My husband and I visited Clearwater for our honeymoon for a week and this was by far our absolute favorite place to eat!! The drunken shrimp is out of this world. The catch of the day is also super tasty. They really know how to make an amazing home cooked meal!! They are all also very friendly and welcoming there. Such a local feel for a touristy area. We want to return to Clearwater just for them and their food! Would give them more than 5 stars if I could.
Kept seeing great reviews, especially on the Drunken Shrimp....so we stopped by to see what all the fuss was about.Bingo!! They had been right! Very rich flavorful shrimp dish lived up to the hype!The Mrs had the cheeseburger, (shes not to up on the seafood stuff) and saidbit was a good sandwich as well.Well be back!
We went here for a late night bait run and had an absolute blast. The store tender was hilarious and made the kids laugh the whole time. He was also very knowledgeable to and held us pick fishing supplies and set up out poles properly. There is also a fishing pier right under the bridge that is in a great location.
What a great place, right on the water, quality food, chilled atmosphere. We had to wait for 40 minutes to get a table, but it was so worth it. The food was absolutely fresh and delicious- and we’re really picky. The staff was friendly and helpful. Prices are very reasonable. The only thing NOT to order is the lemonade. Would come back there any time again and again.
All the food was really well prepared, cooked, and super tasty (+jalapeno jelly that came with the dip)! Service was attentive and had really great recommendations!Definite gem - this has a high end dive bar feel but with food cooked at such quality, that not even many restaurants who charge 3 times as much could achieve (lots of careful attention to detail - nothing is greasy). Definitely recommend the Ruben!Umbrella seating on a pier, gift shop (did I mention the jalapeno jelly?), and it doubles as a bait and tackle (at really reasonable prices!) - what more could you want!
Have not yet eaten here at the restaurant because there is usually an hour or so wait, so it must be good. However, the bait shop has more of a variety of live bait than most other nearby live bait shops, and they also have many unique tackle items. I bought my favorite fishing pole here...and the bait shop clerk knows everything about fishing! Will give a second review when I get around to actually eating here! But I can tell you it must be an exciting experience to be dining out on the water when the Starlite Dining Cruise arrives and parks! The king fisher is there most of time and very photogenic!
This place is small and on the water. No reservations so be ready to wait. The smoked fish spread is great… simply served with crackers. The mahi Ruben is lovely as well as the fresh catch platter. Be sure to look for Chuck, the resident sea bird. He will bite and only likes live snacks! Chuck is very willing to pose for a picture if he is feeling friendly. There is a tackle shop for those who like fishing!
Owner is super knowledgeable on whats being caught and with what bait and where. The shop is also an experience in itself. You just have to go and see for yourselves. ENJOY and fish on!
Wow please don’t visit here without getting the drunken shrimp. Hands down one of the best things I’ve ever had! Such a great spot on the water for lunch with amazing fresh seafood.
Upon arriving to clear water beach, we met a local and he recommended this place. It is a real bait house that has about 9 tables on a deck on the inter coastal. Service, food ambiance was great. They only serve local fresh caught seafood so menu changes daily. Drunken shrimp a must for an appetizer. Request double bread for dipping. I will probably never go back to Clearwater beach. It is like a city on the beach, crowed and loud. I can’t imagine what it would like in season. So if you like good food that is not a chain restaurant, it is a must. They also have a full bar!
We came to this restaurant with high expectations, but were unfortunately disappointed. The meal started out great with the drunken shrimp, which had a unique but tasty flavor. I also ordered a mug of clam chowder, which was rather watery and tasted mostly like bacon. Our food arrived and LOOKED absolutely stunning, but it lacked flavor. I ordered a salad with blackened shrimp. The fish and shrimp were fresh, but very under seasoned. And believe me, when I say under seasoned, I mean completely devoid of any seasoning, including salt and pepper. I couldn’t even tell my shrimp were blackened. If you’re looking for a low sodium diet, this is the place for you. If you’re anything like me and my family, skip this restaurant for something with a little more spice!
