I will be visiting the Space Coast next month and look forward to sampling some of Central Florida's Atlantic seafood.

For those of you familiar with the local cuisine: could you please list your "Top 3" favorite seafood restaurants for me? Also, what types of fish/crustaceans are to be found in these waters?

Thanks for your imput!

TTT

We are going in a few weeks and I'd love some tips.

Thanks

Go to Yen-Yen and order the whole snapper. Feeds 2-4. It's usually not on the menu, and you have to order it as soon as you're seated. Everything else at Yen-Yen is good, too, including other seafood.

We like Jack Baker's Lobster Shanty
for casual and The Mango Tree for more upscale.

I live two exits away and have yet to find a decent seafood restaurant here.

kfusto unfortunately has the right answer. Cocoa is a seriously casual community. Local seafood is served in plastic baskets with plastic cups of beer overlooking the industrial port. The restaurants at the port: Rusty's, the Tiki Bar and a couple others all have the same fare. Great grilled fish sandwiches, but don't look for table clothes, fine sauces, or sophisticated atmosphere.

The Cocoa Beach Pier has a couple of restaurants about like the Lobster Shack. OK food, nicer, cleaner, but not great.

The Florida Seafood restaurant immediately off A1A on 521 before the causeway is very popular.

The fish specials at Caraba's are always good.

Hey, you are in Florida in the winter time. You can see the water. The beer is cold. The crowd is having fun. Make do.

We've always enjoyed Jack Baker's, and great salad bar too. Also, Coconuts on the beach, although more a bar really, has great food. My DH has enjoyed great burgers and fish sandwiches and I have enjoyed coconut shrimp. Great outdoor on the beach location, we think.

Thanks for all of the tips. Any ideas for the Melbourne area? Good Seafood? We are trying to decide which area to stay for the weekend.

My husband wants to surf if the conditions are right but we like a more mellow laid back area to stay (Melbourne?). I've been trying to find the best hotel deal in Cocoa or Melbourne. Our one requirement is to have an oceanview balcony room. Most places like Doubletree, Crowne Plaza, etc. are over $200 per night. A lot of hotels offer a balcony but just trying to find the best deal. Any other ideas welcome.

Thanks again!

Cocoa and Melbourne are not the same cities as Cocoa Beach and Melbourne Beach, so be careful in your searching.

Surfing? Try the beaches at Patrick AFB.

Melbourne Beach: Island Fish Grill; Scott's (expensive); D'John's (expensive). City Tropics (moderate).

The posters who say there are no good seafood restaurants in the Cocoa Beach area are pretentious extremist foodies, or ignorant, or both. And at least one of them seems to think tables should wear clothes.

<<The posters who say there are no good seafood restaurants in the Cocoa Beach area are pretentious extremist foodies, or ignorant, or both.>>

those who make blatantly and rude generalizations about people they don't know are indeed ignorant

Islands Fish Grill! A great suggestion j_999_9. Excellent food there.

I asked around at work today, and coworkers who live in Cocoa Beach suggested Pompano Grill and The Fat Snook. Both are off the beaten path; Pompano Grill on Brevard Avenue (west of southbound A1A between Minutemen and North 4th), and Fat Snook on A1A near Patrick AFB.

Surfing? Try the beaches at Patrick AFB.

Yes, but be sure to observe the parking restrictions, posted on signs. This is an active military installation and some of the "beach parking" is restricted and not open to the public.

We found a hidden gem that my family loves though it is not a "family restaurant."It is called the Fat Snook. The menu is unique and original located in a quiet area. We had to ask them to bring more bread and dip because my kids devoured it. The dessert was gone before I looked. You can look it up online. The town of Cocoa Beach has nice restaurants as well. Don't miss the Omlette Station for breakfast. Enjoy

Florida Seafood - Yummy on the rock shrimp!!!

Yen Yen is a great chinese restaurant that does fish right. People drive up from Palm Beach to go to this place right in the heart of Cocoa Beach.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8...um=1&ct=result

I haven't been there in several years, but there's a terrific seafood restaurant south of Melbourne in Grant. The name is Ozzie's. The owner is a transplant from Maryland and he prepares some pretty good steamed crabs and Atlantic seafood.

I will take all these great suggestions with us!

Anyone know anything about the Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach? They have ocean view balcony rooms on the inexpensive side. Next choice is the Hilton Melbourne (not the one by the airport).

Thanks again!

I agree will the poster who said

"Hey, you are in Florida in the winter time. You can see the water. The beer is cold. The crowd is having fun. Make do."

That's my attitude - considering we had 6 inches of snow last night!

My favorite....

Dixie Crossroads in Titusville.

http://www.dixiecrossroads.com/


The original, not the one in Orlando.

It is best known for their rock shrimp.