Dry Dock Waterfront Grill

We are big-time fans of this waterfront restaurant. It is consistently excellent. We prefer to sit down waterside when the weather permits. They have an excellent selection of cocktails. My wife prefers the maple infused old-fashion. Starting off with warm bread and butter is a treat then we had coconut shrimp appetizer. Four large very flavorful shrimp with a generous amount of pina colada dipping sauce. My wife and I both opted for our favorite dish on the island, the seafood pasta with red sauce. It is full of chunks of lobster and shrimp absolutely delectable and I asked for additional sauce since it is so luscious! Sean is a professional. He was attentive without disrupting us and at no time did he rush our dinner which we really appreciate. He suggested the Carmel cheesecake which is a fitting finale. We look forward to returning soon.

We went for our 3 year anniversary, but weren’t impressed. The restaurant itself was cute, had a great location, and patio. Our server was not nearly as attentive as the server tending the table next to us. We heard the server next to us give a full speech about the menu to her table that our server didn’t provide and could have been helpful prior to ordering. The lobster bisque was extremely thick and only had one noticeable piece of lobster. The coconut shrimp was good, but I didn’t care for the piña colada sauce it came with and when I asked for a sweet chili sauce I never got it. The crab cake seemed to be a bit dry. We received a free piece of key lime pie for our anniversary. We did have a reservation, but it just felt like we were the “end of the night” and they were trying to get out. Maybe don’t offer those reservations then? Maybe we would go back during the day for a cocktail, but not impressed for the prices.

The food at Dry Dock Waterfront Grill was absolutely delicious—fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The views overlooking Sarasota Bay were stunning and made the whole experience worth the visit. Carly, our waitress, was top-notch. She had fantastic people skills, made us feel genuinely welcome, and took great care of us throughout the meal. You can tell she loves what she does. Great atmosphere, great service, and great food. Highly recommend!

A pretty unique dine- in restaurant, as the name states, it’s right next to an actual dry dock. The food was well portioned and yummy, but slightly more pricey (comparatively to other restaurants within the proximity). It has a wide range of alcohol selection so it’s definitely a good spot for an afternoon sit down & drink type of spot. While the restaurant is labeled as “dog friendly”, it does have some weird thing with small dogs needing to be on the ground. We didn’t catch the reason clearly from our server but something to do with town regulations (?). Parking is also a bit challenging as the place is pretty packed and parking spots are quite limited given the location.

One of our all time favorite Sarasota area restaurants. Beautiful waterfront seating. The food is well designed and always seems made from quality ingredients. Always great service.

Pros: Fantastic waterfront restaurant with outdoor seating right on the water. We always stop here on our trips. The grouper is excellent every time. Cons: Parking can be tricky, and it’s best to plan ahead since tables fill up quickly.

Stopped on a Monday. Food and service were good. Atmosphere was not as nice as expected. Seafood chowder was large bowl and reasonable, and Coconut Shrimp salad and seafood linguine were tasty. Our waiter, a slim man w glasses, was super. Asked his advice on choices and he was spot on. Our bill came to $100 w tip. Would we eat here again? Surely. 👍🏻

My first time here, it was excellent! Haddock fish and chips was crispy, thick and not greasy! Dani waited on me, sweet girl. Great food, atmosphere and service. Place for boats to dock! Beautiful view upstairs or outside on first floor. Give it a try!