Rod and Reel Pier

My son was in town, so we decided to check out this waterfront restaurant. It's on a fishing pier, so it's over the water. The vibe is uber casual, to the extent that our waiter was wearing a sleeveless, wife beater style shirt. We ordered a pitcher of beer, which at $10 translated into $2 per beer, which was a great deal. We started with an onion rings appetizer, which were good but not really enough for 3 people. My son and I both ordered grouper sandwiches, mine grilled, and his fried. Both were super fresh and delicious. My wife ordered the scallops and she said they were great. It's a chill place to eat fresh seafood and catch a sunset.

This is truly a gem of a restaurant. They have no need for neon signs that advertise their business. Their food does their advertising! Sooo good. I ordered the fried grouper sandwich which is what they are known for. It was fantastic! It was more than enough for a person! I ordered it without the bun. Pricing changes daily for this item. Their pineapple coleslaw is the perfect side dish to add. Very refreshing!

Our 1st visit. We are in love with this place. We had the best seats! Got to see dolphins surfacing, a giant stingray, a couple pelicans and the giant school of minnows at the dock was mesmerizing to watch. Perfect weather, nice breeze. The food was awesome. Staff was nice and we had a great server. Parking was a little tough but everything that followed was perfect. We will be back.

That was pretty good. This place has been around a while, and I can see why. We all got the Fish and Chips (16.95), and it was really good. Got a large portion and the onion rings were outstanding. Id pass on their rice as a side. Right on the water, good seafood and a fun atmosphere, it's a nice place to get a meal.

Nice little place to eat and watch manatee and dolphins. Came here for lunch while on vacation. I ordered the grouper sandwich while my son and mother in law ordered chicken strips and fries. Everything was delicious! Staff there were friendly and the food came out fairly quickly! Highly recommend visiting here if you're on vacation!

The water was beautiful, but there is no pier. The hurricane took it, and they haven't rebuilt it. The town was destroyed. If you want to just sit on the beach, awesome place. Let's go somewhere else in the area other than the island to eat. It's super expensive and just not very good food. Tried two different places and walked away from a plate of food. I know that sounds bad, but when this grouper smells like pneumonia run that usually means it's spoiled. You would think because they're special and the name add grouper in it that would be good food

This is your sign to check out this restaurant! We ordered the fried clam strips appetizer, clam chowder soup, and grilled mahi mahi sandwich. The fried clam strips were the best I have ever had! Service was awesome. Our waitress was very sweet and welcoming. The view can’t be beat. Lunch on the ocean, it can’t get better than that! We even saw several dolphins swimming close by.

What a great restaurant! The service and the food are excellent! And nothing can beat view! Sometimes you need to make a reservation because during holiday season it is packed! But it’s worth every cent you spend there! Can’t wait to come back!

Great fresh fish! Had the dinner special, which was hogfish, with a salad and potato side. Excellent! Service was excellent and ambiance is old Florida feel. Definitely will be back!

A favorite place to eat breakfast on AMI. Really excited to see that they have opened an Inn right next door. Service could have been more accommodating, but was okay. There's no better view! Very tasty food

Perfectly tender seafood Nice spot to see the sea and relax, then walk off the intake with a nice pier walk A must go to spot if your visiting Fresh fresh fresh The service is okay because it's usually students on work visa visiting the states so there is sometimes a language barrier but everyone is kind and welcoming. Will be coming back EVERYTIME I am in the area

Second time here. Enjoying our lunch at the bar. Peggy had the perfect seat with a view. Peggy enjoyed the Maui sandwich blackened. And I had the seafood combo. Both of us agreed we do it again

We were greeted and pointed to a inside window seat. We wanted to sit inside because it was very hot and humid. The server was not happy nor unhappy but indifferent. The beer choices were limited but we ordered a picture of beer while we reviewed the menu. Our first time at this restaurant and island. We decided to drink our beer and leave because the waitress ignored us when we said we had a question. The other server told her on the off chance she couldn't hear us that we had a question and our server said "I know" and continued to walk away from our table. We didn't want to stay with that attitude and lack of hospitality. There are too many other choices to have a meal. No photos.

The iconic Rod and Reel Pier. We had breakfast here twice during our stay and enjoyed the breakfast sandwiches, mixed fruit and especially the seafood omelette. Flat top seating inside and outside. Great views. Friendly service. Bar downstairs. I'm told there can be a wait to eat during the busy season. The pier gives everything you expected. Eclectic fisherman, sea life, dolphin sightings, a variety of birds, boats. Peaceful in the morning. I definitely recommend.

