On your next trip to Florida, discover the greatest Marathon restaurants on the water! They typically have everything from sushi and fresh seafood to key lime pie and pizza. Whether you enjoy outdoor dining with your toes in the sand or an upmarket dining room, the Keys have it all.
Consult with locals to learn which restaurants they recommend to visiting family, friends, and newcomers eager to sample the cuisine of the islands. All of these Marathon restaurants are close to holiday properties and can be reached by walking, biking, or driving.
Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar
- Location: 1406 Ocean View Ave, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: castawayfloridakeys.com
Castaway, one of the Keys’ oldest eateries, has been there for many years and is still a local favorite. It is a hidden gem, with fresh local seafood arriving right off the boat in the mornings and its tucked-away position. Guy Fieri’s show ‘Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives’ featured a visit to this eatery.
They are best renowned for their “King of the Jungle” roll, which stars lionfish as the main attraction! Order it “wrecker” with capers, garlic, butter, and diced tomato sauce, or as ceviche or over a sushi roll. Castaway owner and ardent diver and spearfisherman John Mirabella aims the predator during leisure dives for fresh-caught lionfish and other species like wahoo, grouper, and cobia.
Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar features an outdoor seating area with lots of space for friends to congregate, and the staff is courteous and accommodating.
Favorite menu item: Lionfish – fillet entree, sashimi or nigiri, King of the Jungle roll
Burdines Waterfront
- Location: 1200 Ocean View Ave, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: burdineswaterfront.com
Burdines Waterfront is at the end of 15th Street in Oceanside. With Boot Key Harbor and the oceanside inlet on either side, the view from the wraparound balcony is one of the greatest in Marathon.
Burdines features a well-preserved tiki flair against a backdrop of gentle blue waves. It is a Marathon local’s secret, and this cheap café attributes its success to word of mouth. Try their uniquely seasoned fries or their delicious hushpuppies!
And no supper is complete without a slice of melt-in-your-mouth Key lime pie. The tuna poké at Burdines is super-fresh, and the generous portion of brined French fries is generous — but the fried Key lime pie, a chimichanga-like plateful of tangy sweetness, is unavoidable and made with enough serving for three people.
Favorite menu item: Homemade Hushpuppies – with shredded cheddar jack cheese and served with a raspberry jalapeño dipping sauce
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Keys Fisheries
- Location: 3502 Gulfview Ave, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: keysfisheries.com
Keys Fisheries, dubbed one of the best seafood restaurants in the Middle Keys, is a must-visit for anyone looking to fill up on freshly caught fish. This restaurant is unique because it has a market selling menu items or ingredient essentials. If you enjoy their conch fritters, for example, you can get a bag of the batter and try to replicate the dish at home.
In addition to being a popular hangout for both locals and visitors, the “upstairs bar” is great for watching the sunset while shucking and cracking shelled seafood. Keys Fisheries sends fresh seafood through online orders, including the famous lobster Reuben, to those looking for a taste of the island chain.
Keys Fisheries is the place to go for a casual seafood experience in the Keys. This restaurant, open daily for lunch and dinner, boasts an outstanding view of the sunset and serves fresh catches from local commercial fishing vessels.
Favorite menu item: World Famous Lobster Reuben – toasted rye, kraut, Swiss Cheese, Thousand Island dressing
Island Fish Company
The Island Fish Company, Tiki Bar and Grill, Marathon, Florida Keys by Having Fun Wherever We Go
- Location: 12648 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: islandfishco.com
Sunsets, Florida Bay views, and delicious dining can all be experienced at Mile Marker 54 Bayside, Marathon, in the center of the Florida Keys.
Island Fish Company, a nautical-themed seafood restaurant, offers a magnificent view of the sunset and local delicacies influenced by the sea. Coconut shrimp, conch fritters, and other dishes are on the menu. Visitors can have a leisurely meal while watching charter boats enter and exit the port.
The Island Fish Company encourages visitors to kick back and relax while savoring fresh fish and refreshing tiki favorites. To get the most out of the ambiance, make use of the outdoor seating.
Favorite menu item: Stuffed Shrimp – Key West Pink Gold Shrimp wrapped in bacon, topped with Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese & bbq sauce. Served with chef’s rice and veggies. The perfect combos!
Porky’s Bayside BBQ
- Location: 1410 Overseas Hwy MM47.5, 1400 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: porkysbaysidebbq.com
Porky’s Bayside serves amazing BBQ and one of the greatest Key Lime pies in town if you’re looking for a comforting and tasty lunch. They truly have everything from daily freshly smoked meats to fresh seafood. It’s an excellent place to moor your boat, and it has a beautiful location on the marina; just make sure you reserve a slot ahead of time!
