Updated: September 2026
A seafood feast goes by many names on Anna Maria Island: seafood tower, seafood castle, seafood sampler. Whatever you call it, island restaurants build these platters around the Gulf’s freshest catch, piled high with chilled shrimp, plump oysters, buttery lobster, and crab. Perfect for a special occasion, or simply because island life calls for a little indulgence, these platters are as fun to look at as they are to eat.
Here is a list of the best spots on Anna Maria Island for a seafood feast worth the trip.
For every other craving the island has to offer, my Dining on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide covers the full spread from breakfast through last call.
The Chateau Anna Maria
- 5325 Marina Drive · Holmes Beach
- 941-238-6264
- Tuesday – Thursday · 3:00 to 10:00 PM
- Friday & Saturday · 1:00 to 11:00 PM
- Sunday · 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Happy Hour · 3:00 to 5:00 PM
The Seafood Tower at The Chateau Anna Maria features beer-spiced poached half Maine lobster, snow crab clusters, jumbo shrimp, sesame seed-crusted seared ahi tuna, and oysters. Available in small or large sizes, it is a centerpiece worth building a whole meal around.
The Doctor’s Office
- 5312 Holmes Boulevard · Holmes Beach
- 941-213-9926
- Sunday – Thursday · 5:00 to 10:00 PM
- Friday & Saturday · 5:00 to 11:00 PM
The Seafood Cocktail at The Doctor’s Office features butter-poached lobster tail and jumbo Gulf shrimp, dressed with champagne vinaigrette and remoulade. There is too much of it to fit in an actual cocktail glass, so it arrives plated instead, refined and generous in equal measure.
Sandbar Seafood and Spirits
- 100 Spring Avenue · Anna Maria
- 941-778-0444
- Daily · 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM
The Chilled Seafood Sampler at Sandbar Seafood and Spirits includes oysters, clams, peel-and-eat shrimp, Bairdi crab, and a Maine lobster tail, served with cocktail sauce, horseradish, mignonette, and fresh lemon. Good for sharing, or keeping to yourself, it is a fresh taste of the Gulf either way.
Swordfish Grill
- 4628 119th Street West · Cortez
- 941-798-2035
- Daily · 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Happy Hour · Monday – Saturday · 4:00 to 6:00 PM
- Live Music · Daily · evenings · Saturday & Sunday additionally in afternoon
The Seafood Castle at Swordfish Grill includes six raw oysters, half a pound of crab, half a pound of peel-and-eat shrimp, six clams, and smoked fish spread, served with cocktail sauce and crackers. It is a generous platter, whether you are sharing it with friends or keeping it to yourself.
Want the Feast But Not the Reservation
Topsail Steamer
- 5321 Gulf Drive · Holmes Beach
- 941-254-6060
- Daily · 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Not every seafood feast requires getting dressed up and waiting for a table. Topsail Steamer, now on Anna Maria Island, lets you skip all that. Order one of their signature steam pots, loaded with fresh seafood, corn, red bliss potatoes, sausage, and seasoning, grab it on your way back to the rental, add water, and steam it right on the stove. In about 30 minutes, you have a full seafood boil to dump out on the table, no shopping, no prep, no dishes.
Want more real-time tips and honest answers about Anna Maria Island? Join Anna Maria Island Insider, my Facebook group built on one simple rule: real, helpful answers only. Join the group.
Coastal Close
Whether it is the full spectacle of a plated seafood tower or a take-home pot steamed at the kitchen table, Anna Maria Island does not run short on ways to feast on the Gulf’s catch. Some nights call for a reservation and a view, others call for kicking off your shoes and staying in, and the island is happy to accommodate either mood. For more of the island’s best seafood, my Purchasing Fresh Seafood on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide is worth a look too.
— izzy