If you consider yourself a seafood junkie, then throw on your bib and haul in the fruits of the ocean at one of these local seafoods spots.
Lee & Rick’s Oyster Bar5621 Old Winter Garden Road, 407-293-3587; $$An unfancy place with 50 years of experience. The pound of hot or cold shrimp has a slightly spicy flavor, and the fish-dinner platters come with heaps of fries. But the fresh, sweet oysters (raw or steamed) are the focal point. For the full effect, sit at the bar and settle in with a bucket of them. Photo via YelpBoston’s Fish House
6860 Aloma Ave, Winter Park, 407-678-2107, $
Orders are placed at the counter and payment settled, customers are steered to a vacant table – if there is one. Most seafood is fried, and Ipswich clams are a house specialty. Pictured: Lobster roll. Photo via YelpThe Boathouse1620 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-2628; $$$”The only thing more chilled than we were was the lobster cocktail ($18), served on ice. The pound-and-a-quarter cucaracha del mar gave us cause to crack and slurp, which ultimately helped to refocus our attentions onto the food. In addition to feeling good about eating local and sustainable middleneck clams ($15) from Cedar Key, Florida, we thoroughly enjoyed their subtly sweet flavor. Also subtly sweet were the soft Parker House rolls that admirably filled the gap between starters and mains. I was really looking forward to the yellowedge grouper ($33) as my entree, but it was only after the impeccably broiled spice-rubbed fish was devoured that I learned it was on Seafood Watch’s “Avoid” list. Had I known beforehand, I wouldn’t have ordered it. I guess the label on the top of the menu reading “thoughtfully sourced products” is just that – a label. Nevertheless, the buttery succotash of roasted corn, avocado, blistered tomatoes and jalapeños on which the grouper lay was stellar.” – Faiyaz Kara Pictured: Seafood bake for twoPhoto via YelpWinter Park Fish Co.761 Orange Ave., Winter Park, 407-622-6112; $$The mostly-from-Florida seafood served here will get you hooked. They’ll make a gratifying fish and chips from scratch with almost any fish they’ve got in-house (your choice!), and fresh local produce is a nice healthy touch. Expect a bit of a wait. Pictured: Blackened codPhoto via YelpKing Cajun Crawfish914 N. Mills Ave., 407-704-8863; $A host of seasoning choices, top-notch sides and cut-rate prices make this Cajun dive a real draw for diners craving crawfish boils. Other NOLA staples are hit (catfish po’boy) and miss (gumbo). End with a strong cup of Cafe? du Monde coffee. Pictured: crawfishPhoto via YelpEddie V’s Prime Seafood7488 W. Sand Lake Road, 407-355-3011; $$$$You get what you pay for and, for?the most part, this pricey Dr. Phillips fish house delivers. Both the steak and lobster tartare and the jumbo lump crab make a splash as starters. Though it’s primarily a seafood place, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better steak than their 22-ounce USDA Prime bone-in rib-eye. Pictured: Sea scallops with citrus and brown butter.Photo via YelpMoor6000 W. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, 407-586-0000; $$$$Fresh, sustainable food is what’s on tap at the Gaylord Palms’ newest restaurant. Look for the 60-foot-tall sailboat mast to find this “harbor of hip,” which features New World Floridian cuisine served by a new chef who just arrived from Key West to bring an island-style atmo to town. Pictured: Tile fish over risottoPhoto via YelpAtlantic Beer & Oyster358 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-636-7021; $$Adjacent to Boca, this beer-and-oyster bar suffers from uninspired offerings and lackadaisical, sometimes absent, service. Bluepoint oysters, as well as those from Texas and Louisiana, are the main attraction, but a trio of shrimp dishes, a salad and a burger are also offered. The smoky fish dip makes a worthy nosh alongside a beer, of which there’s a decent selection. Pictured: Oyster bucketPhoto via YelpUrban TideHyatt Regency, 9801 International Drive, 407-284-1234; $$$$Local seasonal seafood, such as Gulf grouper and whole red snapper, share the menu with coastal fare from other areas, like sustainable wild-caught salmon, West coast oysters and New England scallops. If you’re more of a landlubber, there are plenty of steaks, chops, salads and more to choose from. Pair your lunch or dinner selection with craft cocktails, craft beer or fine wine. Pick a table overlooking the grotto pool to complete the experience. Pictured: Lobster risottoPhoto via YelpOh! Que Bueno1125 S. Semoran Blvd., 407-447-5026; $A small Colombian cafe? that specializes in protein: meat, chicken, sausages, seafood. And unless you count rice, corn and red beans, not?a veggie in the place. The carneteria offers authentic traditional dishes done well, as well as enormous combination plates of beef, pork, sausage and the occasional egg. Pictured: Mofongo with shrimpPhoto via YelpMitchell’s Fish Market460 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-339-3474; $$You can order one of the fish market’s signature entrees, or choose today’s “market catch,” hand-filleted and cooked to your liking. Choose grilled, blackened, broiled, jerk-seasoned, Shang Hai-style or with a ginger-panko crust, among other options. The menu also includes a handful of entrees for people who simply don’t do seafood. Pictured: Blackened snapper with red beans and ricePhoto via YelpFish on Fire7937 Daetwyler Drive, 407-812-6881; $Part roadhouse, part fish camp, FOF offers Florida-style eating in a south Orlando neighborhood without many other options. You can’t go wrong with the barbecue, the fried catfish is a study in simple excellence, and the Key lime pie is very tasty. Cold beer and a pool table seal the deal. Pictured: fish tacosPhoto via YelpBonefish Grill
7830 W. Sand Lake Road, 407-355-7707. $$
Yet another entry into the restaurant bazaar that is Sand Lake Road, Bonefish brings moderately priced seafood and a pleasant atmosphere to the table. The bar is popular, and appetizers, like saucy shrimp and mussels Josephine‚ are superb – perhaps better than the multiple-choice fish entrees.
