Salt Life Food Shack

Salt Life Food Shack draws you in with its colorful and unique exterior by the water. Inside the restaurant, there is seating with a full bar. Well designed and just as beautiful. If you're looking for a casual date night or family night out, this is a fun place to dine. There is live entertainment which changes daily. We sat indoors, which was nicely air conditioned, and first level outdoors, which was a bit loud but fun. I visited this restaurant two times while vacationing in the area. Reservations are not permitted. You join a wait list inside the restaurant unless you become a VIP, which gives you certain privileges. We waited 30 minutes and five the next visit. The girls who manage the seating are really worker bees! Good job, girls! The team here works well together. 🏆 Food seems to be consistent, and both the fish and steak tacos are extremely delicious. I loved the guacamole. Taco salad needs improvement as I found it to be lacking in flavor. My teen loved the crab spinach dip with chips, and the seafood boil was good. It just needed a touch more seaoning. The warm cookie with ice cream was shared, and very tasty. All meals are platted so nicely. Drinks are tasty and arrive quickly.😋 A 2 minute walk from the beach, or there is plenty of parking. While you're there, check out the beautiful fish tank featured on Tanked. 🐟🐠 🎶

Great location to enjoy your meal. Can hear the waves if you sit in one of the patio areas. Great service live music when we were there just made the experience so much better. Nice lounge area to wait to be seated. All around great spot to come with the family and enjoy a great meal.

3/20/25 I was lucky it was Thursday 1/2 price oysters (12.99)! They were the perfect size, fresh and tasty. I ordered to dozen. My wife had the panco chicken with pasta, which was terrific. Service was great and the view from the upper deck was nice. One improvement to offer would be the checkin process, people were very confused who was next to checkin and the line seemed to start at both sides of the hostess kiosk.

Great vibe, great atmosphere. I loved the rooftop bar view of the ocean on a 70-degree night. Beautiful. The spicy tuna roll has a unique spin on it. There isn’t any spicy mayo or sriracha mixed with the fresh tuna, that I could tell. Instead it’s a sauce squeezed onto the cut roll. Still fresh and still yummy. There’s just one thing missing: If you’re in the mood for an authentic grand marnier margarita, this is not the place. You’ll end up paying the steep price for a sugary (and weak) margarita mix. 🫤

By far my favorite place for food, service, and atmosphere in Fernandina. Love eating by the beach. Their sushi and mahi tacos are always my go to but it was my birthday and I decided to do my favorite food crab legs so I went with the crab boil and it didn’t disappoint! Our server was great & he grabbed the whole team to wish me a birthday! Can’t forget the live bands always adding to the vibes. Keep up the good work!

It was very busy so we had to wait but it was worth it. I had mahi, steak and shrimp tacos. They were so delicious! The sweet tea was excellent and so was the key lime pie. The waitress was very friendly. Bought my son a hat from their store. A saxophonist names Dexter was there playing live music. He was so good!

Food was pretty good. We had shrimp and chorizo nachos, crab baked oysters and a spicy tuna roll. My husband had an oyster shooter too. There were a lot of free tables upstairs but they said none are available. I guess not enough servers. It took a while for our waitress to arrive but when she did she was pleasant. The atmosphere offered indoor, balcony and outdoor seating. We sat outdoors. Amazing the birds waited until people left the tables to snatch up the food. Polite birds.

Was so busy enjoying my meal I forgotten to grab pictures of most of what we had! We were seated on the second floor outside area which had wonderful views off the beach and a great breeze which kept us cool even in the middle of the day. The nacho dip work chorizo was absolutely addictive. We had the mix and match tacos, which were ALL great. The staff here is very friendly and welcoming. I highly recommend coming here

Im baffled this place has less than a four star rating. We ordered from salt life food shack to our hotel. I must admit I was skeptical that the food would be great both after reading reviews and with the fact that we ordered delivery (hard to eat at any restaurant with our baby!) but boy was I proven wrong. I ordered the rainforest mahi. A DELICIOUS perfectly cooked mahi with a spicy salsa verde served with a yummy black bean orzo pasta and plantains. My husband got the grouper. The key lime drizzle was TO DIE FOR. literally would put that sauce on every and anything. The tropical fried rice is like a version of fried rice but I really enjoyed it. We got a side of grilled veggies that were sprinkled with a bit of olive oil and a side house salad with shack sauce. The BEST part was dessert. I had the best pineapple upside down cake I have ever eaten. Soft, rum soaked, fluffy and topped with vanilla ice cream. I wish we lived nearer because I truly would frequent ordering or even going here.

