The food is absolutely amazing. Service was good. It's a small spot so you might have to wait.

Even with GPS not the easiest place to find but hint, it's in the Boat Launch parking lot. Nicest and most cheerful group of servers in memory. Our server Jenn particularly nice and very helpful. Made meal a lot of fun. Loved the food. In truth, we filled up completely off the appetizer menu. Recommended Spinach Dip even better than advertised with fresh chips. Fried Calamari as good as any. Bangin' Shrimp just outstanding with perfect amount of breading and great sauce Tuna Poke Bowl was a gorgeous and delicious meal by itself. Finished off with delicious Key Lime Pie as required by law in Florida. Lots of outdoor seating and fun divey vibe. And I'm sure when we go back soon the entrees will be awesome. They looked wonderful. read more

This was are first time eating here. We order from the lunch menu, because it was 12.32pm. When it came time to pay there was no check just a machine to tap your card. I asked for a receipt and the waitress Toni D said I would have to pay for it first and also it was 3.00% with paying with a credit card. I paid for it and she brought the check and I was charged for the dinner menu not the lunch menu. Everything was 10.00 higher in price. Needless to say we will NEVER eat at this ripoff of a establishment. The food was terrible and service was bad. read more

We had a lovely lunch on the patio recently at 12A Buoy. We started with very affordable drinks (love this about the area!). My husband enjoyed a half dozen fresh oysters. I then had some delicious peel and eat shrimp which were perfectly seasoned. My husband has the bacon wrapped shrimp and the gravy with them was amazing. One of the highlights of lunch was being entertained by the resident cat, ghost. Overall, a great visit! read more

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We came on a busy Saturday afternoon and even though the wait was about 45 minutes it was so worth it! The atmosphere here is so nice for even a more upscale restaurant. Indoors it's classic and boat esque while the outside is relaxing and very laid back, with fun sights like bar cats and lizards. The space is overall well put together and inviting. The service was friendly and quick always checking on us. The food was top tier, we ordered the bang bang shrimp (can't miss), ahi tuna, and fresh catch. Everything was absolutely scrumptious, and to finish off we had their iconic key lime pie! Definitely a must visit! read more

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Great fried shrimp and the BEST Key Lime pie I have ever eaten, and I grew up in Florida with a Key Lime tree in my back yard, and my mom made fantastic homemade Ket Lime pie. The pie is made on site, and they have a fantastic chocolate peanut butter pie as well. Also, a nice, laid back, relaxed atmosphere. read more

12A Buoy - Grilled grouper and hericot verts green beans - Seafood Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

We went for dinner, short table wait. Jenna was our server she did a great job! We shared the calamari app, it was ok, a bit too much breading. Husb had the shrimp pasta, beautiful shrimp, the pasta was tasteless, salad was crisp, yummy ranch dressing.I had the blackened grouper with coleslaw and fries; the fries were great so crispy and fresh definitely a stand out. Casual place, good seafood. read more

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They have had ups and downs. That was our go to place for years then a change of ownership and now they are back. After two or three negative experiences the last time was really strong. We enjoyed it very much. Look forward to going back. read more

My family and I were very happy to find this place. Delicious fresh fish and lobster! We had fresh tuna as an appetizer. For dinner we had black grouper, mine was a Parmesan mousse black grouper, my husband had a beautiful Florida lobster and my 4 year old had grilled grouper with yellow rice. It was all delicious! If you're in the area, this place is a must! Also, the hostess was very efficient and helpful. Our server Lily was very nice and helpful. She was very attentive to our table. read more

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Popped by to have lunch randomly. I ordered a grilled yellowfin grouper, lobster bisque, a peanut butter pie, 2 red sangrias, and a shrimp appetizer. Service was pretty good considering how busy it is. Not a fan of the way the seats inside are setup. Given that it's a scratch kitchen, I think they could do without a few of the tables in the middle. read more

Every time we've been in this region we come back here. The food is amazing. Jennifer took great care of us today! This is our happy place. :)) read more

