Visited in February mid afternoon to celebrate my birthday. Loved my experience eating here. The atmosphere is top notch. They have seating inside with a view of the water, or you can sit outside where you have a choice of sitting at picnic tables right by the water, or if you don't want to be in the sun, they have a pavilion with a bar area. I rate this a 4.5 because the food was good but I felt it was a tad pricey for the portion size. Service was kind of sporadic, however they were changing shifts. I loved the lobster bisque soup that I had and my grouper bites were really good. My son had the curry shrimp and he was a little disappointed because the tails were still on the shrimp, making it messy to eat and the portion was rather skimpy, not near enough pineapple in it. It was uncrowded mid afternoon but during busy times you can grab a cocktail and sit in a comfy chair around a fire pit to wait until your table is called. Also a landlocked boat that makes a great picture taking opportunity. Overall a fabulous experience and I will go back every time I'm in the area. I'm sure it's a great place to hang out and have cocktails while looking at the water!

Really cute atmosphere. We got there around 5:30 and had to wait about an hour for a table, but there was plenty of space to spread out and wait. The food is well worth the wait. My picky kid loved their mac and cheese (which I wasn't sure she would considering that it's made with penne noodles)! We also had the fish tacos, lobster bisque, and a bacon cheeseburger.

If Florida Living were a restaurant this would be the place. From beached boats to Fresh cold beer this place is a must if you are in the area. The outside seating is wonderful if you want to still experience the view but have some shade there's an option but there's also seating closer to the water that offers tables with umbrellas. The service was awesome, especially for how busy it was. As a huge Seafood fanatic, I highly recommend the muscles. Also, the Bloody Mary was delicious (they use Old Bay on the rim, yum!). The live music on the beach boat was also a nice touch.

The atmosphere was awesome! We were seated immediately, even though they seemed very busy. We had to ask someone to locate our waiter as we sat there for 20 minutes, and no one came to assist. The table behind us came 15 minutes after us and received their food as we got our drinks. I asked our waitress what happened, and she stated that she did not realize we were sitting in her section as she miscounted the tables. We were outside. The food looked great, and came out quickly. The lobster bisque was yummy, and my husband's grouper sandwich was also good. The chimichurri steak was tough, like leather, but had good flavor. Overall, I would return.

Loved the food and atmosphere. Drinks were amazing. I had the rum runner and my husband had the watermelon daiquiri and guava/mango daiquiri. He s really enjoyed the guava one. Forgot my waiter name but she was amazing( went today).We shared a calamari, my son had the wings, husband had a pound of shrimp, I had jerk burger, and daughter had Mac and cheese! Everything was made to order and nothing wasn’t cold.

The restaurant was in an awesome location. Nice breeze and the views were so tranquil. Be prepared to wait for the seating is limited. But in the meantime grab a drink and enjoy the spectacular weather and soak up the chill vibes. Overall great experience. Food was prepared fairly quickly and tasted delicious. Great date night location and family friendly atmosphere. Best regards.

You kinda feel like you are driving into a murder scene but when you get back there it is beautiful. The weather was perfect and there is tons of outside seating. We sat by the water and ate our way through sunset. The food was really good. Try the coconut shrimp. So good!

Great place to catch a vibe by the water. They do not have reservations so either get there early or try to find a first come first serve seat at the bar area. Food was delicious especially the calamari as a starter. Drinks are reasonably priced as well. If you do decide to wait for a table you can definitely walk down to the dock and get a beautiful view of the bay area. 😉

This has been on our list of places we want to check out in Tampa Bay and we finally went on a Thursday for dinner and sunset. We wish we would have checked this place out earlier! The ambience is lovely...beautiful spot on the bay, live music and very relaxed. Food was solid and the one cocktail we had was tasty. We did the fish of the day which was a bit bland for us but we loved the shrimp basket and the coconut shrimp. We absolutely want to come back!

This is a good spot for a date or family meal. Lots of options on the menu, the outside bar has high tops, the main restaurant dining has indoor and waterfront seating. I love to eat by the water so I’m here for the sunset views, the good drinks and great atmosphere. When the sun sets the outdoor lights come on and the last time I was here they had a band and were really good. Being gluten free and dairy free the kitchen had no problem accommodating to my dietary needs. They have mint for mojitos! Strawberry mojitos always good when I come.

Hidden gem worth trying out! If you want a solid drink and a breathtaking view and live music on the weekends, this is the place to go! Best fish dip we have had in Tampa, and the wings are a favorite of ours as well. The bar area is the best place to sit if you can find a seat, first come first serve. Connor at the bar treats you with top notch service even when it’s been extremely busy. First time coming back in two months, Connor was so attentive and made some of the best drinks. We met Tyler recently as well, who was also extremely busy, but still made us feel welcomed and taken care of the minute we sat down. The bar staff has improved immensely and the service has improved all around. The locals only wish is the menu changed up seasonally!

