Live Music on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide

Updated: September 2026

Anna Maria Island has more live music than people expect from a barrier island this size. Some nights it is a lone guitarist playing acoustic covers as the sun drops into the Gulf. Other nights it is a full band on a patio stage with a crowd two-stepping in flip-flops. This guide splits the island’s music scene into four groups: sunset beachfront spots, nightlife and late-night bars, family-friendly venues, and the classic island bars where music is just part of the atmosphere.

For the food side of the island, my Dining on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide covers every restaurant worth knowing.

Sunset Beachfront Music

Anna Maria Island Beach Café

4000 Gulf Drive · Holmes Beach
941-778-0784
Daily · 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Live Music · 5:30 PM to sunset

This is the spot if you want live music with sand between your toes. The setup is simple: Gulf-front tables, casual food, and island-inspired acoustic sets that start in the late afternoon and run through sunset. They post an online music calendar, so check before you go. If toes-in-the-sand dining is your priority beyond the music, my Best Toes-in-the-Sand Dining on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide covers every option.

Gulf Drive Cafe & Kokonut Hut

900 Gulf Drive North · Bradenton Beach
941-778-1919
Cafe · Sunday – Thursday 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Cafe · Friday & Saturday 7:00 AM to 9:30 PM
Hut · Daily 7:00 AM to Midnight
Live Music · Daily 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

The Kokonut Hut sits right on the Gulf, and the music rotates through reggae, rock, and country most nights. Their Facebook page has the monthly lineup. Food-wise, expect calamari, fish tacos, fried shrimp, and grouper sandwiches. Grab a cocktail, kick off your shoes, and let the evening happen.

Nightlife & Late Night Bars

Drift-In

120 Bridge Street · Bradenton Beach
941-778-8565
Daily · 7:00 AM to 2:00 AM
Happy Hour · Monday – Friday · 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Live Music · Nightly · 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM except on Tuesday and Sunday
Live Music · Friday · 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Live Music · Saturday & Sunday · 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Drift-In has been pouring drinks since 1925. The outdoor tiki hut hosts classic rock, country, and blues most nights, and there is usually a card game, karaoke, or bingo going on somewhere. The legendary Babe Ruth once owned the place. Check the full schedule before you head over. For more spots that pair drinks with games, my Beach Bar Games on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide covers every spot worth knowing.

Freckled Fin

5337 Gulf Drive · Holmes Beach
941-251-3930
Sunday – Thursday · 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Friday & Saturday · 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Happy Hour · 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Live Music · Tuesday & Thursday – Sunday · 7:00 to 11:00 PM
Live Music · some Saturdays · 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM

An Irish pub with real range on the music front, from traditional Irish tunes to acoustic pop, country, and classic rock, played either inside or out on the patio. The kitchen leans into the Irish theme too, with fried cheese curds, corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, and poutine. Their calendar has the current lineup.

Wicked Cantina

101 7th St North · Bradenton Beach
941-281-2990
7:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Happy Hour: Monday – Saturday · 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Happy Hour: Sunday · 7:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Live Music: Daily 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · Sunday additionally 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Austin-style Tex-Mex with a patio built for watching the sunset while a rotating cast of musicians plays rock, country, and pop. Come hungry: bowls, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, burritos, and a signature margarita, all with unlimited chips and salsa. My Mexican Restaurants on Anna Maria Island guide has more on the island’s Tex-Mex and Mexican options.

Family-Friendly

Harry’s Grill

9903 Gulf Drive · Anna Maria
941-567-5999
Monday – Saturday · 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM
Sunday · 1:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Sunday · Harry’s Hallelujah Brunch · 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Happy Hour · Monday – Friday · 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Live Music · Daily · 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM

String lights, outdoor seating, and music every night make Harry’s an easy pick for families. The menu runs classic American: prime rib, fresh catch of the day, crispy onion rings. One small perk worth knowing: if your name is Harry or Harrietta, bring ID and the first draft beer is on the house.

The Ugly Grouper

5704 Marina Drive · Holmes Beach
941-896-8033
11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Live Music · Daily · 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Live Music · Saturday & Sunday · 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Local bands take the outdoor stage here most nights, covering everything from rock and country to blues and reggae. It works for families because there is space to move, cornhole to play, and TVs for the game (see my Best Spots to Watch Sports on Anna Maria Island guide for more of those). Order the grouper tacos and the zucchini chips, and do not skip a photo with the 3,180-pound scrap-metal grouper statue built from old cars and Harley parts.

Coastal Bars & Classic Island Spots

Blue Marlin Seafood

121 Bridge Street · Bradenton Beach
941-896-9737
Friday & Saturday 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Tuesday – Thursday 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Live Music · Friday & Saturday 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

The courtyard here, called the Trapyard, hosts acoustic jazz, rock, bluegrass, and country on Friday and Saturday nights. Reservations are required on music nights, so plan ahead (my Restaurant Reservations on Anna Maria Island guide walks through how). The seafood is boat-to-table from the Cortez fishing fleet: grouper, snapper, cobia, hogfish, oysters, shrimp, and stone crab.

Bridge Tender Inn Dockside & Tiki Bar

135 Bridge Street · Bradenton Beach
941-778-4849
Daily · 11:00 AM to 11:30 PM
Live Music · Daily

One of the island’s longest-running waterfront bars, with classic rock and island tunes every night of the week. Their Facebook page has the daily artist lineup. Food-wise, think chicken wings, nachos, grouper sandwiches, and fish and chips. You can arrive by flip-flops, bike, golf cart, car, or boat, and plenty of people do. For more spots with boat parking, see my Best Boat Accessible Restaurants on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide.

Daiquiri Deck

107 Bridge Street · Bradenton Beach
941-253-3300
Sunday – Thursday · 10:00 AM -to10:00 PM
Friday & Saturday · 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Happy Hour · Daily · 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM to close
Live Music · Friday, Saturday, and Sunday · call for times

Head up to the rooftop for Gulf views, frozen daiquiris, and a mix of reggae and acoustic beach tunes on weekends. The bar food covers conch fritters, gator bites, peel-and-eat shrimp, and Cuban sandwiches. Music times shift by the week, so call ahead.

Island Time Bar & Grill

111 Gulf Drive South · Bradenton Beach
941-782-1122
Wednesday – Saturday · 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Sunday through Tuesday · 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Happy Hour · Monday – Friday · 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Live music · Daily · 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Live music every night on a spacious open-air patio, with local acts covering rock, country, reggae, and pop. Their online calendar has exact times. The kitchen sticks to the basics done well: burgers, sandwiches, tacos, and seafood baskets, plus a solid rotation of frozen drinks and draft beer.

SALT Bar and Table

2519 Gulf Drive · Bradenton Beach
941-896-9897
Daily · 3:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Happy Hour · Daily · 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Live Music · Friday & Saturday · 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

The most polished option on this list, with indoor and outdoor seating, globally inspired dishes made from locally sourced ingredients, and a solid craft cocktail list to go with Friday and Saturday night music.

Coastal Close

Music schedules on the island change often, especially with new bands rotating in and hours shifting by season, so treat the times above as a starting point and check each venue’s own calendar or Facebook page the week of your trip. For the full food picture to go with any of these stops, my Dining on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide has the rest, and my downloadable Anna Maria Island Restaurant Guide on is worth grabbing before you land.

— izzy