Frenchy’s Saltwater Cafe

Good food but very crowded. Obviously a lot of people really like this place and from the food to atmosphere I can see why. Just not as great as I would have expected, definitely other options on the beach, thats not as crowded or expensive.

Ordered a muscle appetizer for big muscles in A marinara sauce served with a generous grilled garlic bread. Had a delicious rum punch with generous portion of alcohol. The scallop lunch included 10 med size scallops and a side. This restaurant is much better than the others I tried in the area. The ambience is all Beachy and clean

Unfortunately, we did not have a good experience at lunch today. The place was not busy but somehow our waitress found other things to do then tend to her customers. The Pepsi was flat, it took forever to get a different beverage, and our appetizers took 45 minutes and came out cold. Need I say more? Who wants steamed oysters on the half shell after they’ve sat and become cold again? Not me.

Great little place with an excellent menu, good ambience and fabulous staff. My daughter rated the kids menu in her top 5 ever! That’s saying something, she’s a very picky eater

Great spot. Laid back atmosphere with great service. They have their own fishing boats so the food is fresh. Great happy hour specials.

So we’re in Clearwater visiting my snowbird parents and my dad (who is generally GPS/​Google Maps illiterate) calls and tells me to meet me at the Frenchy’s in Clearwater. After a 30 minute conversation explaining to him that there are actually 27 Frenchy’s in Clearwater, we finally narrowed it down to this one.
Wow, terrible story… don’t know where I was going with that one…
My parents would give this place 10 stars out of 5 just because they’re so crazy for the Crab Bisque Soup. And I have to say, the young whipper snapper who served us was great — the poor guy laughed at every single one of my dad’s corny jokes.
I’m giving this 3 stars in comparison to most casual seafood restaurants out there — it’s just a bunch of salty fried stuff… like a beachy Applebees. We really did have a great experience… so take my temperamental review with a grain of salt…

The initial appearance when you arrive is that this will be a fun place to dine. You are quickly greeted and seated with good service throughout your meal. This is definitely a popular spot since it was packed even late on a Wednesday for dinner.
We tried three appetizers including conch fritters, conch chowder, and fries with crab meat and garlic butter. The conch fritters had plenty of conch but unfortunately they were not cooked properly and the inside had raw dough taste. On the other hand, the conch chowder was fabulous. A bowl could easily make a complete meal. There is plenty of conch and vegetables and a tomato-​based sauce with just the right amount of heat. Next came the fries with crab meat and garlic butter. For me the garlic butter overpowered the taste of the crab so I am not a fan of this appetizer.
For my entrée I had the grouper nuggets basket which also came with french fries and coleslaw. The grouper had more of a corn meal batter before being fried and for me I just didn’t care for the texture of the corn meal with the delicate grouper. The grouper is served with a side of Tartar sauce made with horseradish. This was a first and the taste was new to me. I still haven’t made up my mind if I would do the tartar sauce again The french fries were fresh and tasty but the coleslaw was pretty much your run of the mill coleslaw
I had a difficult time deciding on what to eat this evening because there are so many great choices of fresh seafood. I will definitely make a return visit and try more of their offerings.

Enjoyed a nice bowl of clam chowder. Came to the table very hot had loads of clams and had a great taste. My entrée was a Mahi Mahi Platter with steam vegetables. The fish was just right a yummy choice for fresh seafood. The waiter brought our appetizers first and forgot to bring the chowder. Had to remind him to bring it with my entrée at the same time. All my n all my out of town quest where impressed with the snow crab leg platters. The waiter forgot their coleslaw. All and all it was great evening. We ate inside and the music was very, very loud!

I don’t eat meat or seafood and they did have a a few options. I ordered the Greek guacamole not sure what to expect but it was out of this world I could eat it everyday. I also ordered the veggie burger it was also phenomenal.

Always a great place. Close enough to the beach area, but far enough away to be chill.
The place it’s a local favorite.
Good food, good prices, and friendly people frequent the place.

We LOVED it here. The food was absolutely amazing and the service was top notch. They also do a really impressive job with churning — when we walked in it looked like there was going to be a huge wait, but we were seated within 10 minutes. If we’re ever back in Clearwater, we’ll definitely return to Frenchy’s.

Enjoyed the perfect casual dinner after an afternoon at the beach: calamari and fresh oyster appetizers to start, grilled octopus, a seafood trio platter and grouper sandwich… oh and my son even got pulled pork. ALL WERE DeLECTIBLE!
Also, service was awesome.
Highly recommend this place after a day at the beach!

