The best seafood restaurants in Orlando

Nestled in a corner of Disney Springs is The Boathouse, where the fish is guaranteed to be caught less than 36 hours before making it to your plate. The restaurant has ample indoor and outdoor seating. If the weather is nice, definitely ask for a seat on the patio, which overlooks the lake at Disney Springs and is a prime spot to watch the Amphicars (cars that swim!) on the lake. The raw bar oyster options are delectable and on display right when you enter the restaurant. No matter what seafood dish you choose to get, be sure to get a side of truffle fries, which come with a zesty lemon aioli to dip.

In the Winter Park neighborhood, Boston’s Fish House has been serving hungry customers craving New England-style seafood since 1988. On the menu, you’ll find things like New England steamer clams, lobster bisque, whole belly clams and chilled lobster salad sandwiches. If you’re looking for a taste of the South, though, consider the fried catfish sandwich, where the filets are served golden brown and crispy on a baked sub roll. The cozy restaurant has a distinctly nautical theme without being too over-the-top fancy for the seafood they are dishing out

The Osprey serves modern coastal cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere in the Baldwin Park neighborhood of Orlando. The restaurant has an impressive raw bar menu filled with items like freshly shucked oysters from Florida and Virginia that are served with champagne mignonette and cocktail sauces and shrimp cocktails and seafood towers. When it’s time for entrees, be sure to ask your server for suggestions because the menu is seasonal and changes often. 

Since 1950, Lee and Rick’s Oyster Bar has served fresh oysters to locals in central Florida. What started as a nine-stool hot spot now has 50 seats, but the menu has expanded beyond just raw or steamed oysters. You can get everything from shrimp and snow crab to crawfish and gator bites here. Just be sure to walk in early if you want to get one of the prized seats at the bar so you can watch the oyster-sucking action in real-time.

Florida fish camps are the inspiration behind Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen and Bar. Almost all of the fish on the menu are sustainably sourced from the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The restaurant boasts a fantastic happy hour, featuring discounted wine, cocktails, oysters and even peel-and-eat shrimp. 

Winter Park Seafood Company opened in 2008 and continues to wow customers with fresh seafood and menu options that change almost daily. The Key West-style fish house is also known for its completely customizable dishes where you can pick your fish and cooking style, then add on one of six different sauce options and pick two sides.

For over 25 years, people have been venturing from all over Orlando to get fresh seafood from High Tide Harry’s. Every day, the team at the restaurant is sourcing the best seafood they can get their hands on to create dishes with grouper, mahi, and tuna. Or pick from a menu filled with clam strips, which most Floridians prefer for clams. For landlubbers, there’s also steak, chicken and pasta on the menu.

Another Disney Springs location worth venturing into the tourist area of town is Paddlefish. The restaurant is located right on the lake of Disney Springs and looks like a giant paddlewheel boat. Paddlefish is known for its jumbo lump crab-topped fries, which come loaded with fresh lump blue crab and Louie dressing. The crab guacamole is also a great sharable appetizer, with plenty of flavor from jalapeños and cilantro, and a mound of blue crab on top. There’s ample indoor and outdoor dining, but we love the rooftop bar area, which boasts great views of Walt Disney World and the downtown skyline.

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Seafood boils, just like they're done in Cajun Country, is what’s on the menu at Hook and Reel. The restaurant serves everything from sausage and crawfish to mussels and head-on shrimp. We love that you can customize your boil with whatever seafood you like, plus sauce, spice level and veggie extras. Don't be afraid to get your hands a little messy; you’ll likely be peeling shrimp shells or breaking crab legs open throughout your meal.

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Ocean Prime is known for its steaks and seafood served in a swanky upscale setting for an elegant date night or a fancy night out with friends. The menu features a small sushi selection and raw bar using only the freshest fish and shellfish. One of our favorite entrees is the blackened snapper, which comes with a sweet and savory corn spoon bread. Throw in a few extra sides from the a la carte menu, like the smoked gouda tater tots or lobster macaroni and cheese made with Tillamook cheddar cheese.

With two locations in the city, Boston Lobster Feast is ready to serve you no matter your area of town. The restaurant is known for its all-you-can-eat lobster feasts for $65. The meal starts with a cold bar with abundant salads and sauces. Be sure to try the lobster and shrimp salad for a taste of the Northeast. Then the raw bar has a small selection of sushi and raw seafood items. There are three soup options and a huge list of entrees to pick from, including whole lobster, snow crab legs, fried calamari, and oysters Rockefeller. Of course, no seafood dinner is complete without hushpuppies (fried cornmeal balls, often with diced onions), cooked to order.

If you’re looking for a fun place to enjoy views of the water, fresh seafood and an umbrella-clad libation, Grills Seafood Deck and Tiki Bar is the spot. With three locations around Central Florida, there are plenty of options. The menu is overflowing with seafood delights like smoked fish dip, poke bowls, fish tacos, and coconut shrimp. Pair your meal with a hurricane cocktail for a full tiki bar experience.

With locations around Orlando and outlying areas, Mr. & Mrs. Crab welcomes guests to try succulent seafood. The restaurant is known for its seafood boils, which can be completely customized, from the seafood inclusions like king crab, blue or green mussels, and shrimp to the seasonings, spice level, and sauces. If you don’t think you can finish an entire boil, consider the fried baskets with options like fried shrimp, oysters or catfish, which are served hot and crispy.