This terrific seafood restaurant, just off the water in Fernandina Beach, serves up delicious entrees and refreshing cocktails in a laid-back setting that embodies everything that's great about Florida. The menu runs the gamut from chops and salads to pasta and fish tacos. My Boca Style Grouper was solid, and our kids really enjoyed the Spicy Tuna Roll they shared. Salt Life offers seating options inside and out, and service was friendly and efficient throughout our visit. We enjoyed live music on the patio and a parade of tasty margaritas from the bar. And the restaurant also has a gift shop where you can buy a wide range of 'Salt Life' merchandise to show off at home. A great place on Amelia Island the whole family will enjoy!

10/18/24. Appreciate the birthday entree as a "culture club" member which means they send me notifications on specials and birthday entree! Love the fried shrimp and side salad...perfect!

Mary was our server today and she was very on point. I asked for extra sauce for my rice and she was filling up my water pronto. The rice portions have definitely gotten skimpy and the chef flattens it out to make it look like a full plate. Hawaiian wings tasty but not exceptionally hot. Calamari was good. Came during an off peak hour so plenty of seating.. Sunny day for people watching.

We originally intended to hit a nearby restaurant that allows dogs. That restaurant was closed for a private party. Good thing we decided to leave the dog behind. We went to Salt Life instead. The cat interior was much nicer than I expected. "Elevated Margaritas" were very tasty and only $7 each for happy hour! Wife loved her Hawaii bowl (generous portion) and my tacos were great. Nice that there is an elevator to 2nd floor too.

We enjoyed our dinner at Salt Life. The bartender was great and the food was delicious. We started with a dozen oysters shared by the three of us. Our entrees were Twin Lobster Rolls and Shrimp and Crab stuffed flounder from the Holidays Specials menu and the Chili Lime Mahi from the regular menu. Although a bit pricier than the other restaurants we visited within our 5 nights stay, I would definitely return. The atmosphere alone makes me want to come back.

Typical beach side restaurant. They offer lots of beach friendly beverages, handheld foods and apps to snack on after a day at the beach. I had the grouper sandwich. It was good. Could have been slightly crispier and one piece of lettuce instead of the shredded lettuce. It all came out while I was eating it. Beach side eatery is how I can literally sum it up. Would I make it a destination to go, probably not, but if im at the beach all day and looking for a good bite before heading home I wouldn't say no!

We had a great experience here. Came on a Saturday during lunch. The hostess was very welcoming. We got sat down right away and our waiter TJ took our order. He was the best!!!!!! He took the kids order right away and brought it out first and even split it into two plates. He got them lemonade and knew to water it down and fill it half full. It was so nice not to have to ask. The kids menu came with these fun sticky things that kept the kids entertained the majority of the time. Nice switch up from crayons. Food was good! I got the wave burger with fries. I'll admit I didn't love the avocado fries. My husband got the tacos and said they were fantastic. I would like to come back when it's warmer so I can enjoy sitting outside :)

Stopped in on a Friday night. Live music; a one man band, was playing inside, and we were good with the music vibe, but maybe not the volume, so we grabbed an outside table under a heat lamp. We got in our orders and enjoyed our drinks. Dinner came out in short order. I got the Mahi Bowl, with fish, veggies, sticky rice, and a good sauce. It was good. My dining partner for chicken tenders with fruit for a side. The tenders were ok, but nothing special, and the fruit was pretty standard. Service was ok; our server checked in about 10 minutes after we got our food. Prices were fair, and everything was pretty good. Nice setting for a casual meal or drinks.

Great location just across the road from the Main Beach Fernandina. The restaurant has two or three completely vibes depending on where you sit. We were on rooftop bar and it was windy day. Took down one of the table umbrellas. Beautiful views of the water and a nice layout that doesn't make you feel smashed in. The service was good and so were the happy house specials. We had the oysters, grouper fish sticks, and the Caliche bowl. It all tasted pretty good. I ordered their Patron margarita which was pretty good as well but I didn't care for the glass they used - small problems. I think next time I'd like to sit downstairs near the live music. It's a decent spot worth a visit.

This place is on the Atlantic Ocean in Fernandina Beach. The atmosphere is super chill island life. I hung out on the rooftop bar and was treated to spectacular views of the ocean, cold beer, their version of an oyster shooter. Delicious apps and food. The servers were all super friendly and attentive. Awesome place to come out and chill

Excellent shrimp tacos and salmon entree. Great sax player in the bar. Open, airy and comfortable setting. Service could have been a bit faster. Overall, this place is great.