Amazing culinary experience.Every entree and side was made with serious flavor in mind. Add to the amazing flavors is the absolute freshest fish you can get without going out and catching it yourself. Beer selection features plenty of variety in local drafts. The staff here is serious about giving a great experience, and supporting their community.
Food is amazing. Scenery is beautiful as well. Great food selection for both adults and kids. Parking is a little strange. Or at least when we were there. We had to get a code from the host to be able to park for longer than a half hour. Other than that goofy experience. It was a wonderful place. We will definitely be back.
Nice views but good luck just trying to have a beer at the bar. Everything has gotten to be reservation only.
Great place for lunch! 100% recommend it. A bunch of good local beers on tap with an great view of the channel with boats going by. Get the Drunken Shrimp take my word. Its big enough for a meal (but it labeled an appitizer). You will not be disappointed. Staff is very friendly. I consider this place a hidden gem and will come back again.
Had been here before and had a good experience in the past but this time was a bust. Stopped in for a late lunch, and was given a code by the hostess to use for parking, but it only allowed for 30 min. So we had to set a timer to go out every 30 min. We noticed no one else seemed to be running out every 30 min, so not sure if their goal is to only have certain people there for 30 min or what. We sat at the bar and ordered food. Food came out quick and was good. We had planned on sitting there and having some drinks, but we were brought a bill without asking for it, so we paid and left. Guess they don’t need much business.
Still, even though it’s gained more publicity, the best place to eat and chill in Clearwater. I hope it doesn’t lose its charm as the popularity increase. Kudos to the staff for being awesome and still a good experience to this day.
I will return.The Bait House was recommended to my family from the good folks of H2O Jet Ski Rentals. We had a 90 minute wait, which was fine because there is nearby shopping.My wife and I both ate catch-of-the-day fish sandwiches, which happened to be Corvina fish. They were divine. We ordered them blackened, with all the fixin’s. Mine came with Coleslaw and my wife had a pasta salad with hers.We ate outside under a shade umbrella. Service was friendly and helpful. I will definitely eat here again in a heartbeat.
Great location on the water. The drunken shrimp is sooo good we usually order one to go.
Its a cool little place. Very small, maybe 9 - 12 tables outside no indoor dining. Weve been going there for a long time. It was nice little hidden gem, to many people know about it now. Good for the Baithouse, bad for us. Food is good, cant go wrong sitting on the water having a cold brew.
I was searching for a local seafood place with a laidback personality and this was the perfect spot! I started with the drunken shrimp appetizer that was out of this world! My dinner, the shrimp tacos, did not disappoint either! The side of beans were terrific, and there were a few different sauces to pour on top! I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere! I’d recommend this place for sure!
Very delicious and fresh fishes! We had fish tacos with Wahoo and Cesar salad with tuna. Both are the best I had in Florida. The prices are reasonable too. Great place if you like fish!
Food was good,As everyone says the drunken shrimp amazing. Probably the best thing on the menu. Everything else just ok. It seems like there are two or three things on the menu served four or five different ways. A little disappointing. The clam chowder had absolutely nothing in it. No clams no potatoes nothing. It tasted like a cup of hot water. I am no expert but I am pretty sure chowder is supposed to be a hearty soup. Either cream based with clams& potatoes ( New England) or broth based with loads of clams and veggies. ( Manhattan). Theirs was neither. ( If you need a recipe I have a couple of good ones.( Just saying)
Quaint little bait ahop with amazing food and craft beers. Key lime beer was crisp and refreshing. Spicy shrimp appetizer i wanted to drink the broth it was so good. Grouper quesadilla,tons of fish! YUM!!
Fantastic service and food! Great atmosphere and outdoor dining.....which allowed my 7 yr old to catch a pigeon barehanded in the middle of dinner, true story.Best time ever!
Awesome staff. The atmosphere is cool sitting outside enjoying some boats go by as you eat the freshest catch of the day. The flavors are nice spiced right and fresh eats. They also have local brews on tap or by the bottle. I also like how they have a nice little bait and tackle shop within the restaurant in case you need anything.
Awesome dinner, you could taste the freshness, in the fish, in the a coleslaw...the staff are ace, the guy at the door and his friend Chuck rock.