I felt this meal was way overpriced. $45 for grouper, scallops and shrimp. It was also very hot and loud in the dining room. You go for the atmosphere I guess.

This is the authentic old Florida fishing pier . We watched dolphins while we waited 15 minutes for a table. You can sit inside or out. Our waitress was nice. I've been coming here for ever. I remember when the grouper sandwich was less than $10. It is now $26. But it is the best grouper sandwich around. Enough for 2. Draft beer is only $2.50 for a small glass at the downstairs bar where everyone is fishing. Our sandwiches were delicious. You can get appetizers or a full meal. This is a local gem.

Small but historic "must try" when on Anna Maria Island! Can't accommodate large tables. The wait gets longer as the evening goes on so get there early. Great food!

Nice view the place fills up fast at breakfast time. Did not car for the flavor of the French toast. But the seafood omelette was big and good

one of Anna Maria Island's true treasures is a fairly dilapidated-looking old pier called the Rod & Reel. The Rod & Reel Pier offers casual dining for the whole family with unbelievable views of The Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay! Ask a local on Anna Maria Island where to eat and just about everyone has Rod & Reel Pier restaurant in their top three. The restaurant sits out on the end of a pier in Anna Maria City, so it makes for perfect scenery. There's AC inside the restaurant but the outside seating is pleasant - it's covered and there's usually a nice breeze. The bar downstairs is a fun place to hang out, drink a cheap beer and swap fish stories with the bartender. The bar also serves food, so if there's no seating available upstairs the bar is a good back-up plan. The pier also doubles as a great fishing spot for visitors and locals alike. Parking: it has a small parking lot which of course gets filled easily. Wait and you'll get a spot.

Beautiful views, delicious food. I hit the seafood platter blackened and it was delicious. Service was great as well!!

Come here for the view not food. We ordered the mahi and it was meh. It was over priced and just okay. The service wasn't great. Our waiter seemed bothered that we were there. Better places to go.

Great location. Service and ambiance are great here. The surrounding area and views are nice. Watching the fisherman around the pier was a lot of fun. We saw a lot of wildlife out there... the fresh catch fish was tolerable, overall the food was not great and pretty expensive. I won't eat here again. Grab a drink and see the sights, absolutely.

4 Stars for a unique restaurant experience at the end of a pier with a fabulous breakfast menu! Our buddy is an AMI local and took us to this iconic spot at the end of a pier. It's tiny, but has great views and feels like a true local favorite. Don't expect anything fancy- you'll walk up to see several leathery gentlemen fishing along the pier and as you head up the stairs you'll be greeted and get your table. I've only sat inside and I recommend grabbing a table with a window by it facing the water. (Just a note- windows have to stay closed.) You may feel the restaurant sway a bit in the waves, but nothing too bad (as someone who gets seasick, it didn't bother me at all). Yulissa was our server and she was a GEM. I got to try the spinach tomato and feta omelette (YUM) with an English muffin & home fries (always get it with onions!). This was a GREAT breakfast and I really appreciate how many vegetarian options they have on the breakfast menu. I've been there for lunch and I'd stick to breakfast here. The lunch left us a bit underwhelmed in comparison. Overall, a special place that will make you feel like you're a real salty local.

I really like super local restaurants that are a dive. This location is on the pier and has great food and drinks. Love the bar on the first floor. We had lunch on the second floor. Very limited seating. Fish sandwich of course.

Exceptional restaurant!!! Location is so unique and special as you are literally right on the water. It is a small restaurant but I came for lunch and got seated right away. But depending on time of day and group size there may be a wait. They have a cool bar below and many people fishing right off the pier. Service was great and quick. The seafood was so fresh and delicious! Recommend if you are in the area

Food was ok. We just did fried appetizers (homemade onion rings, jalapeño poppers and clam strips). I thought the menu was kinda pricey for seafood since we are right on the Gulf. Service was excellent. Our server was friendly and engaging. We went around 3 pm so we were seated right away. No lines at all. Ambience couldn't have been better. Beautiful sunny spring day watching boats, jet skis and fishermen on the water. Had that Old Florida feel.