Yes' we'll be back! This little gem is tucked away in Fort pierce somewhere. We had to drive around with inadequate GPS directions. We tried the conch fritters which were good (a little better than) Ok. We also had the bacon wrapped shrimp on a grit cake that (a lot better than) really good. We split the onion crusted Mangrove snapper with broccolini and mushroom pilaf. We tackled the 2 appetizers before I took a picture but here's a picture of the snapper which was a nice thick piece that not only was fresh but tasty. read more

12A Buoy - Onion encrusted Mangrove snapper - Seafood Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

Lunch for four, outside yesterday and the food was amazing! Yes this is the place for the best crab cake around.Outside service needs to be fine tuned and double 00 added to their beers. read more

Hi everyone, today I tried 12A Buoy for the first time. It was delicious. The lobster Mac n cheese was delicious and so was the Mahi Mahi. read more

I took a clients to lunch here at their request. I used Google maps to find them and it dumped me right in the middle of a parking lot near the water. To the right and rear or streets, in front of us was the water, into the left was a wall of bushes. I was about to call the clients and then I saw a little lightbulbs over the bushes. I would call this a hidden treasure. The decor is one step above dive bar fabulous. The staff were lovely. The food was great. One of the clients goes there every week for dinner. A very diverse crowd. He did say that there is a two hour wait on the weekends, something to keep in mind. read more

12A Buoy - Mini Snoop at the front door - Seafood Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

The best outdoor seating in the shade. Seafood is very good. Service is friendly and prompt. Expect a 30 minute wait for outdoor tables. Our favorite restaurant in the area. read more

We love to go to 12A Buoy when we visit Vero Beach! Always great service and love the outside patio! We usually have to wait to be seated but not too long. The clam chowder is so yummy! My favorite is the blackened scallops. These are the best I've ever had, and I love scallops. My cousin really enjoyed the fried shrimp. This place has great seafood! Can't wait to go back! read more

12A Buoy - Blackened scallops with a loaded baked potato (I think the mashed potatoes are better). - Seafood Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

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I have never experienced a greeting by a manager that wanted you not to eat at this place!! are greeting at the door was that you were going to wait 35 to 45 minutes to get seated and then "it's going to take at least 35 to 40 minutes to get your food!! So if you're in a hurry to be somewhere, you should know this!"" DO NOT RECOMMEND 12a Buoy. Took quite a bit to actually FIND the place! Terrible experience!! read more

We had a great lunch here and already hope to return to try more of their menu. It was a bit hard to find at first as the pin on Yelp had been dropped in the wrong location and we had an "interesting" drive through a warehouse/water side business district. But we followed where all the cars where and found it. We've sent yelp a correction. From the restaurant you have a nice view of the river/intracoastal and of the bridge. There was ample parking outside -- next to a plethora of boat trailers. Service was welcoming and friendly. And they were very busy during lunch hour. It's small inside and every table was taken a few minutes after we arrived. There's also an outside patio with seating. We were surprised that it too was pretty well occupied considering the heat index was near 100 degrees. But we did see some blowing fans outside, as well. My husband had one of their lunch specials (there's a list for the day). It was a shrimp salad in a toasted roll. For his side, he chose rice and beans. The rice was yellow rice. He said the sandwich was very good. I started with a cup of their "Miami vice". This is a mix of their conch chowder and clam chowder. It was a good combo with the spice of the conch chowder mitigated by the clam chowder. And the clam chowder livened up with a bit of spice from the conch. There were nice chunks of conch in the conch chowder, as well. Then I had their fried oyster appetizer. These were good, but I think I'd get something else in the future -- like the lobster mac n cheese which everyone else has raved about. The guy at the booth behind us had the tripletail fish and their crabcakes and raved about both to the server.... This place is a keeper -- and popular -- so plan on coming late or early to beat the crowds. read more

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We decided to try a new restaurant during our 6 year anniversary, we went right at opening, service was good, food was good but nothing to call home about I definitely think it depends on what you order. Bring cash as there is a 3% credit card fee, the food isn't exactly budget friendly so the savings count depending on your bill! It was a little hard to find as it is the corner of a public boat ramp park but once you finally find some parking it's tucked away and quiet. Depends on how you feel about restaurant pets as there was three cats on the deck one was very friendly. Overall positive experience other than the dirty cup which was fixed promptly. read more

