Best Seafood Restaurants, Waterfront Restaurants on the Treasure Coast

Eva Pierpont
| Specially for TCPalm

Florida is often called the ‘fish capital of the world’ and is bursting with great seafood restaurants.

On the Treasure Coast, they range from casual tiki bars to upscale gourmet restaurants to small eateries that also have a market where you can buy fresh seafood to take home and cook yourself. Some are “dock and dine” restaurants that you can drive your boat to, and “hook and cook” restaurants that will cook the fish you catch.

Many restaurants are located on the water and their menus are often decorated with maritime or nautical elements. Local fish species are often on the menu, such as tuna, cobia, wahoo, snapper, sea bass, swordfish and mahi-mahi (dolphin fish).

October is National Seafood Month, a time to celebrate the ocean’s bounty. Here are the best seafood restaurants in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River County.

Click on the links for more TCPalm reviews, articles and photo galleries of these restaurants.

All about food: Overviews of the latest reviews, inspections, new and best restaurants

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY

Cuttlefish lips

Squid Lips has three locations on Florida’s east coast since it opened in 2004. In Sebastian, the grill is perched over the water at the end of a dock on the Indian River Lagoon, with open windows that offer nearly panoramic views. Indoor and outdoor seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. It has a dock, so you can get there by boat or car, and has live music. Known for its bacon-wrapped scallops, it offers a variety of classic seafood dishes, sandwiches and poke bowls, as well as mussels, shrimp and oysters. Its other two locations are in Melbourne and Cocoa Beach.

1660 Indian River Drive, Sebastian; 772-589-3828; website

The original Daytona Beach restaurant now has franchises in Florida and Georgia, including two locations on the Treasure Coast. The Sebastian location is located on the Indian River Lagoon, where you can walk across the dock to enjoy the water. Founded by the Buckner family, the restaurant is known for its garlic crabs, but also offers an assortment of other classic seafood dishes.

1550 Indian River Drive, Sebastian; 772-571-6767; website
89 Royal Palm Point, Vero Beach; 772-257-5221; website

Fishack Bar and Restaurant was opened in 2011 by Chef Mitchell Weiss and his family, who have been in the restaurant business for more than two decades. The atmosphere is casual and colorful, with indoor and outdoor seating. The homemade menu features a variety of seafood dishes, po boys, tacos, chowders and raw oysters. Specialties include crab cakes, shrimp and grits, breaded sea scallops, fish and chips and the Shackterranean mahi.

1931 Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach; 772-770-0977; website

Ocean Grill

Waldo Sexton built the building that houses Ocean Grill more than 80 years ago. In 1941, the restaurant was built on sand dunes just 200 yards from the Atlantic Ocean. It embodies an eccentric aesthetic, decorated with iron and Spanish antiques, mixed with a fine dining element. In 1965, the Replogle family moved from Milwaukee to lease and operate the restaurant. Now, the second and third generations of the family run the restaurant, which has shockingly withstood many brutal hurricanes. It has a gift shop and a boardwalk to the beach. It is open for lunch and dinner and serves “famous seafood entrees” including Nova Scotia sea scallops, baked stuffed shrimp, jumbo lump crab cakes, Coquilles St. Jacques, a Maine lobster roll and crab au gratin.

1050 Beachland Blvd., Vero Beach; 772-231-5409; website

ST. LUCIE COUNTY

12A has a rustic vibe on the Indian River Lagoon at Fisherman’s Wharf, with outdoor seating to enjoy the view or indoor seating to stay cool. Owner Owen Hartley offers an extensive list of appetizers, including bacon-wrapped shrimp on grit cakes, house-made smoked fish dip, tuna sashimi, lobster macaroni and cheese, cracked clams and fried oysters. There are also salads, pastas, soups, sandwiches, a variety of entrees and house-made desserts.

22 Fisherman’s Wharf, Fort Pierce; 772-672-4524; website

Cobb’s Landing in downtown Fort Pierce has a casual, tropical atmosphere with an outdoor patio overlooking the Fort Pierce City Marina. Open for lunch and dinner, it serves fresh local seafood and Angus beef, as well as daily specials. You’ll find a variety of tacos, salads, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, bowls, non-seafood options and platters, as well as craft cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. There’s live music daily. Active military, veterans and first responders receive a 20% discount with a valid ID or badge.