Pictured: Lobster Corn Dogs. Photo via YelpShula’s 347 Grill2974 International Parkway, Lake Mary, 407-531-3567; $$$$Part sports bar, part trendy steakhouse, this hotel restaurant scores big with a small selection of steaks and fresh seafood. The scene and clamor may not suit all tastes, but the cowboy steak, a 16-ounce bone-in rib-eye, certainly will. Same goes for the grouper, simply grilled and served with balsamic-drizzled asparagus and smashed potatoes. Pictured: Ahi tuna Photo via YelpFulton’s Crab House
670 Buena Vista Drive, Downtown Disney Pleasure Island, Lake Buena Vista, 407-934-2628, $$$$
This tourist fish haven at Downtown Disney offers a great view but little else to draw locals. The fish is sometimes overpriced and overcooked, but if you’re set on spending lots of money, you can’t go wrong with the Alaskan crab claws. The chocolate creme brulee is also a treat.
Pictured: Grilled Swordfish & Shrimp lunch entree. Photo via YelpOceanaire Seafood Room9101 International Drive, 407-363-4801; $$$$A budget-busting bounty of unparalleled freshness awaits fish lovers at what is arguably Orlando’s finest seafood house. Up to 25 varieties of fish, lobster, crab and mussels, and 12 varieties of oysters are flown in daily from around the world. Family-style sides are available, though not necessary. Save room to share the enormous wedge of caramel brownie. Photo via YelpThe Catfish Place of Apopka311 Forest Ave., Apopka, 407-889-7980; $$Florida-style fish house is the place to go when you’re in the mood?for down-home fried seafood. The boneless catfish is superb; the house-special coleslaw is crisp, sweet and tart; and the service is warm. Pictured: Shrimp stickerPhoto via YelpBlu on the Avenue326 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-960-3778; $$$Chef Tony Kreuger knows what he’s doing with such dishes as oven-roasted snapper and pan-roasted duck breast. Owner Joanne McMahon is also an expert pastry chef, so don’t pass up sweet endings like peanut butter pie. Reservations recommended. Pictured: Jumbo Sea Scallops wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma, pan roasted, served with peach jam and kale chips. Photo via YelpVictorio’s Oyster Bar300 Dog Track Road, Longwood, 407-834-9800; $$Fresh oysters from Apalachicola? and Louisiana help this Old Florida restaurant bust out of its shell, while seasoned shuckers do their best to please patrons jonesing for mollusks. A dozen will run you $12.99; a bucket, $28.99. Snap-happy clusters of snow crab legs, fried shrimp and assorted fish underscore the restaurant’s seafood chops. Given its locale (across from the dog track and next to a church), the clientele provides plenty of entertaining distractions. Pictured: Shrimp and crab bitesPhoto via YelpLa Casa De Las Paellas10414 E. Colonial Drive, 407-736-9880; $$Seafood is actually most prominent on the vast menu, but paella fiends can choose from seven variations. Paella marinera teems with fish and shellfish, but we lamented the lack of the characteristic crisp bottom crust. Make it a point to start with crunchy, juicy chicharrones de pollo. Pictured: Seafood paellaPhoto via YelpFleming’s Prime Steakhouse ?& Wine Bar933 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-699-9463; also 8030 Via Dellagio Way, 407-352-5706; $$$Paul Fleming, the “P.F.” in P.F. Chang’s, brings another high-end steakhouse to Winter Park, with an emphasis on wine. Typically wood and leather in styling, Fleming’s offers aged, hand-cut beef in huge, thick-as-a-brick servings and family-style side dishes, giant seafood entrees and enormous desserts. Big and beefy. Pictured: Bacon wrapped sirloin and lobster stuffed shrimp.Photo via YelpTodd English’s Bluezoo
Disney’s Dolphin Resort, 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista, 407-934-1111. $$$$
Prices won’t make celebrity chef Todd English’s place a weekly destination for most folks, but splurging whenever you can afford to is great way to feel like king of the sea. Ambience and service are pampering and not pretentious, and match up to slap-the-table delectables like the miso-glazed Chilean sea bass and fish grilled simply. Pictured: Chilled Shrimp. Photo via Yelp.Ocean Prime7339 W. Sand Lake Road, 407-781-4880; $$There’s plenty of style and swank at this Art Deco supper club to keep the Sand Lake set happy, but a little more focus in the kitchen and front of the house will make this good restaurant great. Aside from the premium seafood, don’t miss the Berries & Bubbles cocktail – spookily smoky from a cube of dry ice – and the truffled deviled eggs. Pictured: Calamari in chilli sauce.Photo via YelpDixie Crossroads
1475 Garden St., Titusville, 321-268-5000. $$
This established beacon of Florida fish-house cuisine skips the niceties of atmosphere and decorum. But you do get cheap and filling platters of seafood (fried, steamed or broiled) plus an endless supply of the best corn fritters you will ever find.
Pictured: The Cape Canaveral dinner, which includes scallops, rock shrimp, pink shrimp and two sides.
Photo via YelpJ.B.’s Fish Camp
859 Pompano Ave., New Smyrna Beach, 386-427-5747. $$$
A rambling shack with a tin roof, an outside deck and lots of beer. The pompano fillet is a fine piece of perfectly grilled fish. And yes, you can buy bait and tackle.
Photo via Zomato