Ok food great drinks and beautiful view of the water. Go for the specials to make it worth the money.

Ate here twice while on vacation. Super cool place with great service and food. The pineapple upside down dessert is a must!

Great for a quick bite after being on the beach. Super convenient. We were lucky enough to be seated on the roof and there was a GLORIUS sea breeze blowing in. Just hold on to your food because those glorious winds will take away your food as well. It was lunch time and I wanted something different. Something to experience. I got an Oyster shooter to start with, and what an experience it surely was. Definitely recommend it, just wouldn't do it again haha! Following the oyster shooter I had the rum flight. It was cool to taste the difference between light, dark, and spiced rum. I got the Grouper dip, it was a seasonal item I believe. It was flavorful but also really salty. It was almost a bit too much when I added the chips. Over all GREAT experience. Would I come back? Absolutely. Am I one to judge a place off one dish? NEVER.

This is a great restaurant near the beach. I came here for lunch today with a few friends and we sat in the rooftop bar area. There are a bunch of umbrellas and overhang in case you don't want to sit in the sun. Our waitress was so nice and gave great recommendations. The smoked grouper dip was phenomenal! I had the mix and match tacos, shrimp and chorizo taco and the fried grouper taco! Both were delish but the grouper was my favorite. My boyfriend had the grouper sandwich and he said it was really good too. Definitely coming back when the weather is warmer!

The fish and shrimp tacos are delicious and everything always tastes fresh. We choose to eat outside off to the side since the inside dining is very loud and the music distasteful to us. We prefer a quiet dining experience. The staff is attentive. Do not recommend this place to families with children because of scantly dressed pictures on the walls inside. Another reason we chose outdoor dining option.

Stopped in for lunch while visiting friends. Place was hopping! They were short staffed but still pulled off a solid service job. We were told a 20-25 minute wait for a table so we opted for one of the high tops in the bare area. Live music in the bar seating area was a bit too loud - hard to hear each other. The bartender took our order and made our drinks and the staff was kind enough to stash our fresh caught shrimp in their fridge while we ate. The space is bright and open, and there's a rooftop bar and patio- not today in the 95 degree heat! For starters our friends recommended the fresh oysters chargrilled in a garlic butter sauce topped with Parmesan cheese - delicious!! We all ate tacos- my shrimp and chourizo was delicious as was the grilled Mahi. Wish they offered more grilled or baked seafood in tacos - most are breaded and fried. Nice spot outside of the hustle bustle in old town.

Spare yourself the frustration of overpriced food and slowest service ever to get food and drinks on the beach! Believe it or not this frustration is only exceeded by the obvious non-caring management. We waited 25+ minutes to get 2 beers and place our food order then waited another hour + to get our food. When the food finally showed up, the "EXTRA COST" French fries were missing on 3 out of the 5 lunches we ordered and had to wait another 10 + minutes for those. The server only came back to try to push more beer. She never asked about the taste of the food or if we needed anything. Meanwhile, in the time we were waiting for our food we watched the people 2 tables over from use just get up and walk out because no one acknowledged them then the table next to us canceled their food order because it was taking so long and paid only for their drinks and left. Not once did I see a manager come by to try tot "Smooth things over" by offering an apology or maybe an appetizer for the ridiculous wait to anyone. Bottom line - We finished up quickly to get out of there and will never recommend to anyone or come back.

We just popped in for drinks and light food. We also had salad and oysters. It was all good. The service was great. Our server Emilae was great! We sat outside and it was nice except for the bees, so that made lunch a little hazardous

We enjoyed our dinner and nice accommodations sitting outside on the deck. Our server Hunter, was friendly and helpful. The seafood boil was amazing and I highly recommend trying the smoked grouper dip with tortilla chips. Great job.

I'm going with 5 stars because I had a phenomenal fish, almond encrusted grouper with coconut and lobster, that was really impressive. The smoke fish dip appetizer disappeared in 3 minutes it was so damn good! Drinks were delicious and Kayla, our server, was delightful. We sat outside and had our dogs at the table. Parking was convenient and we walked off the calories by crossing the street and strolling the beach. The location is so peaceful, it feels like the corner of Florida.

Big wave burger was good. Best calamari I ever ate. Salmon was good. Skip the mojito. Skirt steak taco salad is delicious. Nachos are huge and good. Hawaiian shrimp bowl was so-so.

