Doc Ford's Rum Bar and Grille St Pete Pier

Not sure what the hype is for the Yucatan Shrimp. The sauce was ok but honestly a bit salty for me. Be ware that not only do you need to peel the shrimp, but you have to devein it as well if you dont want to eat the digestive tract...messy since it's already emersed in the sauce. The French bread is delicious. My panko crusted grouper was more of a pnko mealy texture as opposed to crust. The sauce was not a great flavor. French fries were good. The Cuban sandwich was not bad along with the black beans and yellow rice. Nice atmosphere both inside and out with the water view. Small pour on their martini but since their specialty is rum cocktails they get a pass. There are so many restaurants in St Petersburg so I doubt we will be back any time soon.

We each had the Doc's flounder sandwich with sweet potato fries. It was very tasty. Wish it had bit more slaw n a tomato slice but no matter. The staff was excellent, Sophia our waitress. I reserved table in advance n the host was great. Got us the perfect outside table with a view. For everything, I thought the prices very reasonable for eating out. Def recommend n will b back. Parking in front on Sunday afternoon full but I lucked out on a great spot with a 5 min walk. Parkmobile app easy to use.

My fiance and I went here a week ago after visiting the pier. We had previously gone to Doc Ford's in Jungle Terrace. Upon arrival we asked the male hostess if we sat outside if we could sit in the shade and if he didn't think it was shady we would just sit inside. He was a bit sassy and said "i can't make any promises" and then proceeded to sit us at the sunniest table possible outside which was annoying because he should've just told us we'd be better off sitting inside. However our initial server outside was very understanding and accommodating and helped us quickly get a table inside Besides that, our server was very nice and efficient. I had the cheesy bread with bacon as an app which was tasty and the grouper sandwich with fries which was really good. I also thoroughly enjoyed the variety of their sauces that are available on the table. My fiance had the shrimp tacos with the veggies which she enjoyed her meal as well. It was crowded but it was a good meal and the restaurant itself has some great views!

Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grill at the Saint Pete Pier delivers a remarkably consistent and high-quality dining experience. The clam chowder, flavorful Caesar salad with chicken, and even the simple yet satisfying beans and cheese dip with tortilla chips were excellent, showcasing strong food quality. Coupled with outstanding service and a pleasant atmosphere, the value here is genuinely an absolute steal, making it a top recommendation.

Overall, a great experience. My grandmother was visiting and wanted a grouper option, and their macadamia nut–crusted grouper stood out right away. We planned to go around sunset as a group of four, and while we thought we might need reservations, the wait was only about 10 minutes. We even ended up with a window seat to catch the sunset, which made it even better. The restaurant has a big dining room with plenty of seating, so it seems they can handle groups of all sizes. Menu options were solid with really reasonable prices. Most of what we ordered was delicious. The grouper was a hit, and even the clam chowder was great. The only plate we didn’t care for was the flatbread; it came out more like a big cracker—very thin and crunchy, not our preference for a base. Our server was attentive, friendly, and kept checking in, which made the night go smoothly. Food came out in good time and overall was really enjoyable. The only downside was the mojitos—they honestly tasted like watered-down lime juice and weren’t worth it. Everything else though was spot on: good food, good service, great view, and great prices. We’d definitely go back again, just skipping the mojitos.