Any smoking friends near the Clearwater, FL area?

[Smoking Duck]

Gonna be down there the first two weeks of August for training and am looking for some good restaurants (preferably seafood) as the best seafood restaurants up here all start with Long John Silvers  :P

[FLBentRider]

I have a friend in the area, I'll drop them a line.

[Smoking Duck]

Thanks Randy!

[SnellySmokesEm]

Bahama Breeze is in Clearwater.  Good food and an even better atmosphere.

[FLBentRider]

So far I have -

Bonefish Grill

PJ's in Indian Rock beach - reportedly worth the drive.

These are third hand recommendations...

[squirtthecat]

We spent about 4 days up in Safety Harbor to the N of there.   Neat little area w/ some good restaurants.

I'll see if I can dig up the names..   It was a mix of Greek, Italian, a 'rustic' BBQ place, etc.

[TestRocket]

I had some Bang Bang Shrimp at the Bonefish two weeks ago. That's some good stuff!

[Smoking Duck]

I've had Bonefish Grille in Indiana so a chain isn't really what I'm looking for (although they are excellent).  I've got one restaurant that is a sure go to by the name of Frenchy's.  Gonna try to eat as much seafood as I can while I'm down there.  It would be a bonus if they had an "all you can eat" attitude but that may be wishing too much :-)

[TestRocket]

Yea! We love finding those local hidden treasures too! Good luck!

[hal4uk]

A little drive (St. Pete Beach), this is a great little place:
http://seacritterscafe.com/

[Smoking Duck]

Thanks, Hal

[monty]

i live in Canada, but have vacationed in Clearwater quite a bit. you are in luck because last time i was there i took photos of a lot of my meals.

here are some of my favourites.

-monty

Pickles Plus Deli
http://picklesplus.com/

Pickles Plus - A nice little deli in downtown Clearwater where I grabbed breakfast a few times.





Keegan's Seafood Grille in Indian Rocks Beach
http://www.keegansseafood.com/

A restaurant just off Indian Rocks Beach that was featured on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives".

Oysters Rockefeller


Blackened Grouper


Shrimp & Scallop Florentine - sauteed with fresh spinach in a creamy lemon butter


Shrimp & Scallop Primavera


JB's Island Cafe
432 Poinsettia Ave Ste 5, Clearwater Beach, FL. Tel: 727-447-0382



Small diner style breakfast joint. Note the Jimmy Dean style sausage, eggs with Cholula hot sauce, and "home fries" (where I come from these are hash browns but at JB's it's either "home fries" or grits - no chunks of fried potato to be found anywhere!)

Guppy's On The Beach
http://www.3bestchefs.com/guppys/

Small "upscale" resto just off Indian Rocks Beach.

Lobster Escargots - Chunks of lobster in garlic & herb butter


Angels on Horseback - Oysters topped with applewood smoked bacon broiled with burgundy herb & garlic butter


Fish Tacos - Fresh fish beer battered, on top of warm flour tortillas with pico de gallo, adobo aioli and fresh lime


Thai Garden
761 Bayway Boulevard
Clearwater, FL (727) 461-1699

Nice tiny Thai resto tucked away in a very unassuming strip mall. The owners both served and cooked for the small 5-6 table capacity restaurant.

'Thai Iced Tea'. It's brewed with strong black/red tea, sweetened with sugar, and topped with condensed milk. It's served layered but meant to be stirred before being consumed.


Chicken Satay & Peanut Sauce


Pork/Shrimp Spring Rolls


Pad Thai w/ Jumbo Scallops


Shephard's Waterfront Restaurant
http://www.shephards.com

Seafood Buffett (huge seafood selection including raw oysters, grouper, tilapia, stuffed flounder, etc)

[FLBentRider]

Two more I got (Not Clearwater but close in Indian Rocks Beach)

PJ's http://www.pjsoysterbar.com/

Jimmy's

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=jimmy+iguanas+indian+rocks+beach&fb=1&gl=us&hq=jimmy+iguanas&hnear=Indian+Rocks+Beach,+FL&cid=5111930721088229324

[Smoking Duck]

Thanks Monty and Randy!  Those pics are awesome.  I've got two weeks in Clearwater and per diem......I'm gonna eat like a king!!!!!!!!

Sad part is I go in August and I imagine a fat boy in that heat ain't gonna be pretty  :P

[FLBentRider]

Thanks Monty and Randy!  Those pics are awesome.  I've got two weeks in Clearwater and per diem......I'm gonna eat like a king!!!!!!!!

Sad part is I go in August and I imagine a fat boy in that heat ain't gonna be pretty  :P

It is quite brutal here. There is no "unseasonably hot" at that time of year.