These Dock and Dine Restaurants Make Greater Fort Lauderdale a Boater’s Dream

Planted directly on the waterfront with views of the Intracoastal Waterway, 15th Street Fisheries is a two-story gem known for its fresh seafood, including grouper, conch chowder and fried seafood baskets, along with tropical cocktails.

The restaurant offers casual dockside dining and seating at the Aqua Bar for lunch, while dinner brings a more elevated experience inside a second-story Florida seafood house accented with nautical décor and panoramic views of the waterway and historic Lauderdale Marina. The dock is also known for its famous tarpon feeding, a long-standing tradition that draws visitors to the water’s edge.

An elevated yet relaxed setting, Boatyard is a coastal staple in Greater Fort Lauderdale. Guests can sit dockside by the waterfront for lunch or take in the sunset during happy hour or dinner near the iconic gumbo limbo tree. A firepit brings the al fresco lounge area to life in the evening. There is also ample indoor seating in the spacious dining room, which features tasteful nautical decor throughout.

The menu runs the gamut, featuring raw bar selections, fresh daily catches, grilled lobster tails and premium cuts of steak. The cocktail program is creative and Instagram-worthy, including the Ship-Faced Shelly, served in a boat-shaped vessel for parties of two to four.

With a lively dockside patio complemented by the busy boat traffic scene and live music, Shooters Waterfront delivers a classic Intracoastal atmosphere. Indoor seating is also available, with a dining room and bar offering water views. In addition to arriving by boat for lunch or dinner, the restaurant is known for its weekend bottomless brunch and popular daily happy hour. From sushi and coconut shrimp to hearty surf and turf, the menu offers a range of flavors to suit every appetite.

Nauti Dawg Waterfront Restaurant & Bar is a waterfront favorite in Lighthouse Point, offering marina views and freshly caught seafood. Live music is featured Wednesday through Sunday, along with daily specials throughout the week.

Mondays offer free kids meals, followed by Rib Night on Tuesdays and Marina Night on Wednesdays. Thursdays feature Wine Night, while Fridays bring a $25 all-day Fish Fry. Saturdays highlight Fresh Catch and Hook and Cook, and Sundays are reserved for bottomless brunch and loaded Bloody Marys.

Another popular Intracoastal Waterway stop just steps from the beach, Coconuts offers more than waterfront dining and cocktails. The restaurant is a favorite for sunset views and a relaxed, dog-friendly atmosphere.

The menu features scoobies, or snow crab claws, smoked fish dip, grilled jerk wings, peel-and-eat shrimp, fish tacos, lobster rolls and the coconut shrimp platter, along with margaritas, mojitos and rum punches. Sunday brunch includes classic favorites, hearty entrees and an oyster bar.

For more activity along the Intracoastal Waterway, Blue Moon Fish Co is a longtime favorite in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. Inside, the dining room features Art Deco-inspired decor, while outside, a spacious patio offers fans for warmer days and views of the water.

The menu focuses on upscale seafood, including tuna tartare, crispy octopus, seared scallops and jumbo lump crab cakes, along with seafood towers to start. Entrees range from swordfish paillard and crispy skin branzino to miso-crusted sea bass and lamb chops.

A prix fixe, three-course lunch menu is offered for $35 Monday through Saturday. Sunday brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $85 per person and includes small plates, omelettes, carving and raw bar stations, and a dessert spread.

Beneath a large tiki hut, Tiki Tiki is a relaxed waterfront restaurant in Hollywood with a casual island atmosphere. The menu features oysters, ceviche and seafood platters, paired with creative cocktails such as a spiced pineapple old fashioned, mango-chili margarita and coconut rum-infused tiki cocktail.

Open morning through night, the restaurant draws a steady crowd for weekend brunch, afternoon drinks and evening dining.

When Florida stone crab season begins each October, diners from across Greater Fort Lauderdale make their way to Billy’s Stone Crab, which is open year-round. The waterfront restaurant is known for freshly cracked stone crab claws, served dockside or as part of a more traditional dinner featuring steaks, fine wines and Key lime pie.

The property also includes an on-site market offering stone crab claws to go, along with Alaskan king crab legs, jumbo shrimp cocktail and other fresh seafood. Guests can purchase prepared items or take-home selections, including fresh catches and burger patties.

For a waterfront stop with a tropical feel farther north, The Cove in Deerfield Beach offers easy docking, a family-friendly atmosphere and open-air seating with water views. Daily happy hour with live music draws a steady crowd, along with a menu that includes fried calamari, conch fritters, ahi tuna nachos, smoked fish dip, coconut shrimp, drunken mussels, poke bowls, New England lobster rolls and mahi-mahi tacos.

The cocktail list features options such as a spiced mai tai, vodka-infused blueberry lemonade and the Cove’s Planter’s Punch.

A no-frills waterfront favorite, Southport Raw Bar & Restaurant overlooks the water and draws a loyal local crowd. The restaurant recently added a 100-seat dockside patio, where guests gather for cold beer and classic fare such as peel-and-eat shrimp, freshly shucked oysters, clams and chicken wings.

Daily seafood specials and live music are offered throughout the week, with performances beginning earlier in the afternoon on weekends. Weekend breakfast service is also available.

For more picturesque options along the Intracoastal Waterway, Mastro’s Ocean Club Fort Lauderdale is it when it comes to views paired with upscale dining. While most of the other restaurants gracing our list are yacht casual, Mastro’s enforces a strict dress code, so leave your shorts, tank tops, and swimsuits at home, and plan for an elegant evening out, starting with champagne, fine wine, or specialty cocktails at luxury hour. 

Indulge in fresh seafood towers, sushi, prime cuts of steak (including plenty of wagyu), fresh catches, and delicious sides, while live music sets the mood. Weekend brunch has a taste of the dinner menu, along with waffles, steak and eggs, and featured bennys. 

A prominent waterfront restaurant near the Las Olas Bridge, Ocean Prime spans 15,000 square feet across two stories and is a standout for surf-and-turf dining. The property includes a large dock with ample space for arriving by boat, along with extensive dockside seating. Inside, the lower level features a formal dining room and bar, while the upper level offers a more lounge-style setting with open-air bar seating, outdoor tables and cabanas overlooking the Las Olas Marina.

The restaurant serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. The menu highlights seafood towers, sushi, lobster bisque and a range of seafood entrees, along with prime steaks such as filet mignon, bone-in ribeye and New York wagyu strip. Side dishes include baked lobster mac and cheese, creamed spinach and smoked gouda tater tots, followed by signature desserts such as the 10-layer carrot cake.