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    The Ugly Grouper

    4.2 (2k reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    The Ugly Grouper Photos

    Business Info

    THE UGLY GROUPER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Moderate noise
    Live music

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    Recommended Reviews - The Ugly Grouper

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    Cheese logs
    Mike C.

    Service was awesome Not very crowded at 4pm The grouper reuben was ok - fish over cooked and chewy Cheese logs were good - not awesome Ambience was really good I just thing the food isn't great but ok

    Menu
    Denise D.

    Cute little spot on Anna Maria Island. They are known for their grouper so I had the blackened grouper sandwich that had a nice remoulade sauce on it which was a nice change from the usual tartar sauce. The portion was generous as it should be for the price of 25 bucks. Fries were fresh and hot. Diet Coke was flat, they brought another and it was flat as well. Okay, change that order to a Chardonnay please!! If you like fish as I do, they do a nice job. I saw the fried grouper nuggets and they looked like they could float my boat as well!

    Menu
    Jodie T.

    This was our first time eating here AND WE WILL BE BACK!! The place gives a beachy dive feel that's super chill. They had some games to play and someone was singing in their stage area. Our waiter was amazing and recommended their fan favs. I got the tacos and my son got the grouper sandwich. Both were delicious but the grouper tacos were on point! Everything we saw coming out looked delicious. There's a metal grouper made by a local artist. The waiter told us apparently the artist makes items like this out of trash he recovers from the ocean. We highly recommend this spot!

    Chyenne A.

    This place is really cool... nowhere quite like it on the island and that's saying a lot. Large metal fish statues and cool lights and music. Overall, everyone should come here just for the vibe alone! :) You see the waiters and waitresses working really hard because they're always packed... so things do get missed, like getting our food before the appetizer, or a drink never showing up from the bar. But the food is great and it's just a fun place to eat for nearly all ages - I'd say teenager on up. We had a large group of high-schoolers who loved it, and a group of chaperone mom and dads who loved it too. :)

    Ugly Grouper Sandwich
    Byron S.

    What an awesome spot! Thanks to Yelp on my search for a great lunch spot. We were there for a late lunch and were quickly seated. Rosie was awesome taking our orders and getting our drinks to us quickly. Between the grouper and Maui Maui sandwiches, grouper and shrimp tacos, it was all great. The area is all outside seating with plenty of umbrellas. Live music was going on during our visit and the large Ugly Grouper sculpture is amazing. Make sure you stop by and give they a try. Ask for Rosie! Enjoy.

    Ugly grouper
    Richard S.

    Nothing seems to have changed in our absence. We arrived for a late lunch; no crowd, same beachy feel and were seated right away. About what seemed like forever, our waitress arrived and asked if this was our first visit here. We ordered our usuals- me a pina colada (well made) and grouper tacos. My wife had ipa and grouper tacos. Both the fries and tacos remain very good. The only negative is the casual ambiance which some might enjoy. Today, some people brought their pets, other times, I have seem some pretty risqué outfits. Very casual setting but good food and drink across from the police station.

    Mel Z.

    We went for an early dinner and the hostess and our server were friendly and attentive. As for the food, it lacked flavor. We ordered the Coastal Clam Chowder (tasted like it was out of a bag and super thick), the Angus burger (basic) and the Mahi Sandwich. It is a convenient spot for a quick bite, but not what we were expecting.

    Cheese sticks and pretzel bites.
    Sara G.

    Food was honestly mediocre. The best part of our meal was the cheese sticks. So good! The pretzel bits tasted like they were microwaved. The grouper tacos were good. Pasta was okay. Fish and chips were whatever. The server we had did not smile. Once. No joke. And acted like it was a chore to even serve us. The best part of our experience was the ambiance. They had a guy singing music and there were things for the kids to do. On the flip side, one of the restrooms was not functioning. And the one that was, well it was gross. None of the high chairs had the straps to stabilize a baby. Beware of that.

    Goliath Pub Pretzel

    Excellent food, atmosphere, and service! Eaten here twice now and it doesn't disappoint!

    100% outside seating.

    Nice waitstaff, nice ambiance even though it's right on Marina Dr. Prices are a bit more than expected for portion size. And over $6 for a Yuengling draft? Food was good but didn't stand out. As has been the case in a lot of restaurants these, using a credit card will add 4% to the bill. Food seemed to take quite a while. Other tables seemed to get appetizers and the main course before us, despite those folks ordering after us. We ordered as soon as the server introduced themselves because we were so hungry. Server apologized for the wait and comp'd that entree. They realized the mistake and tried to make things right. Kudos for that.

    Local beer and Seedlip mocktail
    Gayle R.

    We stopped here for a late lunch while we're waiting to get into our condo rental. I had grouper skewers and a very delicious mocktail. We had very friendly service.

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    13 days ago

    The grouper and coconut shrimp was the bomb! I can't wait to come back again. Sophia was our server and she was very good.

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    2 months ago

    Stopped for a late lunch, served by Izzy, very sweet and helpful young server. The grouper tacos were huge and so good! We will return

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    The Ugly Grouper Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Ugly Grouper

    Has the restaurant added any vegetarian options? I looked at the menu and it doesn't seem like they have anything other than salad.

    I guess it depends if you're vegan, pescatarian or what type of vegetarian you are. If you're vegan I would say no there are not going to be any good options other than a salad. If you can eat fish,eggs and cheese you're fine but if you're vegan… Read more

    Hi there! We just got into town and only have a few days so I'm doing a stone crab claw search via Yelp. Are you offering any? If so, do you have the prep/prices available to…

    We do not have stone crab. I'm sorry!

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - The Ugly Grouper

    It was outstanding, Irada was super attentive and very helpful with recommendations and all our special requests.