Nice, casual atmosphere. Locally famous establishment.
The Grouper Reuben is pretty fantastic.
Baja Fish Tacos just don’t do it for me. They are missing something. Flavor?
The Frenchy’s Garlic Crab Fries are all hype. The flavor tastes so cheap to me. Like cheap seasoning from the grocery store.
The Crab Bisque Soup is pretty fantastic. It tastes so rich, though! Like, I feel like I’m eating heavy whipping cream mixed with butter. (no doubt, that is probably exactly what it is) It made my stomach a little queasy.
There are a few locations. If you’re looking for beachside eats, it’s fine compared to other options. But, don’t expect spectacular.
Just be sure to get the Grouper Reuben. Otherwise, you’re gambling.

There are several Frenchy’s outposts in Clearwater Beach. The Salt Water Café is a very casual place that’s good for a quick beach lunch. Lots of sandwiches and baskets with fries. Just off the main drag of Mandalay Ave, easy to walk to and find.
Our sever was incredibly engaging and seemed to love taking care of customers. He was knowledgable about the menu and wanted to answer all our questions. He provided prompt and personal service.
Caesar salad to start, fresh and crisp lettuce, not too heavy on the dressing, plenty of Parmesan cheese. Exactly what I wanted. The lunch portions of entrees are perfect… not too large. I ordered the Cajun grilled grouper and it was fresh but was a bit oily, presumably from preparation. The fries were crunchy and hot. My mom got the grouper egg rolls, which were delish! They had hunks of fish, black beans, cilantro, cheese, and plenty of spices. Really a unique choice, and a great way to incorporate fresh fish into a southwestern flavor profile.
Overall a solid lunch place, though the prices were a tad high. One thing we learned from our sever was that they actually have about 30 spaces for customers to park their boats… and are the only place in Clearwater beach to do this.

You’ll get the beach vibe here at Frenchy’s. Good place.
I had the stone crab claws. Served cold, they are a delicacy, nice treat, but not very filling and I wish I got them hot next time may have been easier to eat. I also had the garlic french fries, also delicious. Overall, Frenchy’s fits the bill for beach dining at fair prices.

We ate at two locations, this one twice. By far our favorite! Service is great at both, but the food is better at salt water grill.
Also this was the best Restaurant, of all that we tried this week.

Good seafood doesn’t have to break the bank and Frenchy’s is a great place on the beach to get just that. We love the conch appetizer. We think the grouper is great, and we love the beach feel. Definitely a keeper.

Went here for stone crab off your reccomendations! Was pretty good and about what i expect to pay for fresh seafood (20 per lb). Service was good, drinks not really very strong though. No complaints, no minds blown either.

Nice atmosphere in casual bar type setting. Happy hour 3 – 6 M-​F with good drink prices and a few $ 5 apps. Food good overall but not great thus not 5 stars. Close to the Hilton where I was staying as was many other bars and restaurants.

We went to Frenchy’s with a group of out of town guests — total group of 7.
We waited 20 minutes to be sat (reasonable) but were lead to the back porch area. The tables were filthy and we had to wipe them down ourselves with baby wipes.
The only good part of the experience were the crab fries. They came out hot and were delicious.
Two people ordered she crab soup. Neither person ever got the soup. We ordered a kids meal and that never arrived either. At the end of the meal we had to ask for those to be removed from the bill since they never arrived.
One of our guests ordered the pulled pork nachos. The cheese wasn’t melted in areas and the chips were stale.
Then the worst part? My grouper sandwich was SOGGY. The breaking was wet and falling off the fish. It was almost slimy.
We have always enjoyed Frenchy’s, but it was embarrassing bringing out of town guests here. Will head to the Hurricane next time.
The two stars were for the fries. :-/

Another Unilocal bookmark cleared! In addition to that, the location was also a factor.
The drive to this location from St. Petersburg via the Bayside Bridge was great!
On a previous visit to St. Petersburg I had some cracked conch that was not as good as what I had in Key West. The cracked conch I had here was good, but the spot in Key West still wins.
In addition to starting with the cracked conch, I ordered a drink called «The Grinch» — a «grinch» for a grinch! It was good and this was my first time having a Grinch Cocktail.
For my main entrée, I ordered a platter with blackened scallops, shrimp and grouper. Other options were fried or grilled. The seafood was good although the grouper was small. The platter came with four piece of shrimp and four scallops.
It was a great night to dine outside.
It was not busy the night I visited and I was able to park in their car park next to the restaurant.