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Great food in a laid back, relaxing setting. I would go go there again and recommend it highly

This is our brunch go to place. Service is always quick ( they tell you the kitchen is small). I love sitting outside when you can get in. Food always good. Service friendly. This is the laid back Florida vibe I envisioned when living up North. read more

Great food! Fresh seafood, perfectly prepared, and presented very nicely. You can tell the chef cares about his dishes by the way he plates them. The stuffed shrimp is the best in Ft Pierce, Stuart, and Jensen Beach. The restaurant is pretty bare bones but clean. The wait staff is friendly and efficient. Love this place! read more

Oyster Po boy with beans and rice. Outstanding! Not always offered on the lunch menu but if you ask and they have oysters you're in business read more

12A Buoy - Delicious! Best on the Treasure Coast - Seafood Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

This is not our first time dining here it truly is a hidden gem. The waitstaff was friendly and very attentive, all the fish was fresh catch. I had the Fried mahi Reuben, the sandwich was delicious well balanced flavor lightly breaded and not over fried. My wife had the triple tail fish tacos and onion straws, they were tacos were a good portion with fresh avocado and lime. The triple fish was blackened perfectly it wasn't dry. My son had the stone crab cake sandwich. Everything was super fresh , the crab cake had loads of crab and no fillers . Served on a bun with LTO. We also got the key lime pie for desert. I must say being a key lime pie enthusiast this was best key lime pie I have ever had unfortunately we did not get a picture. It was gone before we realized. Can't visit Jensen beach without stopping here for a beer and a good meal read more

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Food and service was very good. I don't eat seafood, but there was plenty of choices for me.

Last month, I took my boyfriend on a 24 hour "Daycation" to Ft. Pierce for his birthday. I surprised him with a horseback ride on the beach on Hutchinson Island. Before traveling, I checked the restaurants in town to try and pick one that suited our preferences best. 12A Buoy delivered and then some! The location was unexpected and pleasing. It is right at the beginning of the Fort Pierce South Bridge. We chose to sit outside as the inside dining room seemed a bit tight. The views are a bit blocked from where we were sitting, but can be nice if you have the right seat. You could see the boat ramp, bridge, and the intercoastal. Not to mention, the extremely cool Derektor Mega Yacht hoist & yard is located behind the restaurant and is one of the only four on the East Coast. Sitting outside is typically our preference, but I must say once dusk came. the no-see-ums came also - in full force. We were starving upon arrival, so excitement ensued when a bowl of "Jack's Miami Vice" clam chowder came out. It's a mix of white AND red chowder and was absolutely delicious! It ended up being our favorite dish of the day. We could have just gotten bigger bowls of chowder and would've been happy as a clam! However, with such a large and diverse menu, there was so much more we wanted to try. Selecting just one appetizer was a challenge! Everything sounded yummy, and honestly, I would have tried any one on the menu. I decided to splurge and go with the Tuna Tartare that was "MKT Price". It was stacked avocado, a heaping amount of diced tuna, a very tasty seaweed salad topped with CRAB CREAM CHEESE. I've never had crab creamed cheese before - but it's brilliant and I'm not sure why I haven't?! The wasabi and ponzu were nice touches along with the toast points. We actually asked for another order of toasts. It made the dish easier eat spreading it on the bread. Yum! For my main, I got Blackened Scallops cooked perfectly and finished with a Ginger Lobster Sauce. The presentation was lovely and the cream sauce was decadent! My partner got the Crab Stuffed Shrimp entrée. It was large shrimp that was stuffed with lump crab, broiled, and literally drenched in a Lemon Beurre Blanc sauce. Not in a good way. This was the only item I didn't like. Neither did my honey. The stuffing seemed like a lot of breading, or at least tasted that way. I didn't taste crab at all. But liking three out of four dishes is a win in my book. There are not too many restaurants in Ft. Pierce or "Old Florida" as it's sometimes referred to. 12A Buoy gets points for creativity, quality, location, and presentation. At the top of their menu it says, "It's a teeny tiny kitchen so relax and have a drink, you'll get your food ..eventually". You should check out 12A Buoy if you're in the area and not in a rush. read more

