After watching Mike Chen's Tampa Bay edition, we had to try this place and it was worth the 40 minute drive. Cute Little Place in a nice neighborhood with plenty of outdoor seating. Since it was a little humid outside, we opted to sit inside with the AC. Here's what we ordered: I have their new coconut crusted grouper sandwich style with onion rings. The beer battered onion rings was also a good compliment to the sandwich and the batter was so light. We also had their lobster corndog with fries. These two entrées that we ordered are a must try when you visit this place. The service was pretty quick. They got a little busy towards the end, but the food comes very quickly hardly any wait at all! So if you're in the mood for some local seafood bites and you're in the ballast point Tampa Bay area this place is a must try. Highly recommend. read more

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BIG RAYS FISH CAMP!! BRFC- great name. Don't know what a fish camp is but I'm about it. Walked in after a long day in the sun, hoping for the best outcome. And boy did I get it. I was with a party of 9. Front of house was short staffed (one line soldier) she knocked out our orders with speed and efficiency and then started bussin down tables, allowing us to move tables together and all. Heck yeah. Food showed up in waves (made the fish feel at home) and lemme tell you a secret. That fish landed infront of me...I didn't look up, head down and dialed in. Perfect harmony of ingredients. I wouldn't change a thing. Great fries too. Big Ray and your fish camp, take a bow son. Do a victory lap. You deserve every one of your flowers. You can do no wrong in my eyes. read more

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Not all Michelin star restaurants are fancy and Big Ray's isn't fancy at all and it's not necessary. The food speaks for itself. The blackened grouper is the star...super flavorful, well-seasoned! The shrimp po'boy is over flowing with large fried shrimp. The onion rings are good, but more breading is needed. Service was friendly and fast! It's tight seating inside so outside is your option or a separate dining shack. Price point is great. Affordable and worth every dime! read more

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You will not miss this spot if you're in the area. Right in the center of the entrance of the convention center or if you're heading to river for a boat ride. They have live entertainment, surely enjoy it while enjoying the drinks. Nothing crazy about the food nor the drinks. You go to this spot for the view and convenience of people watching. It's chill which I really like. read more

I've heard great things about this place, so I made it a point to try it. I like the set up here. It has picnic tables set up outside to sit after you order inside. It also has ample parking. The service was fast and quick. The food came out hot and fresh. I got the blackened grouper sandwich with fries. It was a large portion. The fish was really fresh. The blackened seasoning was underwhelming and didn't leave the fish with a ton of flavor. The sandwich was stacked with lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce. The tartar sauce made the sandwich incredibly messy! It honestly was hard to eat it as an actual sandwich. All in all, this was a decent place to try, but I think I would go for something other than the blackened grouper next time. read more

Big Ray's Fish Camp - Blackened Grouper Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Food is still great inflation prices has went up. Service is great. Outside is great to sit during the fall and winter. Ambiance is improving through out the years. Blacked fish sand-which is still the way to go. I thought next door was a bar but it's an extension of the Big Rays. read more

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Service was great! Unfortunately we were very disappointed with the food. Got the lobster corn dog, coconut shrimp, and the grouper sandwich. Can't say it was worth the $75. Disappointed to say the least :( read more

Best grouper sandwich in town .I love fish and this is by far the freshest fish you can find .Next to Frenchies in Clearwater its the best.The Cruz family has been there since the beginning and it's very reputable read more

This is a cute and quirky little joint just off Dale Mabry on Interbay Blvd with a no-frills fish camp atmosphere. I had the fried shrimp basket and french fries dressed with grated Parmesan and garlic and it was delicious. The shrimp was fresh and the waitresses (counter service) was friendly. They have many other fresh fish options on the menu, including a grouper sandwich, I will definitely try when I come back! This place was an accidental discovery that produced a rainbow on an otherwise dreary rainy night! read more

Big Ray's Fish Camp - Big Ray's storefront - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Had to try the gimmick " lobster dog" $28 includes a side. I ordered onion rings. The rings were pretty good, but the "equivalent of whole lobster tail" corn dog was DISAPPOINTING! First of all the batter was too think. Maybe a tempura batter would be better suited for this. But they burned it and thought this was still okay to serve me. The over cooking made the lobster tough. It was served with a honey mustard dressing. I'd really been craving crab or lobster and this was obviously not the right decision. But they do not offer just crab or lobster on their menu. Also tried the deviled crab. Again not impressed with the breading and would not order again. In fact based on this visit, I likely won't return. So, I guess they are known for a fabulous grouper sandwich, my advice may be to stick with that. (I've never tried) read more