    Mentioned in 51 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Tide Tables - Large grilled grouper basket

    Tide Tables

    4.5(1.1k reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$

    The food was amazing I had the mahi mahi entree, it One of the best mahi mahi dishes I've had. The…read moreservice was great even though they were slammed we still got sat and ordered in a reasonable time. The atmosphere was amazing.

    This little unassuming spot was absolutely buzzing over an hour wait on a Tuesday and it's easy to…read moresee why. The marina setting is such a vibe, with dockside picnic tables, a tiki bar, and a small indoor space with a bar and a few tables. We were genuinely blown away by the quality of the food. Everything tasted incredibly fresh the menu says "caught and served same day," and it absolutely lives up to that promise. The blackened fish tacos were a standout and some of the best we've had. The Caesar salad dressing is made In house and is absolutely delicious! We added the blackened mahi and it was filling and delicious. I have mastered a homemade recipe and I'm hard to impress when it comes to Caesar . (We ordered it extra saucy) The only thing we didn't love was the grouper spread, but that was more of a personal preference--it leaned more toward a tuna fish style spread rather than the creamier version we were expecting. The service was great too, the waiters are obviously kept super busy in a spot like that but still managed to get the job done with a smile! Overall, this was easily some of the best food we've had in Florida in the 10 years we've been coming here for spring break. We'll definitely be adding this spot to our yearly rotation.

    Photos
    Tide Tables - Fried scallops

    Fried scallops

    Tide Tables - Grilled grouper basket (large)

    Grilled grouper basket (large)

    Tide Tables - On the water charm

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    Dry Dock Waterfront Grill - Tuscan Chicken w/ Rice & Veggies

    Dry Dock Waterfront Grill

    4.5(2.3k reviews)
    14.0 mi
    $$$

    The food was delicious, the service was great and the views from the windows were amazing. We even…read moresaw dolphins jumping out of the wate.

    BLUF: Consistently exceptional food and service located at a dry dock (dry boat storage)…read moreoverlooking the water. I love Dry Dock Waterfront Grill and I always visit when I am in the Sarasota area. Dry Dock is always busy so I am also sure to make a reservation in advance using Open Table. Typically we sit inside but I know the back patio is popular too. If your timing and patience is perfect, you can also get a nice a nice window seat in the dining room that has sweeping views of Sarasota Bay. The inside atmosphere is bright and airy and although airy often translates to loud, Dry Dock thoughtfully put noise dampening panels on the ceiling. As far as food, I don't think you can go wrong. I always get something with grouper whether it be an entree, sandwich or tacos. On my most recent visit I got the grouper filet with coconut shrimp because I had originally been eyeing up the coconut shrimp as an appetizer. Ultimately, we decided to get the rock crab claws for an appetizer which were good but more work than I planned even though they were pre-cracked. I felt like a Neanderthal trying to eat those crab claws in such a nice restaurant. No offense to the Neanderthals, of course! I have no idea what my husband had as it disappeared. After entrees, apps and bread, we were too stuffed for dessert. I think our server was Cari and she was awesome! Attentive, friendly, funny and quite possibly a mind reader and magician. She saw the hanger in my eyes and made bread magically appear. I hope I got her name correct because she was superb! Shout out to all of the great staff members at Dry Dock -we've never had a bad experience. I love Dry Dock and it will forever stay in my Sarasota rotation.

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    Dry Dock Waterfront Grill - Upper floor

    Upper floor

    Dry Dock Waterfront Grill - Tuscan Cream Pasta w/ Blackened Snapper

    Tuscan Cream Pasta w/ Blackened Snapper

    Dry Dock Waterfront Grill - Pomegranate martinis

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    Salt Bar and Table - Blackened black grouper over homemade linguine in a vodka sauce!

    Salt Bar and Table

    4.4(166 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    Just moved to the area and this was our first time here and everything from the start was…read moreimpeccable. First off, valet guy was super nice. We parked down the block and walked over since we were early for our reservation. I love where they seated us (in the corner away from the bar and other tables). I don't think I'd want to sit anywhere else when we go back! Waiter was immediately on it with explaining specials and checked in with us frequently/filled waters. He recommended a Pinot noir based on what I told him I liked and I really enjoyed it. I also showed him a picture from Yelp of what I wanted for dinner and he told me how it would be a little different. I chose that dish and I wasn't disappointed. We literally scraped our plates clean. This was our first night out alone I a long time and I'm so happy we had such a great ambiance and dinner. Husband was confused with his dish (he thought the pesto was going to have pieces of zucchini and squash) instead it was puréed into the sauce with pieces of spinach. He still enjoyed it and said it felt lighter and healthier (not too oily). He also wished for more bread. Thanks for taking care of us Coasties! We will be back especially for that steak (cooked perfectly)!

    The good things: I thought the place was clean, had nice…read moreseating, and the service was good. Everyone was very friendly. The cons: Unfortunately I was disappointed with my meal. I had the linguine with vodka sauce and added blackened chicken. The chicken was extremely dry and I was unable to finish it. The serving size of pasta I also found to be small especially for quite a high price point. The price point of the entire menu I think is also much too high for what you are getting. The edamame gyoza were only 4 in one dish and we also shared the hummus board which was very small for an expensive price. I think they should definitely be re-evaluating how their menu is priced for their portions and the meals themselves.

    Photos
    Salt Bar and Table - View towards the bar.

    View towards the bar.

    Salt Bar and Table - Gnocchi & Medallions with grilled bread

    Gnocchi & Medallions with grilled bread

    Salt Bar and Table - White Lavender

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    The Ugly Grouper - bars - Updated May 2026

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