The Top Beach Restaurants In The US
Sun on your face, salt in the air, and a plate that tastes like vacation. That is the magic of America’s best beach restaurants, where fresh seafood meets unforgettable views.
Whether you crave a sunset cocktail or a laid back shack with legendary tacos, these coastal gems deliver. Get ready to bookmark your next seaside meal.
1. The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove, California
You feel the vintage charm the moment your feet hit the sand at Crystal Cove. The Beachcomber serves calamari, mahi tacos, and a killer Bloody Mary while waves roll in just steps away.
Grab a beeper, wait on the beach, and watch pelicans arc across the orange horizon.
Breakfast brings beignets dusted like sea spray. Later, coconut shrimp and ahi poke bowls pair with tiki style cocktails without pretense.
It is SoCal nostalgia with service that remembers your name and a soundtrack of gulls, laughter, and clinking glass.
2. The Lobster Shack at Two Lights, Maine
Perched above jagged granite, this shack plates lobster so sweet you will swear the ocean kissed it. Order a warm buttered roll, chowder steaming, and watch the Atlantic slap the rocks below.
Gulls hover hopefully as you crack claws with buttery fingers.
It is simple, salty, and perfect. Paper trays, picnic tables, and views that slow your pulse.
Bring a sweater, because the breeze cuts even in July, and savor that briny perfume only Maine can bottle.
3. The Salty Dog Cafe, South Carolina
You come for the Lowcountry vibe and stay for the hushpuppies. The Salty Dog hums with live music, cold beer, and heaping baskets of shrimp.
Boats bob nearby while sunset paints Broad Creek pink, and kids chase each other under strings of lights.
Fried seafood shares the menu with grilled mahi, she crab soup, and key lime pie. Wear the famous T shirt, grab a frozen drink, and let the evening unfold.
It is touristy, sure, but the joy feels genuine and contagious.
4. Duke’s Waikiki, Hawaii
At Duke’s, waves practically high five the lanai. You grab a Mai Tai, slide into flip flops, and dig into macadamia nut fish while surfers carve glassy blue swells.
The vibe is aloha without fuss, anchored by Duke Kahanamoku’s legacy.
Sunday brunch brings the famous Hula Pie towering like a sweet volcano. Live music drifts across the sand as the torches spark to life.
It is a must for first timers and a comfort for locals who never tire of that view.
5. The Rusty Pelican, Miami, Florida
The Rusty Pelican is where Miami dresses up for the ocean. You sip a smoky cocktail while the skyline flickers across Biscayne Bay, and a chilled seafood tower arrives like sculpture.
Service glides, and the breeze carries hints of salt and citrus.
Expect lobster risotto, charred octopus, and perfectly seared scallops. Golden hour is pure theater as yachts glide past and the city blushes purple.
If you want romance with your oysters, this is your postcard and your reservation.
6. The Crab Shack, Tybee Island, Georgia
Where the elite eat in their bare feet, the sign jokes, and it delivers. You crack crab on newspaper covered tables while marsh grass rustles.
Platters of peel and eat shrimp, corn, and potatoes arrive steaming, and the cocktail sauce wakes everything up.
It is messy, communal, and charmingly ramshackle. Gators lurk in a lagoon nearby, kids squeal at claws, and laughter carries across the docks.
Come hungry, leave salty, and pocket a few napkins for the road.
7. The Waterfront Restaurant, Anna Maria Island, Florida
Laid back island life meets thoughtful cooking at The Waterfront. You settle into a breezy patio chair, order a grouper sandwich, and watch turquoise water shimmer beyond the palms.
Cocktails lean botanical, and the menu treats local fish with care.
Think seared tuna, seasonal veggies, and a decadent key lime crème brûlée. Service is warm without hovering, and the pace invites conversation.
After dinner, stroll across to the pier and let the Gulf finish the show.
8. The Boathouse at Harbor Town, South Carolina
At Harbor Town, this spot turns seafood into a gentle celebration. You can sit facing the lighthouse, fork into blackened fish, and listen to halyards ping like wind chimes.