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Small little shop, fun environment! Locals ate here, nice people. Grouper (crispy) burger was delicious, onion rings had a flaky breading but delicious. We had the dry rub old bay wings- not the best. Shrimp was delicious! Overall, delicious nonetheless! Would return. read more

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The food is exceptional. We stumbled across it and were not disappointed. The staff were friendly and helpful. Outdoor and indoor seating were available. read more

Oh my goodness WHAT A MEAL! Everything was so good and warm and fresh! I literally have no complaints as I left there sooo full with food left to take back to our place. We watched a bunch of YouTube videos before coming to Tampa and this place was highly recommended and we definitely saw why. They also have a lot of seating there to sit and enjoy your meal. We were in and out quick but this place is a must go! read more

Big Ray's Fish Camp - Grouper Sandwich Traditional Cuban Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Stopped in again ... the blackened grouper sandwich is still outstanding. Small line to wait in at the counter but it was only about 10min. read more

Big Ray's Fish Camp - Most recent menu prices as of 3/8/25 - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Very busy if there is a convention. Order online for faster service. Food is good, fries are average. Seating is outside.

The fried grouper sandwich is on point and just Melts in your mouth! A very large portion of fish on a slightly toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, onion and tartar sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly and not greasy. So delicious! The onion rings were delicious as well! We were pleasantly surprised at how great everything was including service. The restaurant has very limited indoor seating, but in good weather have a seat on one of several picnic tables outside. read more

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Big Ray's is a must try if you're looking for an unforgettable fish sandwich. The service is fast and friendly and very personable. The decor is a bit outdated but the food makes up for it. Highly Recommended! I'll be back! read more

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We came for a quick and casual bite to eat, but didn't realize we'd have some of the best seafood in Tampa Bay! WOW!! Big Rays absolutely blew our minds with their fried grouper fingers and grouper sandwich. We had to try the smoked fish spread as well, which was 10/10. They have so many great options, specials and sides. They have a small interior to order at the counter, but a pretty large outdoor space with picnic tables and some shade. If you're looking for some awesome seafood and chill vibes, come to Big Rays! read more

Big Ray's Fish Camp - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The freshest tasting seafood! Great place for a quick casual lunch or dinner. Mostly outdoor seating. Service was quick! read more

Big Ray's Fish Camp - Grouper Cheeks, fried Shrimp Basket - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Great food and cozy atmosphere! The dishes were flavorful and fresh, and the staff was friendly. I'm giving it 4/5 because the service was a bit slow during busy hours, but overall it was a very enjoyable dining experience. read more

I was introduced to Big Rays years ago by a friend who lives in Tampa. This past weekend I made a trip to Tampa and I decided to stop by. The great service and food was just as I remembered! The blackened grouper sandwich is my favorite and a must have. This trip I also tried the conch fritters which was a pleasant addition since many restaurants dont serve them. This is a perfect stop if you're looking for a nice bite during the day and enjoy the outside patio area. read more

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Big Ray's Fish Camp 6116 Interbay Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611 @bigraysfishcamp Award Winning Grouper Sandwich is what brought me here and it was definitely not a dissapointment. Chef Raymond "Nick" Cruz bring out the best and freshest seafood in South Tampa. Which is why his restaurant was considered being awarded the Michelin Award. Aside from his Grouper Sandwich there are other delicious seafood options as well as All American favorites. So if you happen to be in South Tampa, go pay Nick and his Staff a visit and show him some foodie love. read more

Laney is the BEST ! Service 10/10. Orders served perfect. Grouper sandwich great, fried shrimp po boy bomb, lobster corn dog amazing , their fries are cooked and seasoned to perfection. Seriously our server went above and beyond . Never ever pass this place by. read more

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If your constipated this is the place. The food is some of the nastiest crap I've ever had. All frozen and greasy. Diarrhea is guaranteed!! Michelin star?? The place is a dump read more

Always a Tampa favorite . I had the grouper with yuca and pineapple slaw(a favorite). He had the shrimp, of course!