Porky’s is well-known for its delicious food and welcoming island atmosphere. Since the 1950s, its unusual setting has attracted famous Keys tourists and celebrities, including Ernest Hemmingway, Jimmy Hoffa, and Elizabeth Taylor. It was once known as “Bill Thompson’s Villas and Marina” and was the place to be.
Favorite menu item: Baby Back Ribs – Porky’s famous fall-off-the-bone ribs. I heard it’s very juicy, too!
Hideaway Café
- Location: 57784 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$$$
- Website: rainbowbend.com/hideaway-cafe
“The only thing we overlook is the ocean!” That’s the motto for Hideaway Café, located behind the well-known Rainbow Bend Resort at Mile Marker 58 on Grassy Key. Residents and visitors in the Keys awaited the reopening of this modest, charming café after several months of refurbishment.
Its reputation is still strong for its well-grilled house steaks, whole roasted duck à la Hideaway, and fresh fish catch of the day made to request. The cafe is well-known for its exquisite meals and one-of-a-kind eating experience.
Favorite menu item: Duck – with a very rich sauce. One of the most popular poultry dishes from the cafe.
Sunset Grille and Raw Bar
- Location: 7 Knights Key Blvd, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: sunsetgrille7milebridge.com
The Sunset Grille, located at the foot of the renowned 7 Mile Bridge, is a wonderful coastal tiki bar for sipping your favorite cocktails and a fantastic place to watch the sunset while eating dinner. It has one of the largest pools in the Florida Keys and is designed to seem like a thatched South Seas tiki hut.
Sunset Grille welcomes and manages large crowds. A huge bar and restaurant with amazing views are set beneath a tall chickee structure.
Favorite menu item: Sushi – The menu involves sushi appetizers, samplers, hand rolls, etc.
TJ's Tiki Bar
- Location: 2600 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: tranquilitybay.com/dining/tjs-tiki-bar
TJ’s Tiki Bar offers the best oceanfront dining experience under swaying palms. From fresh-caught favorites like the blackened shrimp salad and mahi sandwich to kid-approved staples like chicken tenders served with a side of delectable curly fries, their menu of family-friendly meals has something for everyone.
Catch the big game, cool off with a frozen drink, or toast your tropical vacation over creative cocktails each night between 6 PM and 9 PM — the ideal way to unwind after another day in paradise.
Favorite menu item: Blueberry Mojito – with muddled mint, lime, light Bacardi rum, simple syrup, and soda water
Lazy Days South
Lazy Days South – A great place to eat in the Florida Keys
- Location: 725 11th Street Ocean, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: lazydayssouth.com
Lazy Days South offers excellent waterfront dining. You’ll enjoy the superb meal selection, which includes delicious seafood, pasta, sirloin, and lobster. What makes it even more unique is that you may bring your own catch and have it prepared at Lazy Days South.
This is the ideal location to go if some members of your party want fresh seafood while others want a steakhouse. Lazy Days South offers the best of both worlds. Desserts are also highly recommended!
Lazy Days South has been voted “Best Overall Restaurant” for the previous 16 years. This restaurant’s huge meals and relaxed atmosphere ensure that you will enjoy your dinner.
Favorite menu item: Grouper Lorenzo – sautéed and topped with a crab cake, key lime butter and béarnaise sauce
Angler and Ale
- Location: 540 Duck Key Dr, Duck Key, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: hawkscay.com/amenities/dining/angler-and-ale
Do you want to spend your next holiday in the Luxury Florida Keys? Angler and Ale is the ideal Marathon holiday home, with a heated pool, spill-over spa, dock, industrial ice machine, and wet bar.
These Florida Keys marina’s docks are a gathering place for families, friends, and fish stories, where you can stop in for some fantastic food and the coldest tap beer in the lower latitudes. Bring in your own catch for a hook-and-cook feast cooked by their skilled chefs.
Favorite menu item: Tuna Nachos – seared blackened yellowfin tuna, seaweed salad, pickled cucumbers, pickled ginger, jalapeños wasabi cream, cilantro pesto, wonton chips
Lighthouse Grill
Lighthouse Grill at Faro Blanco Resort and Marina Marathon, Florida Keys by Gables On The Go
- Location: 1994 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: lighthousegrillmarathon.com
Lighthouse Grill provides a calm atmosphere with familiar flavors and an unrivaled view of Florida Bay. Relax in a relaxing, bayside setting under the shadow of the historic Faro Blanco lighthouse and enjoy an eclectic cuisine of fresh seafood specialties and local favorites.
Lighthouse cuisine focuses on local ingredients of the highest quality and sustainability. Their ocean-to-table cuisine includes the freshest ceviche, the classic smoked fish dip, and the inventive Chef’s unique daily catch, providing something for every experience while always putting quality first. To make the experience even more unique and memorable, they use local distilleries like Papa Pilar rum and tropical fruits in their crafted drinks.