Four stars only because it says arrive by land or sea and the dock isn’t part of the establishment and is in complete disrepair. Come by boat at your own risk! 30 minutes for wait on Mother’s Day so not too bad. Able to get drinks at bar and lounge water front while waiting for our table. Had oysters and calamari for appetizers with drinks perfectly made from bar. For entrees the fish any way and any vessel is great. The sides were amazing and everything was seasoned great and was excellent. Great Sunday Funday joint. Come and enjoy.

The food could be terrible and you would still enjoy this place. Graciously, the food is terrific as well. Next time I'll get the Tuna Tartare as both an appetizer and entree! But the grouper tacos were awesome as well! Also, coolest wait area ever.

Hidden deep inside an industrial/marine shipyard lies the best kept secret of Tampa Bay - Salt Shack on the Bay at the Rattlesnake Point overlooking the Tampa Bay. Usually they say that restaurant with a good view has bad food, but not this place. The food & views are absolutely terrific…The restaurant has very inviting & green front entrance zone with plenty of parking. On weekends, you are typically greeted by Caribbean themed live music band playing their tunes from back of a boat. Food, ambience and service is excellent. There are three sitting zones main bar area, the open air dining and the the waterfront sitting. You cannot select a preferred sitting zone when you add to the waitlist, so if you are lucky you get the waterfront table, but any table is good table in this restaurant. Wish they had more vegetarian options besides the salads.

Perfect Friday date night spot. Live music, great ambiance, and perfect spot to catch the sunset. The breeze from the water really helped keep us nice and cool despite the blaring sun. They do not take reservations and is a first come first serve basis. We originally told it was a 35minute wait but were able to get seating at the bar. Our wait did take over that time but the view from the bar was perfect, so we stayed and ate. The drinks are great, tastes wonderful and are super strong (can’t taste it though hehe). Staff is very nice and facility is clean. Will come back to catch another sunset!

Always lovely when you're having a couple cocktails by the bay. Fresh seafood daily! The grouper is Amazing! So is the Lobster bisque soup. Drinks taste great as well and not watered down or too much ice. All the staff is friendly and in my experience waits have never been too extreme.

Nice place with good view and reasonable prices. They are dog friendly, which make you bring your puppy with you and enjoy. Pretty big menu, everyone with different taste on food will found something for himself. Cocktail menu big enough, but cocktails themself could be little less sweet…

My coworkers took me here for the first time, for lunch. The atmosphere was very friendly. It was a nice day outside. The waitress "Jenna" was very friendly and service was pretty fast. The Burger I ordered was ok, but a little under cooked. I would return for sure if the chance presented its self.

I really enjoyed my lunch with my hubby at this restaurant, I loved being able to watch nature and boats while eating. Food and customer service was A1, making the experience even more enjoyable - I'll definitely be back and recommend this restaurant... two thumbs up!

Nice place, fun atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff. The food was somewhat basic, not high end, but probably satisfactory to most people. I ordered island grilled chicken with banana chutney and grilled Caribbean vegetables and rice. Is asparagus Caribbean? I’m not sure, but I think plantain is a actually a fruit. Anyway, the food was edible, but not fantastic. ‘Presentation’ is really important to me. It was lacking here- see pic for details. Overall, I had a decent experience though, and enjoyed the island vibe this place exudes.

It was pouring rain when we got there but it was still a beautiful view!! The smoked fish spread is one of the tastiest things ever! I could eat that every day. My husband had the crab cake sandwich and he said it was awesome. I had the grouper tacos. So flavorful!!

The food was subpar. Ordered fish bites, calamari, and crabcake sandwich. The fries were dry as heck as well as cold. Returned them and still dry, I think they just reheat old fries. The crabcake was horrible, not enough crab and too much filling. Our waitress was nice and I love the atmosphere. The drinks were good and strong. Don't get the calamari because it was way too chewy. My husband did say the fish bites were very good. All in all, I'd try it again because you can't beat the view.