Soaking up that Tampa sunshine along the Riverwalk and finally trying one of the city's most popular bites -- the grouper sandwich! Went with the blackened version at the well-known Ray's Fish Camp. The grouper is meaty (reminds me of halibut!) and comes loaded with lettuce, tomato, onion, and tartar sauce which made my sandwich messy and fall apart. I'm not sure I got a 'blackened' flavor from the seasoning. I enjoyed the crispness of the fries but wasn't a fan of the parmesan flavor as much as I thought. I will say they don't skimp on the size of the sandwich. I don't think the Riverwalk location had indoor seating but it was worth sitting outside and soaking up the sun. They don't have alcoholic drinks of any kind but right across is a bar if you want to grab a beer. Not much to say about the service. The person basically took the order not real personable a little bland on personality but at least she wasn't mean. I would go back to try the fried grouper I have a feeling that is the way to go. read more

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tl;dr don't miss out on the blackened grouper or fried key lime pie at this popular, hole-in-the-wall seafood shack The waters of Tampa are widely known for their abundant grouper, and the nearby Madeira Beach is the self-described "grouper capital of the world." Unsurprisingly, grouper (especially the grouper sandwich) is ubiquitous across Tampa restaurants, and few do it better than Big Ray's Fish Camp. Tampa native Nick Cruz came armed with family recipes when he opened the decidedly casual seafood joint back in 2015. He quickly received local acclaim, and the restaurant has more recently been featured on the Food Network. The original Ballast Point location is a standalone, cinder block shack, painted with a grouper-themed mural along the side. The small, square room is decorated with marine and nautical motifs, from a mounted grouper head to shabby wooden signs. Polaroids are clipped to the well-worn shiplap wall to the left, and the menu is displayed on a chalkboard across the back. Stainless steel chairs are pressed up against the mismatched wooden tables and counters. Reggae tunes blend with the sizzle from the kitchen. My family arrived for early dinner on a drizzly weekday evening, and we were the only ones there. We ordered the Blackened Grouper Sandwich, Caesar Salad with Blackened Chicken, Shrimp Po' Boy, and Fried Key Lime Pie. My hand-sized grouper filet was expertly seasoned and perfectly cooked. The homemade tartar sauce was pleasantly heavy on the pickles -- it's a shame that the flavors were somewhat drowned out by the massive sesame seed bun. The butterflied chicken breast was just as well-seasoned as the grouper, but the salad was "Caesar" only in name: it consisted of the same tomato and lettuce rings that otherwise would be used on the sandwiches, served beside a prepackaged Caesar dressing. Meanwhile, my sister loved her po' boy, which packed 8 large, lightly battered, flash-fried shrimp. The French roll was soft and chewy, in contrast to the crisp veggies and shrimp. Between our sides, the lightly battered, piping hot, pepper-forward onion rings were the clear winner. The fries, meanwhile, were mostly standard steakhouse variety, apart from the addition of parmesan. Lastly, the pie (which was frozen, battered, and fried) was enjoyably warm and crispy on the outside, but creamy and cold on the inside. The sweetened condensed milk on the side proved to be the perfectly sugary complement. Service was laid-back and friendly, but the restaurant seemed understaffed during an unexpected dinner rush right after we ordered. Additionally, each item was made-to-order, but our first entree arrived 20 minutes before the last, with nothing more than a shrug. Although seemingly geared toward takeout, at nearly $70 for everything, Big Ray's certainly isn't everyday dinner. Nonetheless, the blackened grouper and fried key lime pie are must-try dishes worthy of the hype. read more

Big Ray's Fish Camp - Blackened Grouper Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Best grouper sandwich I found in FL. Get one. Pull up, quick patio style eating and super fresh. Keep up the good work!

Absolutely everything I was hoping it to be! Tasted EXACTLY as I imagined. Got so many recommendations from locals and I'm glad it lived up to the hype. I ordered the Grilled Grouper Sandwich. It was cooked to order. The fish was very fresh and tasted incredible. The bun was also very fresh and soft. I could have gone without the coleslaw. The sandwich alone was a showstopper. Service was straightforward. No frills dining area not designed for long comfy stays but that's not what we're here for ;) HIGHLY recommended!! read more

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Great food , best Grouper Sandwich ever and can be ordered different ways . Good atmosphere for a seafood restaurant or fish shack . I'll be back soon read more