This exquisite dish with blackened mahi-mahi is extremely delicious and packs a powerful delightful punch with pickles, tomato, and lettuce. The breading on the sandwich is made from the best flour and the best dough. Each bite fills you with joy and excitement and makes you crave more. Along with the mahi-mahi sandwich is a crispy fry to dip in their delicious signature tartar sauce. Plus there's more, there is an amazing dish of coleslaw that fills your heart with joy. I highly recommend this dish and I hope all of you enjoy!

This unassuming spot, out on the Pier on the Gulf at the tip of Anna Maria Island, is the place to come for reasonably priced seafood, prepared in many ways and extremely cheap drinks. If you're not from the area, the Grouper is the way to go. Locals tell me that they haven't had anything that hasn't been solid and tasty, ever! We were just in town from a day of travel so we waded into the Grouper special. Abundantly sauced that included a healthy helping of crab, coupled with our two sides of onion rings (small upcharge) and a wonderful, lightly creamed, coleslaw. As mentioned, the beers were just $3.50 and rail drinks $5. Gotta be careful though as tempting as it might be to have a few, it's a drive back to Sarasota!

There was a bit of a wait, but we had a beer downstairs and watched the fishermen. We had a shrimp skewer with garlic butter sauce for an app- it was divine!! I got the fried shrimp and my husband got the grouper Reuben. They were both great!! The key lime pie was excellent. Our server was fantastic and knowledgeable. Will totally return!

We went for breakfast and split the seafood omelette. It was delicious and very filling! Service was excellent and quick! Ambiance was old Florida and what we love!

Four for the food, five stars for Sparkles, who runs the bar with friendliness and efficiency and with a distinct personality that makes you feel at home. The Rod & Reel is not the place for you if you don't like a good dive and you don't like excellent fries and a meal that will be basic but tasty. The menu is a hoot, with descriptions like, YUMMY FOR YOUR TUMMY! I had the Grouper sandwich--the bread was just ok, but the grouper itself was cooked and seasoned perfectly. One of the people I was with had a chicken sandwich that was way beyond your usual boring chicken sandwich because it was fried without being greasy and was far from dry. The fries are fantastic: blistered and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The bar choices are pretty basic: no cocktails, just beer and wine from giant bottles. We could tell the difference between the Pinot Grigiot and Chardonnay because the Chardonnay was darker. I found this hilarious and happily drank my wine, but if this isn't your style, then maybe go for a beer or drink before you get there. This isn't a place with pretensions and has a real old Florida feel to it. Loved it, and be sure to say hi to Sparkles.

I arrived here bout an hour before the restaurant opened and a few minutes after sunrise, I had my coffee in hand as an old man approached me, his clothes were dirty and worn and he looked sun beaten so I assumed he was down on his luck and looking for a few bucks. As he got close he started pointing at my Jeep and mumbled that I had parked in a spot reserved for customers, I pulled out a few bucks and figured he'd move on but he wouldn't give it up - come to find out he was the parking attendant directing traffic in a nearly empty restaurant parking lot for a restaurant that wasn't open, so told him I was waiting for the restaurant to open as I folded the bills and slid them back in my pocket, he didn't like my answer but walked off as I exhaled an amazing vape cloud towards the dimly lit sky and took another sip of my coffee - I knew at that moment the day was mine. As I made my way to the pier I had to stop and take it all in, the old wooden pier absent of railings, this is the Florida I love so much, the blue green translucent water exposing its white sandy bottom. A light sea breeze made the humid air tolerable as the sun raced towards the sky. I made my way to the end of the pier, no crowds and eerily quite, just a few local fishermen casting live shrimp, one nibbling on a non-filtered smoke while slowly cranking his bait, a few gulls gliding only inches from the water looking for fishes or unsuspecting crustaceans and a horizon filled with water colored painted clouds interrupted only by a few faceless silhouettes whispering stories of yesterday and living in the moment. This place is timeless, unspoiled and pristine there's nothing better than living amongst the snakes, gators, sharks and mosquitoes it's probably not for everyone so if you visit please leave it like you found it cause that's how we like it here...

Well, this location looks like a gas station on the pier. Nothing really that stands out at first, but when you start to walk down the pier, you are captivated by the bright blue waters of the gulf. People enjoying themselves, fishing off the pier and just surrounding beautiful gulf water. Food was ok. I had the Krab Cake (imitation crab). Be aware of this as I wasn't expecting that at first. Clam Chowder, decent, spicy Grouper fresh Shrimp dish tasty Caesar Salad, soggy Wait staff, quick, engaged but we couldn't understand anything he was saying. Spoke very fast All in all, the food was ok, but the view is insane!

