Clearwater Florida Area

[Rick Webb]

I am driving down to attend a sailing symposium at the Sand Key Marriot the end of the month.


Looking for tip on places to eat. Not fancy places mind you but the sort of places featured on "Diners, Dives, and Drive ins" or places that are familiar to the natives and not the tourist crowd.

Thanks in advance

 

[rsims111]

3 Good Divey Diners

I am driving down to attend a sailing symposium at the Sand Key Marriot the end of the month.


Looking for tip on places to eat. Not fancy places mind you but the sort of places featured on "Diners, Dives, and Drive ins" or places that are familiar to the natives and not the tourist crowd.

Thanks in advance

If you have a rental car here are 3 places I'd recommend that meet your criteria.

First would be Crabby Bill's (Seafood). It's about 5 miles south of where you'll be. Google says it's 11 minutes away. To look them up they're at 401 Gulf Boulevard, Indian Rocks Beach. (You need the municipality name of Indian Rocks Beach in your search info because Gulf Boulevard extends through several municipalities and each one starts renumbering the addresses on Gulf Blvd). Crabby Bill's rates 3.5 out of 5 stars on trip advisor but I'd rate it as a 5 because I like the Diner's and Dives approach to dining too. Some of the people reviewing the place were obviously looking for a higher end dining experience.

Next on the list would be Los Mexicanos restaurant just slightly further down from Crabby Bill's at 301 Gulf Boulevard - also in Indian Rocks Beach. Good low key Mexican fare.

The last one would be the Pub Waterfront which Google says is 6.3 miles and 12 minutes away from you at 20025 Gulf Boulevard in Indian Shores (as opposed to Indian Rocks Beach). I think I'd recommend this one to you first as it has a nice little location looking out onto a narrow bit of the intracoastal waterway. Otherwise the 3 places are just listed by proximity to where you'll be.

There is also bus service up and down Gulf Boulevard. To go to Crabby Bill's or Los Mexicanos there would be 2 stops you could use. The first would be between 5th & 6th Avenue North (ask the driver) and from there you'd walk about 1100 ft south to Crabby Bill's or 1700 ft south to Los Mexicanos (they are only about 600 -700 feet apart). Alternately you could get off the bus between 2nd and 3rd Ave North, then it would only be a 400 ft walk North to Los Mexicanos or the same 1100 ft north to Crabby Bills. The return would be easier for you as their's a northbound bus stop at 4th Ave North in Indian Rocks Beach. It's about 100 ft south of Crabby Bills or 600 ft north of Los Mexicanos. There's also a southbound stop just North of 200th Avenue in Indian Shores that would let you off about 100 ft south of The Pub Waterfront. The northbound bus to take you back to your hotel from there is only 100 ft north of The Pub Waterfront so it's probably the easiest one to do by bus.

Happy Dining
Cap'n Richard
s/v Linda Kae

 

[Paul F]

Would recommend Keegan's Seafood Grill. It was actually on "Diners, Dives, and Drive ins" and is just down the Gulf Blvd. from where you will be staying.
http://www.keegansseafood.com/
and a little more up scale but a very good place is Guppy's. You will like it a lot,
http://www.3bestchefs.com/guppys/
and any of the four Frenchy's on Clearwater Beach - you can't go wrong there,
http://www.frenchysonline.com

 

[Joe]

I go to Crabby Bills every time I visit my friends in Indian Rocks..... highly recommended. If the Crab claws aren't in season... go for the Grouper sandwich.

 

[inarathree]

I agree with Crabby Bills. And definately go to Frenchy's on the beach, go to the one on the north beach, not the new cafe one, or go to the original one, which is a few blocks off the beach. The view isnt as good, but it is more of a dive. Also the original Hooters is on Hwy 60, if you care. There are some really great resteraunts in Tarpon Springs, but you will have to drive there.

 

[danstanford]

The Wing House will just about wear your eyes out if you like wings....

 

[Joe]

Louis Pappas Greek Cafe http://louispappas.com/ in Tarpon Springs.... great restaruant worth the drive but not a DDD candidate.

But... the original Frenchy's in Clearwater http://www.frenchysonline.com/original_index.html will definitely be a DDD highlight. I actually like this place way better than Crabby Bill's....

 

[Ol Dave]

I'll second Crabby Bill's
http://www.crabbybills.com/MenuMain.html

Ol' Dave

 

[Rick Webb]

Thanks Guys

Looks like I won't be going hungry

 

[Rick Webb]

Good Trip

Definitely did not go hungry; went to Crabby Bill's had the Grouper Picata very good, loved the Grouper Rueben at the original Frenchy's. Breakfast was an easy decision as well the hotel had a breakfast buffet for $20, (should be criminal) we ate at a place right next door Maggie Mae's best $5 breakfast I’ve had in a long time.