Possibly the best grouper sandwich I’ve ever had. Had the buffalo grouper sandwich and used some of the locally made hotsauce to bump up the heat and found it very delicious. Fresh onion bun and crisp veggies helped round it out. You have to try the garlic crab fries (recommend a large size) and the cracked conch. The sandwiches can be super sized for about $ 2 and I think it’s worth it overall.
Great drink specials including a beer of the month. Ultimately, with everything sourced locally (they can even point out back towards the fishing boat that catches your grouper) you can’t really go wrong. Service is efficient and friendly. Very rowdy venue.

One of my favorite restaurants in Clearwater. Very touristy so my boyfriend doesn’t like to come here but today’s my birthday so here we are. Best conch fritters hands down! I usually do the mahi blackened sandwich or tuna.

After checking out other Unilocal reviews, we decided to go to a Frenchy’s at Clearwater. This place on a Sunday afternoon was packed — but this place is efficient in service. We got in to a table within ten minutes.
If you want fresh seafood you have to eat here! The boat dock is literally behind the restaurant — getting grouper and snapper and others.
Must try: the garlic crab french fries — like a Florida poutine — garlic butter, parmesean, and crab on top of fries, seriously amazing. We also enjoyed the conch — it was very tasty. My party all had the grouper in different ways — beer battered, buffalo fried, and grilled — and all of it was delicious!
The service was efficient, friendly, and the food was great! My only reason for not a 5 star, is the drink mix I had was pretty artificial. I ordered a virgin strawberry daiquiri and it was pretty fake tasting — super strong red food colouring. Good beer and drink specials though!

Fun! It’s fun! Drinks are flowing, food is awesome! Servers are busy! You don’t need to write 10 paragraphs to say it’s the beach, have fun.

On a weekday, we decided to venture over to the beach for some fried seafood. The French’s chain is a Clearwater mainstay for fresh seafood. We have tried all of the other locations and we like this location the best. It’s menu and atmosphere suits our beach-​sensibilities without it being too touristy. We arrived precisely at 11:00am and selected a roomy outdoor booth.
For an appetizer, we naturally had to have their Famous Smoked Fish Spread and Crackers ($ 7.95). (see pic) We’ve had it many, many times and it was exactly how we remembered it. It has a nice not overly strong smokey taste. We devoured it!
For entrées, we both decided on the Grouper Nuggets’ Basket ($ 15.95). It comes with a hefty amount of French fries, a scoop of their pineapple laced cole slaw and what seemed like a huge portion of fried Grouper Nuggets. They come with a horseradishy tartar sauce that is a perfect accompaniment for the nuggets. I would have taken a picture but we tore into them immediately upon their arrival. Whenever we come to a Frenchy’s we fell the need to order their Basket of Onion Straws ($ 4.95). If you’ve never tried them, you should!
Our iced tea glasses were wordlessly refilled and the service was prompt and full of smiling faces. It was a beautiful day and another great visit to Frenchy’s. Our waitress informed us that they would be closed for a few weeks in December for some renovation of the restaurant. If you haven’t stopped by and you’re new to the area, do yourself a favor and drop by Frenchy’s Saltwater Café. You will not be disappointed!

I think it’s my absolute favorite place in Clearwater beach and I think we went to 3 different Frenchy’s while on our week long vacay and this one was my favorite. I know the most popular Frenchy’s is right on the beach but it’s a little too loud for me and not as family friendly as this one on Poinsettia Ave. We sat outside so we caught the little 5pm breeze the night we were there and everything was amazing. Our server was very good, everything was brought out on time and we didn’t have to wait too long for anything. He was also very helpful with some of their favorites.
Let’s get down to business and what makes Frenchy’s that freaking amazing, and I have to say food wise, everything. No matter what we had, it had flavor and was super fresh like it just came out of the ocean. Let’s start with the she crab soup, it is better than any seafood soup that I’ve ever had and I’m so sad I can’t find anything remotely close in Chicago. It is beyond full of seafood, all crab and the rest is broth, they don’t add veggies or potatoes or any other fillers, they stick to what is good and that is their crab. I’m dreaming about that soup right now because no clam chowder or lobster bisque could ever compare. We even got a bowl to go as we were leaving for the airport and it was still amazing. Next up, is their calamari. Granted I’ve eaten calamari like at a million other places, but this one for $ 10 is the freshest, and best I’ve ever had. The portion is huge and it’s pure perfection. I don’t know what it is, but even my hubby who isn’t the biggest fan of calamari was craving more of it the next day. For the entrees, anything from the grouper sandwich to crab legs to the luxurious stone crabs that were in season while we were there were all fantastic and fresh. I mean I can’t stress enough how it is to eat fresh seafood right from the gulf, you just know that there is no freezing and unfreezing going on over here. Oh, how can I forget their legendary garlic crab fries, see attached picture. I have been dreaming about those as well and was probably out of the top 10 best foods I ever put in my mouth. There, I said it, they were insane.
When we come back to Clearwater, I will definitely eat here again and again and when we go to Disney, I will take the two hour drive just for that she crab soup and calamari. Unreal and so nice that there are a few locations no matter where you are. They just need a location in Chicago and now!!!