200 N. Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce; 772-460-9014; website

Crabby’s offers two floors overlooking the Fort Pierce City Marina and the surrounding Indian River Lagoon. The menu includes items such as Crabby’s fried oysters, a shrimp boil, a calamari Caesar salad, seafood pasta, easy-peel shrimp, bairdi crab, red gulf grouper, fish and chips, the Key West combo, Pacific Rim tuna, grouper tacos and hand-tossed pizzas. It also offers rum runners, margarita buckets, frozen drinks and an assortment of other craft cocktails. There is live music Thursday through Sunday.

2 Ave. A, Fort Pierce; 772-252-5672; website

Since first opening in Juno Beach in 1994, Thirsty Turtle now has five franchise locations in St. Lucie and Palm Beach County. There are three on the Treasure Coast, and a fourth is coming soon in Jensen Beach, according to the website. The menu includes an assortment of appetizers, fresh seafood, salads, pasta, items with a Southwestern flair, soups, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, wings and non-seafood items.

108 N. 2nd St., Fort Pierce, 772-465-4696; website
2825 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd; 772-344-7774; website
Express: 2849 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd., 772-207-5489; website
1899 NE Jensen Beach Blvd., no phone number listed, website

Kyle G’s Oyster & Wine Bar offers a variety of seafood dishes, cold water oysters, middleneck clams, sandwiches, salads, craft cocktails and a curated wine list. It also offers daily food and drink happy hours.

1724 SW St. Lucie W. Blvd., Port St. Lucie; 772-807-1220; website

MARTIN PROVINCE

Located on the Indian River Lagoon, Dolphin Bar offers a boat dock, daily happy hour, Sunday brunch, Thursday trivia night, and live music on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The menu includes soups, salads, an assortment of lunch and dinner specials, as well as several fresh catch lunch and dinner options.

1401 NE Indian River Drive, Jensen Beach; 772-781-5136; website

Crawdaddy’s was opened in 1998 by brothers Mark and John Kren, who were natives of Louisiana. The food has a Cajun twist and the restaurant has Mardi Gras decor. It has won awards, including Best Restaurant in Jensen Beach five years in a row, Best Restaurant in Martin County three out of five years, and The Stuart News’ Gold Award for Best Food and Live Music. Specialties include New York strip steak, Moulin Rouge, jambalaya pasta, shrimp Creole, clam chowder, gumbo, traditional jambalaya and crawfish étouffée. It is also famous for its hurricanes and margaritas. There is live music Thursday through Sunday, with indoor and outdoor dining, plus a tiki bar.

1949 NE Jensen Beach Blvd., Jensen Beach; 772-225-3444; website

In the mid-1920s, the St. Lucie Hotel annex was moved to its current location, where it suffered extensive damage in a hurricane in 1949. After serving numerous businesses, the building was restored and became the restaurant it is today in 2014. Every seat in the building has a view of the St. Lucie River. Menu highlights include calamari, scallops, lobster crunch sushi roll, New England clam chowder, sriracha-dusted salmon, and crab, spinach, and artichoke dip.

49 SW Seminole St., Stuart; 772-266-4586; website

Bob and Tracy Davis opened Sailor’s Return after 27 years in the cruise ship food and beverage industry. Part of the Sunset Bay Marina & Anchorage, it offers waterfront dining on the St. Lucie River and two bars. Menu highlights include scampi, ahi tuna nachos, pimento crab and shrimp dip, a seasonal salad, pineapple snapper, and pecan-crusted halibut.

625 SW Anchorage Way, Stuart; 772-872-7250; website

Fin & Flame is part of a two-generation family restaurant chain that has had a strong connection to Palm City’s culinary scene since 1994. Menu highlights include shrimp and crab macaroni, lamb lollipops, shrimp and grits cakes, pistachio-crusted black sea bass, bourbon-glazed salmon and short rib ravioli.

3208 SW Martin Downs Blvd., Palm City; 772-220-4745; website

Formerly Twist Tuna, Manatee Pocket restaurant in Port Salerno’s waterfront district is now under the management of Two Georges. The waterfront restaurant features an outdoor bar and floating dock, plus live music. There’s a full sushi menu, raw bar items, soups, salads, sandwiches, tacos, pasta, pizza and specialties.

4290 SE Salerno Road, Stuart; 772-254-4278; website