People Cross County Lines In Florida Just To Dine At These Iconic Seafood Shacks
Florida stretches long and salty, with coastlines that curl around the Gulf, the Atlantic, and a thousand bays in between.
Tucked along those edges, you’ll find weathered docks, peeling paint, and seafood shacks where the catch comes in before lunch and lands on your plate by dinner. These are the spots locals guard like secrets but can’t help bragging about.
People drive an hour, sometimes two, crossing county lines just to taste what makes Florida taste like Florida. No fancy menus, no reservations, just honest food and water close enough to splash your shoes.
Here are the shacks worth the drive.
1. Star Fish Company Dockside Restaurant (Cortez; Manatee County)
Plastic baskets arrive piled high with shrimp that were swimming in Sarasota Bay that morning. Working docks stretch out behind you, and the Gulf breeze carries salt and the faint hum of fish house machinery.
Order at the counter, grab a picnic table, and watch the boats unload while pelicans argue overhead.
Cortez shrimp top the menu, fried golden or grilled with lemon. Whatever just came off the boats is your best bet here.
The vibe is pure Old Florida fishing village, unhurried and real, where locals outnumber tourists most days.
Lunch-to-dinner hours keep it simple, and the dockside setup means you eat where the work happens.
2. Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish (South Pasadena/St. Pete; Pinellas County)
Smoke curls from the backyard smokers like morning fog, and the mullet spread snaps with briny richness that sticks to your memory.
Picnic tables fill up fast, and root beer arrives in frosted mugs that sweat in the Florida heat. Locals have kept this routine since the 1940s, and nothing about it feels rushed.
I once drove past three other seafood spots just to get here, and I’d do it again. Smoked mullet or salmon are the stars, plus that famous fish spread you’ll want to take home.
Open Wednesday through Sunday, the old-school counter service keeps things moving without losing the charm that makes this place worth crossing county lines.
3. O’Steen’s Restaurant (St. Augustine; St. Johns County)
Lines form over the Bridge of Lions for fried shrimp that crackle like kindling when you bite down. Inside, it’s pure North Florida comfort with Minorcan chowder ladled hot and pies cooling on the counter.
The walls have soaked up decades of stories, and the menu hasn’t changed much because it doesn’t need to.
Fried shrimp are the reason people drive here, and the Minorcan clam chowder adds a spicy kick that warms you from the inside. Cash only, no reservations, and open Tuesday through Saturday.
Get there early or prepare to wait, because everyone in three counties knows this place is the real deal.
4. Safe Harbor Seafood Market & Restaurant (Mayport/Jax; Duval County)
Boats unload yards from your table, and the scent of just-caught Mayport shrimp rides the river wind straight to your nose.
Dock-to-plate isn’t a slogan here, it’s the view. You can watch the nets come up and then taste what they held an hour later.
Mayport shrimp are sweet and firm, and the blackened local fish changes with the catch. Fast-casual setup means you order, sit, and eat without fuss. The market next door sells the same fish you’re eating, so you can take some home.
This is the kind of spot where fishing families and first-timers sit side by side, all chasing the same fresh flavor.
5. Keys Fisheries (Marathon; Monroe County)
Sunset turns Florida Bay gold while a hot Lobster Reuben drips over the paper tray, and you’re suddenly convinced this is the best sandwich in the state.
Stone crab season here feels like a holiday, with locals marking calendars and tourists learning fast why everyone makes such a fuss.
Key West pinks and stone crab in season are the headliners, but that Lobster Reuben is what I dream about on long drives home. Open daily from eleven to nine, with a market, marina, and tiki raw bar all on site.
It’s the kind of place where you eat slow, watch the water, and forget whatever stress you drove down with.
6. Hogfish Bar & Grill (Stock Island/Key West; Monroe County)
A locals’ hang at Safe Harbor Marina, where the namesake fish lands on your plate as a thick, sweet, barely-there-flake sandwich.
Music on weekends, water lapping the pilings, and a crowd that knows what good tastes like. This is the Key West that doesn’t show up on postcards but should.
Hogfish sandwich, blackened or grilled, is the order. The fish is mild, almost buttery, and the sandwich is simple enough to let it shine. Waterfront, a laid-back Keys joint serving lunch to late dinner.
I’ve seen people drive from Miami just for this sandwich, and after one bite, you’ll understand why the trip is worth it every single time.
