The 5 Highest Rated Anna Maria Island Restaurants

Much like many of the other beach towns along the Florida coast, Anna Maria Island has some really good restaurants and a bunch of very mediocre restaurants. Many restaurants in Florida that get a steady stream of fresh tourists every week have realized that they can get away with substandard food and service because their customers are brand new when the week turns over. In a time when many places are extremely short staffed, the gap between the really good restaurants and the mediocre ones has widened even further. If you are looking for a list of the best places to stay on Anna Maria, here’s our guide: https://frequentislander.com/the-5-best-anna-maria-island-beachfront-house-rentals/

In this guide we are going to determine the 5 highest rated Anna Maria Island restaurants by averaging the review scores from Google, Tripadvisor and Yelp. We’ve found that reviews can vary widely between different review platforms, and by averaging all three we can get a better idea of the best restaurants on the island. We all have our favorite restaurants on Anna Maria, but this list is without bias, purely based on the review data from customers. Enjoy!

5. Hurricane Hanks

Hurricane Hanks is a popular bar and grill located at the intersection of Marina Drive and Gulf Drive on Anna Maria Island. Serving typical bar food and a variety of fried seafood, Hurricane Hanks is consistently pretty good. It’s never going to blow you away, but is a safe choice for a good reasonably priced meal. The local catch “Fish of the Day” special is always delicious if you get there before they run out. The grouper taco’s are also usually a hit. For non-seafood eaters the burger, sandwich, and salad selection is on point. If we had to pick a can’t miss item on the menu, you need to try the bacon wrapped scallops appetizer. https://www.hurricanehanks.com/

Google 4.5/5.0 (1200+ Reviews) Tripadvisor 4.5/5.0 (1100+ reviews) Yelp 4.4/5.0 (300+ reviews) Composite Average 4.47/5.0

4. The Ugly Grouper

The Ugly Grouper is one of the most popular restaurants on Anna Maria Island, and that usually means you are going to have a wait. The nice thing is there is almost always live music and plenty of yard games while you wait. Like most restaurants on AMI, seafood is the name of the game here. Just like the name suggests, grouper is what it they are known for. By far the most popular menu items are the grouper and shrimp tacos, made in massive “cheese fan” tortillas. The blackened grouper is another popular dish, that is very well reviewed. Be prepared for a wait, but the Ugly Grouper rarely disappoints. https://www.uglygrouper.com/

Google 4.5/5.0 (4500+ Reviews) Tripadvisor 4.6/5.0 (1200+ reviews) Yelp 4.4/5.0 (900+ reviews) Composite Average 4.50/5.0

3. Ginny and Jane E’s Cafe and Gift Store

This is definitely the most unconventional restaurant on this list, but it is consistently rated as one of the best Anna Maria Island restaurants on all 3 review platforms. Part bakery, part antiques store and gift shop, part breakfast and lunch restaurant. It’s an interesting combination, but it ends up coming together quite well. The breakfast is the real standout at Ginny and Jane E’s on the restaurant side, and the bakery is the best on the island. Their cinnamon rolls and pies can’t be missed. You can order from the bakery without needing to sit down at the restaurant if you are short on time. https://www.ginnysandjanees.com/

Google 4.7/5.0 (1400+ Reviews) Tripadvisor 4.6/5.0 (1700+ reviews) Yelp 4.6/5.0 (400+ reviews) Composite Average 4.63/5.0

2. The Waterfront Restaurant

The Waterfront is another ultra popular AMI restaurant, like the Ugly Grouper. This restaurant is a little more upscale than the ones so far, but surprisingly isn’t much more expensive. There is much less of a tiki drink scene here and more of a laid back craft cocktail crowd. The ample covered outdoor seating area makes up for the small amount of indoor seating. The Frutti di Mare pasta is our favorite dish here, with a variety of super fresh seafood in a decadent red sauce. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, the dishes are all unique and inventive. We love their focus on local and fresh ingredients, something we wish more Anna Maria Island restaurants focused on. If you are looking for a little more upscale dinner spot that’s still casual enough to wear whatever you want, there’s no better choice than The Waterfront. https://thewaterfrontrestaurant.net/

Google 4.6/5.0 (2400+ Reviews) Tripadvisor 4.7/5.0 (3000+ reviews) Yelp 4.7/5.0 (800+ reviews) Composite Average 4.67/5.0

1. The Porch Restaurant

The Porch topped the list of the overall best Anna Maria Island restaurants with relative ease, coming in with a 4.80/5.0 composite review score. This is a small restaurant, with very limited seating, but they do accept reservations. Everything at The Porch is 100% made from scratch, and they take pride in taking no shortcuts. They use only the highest quality and freshest ingredients, using no preservatives whatsoever. The dinner menu can get a little pricey, but is definitely on par for the quality of the food. It’s a little secret that during lunch, this is one of the cheapest places on the island to grab a burger or salad, and you still get the same quality as during dinner. If you manage to snag a coveted dinner reservation to The Porch, you are in for one of the most incredible meals of your life. https://www.theporchami.com/

Google 4.8/5.0 (196 Reviews) Tripadvisor 4.8/5.0 (31 reviews) Yelp 4.8/5.0 (86 reviews) Composite Average 4.80/5.0