The Must-Visit Restaurant For Florida Seafood Lovers, According To Reviews

Miami is known as one of the U.S. cities with the best seafood, but top-tier fish and shellfish can easily be found beyond its borders. Fellow Floridian cities Tampa and Clermont are home to Salt Shack, a beloved two-location chain that customer reviews say has joined the ranks as one of the absolute best seafood restaurants in Florida.

Salt Shack started as a bayside restaurant in 2019, five years before its sister location on Clermont's Lake Minneola opened its doors less than a two-hour drive away. The original Salt Shack is nestled in Tampa's Interbay peninsula, which was famously home to countless rattlesnakes in the early 1900s. The flagship eatery boasts waterfront views and a breezy open-air design. If you're lucky, you may spot manatees or dolphins from your table. The ambiance alone isn't what keeps diners coming back — it's also the food.

"We ordered three appetizers: fried oysters, coconut shrimp, and fried calamari. All were delicious! The grouper tacos were outstanding, and the jicama slaw was amazing!" one TripAdvisor reviewer recounted. "We had the conch chowder, which had its own unique flavor. Started with steamed shrimp, which were cooked to perfection, and the presentation was unique," a Yelp reviewer said. "The new seafood pasta I had was full of flavor and had lots of seafood. Honestly, they ruined me on getting lobster bisque from anywhere else now," another Yelp reviewer admitted.

Seafood is serious business for Salt Shack. The regional Florida chain sources its seafood from local purveyors for maximum freshness, including wild-caught, Gulf shrimp. Salt Shack in Tampa is one of the only Tampa Bay eateries that serve the local delicacy.

The menu runs the gamut from coconut shrimp and Bahamian conch chowder (a unique seafood item you need to try before you die) to the fire-grilled catch of the day. According to reviews, the tuna tartare is a must, complete with seaweed salad and wasabi aioli. The fish tacos are also popular, and can be filled with fresh mahi, grouper, or wild-caught shrimp. Fried Gulf oysters are another favorite, and if you've never had fried alligator, Florida is the place to try it. Customers also love Salt Shack's Key lime pie, made from a family recipe with lime juice from Key West.

Salt Shack has received numerous awards over the years. It was voted Tampa Magazine's Best Beach/Waterfront Restaurant in 2024 and runner-up for Best Ambiance/Decor in 2025. Its accolades aren't bound by state lines. In 2023, The New York Times included Salt Shack on its list of the top 50 most exciting restaurants in the U.S. The restaurant doesn't take reservations, soyou'll have to try your luck as a walk-in. The weekends bring more crowds, but you can always sip a cocktail at the bar while you wait for a table.