Come for the beach, stay for the fine cuisine and cold drinks.
Siesta Key has it all: stunning white sand beaches, a coastline of beach, plenty of things to do outdoors, award-winning restaurants, unique shops and boutiques, historical sites, great nightlife – the list of attractions on Siesta Key goes on and on.
It’s no wonder that, at last count, nearly one million people visit Siesta Key each year. It’s a perfect vacation spot, with something for everyone in the family.
If you’re looking to kick back and have a few drinks and enjoy a bit of the nightlife, there’s plenty here for that, too. Siesta Key is home to many bars and pubs that offer great food, drink specials, party atmospheres and more.
If you’re staying at one of our Crescent Beach Siesta Key condo rentals, you won’t always want to do your own cooking. Try the grub at one of these three great Siesta Key bars you won’t want to miss the next time you head south:
Siesta Key Oyster Bar
Just about any search of Siesta Key pubs and bars turns up one name over and over: Siesta Key Oyster Bar.
Referred to by locals and regular visitors as SKOB, this spot boasts of being the hot spot in Siesta Key Village. How can you go wrong with an impressive variety of food and drink, such as:
- 21 beers on tap
- Domestic, imported and specialty beers
- Prime burgers
- Chicken wings
- Signature grouper sandwich
- Award-winning wings
- Beer battered fish and chips
“Skobetizers” include grouper bites, crab cakes, Cajun popcorn shrimp, and Southwest shrimp tostada. And SKOB classics offer choices of Siesta Key Extravaganza (blackened grouper, jerk shrimp and Key-style crab cake), crab-stuffed lobster, seafood tacos or the Chef Special: Seafood Paella, a hearty plate of shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, calamari, and chorizo mixed with a saffron-infused rice.
Looking for a deal? Every day there’s Big G’s Crustacean Happy Hour: a dozen oysters on the half-shell or Louisiana crawfish for just $7. At night, there’s live music out on the patio.
Gilligan’s Island Bar
A casual, relaxed-atmosphere bar and grill, Gilligan’s Island Bar provides a great dining and drinking experience.
Highlights of this venue include:
- Tiki Bar and thatched Tiki roof (Gilligan’s boasts of being the largest Tiki Bar in the area)
- Back Beach Patio
- The Voodoo Deck
- Live bands
- VW Bus in the Kitchen–dishes served through the side window!
The bar serves local craft and classic brands of beer, as well as pina coladas, mai tais, mojitos, frozen daiquiris and Absolut cocktails.
Lightly seasoned Black Angus ground beef burgers (“World Famous Big Kahuna Burger!”), fresh grouper sandwiches, Snow crab platters, Gilligan’s fish tacos and salmon BLTs highlight the diverse and carefully prepared menu.
Thursdays feature Ladies Night with a $5 cover and every Saturday is live entertainment. Special events like beach parties and Endless Summer drink specials on Fridays are among other reasons you will want to see what Gilligan’s Island Bar is all about.
The Beach Club
This venue appears high on some lists of Siesta Key bars and pubs – probably because there’s always the guarantee of a good party for a great price.
Besides being a go-to spot for music (DJs and live bands), the Beach Club has Daily Specials (Ladies Night, Thirsty Thursdays, Sin Night Mondays and Sunday Funday), special events like a Halloween costume contest and other holiday themed parties, and a daily Happy Hour featuring $2 domestic drafts and $4 Margaritas.
The menu isn’t huge, but offers a number dishes, such as chili cheese fries, pizza, a buffalo chicken sub, and chicken tender basket – all of which go really well those beers and margaritas you’ll order.
This is a great place if you’re looking for an old school pub. Several reviewers call it the best dive bar in Sarasota.
Our Siesta Key condo rentals are a popular option for travelers looking for a bit of warmth once the snow falls – with good reason. The attractions on Siesta Key are plentiful, the beaches are pristine, the food is tasty, and the beer is served cold at some happening Siesta Key bars.