Fresh Seafood Restaurants
 

Hi,

We are headed down over the holidays and staying in The Villages. While we are there, I'm hoping to go to a couple of good fresh seafood restaurants (or even shacks) for dinner. No Chain Restaurants.

Coming from Michigan we can get some good lake seafood, however we're looking for some good ocean seafood. It does not necessarily have to be in The Villages.

Any suggestions? :mmmm:

Thanks.

Fresh Seafood Restaurants

I hear the halibut at Fishbone Grill are cheeky.

No Whitefish or Lake Perch here.
Have to wait until summer.

Isn't Lake Seafood an oxymoron? ::jester::

After living in Florida for 25 years, I think you will be surprised to learn how few fresh seafood restaurants there are. They exist, but not as many as you would think for a state nearly surrounded by an ocean. I know of none in this area.

click here
I don't eat out very often so I don't have too much restaurant experience. I think these reviews are valid. You can sort the database for fish.

You may want to Google fresh seafood restaurants in Central Florida.
Oh how I miss my Michigan Lake Perch !!

The Legacy Restaurant offers great seafood!

Here are a few not to far away to try.

Bonefish Grill, Villages This is a chain, but very good and local
Sam St Johns, Villages Mostly fried, but will do blackened or grilled
Surkua, Villages Excellent Sushi
Lighthouse, Villages Just OK IMO
O'Shucks Oyster bar, Wildwood, Mostly just Oysters, but also great burgers
Quarterdeck, Umatilla Good Variety
Eaton Beach Off 42 on Lake Weir. Decent selection, but great views
Whales Tail Fish House, Mt Dora
Catfish Johnnys, Lake Panasoffkee Catfish is the house speciality
Stumpknockers on the River, Dunnellon
Blackwater Inn, Aster Lots of Florida unique items.
Mullett Hole Tavern, Crystal River
310 Lakeside, Orlando Good selection of local seafood.

Living in this are for 8 years I have yet to find one decent Sea Food Restaurant
And the only decent one I found was just above the keys

In order to get anything "fresh" here in the middle of the state, you're gonna have to drive about 1 1/2 hours either east or west......then you'll find some nice fresh seafood resturants.

Cedar Key is just south of Leesburg. It's on our list to try. The one in Gainesville, Fl. is very good.

I miss Michgan lake perch. Fish around here is not like the fish from Michigan seems like nothing taste like food from our home state. I heard Catfish Johnnys has perch but it is from Alaska. Haven't tried the perch from there yet.

Wow. Thanks for the list.

Buy seafood from LIGHT HOUSE Seafood Market on 466. Not the resturaunt but the market. They do have some good prepared items like grouper cakes, crab cakes and crab stuffed portobellos. Lighthouse seafood is good and so is Bone fish grill but still not that geat local seafood you may be wanting.

I think you mean Cedar River.

Just how many of these places are selling "fresh, never frozen ocean seafood" as the OP asked"....close to none!!

Crackers Restraunt in Crystal River take 44 to US 19 turn Right its on left, excellent Grouper, Shrimp, and Scallops. The Restraunt is on the water seating inside and outside.

Which one[s] are selling "fresh never frozen"? Please share what you know.

Thanks to all who responded. You've all been most helpful. And to my fellow Michiganders, you are all right. Nothing quite like fresh lake perch and fresh caught Walleye.

Thanks again for the responses. Looking forward to meeting some nice people on our preview visit.

Maybe they could bring us some before the lake freezes over.:smiley:

Actually they all do except the three in The Villages. Skaura is fresh, but Sushi.

Bonefish is OK, but I'd be shocked if any of the fish were fresh. I've given up and purchase fish at Lighthouse Seafood (Brownwood Farmers Market on Saturdays or the red barn on 466) and cook it myself.

We bought a Traeger smoker/grill. It is the most amazing thing we ever bought. Fish, chicken, pork and beef just to die for. Uses wood pellets in different flavors. Juicy, tender and oh so flavorful.

I love to cook at home.

I hope it's not this model. It's way too big. You could cook a tuna in that one.

http://www.ajmadison.com/ajmadison/i...qpig_c9bd1.jpg

Mayport ( Jacksonville) has Safe Harbor Seafood.. It is worth the ride .. Fresh right off the boats.. they are also a seafood market, so bring a cooler !!!

Fresh Walleye, mmmmmmmmmmmm!

:a20:

Can you name the restaurants that serve seafood that is not frozen? Or are you wasting everyone's time.

LOL......No, I am not trying to waste your valuable time.....I am just pointing out how few places, especially around here, sell fresh, never frozen seafood.

O'Shucks gets fresh oysters on Weds. 20 for $30. Can call ahead to ask what kind if you know your oysters. Great stuff for a dive bar ;) SE corner of 301 and 44.

thank-you
that was helpful too

Go to the Lucky Pelican in Sarasota---everything is fresh-not cheap, but close to the being the best seafood in Florida--you see all the food in a showcase;before its prepared

Shrimp
 

I ordered shrimp from Danny at Lighthouse Seafood for a party last night. He cleaned them and cooked them. All I had to do was pick them up.
Fresh from the Atlantic.

Try Dan's Clam Stand in Crystal River. Maine lobster and New England clams are flown in. Yummy! Go Blue!

I have to agree. We haven't found any exceptional seafood in the area, as yet. The best we've had was at a restaurant called The Tides in Vero Beach two years ago. It was a bit pricey, but both my wife's dinner and mine were excellent.

That is sad to hear! I was really hoping that when the wife and I retired to TV in a couple of years that we would find a handful of decent seafood restaurants. For now, the only non-chain one I can think of from our last visit to Florida was Dixie Crossroads in Titusville. They have, hands down, the best shrimp I've ever had (I've tried their fried Royal Red shrimp, broiled Rock Shrimp, coconut-battered shrimp and bacon-wrapped shrimp). They also serve a bowl of small corn fritter balls with powdered sugar as you sit down and before you order. They are insanely yummy. We make a point of going there whenever we pass through Titusville to go to the bird sanctuary out on the island and will continue doing that once were in TV. We sure were hoping to find something as good a LOT closer, though!

There are some good seafood restaurants in Orlando

You will probably need to go to the coast to get fresh seafood. We are inland and almost everything is frozen.

Lighthouse Seafood on 466 in the red barn has fresh seafood.