The staff knows the tides and how to time your entrée with the sunset.
Expect hushpuppies, fresh oysters, and Lowcountry sides that taste like tradition. Wine service is attentive without fuss.
When the sky finally fades, the marina lights flicker, and you will swear the night breathes slower.
9. Geoffrey’s Malibu, California
Geoffrey’s feels like a film location you somehow booked for dinner. White tablecloths float above pounding surf, and servers choreograph courses with quiet grace.
You taste lobster spaghetti, sip champagne, and watch dolphins sketch arcs across the blue.
It is special occasion dining with Malibu swagger. Even in midday, the horizon steals attention from your plate.
Bring sunglasses, a celebratory mood, and room for dessert, because the chocolate lava cake competes with the sunset, and that is saying something.
10. The Spot, Hermosa Beach, California
Just steps from the sand, The Spot nails California casual. You wander in sandy and hungry and leave fueled on fish tacos and bright, fresh bowls.
The patio catches boardwalk energy as cyclists ring bells and surfers drip dry nearby.
Smoothies, salads, and plant forward plates keep it light without being boring. Order salsa on everything and chase it with a cold beer.
It is the kind of place you return to after every beach day because it always hits right.
11. Coconuts on the Beach, Cocoa Beach, Florida
This is the loud, sandy, fun one where bare feet are dress code. Coconuts slings rum buckets, fried shrimp, and burgers that taste exactly like vacation.
Live bands crank up while waves thump the shore, and seagulls eye your fries.
You can slide from beach chair to bar stool in minutes. Order blackened mahi, grab a frozen drink, and let the afternoon blur into sunset.
It is not fancy, but it is reliably happy, with ocean spray as the house perfume.
12. The Ocean House, Watch Hill, Rhode Island
The Ocean House offers beach dining with polished New England grace. Sit on the veranda where linens billow and the Atlantic unrolls like silk.
Oysters arrive on ice, and a classic clambake perfumes the breeze with butter and seaweed.
Service is crisp, but never stiff. You are here to linger over lobster, sip chilled rosé, and watch gulls trace lazy circles.
The lawn flows to the sand, and time relaxes its grip as twilight paints the shingles gold.
13. The Hangout, Gulf Shores, Alabama
The Hangout is pure family friendly energy on the sand. There are foam parties, giant games, and a menu built for sharing.
Think Gulf shrimp, po boys, and mile high sundaes while the surf pounds a steady beat.
It is chaotic in the best beachy way. Staff keeps the vibe playful, DJs spin, and kids dance between bites.
If you want quiet, look elsewhere, but if you want a memory with sandy toes, this is your stage.
14. Mama’s Fish House, Maui, Hawaii
Every plate tells a fisherman’s story at Mama’s. The menu lists who caught your fish and where, and the flavors sing with coconut, lime, and ginger.
You sit in a breezy, flower scented room as the cove shimmers outside like a postcard come alive.
Yes, it is pricey, but the execution justifies the splurge. Cocktails bloom with tropical brightness, and desserts feel celebratory.
Book early, wear something light, and let the trade winds do the rest.
15. Beachside Restaurant & Bar, Santa Monica, California
Beachside delivers exactly what the name promises. You relax by a fire pit, sip a citrusy cocktail, and watch surfers silhouette against the pier.
The menu leans Mediterranean coastal with grilled branzino, crisp salads, and fries too good to share.
Blankets appear if the breeze picks up, and the service reads the table well. It works for date night, brunch, or a sandy quick bite.
Time your arrival for golden hour and just let the ocean narrate.
16. The Oceanic, Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Built beside an old pier, The Oceanic puts the Atlantic under your table. Sit outside and feel the deck hum as waves roll underneath.
Shrimp and grits, crab cakes, and hushpuppies showcase Carolina comfort with salt spray seasoning.
Stormy days are dramatic, sunny days are postcard perfect. Either way, you get front row seats to the ocean’s mood swings.
Order a local beer, settle in, and let gulls handle the soundtrack while your plate handles the hunger.