Right on the pier, with fishermen busy fishing, this local favorite has been here since Noah built the Arc. They have a great staff that works hard and are genuinely friendly. Pretty straightforward regular food, but also offered Grouper, Ahi and Salmon, I enjoy regular fish and chips at a fair price but passed on the overpriced Grouper dinner. In my opinion Grouper is a good fish, but not worth any extra money . Really enjoy the view, and the atmosphere, seagulls and pelicans diving, fishermen bantering even the rugged old lumber that made up the pier!

We went here on a very windy day and the place was rockin'. Great old pier old Florida style been there for years. You could feel the restaurant shaking with the wind, it was awesome. The food was so tasty. I got the blackened grouper sandwich and my husband got the shrimp po' boy sandwich. These were both served with extra crispy fries and perfect for a lunch meal. Each meal was fresh, substantial, and worth the price. The service was lovely and friendly. That view though is spectacular!!

My wife and I ate lunch here. For appetizers we got the peel and eat shrimp one thing I need with peel and eat shrimp is saltine crackers which they didn't have. The cocktail sauce had so much and strong horseradish in it we couldn't eat it. We got lightly blackened grouper with fries. The sandwich was good, we didn't care for the slaw it was little bitter for our taste. For dessert we got key lime pie and it was very goos. Good atmosphere we ate outside and there is a great view.

This was a great find. The seafood was amazing. Great view and excellent food. Highly recommend.

Had the fried grouper sandwhich and onion rings it was amazing and honestly so fresh ! Would definitely come back especially the onion ring. Amazing service as well he told us the specials and recommendations and was super nice. The views were great waterfront and you can see people fishing on the pier.

Great spot on AMI! Love the setting, literally right out in the water. Not too many tables though, but we didn't have any trouble getting sat. Started off with peel and eat shrimp and then I had the blackened mahi mahi. Delicious!

First time going here and definitely will not be returning. Firstly if you are charging market price for a seafood platter then it should be fresh or as close to fresh as it can be. The grouper was obviously frozen and tasted old, same with the scallops they tasted like scallops you'd buy from Walmart....the shrimp tasted like pre cooked cocktail shrimp that had been seasoned and cooked. The crab cake didn't even taste like crab, it was way under seasoned and way too heavy on peppers. I ordered blackened food for my dinner. It looked and tastes like it was sauteed in butter with a little seasoning, no where near what I have had at other restaurants when ordering blackened food. Super under seasoned and bland. The coleslaw was almost dry. Was going to order key lime pie for desert as my wife had never had it, but wasn't going to be disappointed again. If you're wanting this type of food then go to Captain D's, it will be better and MUCH CHEAPER.

Got lucky on parking and had a beautiful day to visit. Hostess found us a table right away and we enjoyed the view. This is a tiny place, and there's fishing off the pier so parking is at a premium. The staff was friendly and attentive. We ordered the clam chowder which was excellent, lots of clam; the crab cake dinner with onion rings, and the burger and slaw. Lots of customers were also ordering the in-season grouper sandwich. I was disappointed that I hadn't noticed the "Krab" cake- was not real crab but the patties were large and well-seasoned and the aioli was excellent. The burger was delicious, as were their famous onion rings. The cole slaw was a bit lackluster, not creamy enough in my opinion. Overall, we'd definitely go back and maybe try the grouper sandwich!

The environment was welcoming. The view was spectacular. The food though was not what I thought it would be and very expensive. If the food was good I wouldn't complain on the price. Also the menu prices did not correlate with the receipt, so I don't know what happened their. I do want to compliment our waitress, she was very sweet and accommodating.

Limited seating, neat location. Average seafood. Other places in AMI are better. We had several dishes but the shrimp stood out.

Sub par food and service, atmosphere great. Way over priced. The atmosphere made up for the small fortune I spent

Rod and Reel was the best and freshest food we ate while visiting the island. Our party of 6 was seated quickly in the small restaurant. We got there around 5 pm, but if we had gotten there later we would have had to wait a while! It would have been worth the wait!!! I got the spicy pecan crusted mahi and my mom got the coconut almond grouper. While we ate we saw a manatee and many dolphins. The staff was very friendly and nice! It is a must try if you are in the area.

