Anna Maria Island vacations are more than just about the sun and beach, it’s about soaking up the island’s culture. From beachside bars to dive bars, there are many cool places to listen to live music on Anna Maria Island.
Explore the following spots to catch live music and soak in the island’s charm.
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Anna Maria Island Beach Café
For live music with your toes in the sand, head to Anna Maria Island Beach Café at Manatee Public Beach. This beachfront café offers live music regularly, creating the perfect backdrop for a day at the beach or an evening enjoying the sunset. The music has a laid-back beach vibe with island inspired acoustic sets.
Live music entertainment starts at 4:30 PM and typically continues till sunset. Check out their online calendar.
Beach fare, specialty drinks, and live performances make this Gulf front café an Anna Maria Island experience.
Blue Marlin Seafood
currently closed due to hurricane damage
Blue Marlin Seafood offers live music on Friday and Saturday nights in its outdoor “Trapyard” courtyard area. Whether dining al fresco on the patio or the cozy interior, the acoustic music creates an intimate and relaxing setting for a delicious dinner under the stars. Artists perform jazz, rock, bluegrass, and country.
Live music entertainment is typically from 7 to 10 PM. Check out their online calendar.
Blue Marlin focuses on “boat to table” seafood caught by the Cortez fishing fleet. They offer grouper, snapper, cobia, hogfish, oysters, shrimp, and stone crabs.
Reservations are required for nights with live music.
Bridge Tender Inn
Bridge Tender Inn Dockside Bar is a classic island experience with waterfront views and vibrant music. They have seating outside near the water and inside. They offer live music several nights a week featuring classic rock, island tunes, and more.
Music plays daily. Check their facebook page for a daily list of artist and time. Additionally Monday and Friday – bar poker around 4ish, Thursday – trivia at 3:30 PM, and Tuesday and Saturday – bingo at 1:00 PM.
On the menu you’ll find buffalo chicken wings, nachos, grouper rueben sandwiches, chicken schnitzel, and fried chicken livers.
Pop over via flip-flops, bike, golf cart, car, or boat.
Daiquiri Deck
Daiquiri Deck offers a festive atmosphere with plenty of frozen drinks and live music. This spot features a rooftop bar with views of the Gulf. Their live music features a mix of reggae, acoustic sets, and beachy tunes.
Live music on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Call and ask for times.
Their menu offers American bar food such as conch fritters, gator bites, peel and eat shrimp, cuban sandwiches, and much more.
The laid-back vibe, coupled with an extensive daiquiri menu, makes it an ideal location for a fun night out with friends.
Drift-In
Drift-In has been the local dive bar since 1925. Live bands play classic rock, country, and blues. They have a large tiki hut attached to the property with an outdoor bar.
Music plays nightly from 9 PM to 1 AM except on Tuesday and Sunday. In addition afternoon music on Friday from 1 to 5 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 6 PM.
Check out their loaded calendar schedule with additional activities including card games, karaoke, and bingo.
Here’s a little trivia: “The Sultan of Swat” · “The King of Crash” · “The Colossus of Clout” · “The Colossus of Clout” · Babe Ruth once owned the Drift-In.
Freckled Fin
The Freckled Fin is an Irish spot with a great live music scene. This casual pub features live music throughout the week, inside or on the patio, with local bands and solo artists performing traditional Irish tunes, acoustic sets, contemporary pop, country, blues, classic rock, and much more.
Music plays nightly from 7 to 11 PM and sometimes in the mid afternoon. Exceptions to the live music are Monday – karaoke and Wednesday – trivia. Check out their calendar.
Their menu includes many Irish classics such as corned beef & cabbage, fish & chips, shepherds pie, poutine fries, and colcannon.
The Freckled Fin is the place to drink a pint, eat some pub fare, and dance the night away.
Harry’s Grill
Harry’s Grill is a laid-back spot that offers live performances. The outdoor seating area is lined with string lights and their live music features acoustic sets, folk, classic covers, and blues.
Harry’s has live music seven days a week from 6 to 8:30 PM. They also host Hallelujah Brunch with singing every Sunday from 10 to 11:30 AM. Check out their lineup on their website.
Their American fare menu offers prime rib, catch of the day, and onion rings.
Stop by and if your name is Harry or Harrietta, you must have proof, you get one free draft beer of your choice.
Island Time Bar & Grill
Island Time Bar & Grill is known for its daily live music and laid-back atmosphere. This open-air bar features a large patio. Island Time hosts a variety of musicians and bands playing rock, country, reggae, and pop music.
Weather permitting, live music is featured every night from 7 to 10 PM. Check their monthly online calendar.
They have an extensive bar menu with a variety of frozen drinks, beach cocktails, and draft beer. Their food menu offers traditional appetizers, hamburgers, sandwiches, tacos, and seafood baskets.
Island Time Bar & Grill offers a quintessential island experience with crafty drinks and up market bar food.
Kokonut Hut
The Kokonut Hut is an ideal spot to enjoy live music, a cocktail, and direct Gulf views. Music features reggae, rock, country, and many more genres.
They offer live music every night from 6 to 9 PM. Check out their monthly schedule on their facebook page.
Kokonut Hut serves casual grill fare such as raw oysters, calamari, crab cakes, coconut shrimp, grouper sandwiches, and much more.
Dance in the sand while your bartender whips up special libations.
The Ugly Grouper
The Ugly Grouper is one of the island’s most popular spots for live music. The family-friendly outdoor venue features a large stage where local bands and solo artists regularly perform a variety of genres: rock, country, blues, reggae, and island-inspired music.
Weather permitting, live music plays seven days a week from 5 to 8 PM and again from 12 to 3 PM on weekends. Check out their online calendar on their website for the music lineup.
Among their extensive list of menu items, this casual dining spot serves local seafood, Bavarian style pretzels, zucchini chips, and their famous grouper tacos. During set breaks enjoy a game of corn hole and watch a game on the nine large televisions.
Don’t forget to snap a pic with the 3180 pound Ugly Grouper statue.
Wicked Cantina
Wicked Cantina offers stellar live music on their outside patio with direct Gulf views. They hosts a variety of musicians and bands playing rock, country, and pop music.
Live music plays daily from 6 to 9 PM and additionally on Sunday from 2 to 5 PM. Check out their music calendar.
Their menu offers Austin-style Tex-Mex. The meals include unlimited chips and salsa. They offer a variety of bowls, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, burritos, and a “wicked” margarita.
At Wicked Cantina you can enjoy a direct sunset view.
Until next time…
· izzy
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