Food is always very good and the Almond Crusted Grouper was super tonight, also enjoyed the Parmesan Oysters and Crab Baked Oysters appetizers. Friendly service staff on hand tonight and the beach view from outside is always a treat on seafood night. See photos for the families favorites!!

They may not take reservations, but a party of 2 was easy to get in. They have a wide selection of beer, but not much that I liked. I had a Stella Altos. The menu had many fish. I am allergic to shel-fish, so many options didn't work. My wife and I both selected the Rain Forest Mahi with the black bean orzo and plantains. It was great. When it came to desert, I should have listened to our server. She thought the Key Lime Pie and Pineapple upside down cake were the best. I chose the brownie with ice cream. It was too guey as the server said. My wife had the Key Lime Pie, and it worked well. We sat outside where the weather cooperated, but the birds were disturbing.Not to bad a place,

Food was great, server was a great kid trying to figure out everything. But fun to have! Bartender was a jerk, no wonder why his bar was empty ‍

Seafood isn't cheap and Salt Life has a great location overlooking the dunes. There was plenty of parking for a weeknight in February and no wait for an outside table upstairs. We got the calamari to start and it was the best I've ever had. Not chewy or rubbery, the octopus was tender. The texture was almost like biting into a rare steak but octopus. With their "Shack Sauce," it was a perfect appetizer. The poke bowl was excellent. Service was good though a bit slow as we were waiting on our waitress a couple of times. [Review 19259 overall - 1608 in Florida - 229 of 2023.]

The view and ambiance at this restaurant are breathtaking. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, but we sat outside with a great view of the beach. Our party ordered the street tacos combo, shrimp brochette, and the taco salad. All items were very tasty and very big portions. We also had frozen drinks. We will definitely return here.

A very nice place for our first visit. We had lunch and the service was spot on and the food even better. Nothing like having lunch on Amelia Island by the water outside in the deck.

Ambiance and service were fantastic! The appetizer "Shrimp and Chorizo Nachos" were horrible. Big plate of nachos but the toppings were minimal, cheese was near non existent and had minimal pico. We chose not to order entrees based on the lack luster app. But would return because of the service, maybe the kitchen was just having an off day.

I reviewed Salt Life a few years ago. Nothing has changed, thank goodness. My wife and I eat here a couple of times a year while visiting our daughter and family. Ash was our waitress, and she was excellent. The staff always seem so happy, and the food never disappoints. I've had seafood, chicken, and beef. It's all been great. Tonight, I had Bahamian Fish Chowder. I'll definitely have it again, especially in cold weather.

I came here 2 weekends ago to get lunch. They didn't have anywhere to sit that didn't have a wait, so I ended up getting a to-go order and sat at the bar while waiting. They are awesome and have a gluten free menu. I ordered the Mexican shrimp sushi roll, but took off the Jalapenos and Sriracha, with salad and balsamic vinaigrette on the side. I ordered the Rum Runner at the bar. Definitely alcohol heavy. Worth it though. The bartender was really nice. The views are amazing. Next time I go, I definitely wanna sit upstairs outside since the ocean is right there. Definitely a great background while eating amazing food. They had a fish tank downstairs that my kiddo enjoyed. The bar is inside and outside so they can help people sitting inside and outside at the same time. Definitely something cool to see. I'll be back again in the future. Food was great, but they forgot chop sticks for the sushi roll, so I had to eat with a fork and felt so ashamed.

This place is exactly what you expect from a chain beach restaurant. Food is average and prices are high. My salmon salad tasted a bit fishy and was not worth $18 but I guess I'm paying for the location and experience of the place. Restaurant is clean with a beachy feel and really cool view. Chairs are annoyingly large but I guess it fits the restaurants vibe. It has live music which is nice. Waitress was great and only reason I would come back is probably because of how nice and friendly she was.

In life there are choices.. The view of the Ocean at Salt Life is amazing. The open air roof terrace is beautiful. That said... the food is fine... not great. Amelia Island is a Restaurant mecca.. so many great restaurants... but this has the view.

Visited during my weekend at Amelia Island. Chose to stop by because it was so close to the main beach. I ordered the garlic parm oysters for starters- it was alright. Not sure what to expect? I usually do traditional raw oysters. But this was edible. Kinda overcooked and burned though. Then, because I was still hungry, I got a poke bowl. Here's where things go downhill. I live in a landlocked state and this poke bowl left a lot to be desired- especially for the price of $22! It was just white rice, tuna, and barely any avocado. See photo. Overall- would say it's overpriced and overrated.