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First words from server ... we have a teeny tiny kitchen ... average wait time for food is 45 minutes ... yawza! That comment leads to up-selling as you immediately get an appetizer! ‍ This joint was hopping! Just to sit a 1st available table, we waited 20 minutes! Everything fresh and homemade! Was quite tasty and reflects their 4.5/5 star Yelp rating. Definitely a bit of a challenge to locate ... tucked away right against the water in the least desirable part of Ft Pierce ... ‍... not a DDD but definitely meets their criteria! Oysters from MA & CT. Crab from MD. Snapper & Mahi off the boat twice a day! read more

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I have been going to 12a buoy for 5 years and loved the place. The last 3 times I have been, something has changed. Today was the worst, Lobster Macaroni you had to look hard for the lobster. I ordered Shrip and french fries. French Fries were terrible, cold and hard. Waitress was very nice and I had her to swap me a cole slaw in its place. The cole slaw has changed also, I could have taken a tablespoon of mayo out of it. I do not mind the price and would pay more, but coming from Vero Beach to get there and have bad meals is no excuse. Anyway, I may wait until the end of 2026 and try again. Please bring back the quality you have had . read more

We had an amazing waitress at dinner on the porch last night! We had fried oysters, calamari, blackened mahi, and bowls of clam chowder. The breeze made it perfect! Definitely coming back to this yummy scratch kitchen. read more

Service is amazing, food was fantastic and the patio is casual, relaxing and music is not too loud, not too quiet...just right. Grouper, snapper, shrimp were all so fresh and prepared perfectly. Get there early. read more

Let me first say the prices on the menu are WORTH IT! We had delicious food! See the photos and descriptions. Everyone enjoyed every bite. Not pictured: we had their delicious clam chowder - not watery, full of chunks; we also tried their thai shrimp appetizer and their pickled shrimp . I steered clear due to the spice, but everyone else RAVED about it. Our server was amazing! Attentive but not overbearing. She bused the table as we cleaned the dishes. We were seated in the bar area at a high top. I didn't see other areas of the restaurant so our area of course had a sports bar feel with tvs. Different from what you would expect for the prices but again, WORTH IT! read more

12A Buoy - Shrimp Scampi - Seafood Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

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Been to this restaurant a few times in the past and knew what they were special at which is their chowder and the lobster macaroni and cheese. So after playing a round a golf, I had a craving for dishes that I was very happy with. I was told that I had to order from the bar for takeout. I sat at the bar for a ridiculous amount of time and the bar tender never looked at me. I got up and asked if I could get a table instead. I was told to go back to the bar and order. I told them that it wasn't happening as I wasn't getting any attention. Another waiter gave me a menacing look and told me to go back to the bar!! I turned around and and decided that I no longer wanted to give a penny to this restaurant after being treated like they didn't want me there and wanted me to leave. I will not ever visit this restaurant again. I overcame the loud ambiance in the past because they had decent food but now that they basically shut the door on my face...I won't be back. read more

I tried this place strictly based on the reviews. So glad I did! I would consider it off the beaten path but I don't know the area so who knows. It's on the water. Not fancy. There is outdoor seating but when I went they automatically sat me inside. No one was outside so maybe they only use it during busy times. I didn't bother asking....so I would suggest speaking up if you definitely want outside. I tried the Miami vice soup - thanks to the reviews and photos! It did not disappoint. It's 1/2 conch chowder and 1/2 clam chowder. I tried both sides individually then mixed some together. The conch had a nice smokey flavor. Tons of conch. The clam had nice pieces of clam and potato. Mixing them together was out of this world. The bowl was very filling. I also tried the fried oysters. They were good. I thought the breading was light. Decent portion for the price. Friendly service. I would definitely go back when in the area. read more

