Waterfront Restaurants in Sarasota
By Carson B. · Updated November 6, 2026
Downtown, go to Marina Jack on the bay. For island dock dining, try Dry Dock or Mar Vista on Longboat Key. For old Florida, Tide Tables and Star Fish Company in Cortez. South of town, Ophelia's on the Bay, Pop's Sunset Grill, and Dockside Waterfront Grill all put you right on the water.
Downtown and the bay
Marina Jack sits at the center of the bayfront. Evoq and Rufa give you marina and bay views from the Westin and the Ritz-Carlton, and The Old Salty Dog on City Island is the casual seafood option on Ken Thompson Parkway.
Craft cocktails and shareable bites with Sarasota Bay views
Longboat Key and Lido
Dry Dock and Mar Vista, under its old buttonwood trees, are the Longboat regulars. Lo' Key Island Grille adds more water views. On Lido, Drift Kitchen & Bar and Ringside at Cirque St. Armands bring the Gulf side.
Longboat Key dockside dining under ancient buttonwood trees
Cortez and Anna Maria
Cortez is still a working fishing village, and it shows. Star Fish Company and Tide Tables both sit on the water there. Sandbar on Anna Maria Island is the beachside institution, and PIER 22 has spent 50 years on the Manatee River in Bradenton.
Anna Maria Island institution with beachside hospitality traditions
South to Venice
Ophelia's on the Bay is the romantic one, on Siesta Key's south end since 1988. Casey Key Fish House in Osprey has the tiki bar. Pop's Sunset Grill in Nokomis and Dockside and The Crow's Nest in Venice round it out, with Fins at Sharky's above the Venice Pier.
Waterfront dining with marina views in historic Venice
Gulf views, sushi, and Josper-cooked steaks above Venice Pier
Questions
What's the best waterfront restaurant in downtown Sarasota?
Marina Jack is the classic. Rufa and Evoq are the hotel options with bay and marina views.
Where can you watch the sunset at dinner near Sarasota?
The Gulf side faces the sunset. Look to Sandbar on Anna Maria and Fins at Sharky's in Venice, and leave time, since these fill up around sundown.