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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?
    Live music
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy

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    Recommended Reviews - The Ugly Grouper

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    Nikki J.

    Update: might be the best grouper tacos around. Hands down. Most seating ia covered and they have fans to beat the heat. Service is great!

    Grouper tacos
    Joel C.

    Fantastic stop. Seating is all outdoors so it can be hot sometimes but the shade and fans are adequate. It's very casual and sets a classic fish house ambiance. I ordered the grouper tacos and would get them again. They were fantastic, particularly with the fried cheese crust. Fish was fresh and well cooked. Toppings were fresh and flavorful. I got French fries as a side and they were well seasoned and freshly fried. My wife got the Angus Burger and it was decent. Not the best burger around, but I am a self proclaimed burger critic. She liked it well enough. Service was a little slow. It took about 25-30 minutes after we ordered for our food which was a little surprising since we were there for lunch and it wasn't that busy. Waters were constantly filled and server was kind. Overall, I highly recommend!

    Pulled pork sliders
    Gregory A.

    We decided to visit the ugly grouper during lunch hours instead of dinner because when we showed up the night before, the wait was 1.5 hours long. When you arrive at the ugly grouper be aware that you can either sit in full shade, partial shade, or full sun. We were seated right away in the partial shade. We had a nice breeze the entire time we were there and they had huge fans going, but damn that Florida sun hits different! Service was excellent and our drinks came out fast. My wife and I decided to split the grouper nuggets platter which was the perfect amount for us. My son ordered the pulled pork sliders and these sliders were packed with pork! My other son ordered the kids corndog and this was no ordinary kids corndog, this was a foot long corndog! Everyone enjoyed and finished their meals. Our friends have told us that UG is a staple at AMI and we see why. Definitely worth a visit when at AMI!

    Cheese logs

    Love the cheese logs. It's all outside sitting and always packed but cute. Server was nice

    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!

    Outside tables
    Marc B.

    The vibe is great. Absolutely nails the "open and lively beach joint" motif. Was packed on a Thursday night in March. Service was a bit hindered by that fact but you don't go there for the Downton Abbey experience; the servers are navigating a wave of happy go lucky beachers and boaters while bringing you a Po' Boy. Food wasn't of course Michelin 5 star but it was good and hot. Lots of choices but not a 5 page menu covering every cuisine on the planet. It was 100% decent Florida beach bar. Loved it overall.

    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.

    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!

    Grouper Tacos - these were awesome!
    Kerry K.

    Food was excellent, ambiance was great, service was a bit slow. We would definitely wait for a table again- lots of games to keep you busy while you wait.

    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. :)

    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

    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.

    Grouper grilled, with cole slaw and Caribbean rice!
    Vernus S.

    Ambiance is awesome, not too loud, building not the prettiest but that's the motif, outdoors, bathrooms could use cleaning, a store available to buy local souvenirs especially Ugly Grouper souvenirs. Service was with a smile, appetizer (mozzarella cheese logs) brought out quickly and delicious. For an entree we got the grilled grouper dinner with cole slaw and Caribbean rice, all was amazingly delicious!! We will be back!

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    6 days ago

    Great food and fast service!!! We did have to wait so I would suggest going early to get on the list!

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    1 month ago

    The food was decent enough, but the Drinks are fantastic, and the atmosphere is fun and festive.

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    15 days ago

    The restaurant is a tourist spot. The food is not great. Service was mediocre and it's very warm even with fans. No inside seating.

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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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    The Doctor’s Office

    The Doctor’s Office

    3.9
    (290 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$

    5 Star update- same great craft cocktails but adding that they have wonderful outdoor seating and…read moresome lovely dishes. We grabbed reservations for the outdoor area to enjoy the weather and were thankful for the shady tree cover. This time we opted for some bites and though the menus change seasonally, I would recommend anything featuring tomatoes. They use truly fantastic heirloom tomatoes that remind you what you're missing with the watery ones we get at the grocery store. Also recommend the Mediterranean Platter. It's full of veggies and the dips are YUM. As usual, the cocktails didn't disappoint. It's never a weekend in AMI without a visit here! Previous Review: 5 Stars for the best cocktails on AMI, and a craft cocktail bar vibe you wouldn't necessarily expect here. (Plus, the service is AMAZING) We walked in (no reservation) after dinner one weekend evening and we were greeted by Matt, who found us a spot at the bar. He gave us menus and a "wellness shot" -- delicious little concoction to wet your palate! Right away I was blown away by the interior and the menu. This looked like it belonged somewhere in Denver or Chicago, but I was thrilled to find it on the island! Matt helped guide us to drinks we'd like on the menu. I ordered the Purgatory, made up of Bourbon, chocolate bitters, agave and premium mezcal. It was divine!! We also ordered some warmed olives, and they were hot and so fragrant. Definitely something I'd order again at the bar. I was stoked to see they have a veggie-specific section on the food menu and can't wait to go back for dinner. I'll definitely make a reservation though, as it was pretty full. Next time, in terms of drinks, I have my eyes on the espresso martini (off menu, but saw a pic on Yelp), and the kiss kiss bang bang. Thanks to Matt and Emily who helped us with our drinks along the way. Sometimes these fabulous craft bars can be pretentious, but the service here was a huge standout. Can't wait to return!

