I was seeking a restaurant along the shoreline of the greater metropolitan area of Tampa, Saint Petersburg, and Clearwater so that I can dine while watching the sun set over the calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico; and I decided on dining at Seabreeze Island Grill in Redington Shores in Florida.
Seabreeze Island Grill in Redington Shores in Florida. Restaurant Review.
Although much of the parking lot was filled with vehicles when we arrived, I immediately found one open place to park near the entrance of the restaurant.
Much of the restaurant was outdoors; and it was clean. The water is of a cove in Boca Ciera Bay and not of the Gulf of Mexico; so watching the sun set while dining was not possible. That was mildly disappointing; but certainly not a deal breaker at all.
To my surprise, seating was immediately available on a Friday evening. The outdoor area for seating is rather large and can accommodate many people.
Not long after being seated, a member of the wait staff came by with what was called Pineapple Bread, which intrigued me. I sampled some of the bread, which had a subtle flavor of pineapple in it — but it was savory and not sweet. The crust had a nice crisp to it; and the inside of the bread was nice, soft, and warm. I detected a note of coconut in the bread, which was like eating a mild piña colada. It was very good. I probably could have eaten more of the bread.
Wild Smoked Fish Spread was ordered as the starter for our table. The menu claimed it was locally prepared. An owner of the restaurant came by and asked how we liked it, which we replied in the affirmative. “A guy two doors down prepared it”, he said. Wow. One cannot get much more locally prepared than that! Packaged crackers, a quite spicy pepper relish, fresh celery, and fresh baby carrots were served with the fish spread for the purpose of dipping. A squeeze of lemon helped to bring out the flavors even more. The only criticism is that the carrots were a bit sweet yet watery; and a couple of them were split. $15.50
Cast Away Coconut Shrimp comprised of sweet coconut-crusted shrimp with island slaw, mashed sweet potatoes, and key lime honey mustard. The shrimp were crispy with a great batter. The mashed sweet potatoes were fabulous, as they were very well blended with a touch of cinnamon. The bottoms of the stems of much of the broccoli were unfortunately brown. $24.50
The Tequila Glazed Salmon includes sweet and tangy tequila glaze over grilled salmon, which is served over fire-roasted corn salsa, fresh cooked broccoli, and plantains. Although black beans and rice typically are also included with this dish, mashed sweet potatoes were ordered as a substitute instead. The salmon was very good; and unlike the broccoli with the coconut shrimp, this portion of broccoli was the right flavor and texture. Omitting the black beans from the salsa might have improved the dish even further. $25.00
Considered “the local classic”, the Real Grouper could be prepared as either blackened, grilled, or fried. Garlic potato wedges and island slaw were served as part of this meal. It is also available coconut fried and served with piña colada cream. I ordered it blackened, which was flavorful and mildly spicy; and the ramekin of remoulade and drizzle of fresh lemon did further elevate the flavor of the fish — but the fish was just a little fatty and tough in a couple of small parts. The potatoes were nicely crispy and full of flavor. The island slaw was mild yet crunchy and good. $28.00
A full bar is available both inside and outside of the restaurant with plenty of choices for craft beers, draft ales, and bottled alcoholic beverages.
The dining experience also includes live music.
Final Boarding Call
I recommend dining at Seabreeze Island Grill. The food was very good; members of the staff were friendly; the service was attentive; and the ambiance of dining al fresco at the edge of the water was nice — although the air was unusually chilly that evening; and the winds were rather gusty to the point where light items would fly off of the table. With those strong sea breezes, the restaurant certainly lived up to its name! Substitutions of menu items were absolutely no problem, as members of the staff were accommodating.
Seabreeze Island Grill
17855 Gulf Boulevard
Redington Shores, Florida 33708
United States of America
1-727-498-8688
Operating Hours
Open daily from 11:00 in the morning through 10:00 in the evening.
Free parking is available on site.
All photographs ©2024 by Brian Cohen.
