive swimming in butter and garlic, demanding to be devoured with cold beer.
The fish dip recipe remains a closely guarded family secret.
6. Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish Market — Miami River
Forklifts unload fishing boats mere feet from your table at this Miami River institution. The Garcia family has been serving whole grilled yellowtail snapper with a side of spectacular water views for generations.
Fishermen sell their morning catch directly to the market counter. The Cuban-influenced menu shines with perfect black beans and rice alongside stone crabs during season.
I once watched pelicans dive for fish while enjoying my own perfectly grilled catch.
7. B.O.’s Fish Wagon — Key West
Cobbled together from driftwood, license plates, and an old pickup truck, B.O.’s looks ready to collapse in the next strong breeze. Yet this ramshackle icon serves the island’s most celebrated fried grouper sandwich on Cuban bread with key lime mayo.
Chickens roam freely between mismatched tables. The cash-only policy and hand-written menu board maintain the old-school vibe that keeps both locals and celebrities returning. Jimmy Buffett has been spotted here numerous times.
8. Hogfish Bar & Grill — Stock Island
Hidden in a working marina on Stock Island, Hogfish feels like a secret locals desperately try to keep. The open-air tiki structure specializes in the delicate, scallop-like hogfish, typically caught by spearfishing and rarely found on mainland menus.
Their hogfish sandwich with Swiss cheese and mushrooms causes spontaneous moaning at neighboring tables.
Commercial fishermen belly up to the bar, still wearing waders, guaranteeing you’ve found an authentic Florida seafood paradise.