This place is amazing! We have been twice this week! Both times there was a long wait but it was totally worth it. We grabbed a drink and hung out in the Adirondack chairs enjoying the atmosphere. They are pet friendly. There was a live band playing both times we went. Definitely a new favorite place for us. I am already looking forward to the next time🤤

Surprisingly my first time at Salt Shack and it did not disappoint! There was about an hour wait on a Saturday which is understandable but there is enough seating around and areas to walk by the water that the wait even with young kids wasn’t bad at all. Grabbed a drink at the bar and wandered around. There was an issue with the seating when it came time for us to go to our table and we thought we were getting to sit right by the water at sunset but the manager apologized and we still got a nice table fit for a party of 5. Our server Loretta was so sweet and never made us feel rushed. Food was great! The calamari rings and the blackened chicken tacos were on point. The prices honestly weren’t terrible considering the vibe and being by the water/in South Tampa. The manager even checked in on us at the end of the meal which was nice. Would absolutely eat here again.

I have to give Salt Shack On The Bay 5+ Stars 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The beauty on the bay is beautiful, the service is phenomenal, the food amazing! Our servers were incredible. Their recommendations were spot on. The shrimp and mahi mahi tacos were so fresh. The coconut shrimp was delightful, refreshing to eat, perfect crunch. Definitely start off with oysters on the half shell and a bottle of champagne.

This is a perfect place to bring out of town guest. I ordered the fish bites and French fries. It was good, and fresh. The crab cake had good flavor but it was too greasy. The grilled chicken dinner was flavorful and the chicken was cooked perfectly. I absolutely loved view of the bay. I'll definitely return.

What a great spot this is! Went with a few buddies on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Even though it was busy, we were seated promptly and out waitress came by a few minutes later. We ordered appetizers, including the fish bites and calamari, and our mains. I had the mahi tacos as my main, and they were amongst the best I’ve had. Pints were reasonably priced at $6. The atmosphere was festive, and felt like being on a resort. Highly recommend!!

The waterfront view was outstanding. The service was also good. However, the food serving seems to be smaller in comparison to other restaurants at least on the shrimp n chips I ordered. The restaurant has food selections for children but it is just not showing on their menu, so you have to ask to be verbally informed of the options.

Salt shack on the bay has an amazing vibe! I really loved it and the view of the water is beautiful the only things I didn’t like was they take no reservations and the wait time on the weekend is crazy one hour and half was a bit much so I guess I will try a week day next time and see if it’s any different! The parking was insane too. The food was good though and drinks too we had the calamari and coconut shrimp for starters, I had the skirt steak and my mom had lobster bisque soup and son had the Rasta pasta they said it was very good as well! Only reason I didn’t give it five stars was the wait time but definitely a nice place to hang out!

This place was recommended so we gave it a try. It was busy but we found seats outside next to the bar. The waiter was friendly but slow. What made matters worst was when he excused himself to talk to friends that showed up and somehow their food came out before ours. Speaking of food, I couldn't stomach the calamari and the lobster bisque, but they get 2 stars for taking it off the check. The liquor appears to be watered down, the bottom shelf variety Nice view, that's it. We were a party of four and everyone agreed this place is overrated

Visited this location 11/26 due to someone in our party saying it was a Top 50 location by NY Times. We 100% disagree with that. This restaurant has a beautiful location, it’s beautifully decorated, kept up well, and has an amazing look to it. It also had some jamming live music going on throughout our time there. This seems to be a theme to this NY times list as we went to one in Minneapolis that had great decor and was stunning. The issue again with this one was the food. The best part of the food was the ranch and French fries. This alone would get a 5/5, and would almost be enough to compete with those Belgium fry stands. But the rest of the food was ok. The grilled chicken sandwiches were dry, and the glaze was barely noticeable. The coconut shrimp basket was pretty small, but maybe that’s what you get these days. The overall taste was a little bland on these. The burger was OK. This is 100% more of a fish place and I recognize we got mostly non sea food so take the rating as you see. We would return for the fries, a drink, and the view.

Thought I'd give this hidden gem a shot. Really cool place right on the Bay by the Gandy Bridge. There is a bar section, main restaurant section and picnic tables along the bay. All areas are outdoor style with fans to create a breeze. This was a bit of an issue as there was one large fan that was overly strong to where 4 families had to move from the tables directly in front of it as there were getting blown away. It definitely was not pleasant. Food was decent. The blackened grouper sandwich was flavorful but dry as there was no sauce or tarter provided with it. The Mahi tacos had large pieces of Mahi and plenty of sauce. Fries were seasoned and crispy. Coconut shrimp appetizer was delicious. Service was OK,could have been better. I think we will give it another try as it just might have been an off day.

I really enjoyed the seafood and the atmosphere. I never knew the restaurant existed and it is just past Hula Bay. I had Grouper bites with seasoned fries and my daughter had a shrimp basket. The seafood was very fresh and tasty. We sat outside by the water for lunch and fed some birds shrimp tails. The price was a little high so I wouldn’t recommend it for a stop if you are watching your money. The amount of food for the price is a little skimpy. The waitress was very nice and helpful.

