Rod and Reel Pier

I have been looking forward to a visit to this AMI stalwart for some time but to be honest I wasn't entirely clear that it was a restaurant as the first couple of times we ran by we just saw a good number of folks fishing and thought it may be just a fishing pier. Not having the rest of the crew with me to day I decided to stop and check for sure and I am certainly glad that I did.

When pulling up you'll see that there is roughly room for two boats to dock on each side of the pier but when pulling up, or around, be sure to give the fisherman a wide berth.

Rod & Reel Pier is truly there for the entire community: whether you're looking for a place to fish, need live bait, looking for a cold one in an open air bar, cafe dining, or an air conditioned dining room. All this sandwiched between great views of the Sunshine Skyway and Passage Key from the north end of Anna Maria Island.

Being such a sweltering day I started with a couple of cold ones while looking over the menu. After talking to my server, Julissa, who recommended the blackened grouper sandwich, and even though the other items look great, it will be difficult to order anything else on our next visit. A huge piece of flaky white fish, lightly seasoned and done to perfection!

It's very rare for me to take anything to go, beyond having a healthy appetite nothing is quite as good when you get home but in this case I just didn't have room for it all!

If you're looking for great food in a casual setting with an old Florida neighborhood feel and great service... you've gotta give Rod and Reel a try. If you're lucky you'll get Julissa as a server and if so, listen to her recommendations!