12A Buoy - Fried oyster appetizer - Seafood Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

Everything. Peggy and I were here before a couple years ago. Came in the back way last time. Went by the yard with the super yachts up on dry dock. Had to walk all the way around because I didn't go to the front door. Peggy's getting the chicken salad sandwich and I'm getting the red snapper. Yum Yum can't wait . read more

Great little place! Food, drinks and service all outstanding. Highly recommend and will definitely come back again when in the area. read more

12A Buoy - Spicy tuna poke bowl and Stuffed shrimp dinner - Seafood Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

This place is a must go! . It was amazing, especially black and crusted snapper. Outdoor view is amazing on a small pot. The fresh Apple pie was excellent waitress service was extraordinary. read more

Today, 2/4/26, I had the Lobster Mac n Cheese for $20. It was delicious, EXCEPT, they should rename it Mac n Cheese and almost lobster! My boyfriend had a very well charred burger which was so obvious and it was $15! $15 for something so burnt! It was black. It was insulting and to make it worse and even more insulting, the waitress asked if everything was good, like she didnt know! They did discount for the Mac n cheese but he didnt say anything about the burger. We won't be back. I know things are more expensive these days, but it should be worth it at least. I never thought to take a pic. read more

We really enjoy coming to this quirky little seafood joint in Ft P! We discovered this place a little over three years ago and have been pretty much regulars ever since. They have indoor and outdoor seating available. During season, you're sure to encounter a wait time pretty often so be prepared! The food is consistently good, and we've tried many menu items but always flock to our favorites. For appetizers, we love their pickled spicy shrimp. It's a shrimp cocktail on steroids, complete with spicy onions and peppers in a vinegar based sauce! Great flavor and awesome kick! We also love their thai shrimp, which are nicely fried shrimp tossed in a sticky sweet and spicy thai glaze! Their ahi tuna poke boat appetizer is delicious and fresh with great flavor profiles! They have yummy cracked conch, and onion straws are good! They have specials everyday, and the list of options is not to be missed! I do love their fried shrimp platter, their fresh catch of the day options (which I love getting blackened), and scallops are favorites in our family. They have wine and beer only, but decent selections... and the bar area is nice. Service is friendly and efficient. While you can technically see the water from a couple of outside tables, in no way would I consider this waterfront dining! Also, the outdoor patio does not allow dogs! Just an FYI! We'll continue to frequent this yummy, casual seafood place for many years to come! read more

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Wow, so it's been 5 years since we last visited this place. As I stated in my previous review dated 2018, the service has never been great there, but the last time we were there the service was horrible. However.... We were craving good seafood and decided to give them another try. As typical, the food is always good. The service wasn't as awful as it was before, but it wasn't amazing either. We overheard that one of the ovens wasn't working, and at one point, our server stopped by and apologized for the wait. We could tell she was doing the best she could do. My only criticism of her is when she took our glasses away to refill. This is a big "no-no" for restaurants, but I see it all the time. It is not sanitary to do this, but again, as I stated in my previous review in 2018, this shows a lack of training (which is on management) not a lack of effort by the wait staff. The wait was longer than we would have liked, but the food was delicious. We had calamari and string onions for appetizers. Both were fried perfectly. You could tell the oil was fresh. Four of us were in our group. One got grilled shrimp with a side of cheese grits. She said the grits were excellent, but she struggled with getting the shrimp off the wooden skewers. Maybe someone there thinks the skewers look cool, but it makes it difficult to eat. Another in our group at the crunchy group with a side of slaw, and she said it was very good. Two of us got the Miami Vice soup, yumo! For anyone going for the first time, I highly recommend this soup combination. One of us had the mahi tacos. He liked them but had to ask for hot sauce. No salsa or any kind of spice (like jalapenos) was included, so it was a tad bland. I had the Thai rock shrimp appetizer as my entree, and they were delicious. The sauce was light and spicy, and the shrimp had a nice crunch. We are glad the service was good this time and hope it's not another 5 years before we return. read more