Way overpriced for the quality!- I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich and got the blackened chicken by error it was nothing special.- We also ordered the fish spread, it was ok as well a little dry but good flavor.- my partner ordered the Mahi sandwich which was bland and no flavor but we think it was fresh.The location is the best part. Service was ok.The buss boy was very friendly he should be the server give him a raise.I probably would never return
Our food and service was absolutely amazing! We had the drunken shrimp, pan seared tuna and fresh catch grouper tacos. So delicious! First stop on our trip and I have a feeling we will compare every other to our first night at Bait House.
Friendly staff, good food. Unique place to eat.
Bait House is an awesome gym of a restaurant and bar to visit. As many times as I’ve driven by I’ve had no clue it was there and now I’m pleased to have stopped in. Great fish tacos, vibes, and views. The owners are super kind and definitely Lee the joint well run. All their appetizers are super delicious too. Not to mention, wow was the fish fresh
Highly Recommended. Get there early as its small and Very Popular. The Drunken Shrimp appetizer is a Must Get. The Rum Butter sauce youll to buy a gallon. Defintely eat at this place!!
Wow!!! Very cute! On the bay with a great feel. Everything we had was delicious!!!! Staff was awesome too!! Will definitely eat there again!!!
I am so impressed! I loved the view on the water. The food was AMAZING. Quite possibly the best seafood Ive ever had. We had the drunken shrimp and they were delicious. We ordered and clam chowder and it was the best Ive ever had. Loved my Wahoo tacos. Worth the hour wait for a table. We will be back!!
Cozy little shack for all your fishing needs. Really neat spot that sells live bait right by the pier
Everyone must try the drunken shrimp, it is the best.....We gave this restaurant a try on our 2nd night of our vacation and ended up coming here every night we were here. Highly recommended. Its a hole in a wall but the food is amazing....
Long wait but wow was it worth it for the food and cozy location with a view. Whatever you do make sure you get the drunken shrimp and key lime tart!🤤 The seared tuna and seafood cakes were also amazing. Just fantastic from start to end.
Food was fantastic! Drunken shrimp is a MUST. Great vibe. Outdoor dining only under umbrellas. Although they have a few seats at the bar inside. Great sitting outside on the water.
Food was good info they dont have indoor seating so weather has a lot to do with there dinning success.
Great Florida experience, simple food done right. Get the drunken shrimp!
My wife and I always look for the small out of the way restaurants and bars as they usually have the best local food and atmosphere. The Bait house was no exception. We walked in and were told the wait was over an hour. Immediately a couple told us it was worth the wait so we decided to wait. 5 minutes later another couple heard us say it was our first time and gave up their bar seats for us so we could eat sooner. Long story short we spoke with several friendly people including the wait staff. I believe people who search out places like this tend to be very friendly and outgoing. Now for the food....it was excellent! Wahoo blackened perfectly, peel and eat were the freshest, largest and best you can expect. Plenty of drinks to choose from with at least 8 draft beers on tap. We spoke with 4 different staff and they were all very friendly and helpful. We will be back again and we would wait if needed. Oh and while waiting they have an area on dock the whole place is open on the water you can get drinks while you wait.
Nice place good food but hard to park ! Extremely busy area
Food is awesome, ample portions and pierdining. Service is great. The only negative to this great place is the rude host who puts you on a wait list. This has happened more than one time.
Fantastic little stop right off the marina in Clearwater beach. We first stopped here for a drink and was blown away by this little hidden gem. The bar is very small and so is the venue, but its very unique and overhangs the waterfront. We later returned once again to try the food and was blown away once again. Be sure to try the drunken shrimp and add a dollar with your name to the bar to document your visit! Overall amazing experience and I will be telling any friends visiting the area to stop by here! Well done!
There was a line waiting for them to open and a very good reason why! There is so many awesome reviews about the drunken shrimp so I had to try and boy was I glad I did! The sauce has a little creole kick to it. I literally ate it by the spoon full, no bread needed! Fish tacos were delicious as well. Fresh caught wahoo:) cant beat the outdoor seatingWill be back every time Im in the area!!!