Favorite menu item: Prime Rib – slow roasted, herb-crusted, garlic mashed potatoes, au-jus, horseradish
Sparky's Landing Fish and Cocktails
- Location: 13205 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: sparkyslanding.com
Sparky’s Landing opened in February 2006 with a focus on good times, fresh seafood, and refreshing beverages. There’s something for everyone on the menu, from West Coast Style Fish Tacos to wood-fired Shrimp & Bacon Pizza to the distinctive Frueben (Fish Rueben).
Favorite menu item: Chicken Wings – Buffalo served with celery and blue cheese
Barracuda Grill
TV88 Touring the Keys at Barracuda Grill in Marathon, Florida
- Location: 4290 Overseas Hwy, Mile Marker 49, 5, Marathon, FL 33050
- Price: $$$$
- Website: facebook.com/Barracudagrill
Barracuda Grill is a seafood restaurant with a patio and an interesting menu using fresh fish from the area. They like to keep things unique and new. It caters to the entire family, with unusual and well-thought-out dishes for the parents and a kids’ menu featuring items such as fish fingers and burgers.
The menu is half-recognized favorites like roasted leg of lamb, mangrove snapper, rib eye steak, and half of whatever the chef has prepared in the kitchen that day.
Favorite menu item: 4 Big Fat Scallops with Pesto & Pasta – Big U10’s, delicious scallops and serious fresh basil-spinach-garlic, pine nut pesto tossed with linguine
Havana Jack's Oceanside Restaurant and Bar
A sneak peek into the fun and lively environment at Havana Jack’s
- Location: 401 E Ocean Dr, Key Colony Beach
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: havanajacksoceanside.com
Havana Jack’s is a breath of fresh air at the water’s edge. They are not your typical calamari and shrimp cocktail restaurant in every way, from the location to the menu. Every chowder and sauce is created in-house daily and coupled with seafood straight from the sea to the pier.
Culinary creativity has resulted in the presentation of a variety of delectable dishes. Experience the finest fresh cuisine standards supported by uniquely crafted Caribbean, Havana, and American-influenced dishes. Enjoy the Sautéed Crab Cakes, Grouper Oscar, nightly fresh fish specials, and Steaks.
The view of the Atlantic Ocean from the Tiki Bar, restaurant, and patio deck speaks for itself. Explore the pier and take in what the locals call the “million-dollar view.” The sumptuous outdoor oceanfront terrace resembles a tropical getaway, with lovely spots for visitors to interact, dance, sip cocktails, and smoke fine tableside cut cigars.
Favorite menu item: Sesame Steamed Tuna Wontons – choose from wasabi aioli or soy glaze for dipping. To be honest, I can’t choose between the two!
Waterfront Restaurants in Marathon, FL
Imagine sitting at a waterfront table, the gentle breeze carrying the scent of the sea, and the rhythmic lapping of the waves providing the soundtrack to your meal.
One popular choice for the best waterfront restaurants in Marathon, FL, is the dining spots specializing in fresh seafood. From casual fish shacks to more upscale establishments, these restaurants often boast expansive decks or patios where you can dine while watching boats sail by or catch a breathtaking sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.
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Marathon Restaurants on the Water FAQs
Some waterfront restaurants in Marathon can have your catch for the day prepared for you. Lazy Days South is one of them.
You can also enjoy the superb meal selection, which includes delicious seafood, pasta, sirloin, and lobster. This is the ideal location to go if some members of your party want fresh seafood while others want a steakhouse. Lazy Days South offers the best of both worlds.
It depends on the restaurant. Burdines Waterfront is a pet-friendly restaurant that lets you sit down with your pet in the outdoor area. Burdines Waterfront is at the end of 15th Street in Oceanside. With Boot Key Harbor and the oceanside inlet on either side, the view from the wraparound balcony is one of the greatest in Marathon.
Brudines is a Marathon local’s secret, and this cheap café attributes its success to word of mouth.
Porky’s Bayside serves amazing BBQ and one of the greatest Key Lime pies in town if you’re looking for a comforting and tasty lunch. Porky’s is an excellent place to moor your boat, and it has a beautiful location on the marina.
Porky’s is well-known for its delicious food and welcoming island atmosphere. Since the 1950s, its unusual setting has attracted famous Keys tourists and celebrities, including Ernest Hemmingway, Jimmy Hoffa, and Elizabeth Taylor.
Castaway, one of the Keys’ oldest eateries, has been there for many years and is still a local favorite. It is a hidden gem, with fresh local seafood arriving right off the boat in the mornings and its tucked-away position. Guy Fieri’s show ‘Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives’ featured a visit to this eatery.
They are best renowned for their “King of the Jungle” roll, which stars lionfish as the main attraction!
At Marathon restaurants, you can expect a diverse menu featuring a wide range of culinary delights. From fresh seafood and grilled steaks to international cuisine and vegetarian options, there’s something to satisfy every palate.