Drove over 45 min to try the lobster corn dog ordered only to have the lady tell me after they are out of it. Fried Key Lime pie sounded great too but of course out of that as well. My last day in the area flying out tomorrow morning and if I ever return this will be on my list of places to AVOID!! read more

The food is fresh and delicious. Big Ray's focuses on seafood and their sandwiches are excellent. The actual building is small but there is plenty of space for outside seating. Their service is prompt and food is served with a smile. read more

Yall... I'm a big foodie and this place was not it. It took nearly 50 minutes for our food to be ready (17 minutes after it was supposed to be ready),they handed me the bag with the outside covered in sauce and got all over my arm but that's just the start of this experience. The ONLY good thing here is the blackened grouper sandwich but it's definitely not one of the best in Tampa. We tried the "hot" chicken sandwich which was just a regular chicken sandwich with a slight drizzle of hot sauce, horrible you can get a better one anywhere else for $13. We tried the grouper cheek bites which also weren't good, very bland and the sauce had to carry it. We tried the decked crab which was so nasty we had to just throw it away, the breading on it was horrible and made it taste like wine?? No idea it was weird. Worst of all, we saw a video on the place where the key lime pie was deep fried, when I got the key lime pies they were definitely not fried at all and looked like they came from Publix. Left hungry with how unappetizing everything was and wasted $80 on it all and wasted calories and time, I would never go here again and wish I could get a refund for the disrespect of having nasty food. How is this place Michelin?????? No idea read more

Listen up, sandwich peasants, because Big Rays is about to change your life. This isn't just a grouper sandwich--it's a spiritual experience between two buns. I've eaten enough mediocre seafood to fill a yacht, but this? This is the holy grail of fried fish perfection. Most places try to do 20 things and end up sucking at all of them. Not Big Rays. They've cracked the code: Take one stupidly fresh grouper, fry it like it owes you money, and then bless it with whatever celestial seasoning they're hiding in the back. The result? A sandwich so good, you'll question every life decision that led you to eating anything else. Stop reading this. Go. Get it. And if you don't like it, well... I don't trust you as a person. read more

Placed a to go order for 4. Food was wonderful. Fresh seafood and all prepared perfectly. The you peel shrimp was seasoned well. We will definitely be back! read more

No frill hole in the wall with fresh seafood. Last tome we have bern here was 4 years ago. The grouper sandwich is the thing to order. We also ordered the fried snapper, conch fritters and key lime pie. The line of customers was long and continued outside the door. The owner leaves an 18 years old, first day after training all alone to do EVERYTHING! Plus ONLY one cook for all the orders. What a way to lower the over head, right?!? No respect for the young girl and the cook! Not to mention all three customers! Just wow! read more

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Food was really good! Had the shrimp po boy with a side of fries and split the deviled crab with a friend. read more

Big Ray's Fish Camp - Shrimp Po' Boy Side of Fries Deviled Crab coleslaw grouper cheeks - Seafood Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Amazing! No frills seafood joint- the Cuban sandwich was huge and flavorful, the grouper sandwich was just as expected- A1, and the lobster corn dog was a fun addition. read more

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This place is a tiny shack serving up some good seafood! There is limited seating inside but they also have tables outside for people to use. Felt more like a takeout spot. It was pretty busy when I went and there were only 2 employees (the cashier & the cook). The cashier composed herself very well despite the chaos :) I wasn't able to try their lobster corn dog which is what they are famous for so I opted for the shrimp corndog instead (comes with 2). We also got onion rings, wings and then a fried grouper sandwich for my bf. Wings (Thai chili): Wings were good but nothing special. Crispy but could've used more sauce. Shrimp corndog: Pretty good and definitely something different. The onion rings were bomb but greasy. Grouper sandwich (fried): This sandwich was so good! And the fish portion was huge! Some downsides would be the size of the place. It also wreaked of sewage which can be off-putting to most people but I thought it gave the place some character. I think its worth a visit! read more

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This is just real Florida, periodt. An old fish shack with sheet metal surrounded by palms, Spanish coming out of the kitchen, and a big delicious grouper sandwich, brings me right back to growing up with my Cuban grandparents in South Florida. The food was delicious, (Grouper sandwich with fries ($22)) the service was friendly and the vibes were a casual spot like anywhere you'd find in a local Caribbean spot. The sandwich did feel a bit pricey for grouper but definitely tasty. read more

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