No substitutions! They dont devein shrimp! (Over cooked). Nice outside seating.
Love the setting a lot... Love the food more!I had as much of their specialty food as I could stomach. I practically had to roll myself outta there. The drunken shrimp is everything the other reviews said it was. The side salad... Huge! Lots of goodies on top, they dont skimp on anything. Moving on to fish spread... Wow! I dont know why I didnt buy the jalapeno jam when I was there since it added such an amazing accent to the spread that was already over the top. A bowl of clam chowder. What was I thinking? No room to put such a filling dish but I made it... barely. So much flavor the crackers actually detract from the soup and are absolutely not necessary. I have to go back and snack on everything they offer. I cant imagine anything would be lacking in flavor. A fun surprise of selections that need to be sampled. I will update this review. LoL
We had to wait to be seated outside of the bait shop, which was nice after being seated so you didnt have people waiting staring at you to finish your food.Food was delicious, service was quick and amazing, all of the servers were very friendly. Will be back!
We went for our Anniversary weekend as a local recommendation. The food was great. Very Limited menu. Basically the fresh catch done several ways (taco, pasta, sandwich, etc.) is what you can choose from along with a couple other choices. I had the Black & Blue Burger with Coleslaw. My wife had the Wahoo Sandwich. Service was average. I tried a locally brewed beer that I did not like but glad they had it available as an interesting choice. They could be 5 stars by expanding their menu and friendlier service.
Came here with my cousins and had the best food . The staff was super nice and i will definitely be back . Its my cousins favorite spot .
The drunken shrimp was to die for. Then we had burgers that were excellent. Highly recommended!
Shrimp app was so good. Burger and quesadilla were just ok... had to sit at the bar as we were not allowed to sit at a larger table since there was just two of us...
I am a single elderly retired individual who basically travels alone fishing going to the beach and going out for dinner however its only myself and I find many hosts at the door try to tell me its a long wait while they let other people go in without waiting at all so I come to the conclusion that theres not much accommodation for single people at restaurants. I told you a young man the host or maybe hes actually a hostess in disguise that I only wanted to get the group of Sandwich to go and not to go in the restaurant because of the situation and that I dont really go to restaurants and he said good. Good that I dont go to restaurants is my money not green am I not dressed in a t-shirt shorts and sneakers like everyone else? What is this attitude come from in your low paid unskilled host Steph and is this what the owner wants for the host to turn paying customers away? If I were the owner I would not want that but maybe theyre showing the likes that so Ill take my money elsewhere and the elsewhere in my case is blinkers with a happily have a table for me anytime I go. Stick the bait house up your rear end!
I ate here back in February and had the drunken shrimp. Fantastic flavor and very cozy on the water. Will eat here again when next in Clearwater.
Oustanding service. We ordered the fish quesadillas which were relatively small for the price, but tasty. Its a tight spot so one may expect a wait depending on the time of day. Its definitely worth visiting once. Some of the tables have a water view looking out. The waiting area is comfortable and also overlooks the water. All is outside, so good weather is a must.
Time here first time was great this time food was terrible. Simple Burger had no flavor hair in the coleslaw and my wife Caesar salad was full of the base of lettuce very little leaf.
Best Restaurant on Clearwater Beach. Food is fresh and delicious and the employees are the best. Love this place it never disappoints. I have taken many guest here and the only thing they ever say is we want to go back.
What a gem! We were hot and tired and at someone’s recommendation came to try this place out…my daughter (super picky) has been talking about the delicious drunken shrimp appetizer ever since! I had my first fish tacos (my sister too) and we both LOvED them! Cannot say enough good things…great service too! Can’t wait to come back to Clearwater to dine here again!
What a gem. So fresh food! Love the staff smiling helpful with menu choices. Love watching the pelicans.
Service was great, food was delicious, view was nice, definitely a must go place and not expensive. Stablishmen is kind of hidden but worth looking for
Loved everything about this place.. especially the fish tacos!!😋
Literally the best food we have had in Clearwater FL. We really enjoyed the Drunken shrimp. Great people! Best place to eat.