The food was amazing! The vibe and scenery are great. Our wait was supposed to be 30 min. After 45 min passed I went to the host to see if we would be called soon and was told my name was removed from the list accidentally. They added us back on and we were called immediately. No big deal. The bar staff isn't very polite though. I had to stand there for over 5 min while two bar tenders both looked at me and didn't greet me or ask if I wanted to order something. I had to call out to one of them to order drinks while we waited for our table. Other than the bar staff, our waitress was great. She was very nice and kept checking on us. Overall We enjoyed this place.

“what a hidden gem” the food & drink were right on point. Best mixed drink I have had in a longtime. the views were spectacular and our server Maria was hands down amazing!!!! It’s not often that the staff really makes an effort to make sure you have a great experience! Here they do that so I will be back! Thank you a wonderful experience.

Such a nice location, such poor service. Great views of the bay and cool surroundings. Just don't get service from the short haired lady at the outside bar. First words were "I need a card to start a tab". Only pouring 2/3rds of a beer, she wouldn't top it off and said we are serving 16oz beers in a 20 oz cup. Looks cheap, but its not. No service, no smile🤔

Visited on a very busy Friday night. Vibe was great! Live music, a lot of people, and great weather. It was a party of 3. We had to wait about an hour to get seated so we got drinks at the bar in the meantime. Drinks and apps were delicious! Actual main course meals, no our fave. Flavor wise, everything was delicious but we all felt it was half cold. Compared to the apps that came hot and fresh. The key lime pie for dessert, highly recommend! Overall, place is fantastic and would give it another try when visiting the area. It feels like you’re in the Keys except you’re actually in Tampa.

We sat in the bar area so we experienced no wait time at all. As soon as we decided to order, the food was out no more than 10 minutes later. Our server checked on us multiple times and was so friendly and helpful! We got the blackened fish (I think it was snapper) sandwich with fries and the jerk grouper tacos.

*Hidden Gem Alert* The atmosphere gave us the feel that we were in the Caribbean, like a mini vaca away from the busy city. I am always weary of ordering seafood but everything we got was fresh and delicious! Try the shack colada you won’t regret it. The temperatures have been insanely hot lately but they did a great job with fans and shade to keep you cool. The highlight of the atmosphere was the steel drum band playing on the beached boat. A must try if your in the area!

Visited Salt Shack today after having some buzz and mixed reviews about it. The food, service and atmosphere was just above the average for a restaurant on the water but nothing too fantastic. It was nice to try once but the parking was horrible, food was okay and overall I’ve had better food on the water. 4/5 rating and would prefer other places in the area over it.

We was told it's be about a 45 minute wait, we probably waited less than 20 minutes to be seated. Our waitress was really nice and she made sure we had everything me needed. Food was great as well as the drinks. I recommend the chicken tender basket, shrimp basket and the golden tile fish if available.

Sweet little spot on the water recommended by a friend who lived in the Tampa area. Definitely did not disappoint at all. Beautiful water view and great drinks coupled with delicious food. I'll take my wife on date night here with no complaints!

Best location to have a drink and enjoy fresh seafood. Beautiful view of the bay and plenty of space. Seafood is fresh and good. Drinks were just okay. Dont recommend the sangria. Definitely recommend the wings. Overall great space to have some fun with friends and enjoy good food.

Great local gem! Waited 5 minutes for a table, and food came out supper quick. The food was very good and super fresh. Sat out by the water and they have million dollar views. This is 100% must go to if your in town. Pet friendly too!

So the location is everything!! The wait was crazy Saturday at 1pm, of course we were quoted a hr end up waiting 40mins. But the views are awesome time goes by pretty fast. Our waiter was very nice and attentive, the food was good! With this place the location and atmosphere are what makes it special they also had outdoor music on the boat! It was awesome!

If you're looking for the perfect date place, look no further! Right on the water, different yet tasty menu choices, friendly staff and great views! Drinks are amazing! It can get pretty busy so plan accordingly, but 10 out of 10 would recommend!

I'm not a seafood eater so this may not be very helpful to some but for all you non seafood eaters out there, they do have chicken! We got the chicken tacos and they were great.. The server was very attentive and the atmosphere was nice although I had to time my bites to avoid the oscillating fan blowing my hair into my mouth. We went later in the evening when it wasn't too busy so didn't get to see the view as well, but I imagine it is amazing in the day! The bar area looked like a great time and I liked that they had a whole shaded area with Adirondack chairs for people to wait, or just sit and talk.