Fort Lauderdale has one of the most diverse sets of seafood restaurants in Florida, with many serving the freshest possible catches in creative ways. Check out the five seafood joints below, ranging in price and formality, and be ready to have your mind blown no matter which one you visit.
Kelly’s Landing
Kelly’s is a great New-England-style family seafood spot for plates of fried shrimp, fish and chips, softshell crab, and more, but they also offer beautiful roasted lobster and crackable steamed seafood like king crab and a decadent crab-stuffed lobster. Of course, no New England seafood joint could stay open without a must-try clam chowder, and Kelly’s is perfectly spiced, plenty thick, and not shy on the clams. The dining area has a general sports bar feel but is far cleaner than much of its similarly casual competition.
Coconuts
This friendly restaurant is right in the middle between casual and fancy, and has become a hugely respected spot for seafood near the beach. Repeat visitors praise the conch fritters, lobster BLT, coconut shrimp, and lobster rolls. Coconuts is most often visited for dinner, where you can see the lights of nearby yachts passing along the intracoastal waterway. If you want something special, ask for the scooby snacks, a buttered and spiced crab claw starter not printed on the menu.
Wild Sea
Set in the Riverside Hotel, Wild Sea is the best place for a special occasion if you’re a fan of oysters, grilled seafood, and “raw” bars. Some of the most popular menu items include the grilled octopus with garlic aioli and slab bacon, roasted lobster, and red fish with garlic cream foam, to say nothing of the oysters. Wild Sea is as respected for its food as it is for its service and atmosphere, and is a first choice for many locals.
Ocean2000
Adored for their service and enriching brunch menu with endless mimosas, Ocean2000 at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort offers shrimp and grits with smoked gouda, corn relish, andouille sausage, and red eye gravy, as well as local lobster risotto with black truffle, forest mushrooms, and fennel ragout. Best of all, Ocean2000 is not overly pricey or demanding with its dress code compared to the top-class seafood restaurants in Fort Lauderdale.
Truluck’s Restaurant
For a fine dining steak and seafood experience, Truluck’s Restaurant has absolutely no equal. Truluck’s has its own local fisheries providing the very best stone crab, swordfish steak, salmon béarnaise, and more. Visit it yourself and you’ll see why it’s rated one of the top 100 restaurants in America by OpenTable. Be sure to dress appropriately and book in advance, as this establishment is in high demand all year.
Florida has no shortage of great seafood eateries in most of its cities, but Fort Lauderdale has a particularly great mix of places, from luxurious to casual. Give whichever one sounds best a try first, but be sure to give the others a chance too, as no two places are truly alike.
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