Best seafood and AYCE crab legs

Question

When we went to Daytona for our honeymoon 21 years ago we found a place near our hotel that had all you could eat crab legs which was so good. As we are looking at a possible vacation to Clearwater/St Pete area in May 2015 I was starting to look for places to get fresh seafood dinners as well as hopefully all you can eat crab legs. Thank you in advance for any responses.

Are there any places that have an AYCE crab legs which are not a buffet?

Who has the best freshest seafood dinners?

Who has the best buffets that may contain crab legs?

Are there any Buddy Freddies near the area? There was one at Holiday back in 2001 the last time I was in Florida.

Any buffets like Duffs around?

Any places to buy fresh seafood to freeze and take home?

MarkBee · Accepted Answer

There is another 3 weeks or so of Stone Crab season in FL. These will be the fresh crab, along with Blue Crab. Any AYCE or king crabs will be frozen, and be the same stuff you get in Indiana. I am not a crab eater, so don't know much about who offers what, but when Stone Crabs are in season, it's a big thing to a lot of people.

Only buffet that I know of on the beach is at Shephards Resort.

For the most part, and AYCE seafood, or buffet will not be good or fresh food. They would have to charge too much.

For very good, fresh seafood on the beach, any of the 4 Frenchy's locations. The most popular are Frenchy's Rockaway Grill on the North Beach, and Frenchy's Salt Water Café mid-beach. Palm Pavilion is North Beach also.

Great beach views from the second floor open-air seating and bar at Crabby Bill's BeachWalk. Seating right next to the water at Jimmy's Fish House & Iguana Bar inside the Holiday Inn. These are all very fun and casual places, and have great fresh food caught locally.

Frenchy's has their own fishing boats for their restaurants. They sell some seafood to the public from their docks behind Frenchy's Salt Water Café.

If you have a car, on the mainland in Largo is Ward's Seafood Market. Very good selection of fresh seafood.

JHumpert · Answer

Wow sounds like there is quite a few nice places to go to. I have seen Frenchy's mentioned on several of the posts that I have looked at as well as Shephards so will have to add those to my list of places to try. How far is Largo from the St Pete area? For sure planning on having a car while there

MarkBee · Answer

Ward's in Largo will be around a 40+ min or so drive from downtown St. Pete. There are some closer places if you are going to be in St. Pete. I have never been to it, but have heard good things about www.midpeninsulaseafood.com in St. Pete.

Beermonger · Answer

My better half has tried a few of the AYCE (snow) crab restaurants in the area and say that Cooters offers the best in her opinion. She says each refill is plentiful and the crab legs are generally larger. Enjoy.

JHumpert · Answer

That sounds promising also.

LifesABeach86 · Answer

You mentioned the St. Pete area. Will you be staying in Clearwater Beach or further south? There are many seafood restaurants all along the coast as well as other seafood markets, so if you are staying in St. Pete Beach - also ask in their forum.

If you are staying in Clearwater Beach, Frenchy's also sell fresh seafood . They catch their own seafood for their restaurants and sell what they don't use - their shop is open from 8:00 to noon daily. Selection is limited. http://frenchysonline.com/locations/frenchys-seafood-company/

JHumpert · Answer

At this point I am not sure which area we will eventually decide to stay at. I have just started looking at condos and we have almost a year before we are hopefully there so I have lots of time to find just the right condo. As a kid we always stayed with my grandparents in Holiday so I am not sure what areas are even there to know for sure which area we want to stay at besides to say the general St Pete area.

As far as being in a certain area to be close to certain activities we really don't have any plans other than relaxing and going to see Winter the dolphin at the Clearwater aquarium. And of course eating lots and lots of crab legs which for right now sounds like Cooters on Monday and Tuesday night. I also want to parasail, jetski for a while, and maybe metal detect on the beach. Other than that we have no plans.

VisitSPB · Answer

I think Wards is technically in Clearwater, not Largo.

JHumpert · Answer

I checked out their website and I for sure want to check them out maybe for lunch. I want to try the shark, I have never ate it before but heard it is very good to eat. I have had swordfish before at bonefish grill and wasn't impressed but maybe that was because it was from a chain restaurant and not from a fresh market.

JHumpert · Answer

Any restaurants that serve shark on the menu? I saw Wards show they have Maco or Blacktip shark but did not see it on the menu.

Best seafood and AYCE crab legs - Clearwater Forum

Best seafood and AYCE crab legs

Clearwater Hotels and Places to Stay