I really like the place, ambience, and food is just delicious!
Frenchy’s fries are a must
I visited mid October and crab fest was just getting started :)
Weather is great and food again is very tasty

The service today was nonexistent. Not more than 10 minutes after eating my lunch I immediately had to head to the restroom. It’s been 7 hours since we left there and I’m still having stomach pains. This was the only thing I’ve eaten today so that narrows it down significantly.
Our waitress communicated with our table exactly six times. No refills offered. We had to ask for refills, to go boxes, etc. One drink in the Florida heat isn’t nearly enough.
I wish it had been a different experience because the reviews led me to believe it was something that it clearly isn’t. Usually I can trust my fellow Unilocalers, not on this one.

We came here during Stone Crab Claw season. It starts Oct 15. They are expensive, around $ 30.50/lb, but they are good. The claws have some nice, juicy, sweet meat. If you want some good, fresh Stone Crab, go there from Oct. 15 through May 15.
During peak days, this place can get super busy. They have a party like atmosphere. It’s a place to get drunk with your friends at the beach. The decorations are all party-​themed and gaudy.
Their ceviche comes in a huge cocktail glass. It was very garlicy and nice. I loved the strong flavor of raw garlic inside. Sure, it might not be too traditional, but hey I liked it. The seafood goodies inside was fresh too. I could’ve done without the potato chips and the corn though.
Their chowders can be skipped. They’re super thick and clumpy. They seem very sweet and too creamy. It’s not smooth or done with any grace. I would avoid.
Their original grouper sandwich is huge. It’s not a dinky sandwich. It’s pretty enormous. It comes with American cheese. I like their fried grouper. They fry it well and the flavor is good. The bun is cheap, supermarket bun. But hey it kinda works. Although for the price, I wished they used something other than cheap super-​market type ingredients.
Their Fish Tacos are gigantic too. They stuff the hell out of the tortillas. I don’t know if you can actually hold it and eat it. You might need to eat it with a fork. They give you two tacos per order, but trust me, they’re plenty. Each taco is mini Willy’s burritos.
Overall, I think they’re overpriced. But they have strong drinks and decent food. They have a «fun» atmosphere and the servers are good. I liked it.

Having Lived on Clearwater beach since the age of 2 (30 years ago) I’m proud to be raised on Frenchys. Hard to go wrong. They have their own boats so you know the fish is fresh. Go to this location for the local vibe, original grouper sandwich, broiled octopus with feta, calamari topped Cesar salad. Go to Frenchys rock away grill for the party younger crowd, beach view, and killer sunsets. And check out Frenchys original café for the nostalgia, old Clearwater beach feel, grouper cheeks and crabby shrimp sandwich. They also offer a certain menu item on sale on a specific day of the week so Mark your calendars. Enjoy.

WHAT? CAN’T HEAR YOU!
This is the basic outdoor tourist magnet seafood/​bar, BUT THEY DO IT MUCH BETTER THAN ALMOST ALL THE REST! My only issue is the dinning room noise. I have seen live concerts of Metallica, Disturbed, Aerosmith, Sevendust, Live and Offspring to mention a few, they all combine did less damage to my auditory nerves than this place!
The food was actually pretty good, not 5 star/​iron chef quality, but good as far as tourist tap themed restaurants go. Service was also good. Great selection of typical fla style seafood. Nice setting. Prices were actually better than expected, $ 16 for a filet mignon and sides, $ 25 for 2# of crab legs w sides.
All in all a surprisingly good place w good food. That being said I have never almost left during a meal because a place was so loud I couldn’t hear myself think. I realize it was a bar and bars are loud but beyond the people yelling to hear each other there was still LOUD music. I really think if they turned down/​off the music this place would be much better because it would be easier to hear and you wouldn’t have to yell over music and other people yelling over music. After my ears stop ringing, I invest in ear plugs and learn to read lips I may return.

Omgosh their octopus plate is so good. It’s fresh and not rubbery and what else was outstanding was their corn on the cobb. I’m not a big fan of corn on the cobb but it was good.
I would come again.

Sensationelle Buffalo Shrimp und sehr gute Fish Taco. Preislich für Clearwater okay. Nette Bedienung. Alles prima. Gerne wieder!