    Have been wanting to go to this place for years and finally went and unfortunately it was…read moreunderwhelming. I feel like the drinks used to be a lot more creative from what I saw on their socials and from what my friend said who went back in the day it used to be more of a speakeasy elevated cocktail vibe versus a tiki/dive bar vibe. We had to ask for the chips that are supposed to be given complimentary and then we ordered bread and soup which literally took an unnecessary like 30 mins or more to come out as we watched the people on both sides of us get their full meals before us when we got items that just had to be reheated. The tomato soup was very good once it finally came out, the rolls were good but nothing as great as the hype in my opinion for the menu. The drinks were good but honestly the starter shot given at the bar was my favorite which was a hibiscus Pom margarita which I ended up getting fully as my second drink. Service started out hot but then went downhill but that is unfortunately the standard of when gratuity is already included in a check. Then when it came time to pay it got weird when there was a simple mix up when my friend intentionally overpaid even with gratuity involved in her check and the bartender asked her if she wanted change and she said yes but never brought it back. My friend gave 3 - 20s on a $38 check (gratuity) already in but she wanted to tip a few more dollars because she is a very generous person and then when she asked about her change that's when it got weird and the bartender made it seem like she didn't understand why she wanted change instead of just apologizing for the mistake and they went back and forth for a few minutes with the bartender ending up just giving her the extra $20 back. Just left a weird taste in our mouths for the experience when I feel like any bartender would understand what she wanted to do with giving extra larger bills to split especially when she said she wanted change and it was a massive overpayment or if the thought there was a very generous tip like 30% would make sure with guest that's what they want and show appreciation if that were the case. It was just weird how it all was handled. The decor was on point for Christmas and the vibe was very casual but oldie vibes which makes sense for it being in Anna Maria island.

    Photos
    Dude who stayed too long
    Dude who stayed too long
    Praline Alexandra with homemade ice cream!
    Praline Alexandra with homemade ice cream!
    Old fashioned, cinnamon stick that looks like a cigarette

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    Old fashioned, cinnamon stick that looks like a cigarette
    Freckled Fin Irish Pub

    Freckled Fin Irish Pub

    3.7
    (199 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    From the moment you walk in the door you are met with Irish-American hospitality. We dropped by on…read moreour way to Bean Beach and saw the orange and white Freckled Fin sign and were drawn by the possibility of Kilkenny (my favorite beer - if you don't know) and were met with high vaulted ceilings and an amazing cross- ventilation breeze and Chris the most charismatic bartender, I have ever meet. He loves music, especially hard rock, just ask him about it. The food menu looks amazing including poutine (if you don't know, ask somebody, I can't teach you everything on this review). We ordered the Irish Dip, just like you think, house-made corned beef topped with Swiss, grilled onions and red ale au jus dipping sauce. Absolutely delicious, the bread was fresh the sandwich was enough of everything and the au jus was le creme on the top. If you feel like chicken try their house make potato chips encrusted chicken tenders with omg good tater tots. All the food looks amazing. Drop by this summer and tell Chris the bartenders that Gigi sent you! You won't regret it!!! See the pictures.

    Awesome neighborhood pub! They opened for the USA men's hockey game and it was packed at 8 am that…read moreSunday! Great drinks and food. Our bartender, Jordyn, was the BEST. She was our bartender on several occasions and made the best cocktails, and had the nicest personality! Can't wait to return!

    Photos
    Freckled Fin Irish Pub
    Website shows karaoke as being 7:30 - 11:30. It actually ends at 11 pm (when the bar closes.)
    Website shows karaoke as being 7:30 - 11:30. It actually ends at 11 pm (when the bar closes.)
    Tons of screens.

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    Tons of screens.
    Sandbar Seafood & Spirits

    Sandbar Seafood & Spirits

    3.8
    (1.7k reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    I was in town for a work trip and a beach dinner is a must! It was very busy for a Tuesday evening,…read morebut we were able to grab a drink and wait outside for our table (a quick 20 minutes!) The cowboy shrimp is a MUST ORDER!!! Delicious and the sauce paired with the focaccia is end game. I got the grouper tacos - perfectly blackened and a kick of flavor! The rice and beans was also good. Others at my table got the shrimp tacos and and coconut shrimp that were said to be good as well. Service was phenomenal, quick and overall a great vibe! Plus it's a perk to be able to run onto the beach for a quick sunset pic while waiting for our food. :)

    We spent the day at the beach and had dinner at the Sandbar after. Valet was $45 for dinner and the…read moreday at the beach. The atmosphere was fine and the service was great! We started with the coconut shrimp. It was good. I got the hogfish with polenta. The polenta was excellent. For me the hogfish was just okay. It was very thin and the fry didn't have much flavor. We also had the shrimp and grits which was fantastic! It was super rich I am glad that we split everything. It was so interesting to have one dish that lacked flavor and the other to be bursting with so much flavor. Overall, the experience was good a little pricey but that is to be expected on the beach. I would come back and try some different options.

    Photos
    Bar view seat.
    Bar view seat.
    Roasted Beet, Candied Pecan Salad, and Vegetable Soup
    Roasted Beet, Candied Pecan Salad, and Vegetable Soup
    Rum runner with a floater and a skinny margarita bucket

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    The Ugly Grouper - bars - Updated July 2026

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