The food was so good that I cleaned my plate. The service was incredible and our server was incredibly friendly. While we were there we even saw dolphins and a manatee! I got the blackened grouper dinner, and it was so good!

They charge market price plus for frozen seafood. My husband ordered the Grouper Reuben and it was market price $28. The Grouper was not fresh and didn't even cover the bread. We would gladly pay the price for fresh seafood but what a disappointment to go eat over the water to get food from the freezer section of the grocery store. Neat location would be amazing if they served local seafood. Go see the views then go somewhere else to eat.

Delicious!!! Located at the end of a pier on Anna Maria Island near Bean Point Beach. Beautiful views of the water. Real small dining room, but the service is wonderful with friendly staff and people. The service was real quick even with our family of 6 and one was a toddler. The meal arrived hot and fresh. My grouper sandwich was yummy. I thought we'd be waiting to be seated when we arrived, but we were seated right away. We arrived around 4:30pm on a Friday. We stayed in a vacation house just a few minutes walk from there. Glad we had a chance to experience this spot!

We were staying on AMI and wanted to try something different. This place is very hidden and you would never stumble upon it. There were only a few parking spots left when we arrived at 11:45 am on a Thursday. When we started walking up the pier, we saw dozens of people sitting on the sides and I wanted to leave because I they were all waiting for a table and the wait would have been long. Turns out they weren't waiting for tables, but standing around drinking beer. You go up the flight of stairs to the restaurant and the hostess is waiting there. We like to eat outside so were happy that's the only seats that were available. The inside seating has way better views, but we could see the views from the pier and the beach, so it wasn't that important to us. The menu had lots of appetizers, a few soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees. They also had a special of the day. Our server was quick to bring drinks and take our order. I settled on the Steak and Pepper sandwich with fries. Food came quickly and was hot. The sandwich was so large that I cut it in 3 sections. The beef was tender, and the vegetables were well cooked and the cheese was melty. I had asked for no mushrooms and they did that right. The fries were good. Yes, it's a tourist trap, but the food was good and the views were awesome.

Immediately greeted with the strangest music blasting over the speakers. Some of the music included SpongeBob AI covers, a Weird Al song, and All of Me by John Legend. Not fitting for the location at all. Besides that, the place reminded me of old Florida. View was great, too. The service was fine, the food was fine. Nothing special. Save your time (and money) and use it somewhere else on AMI.

One Of the best cheese burgers I've had on Anna Maria Island. Great atmosphere, lovely setting, wait staff was good. Will definitely return on my next visit

What a phenomenal place to watch the sunrise! I've never seen the sun so big and clear before. It suddenly emerges from the horizon and seems to magically arise from the ocean. Aside from the sunrise, this is a cute spot to hang out during the day, there is a diner upstairs with good reasonably placed breakfast and seafood. There are always people fishing on the pier as well

The vibe was quintessential fishing pier and added to the experience. Waited for an hour on the pier with a great view of the sunset. Food was great and waitress was excellent! Best meal we had on the island. Would definitely recommend! We had the grilled shrimp, mahi mahi (blackened with pecans was excellent) and grouper dinner. Loved the key lime pie and coffee. Sat outside.

Atmosphere - Funky. If you are looking for an upscale or family type restaurant, look elsewhere. Sitting at the end of a short pier, the R&R is old Florida at its best. The restaurant is small, yet very popular. There were a dozen people hanging out near the steps up to the restaurant (which is on the second floor) drinking pitchers of beer. We sat at an outside table and enjoyed the view of the water and the pelicans diving for fish. Service - Very Good. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Food - Very Good. The menu was not huge, but there is enough there to satisfy most people. I had ordered a cup of New England Clam Chowder and Grilled Mahi Mahi Sandwich. The soup was excellent. The sandwich good, but it could have sat on the grill for a little more for my taste. Overall - Very Good. The prices are reasonable, the food and service good. I would definitely recommend the restaurant to friends and return myself.

Food was good, but the experience is probably the best part. Not a huge place so I would not take a big family. It's laid back and the scenery is fun.

Had the scrambled eggs and the seafood omelet. Both were excellent with shrimp, crab meat & scallops in the omelet. Beautiful view of the bay and watching the morning fishermen.

Small small bar a restaurant. Had an excellent grouper Rueben and Maui Maui fried sandwich's. Was there around 3:00 getting later in season but still busy. Parking was hard to find then we got lucky. We loved it.