Wir sind sehr zufrieden alles war frisch und sehr Preiswert wir können dies nur empfehlen

This review is based on food, service, cleanliness, price, and atmosphere.
The food is good. I had grilled grouper tacos, and they were pretty delicious! It came with a side of beans and rice which was pretty good. The portions were on the small side. Luckily, I ordered a half dozen raw oysters on the half shell.
The service was equally good. Our server was quick, and never disappeared for long periods. It was fairly busy, so I have to give kudos for staying on top of things so well.
Cleanliness… this place has obviously been here a long time. The is both inside and outside seating; we chose to sit inside. There was nothing obviously neglected, but the test of time has clearly taken toll. This place could use an overhaul in my opinion, but some people like that rustic beach feel.
Price is on the high end, but that is to be expected in this area. Being walking distance to the beaches, they have a primo location.
The atmosphere is nice. What is expected at a beach bar/​restaurant. The overall experience was pretty darn good!

Frenchy’s Saltwater Café is tucked away off road next to Cooter’s.
Everything on the menu sounded great. From garlic crab fries, smoked fish spread to the Grouper Reuben. For apps we went with the fried gator tail since my sister’s boyfriend never had gator and the cracked conch. The gator was delicious, but the conch was tough as hell. I don’t ever remember conch being that tough.
I was feeling adventurous and got baked octopus. Also got the She crab soup. The baked octopus came served in garlic butter with pepperocini and feta. It was different. but I liked it. The she crab soup was creamy and delicious!
My husband got the grouper nuggets. Soo good. I should have gotten Grouper! Sister got the crab cakes and was pretty good as well.
Definitely would eat at Frenchy’s again.

Service was impeccably great! Food was just meh today but I have dined here before it was pretty good. The server was polite, checked on us «just right» meaning not too much and not too little. Either the owner or cook came out and chatted with guests, he acknowledged us also which was nice.
I ordered the original grouper which is fried. The sandwich is huge and comes with either a side of Cole slaw or chips, for 99 cents you can get a side of fries instead. The reason for the 4 stars is the fries were not that good at all. The sandwich was good but nothing I would develop a craving or taste for.
The kids menu hot dog and chips were okay. Chips were kind of hard. But the hot dog was big and it said all beef on the menu.
Without the great service and awesome location, beachy atmosphere, I probably would not return. But the atmosphere, location and service is what makes it 4 stars. If the food was better… especially side dishes, I would have been more satisfied.
Next time I will try different options and get the server’s recommended dishes before placing my order.

Das Salzwassercafe ist ein einfacher aber dennoch charmanter Diner in Clearwater, FL (das seinerseits eher bekannt ist als internationales Hauptquartier der Scientology-​Sekte).
Das Café gehoert zu der lokalen Frenchy’s Kette, deren Ableger man hier ueberall findet. (Siehe Foto unten) Es ist ein charmanter Ort, immer gut besucht. Man kann draussen unter dem Vordach sitzen und etwas abhaengen. Die Bedienungen sind amerikanisch-​freundlich bis robust. Das Essen ist fuer den Preis recht gut. Manko: ich war viermal dort und hatte nie sauberes Besteck. Das Meeresgetier ist definitiv lecker und frisch, der Octopus Greek Style hatte zwar schwarze Fuesse dafuer war der Rest in Zitrone mariniert und zart. Der Salat ebenfalls frisch (wobei ich es wohl nicht mehr erleben werde, dass man USA gescheites Dressing dazu bekommt). Unter dem gruenen Salat hatte der Koch noch einen Batzen Kartoffelsalat versteckt wohl um eventuellen Regressforderungen wegen nicht ausreichendem Saettigungsgrad zuvorzukommen. (Siehe Foto unten) Ein anderes Mal gabs Shrimps die definitiv frisch und keine TK waren. Butterzart und knackig zugleich. Zum reinlegen.
Und: Oh Schreck. Das Krabbensandwich nehmen die wörtlich hier. Jetzt weiss ich auch was eine soft shell crab ist: Das sind Blaukrabben, die gerade ihren Panzer abgelegt haben, damit sie Platz haben, um in einen größeren hinein zu wachsen. Drei Stunden nach diesem Vorgang sind sie immer noch so weich, dass man sie als Ganzes isst. Das hat sich der Teilvegetarier in mir etwas überwinden müssen, war aber trotzdem lecker (Siehe Foto unten) Zum Abschluss die Rechnung des heutigen Tages. Für zwei Personen sehr zivil, würde ich sagen! (Siehe Foto unten)