7. Stinky’s Fish Camp (Santa Rosa Beach/30A; Walton County)
Beach air, oysters Rockefeller, and gumbo with a whiff of spice that lingers like a sea breeze at dusk.
Expect a wait, and enjoy it, because the porch is half the experience. Live music pops up often, and the crowd is equal parts flip-flops and good taste.
Oyster specials rotate, and the shrimp and grits arrive creamy and rich, with just enough kick to keep things interesting. Daily service means you can plan around it, and the atmosphere is loose enough to feel like a backyard party.
People cross the Panhandle for this spot, and once you taste the gumbo, you’ll join them next time without hesitation.
8. Hunt’s Oyster Bar (Panama City; Bay County)
Shucked to order, grilled under garlic butter, or sent out raw and cold, the oysters here turn strangers into friends at the counter.
Old bayfront bones, new cravings every visit. The place has been feeding Panama City since the 1960s, and the rhythm hasn’t changed.
Char-grilled oysters are the move, bubbling hot with garlic and butter that you’ll want to soak up with every piece of bread in reach. Stuffed deviled crabs are a close second, rich and satisfying.
Family spot that closes Sundays, so plan accordingly. I’ve watched three generations sit at the same table here, and that tells you everything about why people keep coming back.
9. Dewey Destin’s Seafood – Original Bayside Shack (Destin; Okaloosa County)
You order at a window, then eat over Choctawhatchee Bay while gulls argue for crumbs and the water glitters in the afternoon sun.
It’s the Destin that locals brag about, the one that hasn’t changed just because the town grew up around it.
Fried shrimp and fresh catch sandwiches are simple, hot, and exactly what you want after a day on the water. Open daily with picnic-table seating on the docks, so bring sunscreen and an appetite.
No frills, no fuss, just good seafood and a view that reminds you why Florida feels like home, even if you’re just visiting for the weekend.
10. JB’s Fish Camp (New Smyrna Beach; Volusia County)
Mosquito Lagoon glows at sunset, dolphins roll just offshore, and platters of peel-and-eat shrimp arrive still steaming. It smells like salt, butter, and summer all at once. The view alone is worth the drive, but the food keeps you coming back.
Peel-and-eat shrimp are messy and perfect, and the blackened fish comes seasoned just right. Key lime pie finishes things off with the kind of tart sweetness that makes you close your eyes and sigh.
First-come, first-served, open daily. I’ve sat here watching the sun drop and the shrimp pile shrink, and I can’t think of a better way to spend an evening on the coast.
11. Rustic Inn Crabhouse (Fort Lauderdale; Broward County)
Wood mallets, garlic crabs, and bibs that catch the butter. Since mid-century, generations have pounded claws here and left smiling. The sound of cracking shells fills the room like applause, and the garlic scent hits you before you even walk in.
World-famous garlic blue crabs are the reason people drive from Palm Beach and Miami, and they’re worth every minute in traffic. Open daily for lunch and dinner, the place is loud, messy, and absolutely perfect.
I’ve brought friends here who swore they didn’t like crab, and they left asking when we could come back. That’s the kind of magic a good seafood shack holds.
12. City Seafood (Everglades City; Collier County)
Traps come in, claws go out. Picnic tables on the Barron River, gators cruising past while stone crab cracks like ice in a glass.
Market-plus-shack setup means you can eat there or take it home, but eating there with the river breeze is the better call.
Stone crab claws in season are sweet and cold, and grouper sandwiches hold up year-round. Daytime hours, so plan your visit accordingly. Stone crab runs from October 15 through May 1, and when it’s in season, this place hums with activity.
I’ve seen people drive from Naples and Fort Myers just to sit at these tables, and once you taste the crab, you’ll understand the pilgrimage.
13. Peck’s Old Port Cove (Ozello/Crystal River; Citrus County)
A marsh-end road to a riverside porch, where fried shrimp and hushpuppies taste like coastal childhood.
Sunset shows up hungry, painting the sky pink while you’re still working through your plate. The drive out here feels like leaving the world behind, and that’s part of the charm.
Fried or broiled Gulf shrimp are the main event, and local grouper runs a close second. Waterfront, relaxed, and worth checking hours before you drive because this spot keeps its own schedule.
I’ve made the trip from Tampa more than once, and every time, the quiet beauty of the place hits me all over again. This is Florida before the crowds found it.