Good food great service and beautiful view they had live music we really enjoyed our visit

Amazing atmosphere and amazing food Furry friends can be on the patio and our entire family loved this restaurant

Let me just start with, THIS PLACE is how dining used to be! Quick seating, great service, awesome food and manager visits! This restaurant is staffed and it shows. We were seated quickly for a Saturday night and serviced right away. Now don't let us being seated quickly let you think it wasn't busy because it was! They just work hard to get customers in and out. The food, A+++! We got the fried calamari to start and the sauce, wow just wow! We also got the crab baked grouper and I'm hooked! I'm also on a special diet and the waitress had no issues with helping accommodate my requests. Never once made me feel like I was being unreasonable and etc. NOW, for the best part we had two different managers come by 3 times throughout our meal just to check on us and even help clear the table! You never see a manager anymore let alone have one stop by. We got to visit with multiple. Our waitress Marina was AMAZING and everyone working tonight!! THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT! We will be back!!

Overall the restaurant has a good atmosphere, but my meal was not very good...I had narrowed down what to get to a few choices and per the waitress recommendation I went with the salmon. The sauce on top was good, and the rice was good....but after the Friday few edge bites the inner part of the salmon was RAW and Undercooked. A few friends got poki bowls with raw salmon, I ordered my meal because I wanted cooked salmon, but then ended up with raw salmon. Everyone else seemed to really enjoy their meal, so maybe just stay away form the salmon

I love this place! I've been to the one in jax beach a few times and I just went to this one for the first time! I got the crab and avocado roll and it was perfect. The service was quick and the staff were attentive! I love how it's right on the beach. I'm in Fernandina for vacation and this was a perfect first stop of the trip!

I had a great time at Salt Life! Their drinks are super cute and their menu has something for every one! My friend ordered their fried chicken sandwich and it was literally bigger than her face. I devoured their burger before indulging in their brownie sundae. Great vibes and beautiful view of the beach - 10/10

We walked in and was told there would be about a 45 minute wait. Ok that is fine.. The person did not take our name or anything. So after a 45 minute wait with people coming in and being seated right away (after we had been waiting for 30 minutes) I went and asked how much longer and they looked at me funny and said ummm I don't know but we can seat you at a hightop at bar. We agreed and sat down. After 10 minutes of waiting for someone to take our order, another group came in sat at the hightop next to us and the server came right over and took their order. No one ever came over to take our drink order or food order. We got up and went across the street to Sandbar and got good food and great service over there.

Food was just okay, service was worse. The restaurant itself is beautiful and inviting, nice laid back atmosphere. However, several others were complaining, we didn't- because we had read some unfavorable reviews first but decided to try it anyway because they had raw oysters and we had wanted some all week. The oyster shells were normal sized but the oysters themselves were literally fine to nickel sized at best and at that price, we won't be back. Every place we ate in Fernandina this week was delicious and amazing....except Salt Life.

We would consider driving all the way from our home in Charlotte NC JUST for the Parmesan covered and crab baked oyster appetizers....Oh my! We've eaten here several times over the past few years and have always enjoyed the food and the super friendly service. 5-star service from Jackie last night. We may adopt her.

I went here on a date night and we sat upstairs outside. It had a great view and we got crab legs. The food was very good and I even came home with one of their sweatshirts. The service was decent.

The ambience just is not wonderful. They have this amazing location right on the beach and the seating doesn't allow you to see it. The food was okay but not much flavor. I got grouper tacos. The Mexican mule was quite good. The server was pleasant and efficient. This place just isn't that great. I rarely go here even tho i live close by.

The mahi was good. I wish there was more sauce on the fish itself, but I liked the pickled vegetables on top. I also would have liked for there to be less oil on the vegetables. Overall however, this was a good dish. The atmosphere and service was great. They have merchandise for sale and a unique fish tank that you can see when you walk in.

Beautiful place with views of the ocean inside at the bar and outside on the rooftop deck. The food was delicious! We had the beach boil and the tacos. Even ordered the shrimp & scallops pasta to go. Our waitress, Danielle "Fabolous", was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience great. Spoke to the manager, Marco, who was just as nice. We highly recommend this place. Casual by day and hip by night. It has an elevator as well as being pet friendly. Angela

Been a few times over the last year. Recently stopped in for a late lunch on a beach day. Location is fantastic.. food is pretty solid.. and service is always great. This is turning into our new spot when we have friends/family visiting and want to eat near/ on the beach. Will be back soon.