Backwaters on Sand Key

Great location... on the bay with heaters on the porch.... Eat anything grouper!!Great service... quick to be seated and served!

Amazing service; friendly staff and guests! The manager came by to say hi because he saw our little one and we also had a lovely chat with the table behind us.Feels like a neighborhood favorite spot for casual seafood right by the water. We waited less than 5 mins for a spot outside instead of indoors which was a bit louder/lively.Their menu has stars on their most popular dishes. For dinner, we ordered their fried calamari as an app, fish n chips and blackened mahi as mains, and a cup of lobster bisque. I'd come back for the fries alone; really nicely battered. We came back the next day for some key lime pie to-go and a bunch of their staff remembered us and have us a warm welcome. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area!

Rick was absolutely amazing! He made the experience from start to finish. He was wearing some birthday attire and we made sure to acknowledge his birthday. food was amazing as well, really great atmosphere and staffing. Thank you for a really wonderful lunch! Bathrooms were very clean and very beautiful as well. Also, the mashed potatoes (not pictured)- Really great!

Our friends invited to join them for dinner. They have frequented Backwaters and we were looking forward to trying something different. I went for the Wednesday crab cake special that features little filler. This is the way to go! Truly enjoying the crabmeat rather than the filling. It came with two cakes and two sides and I found myself comfortable after eating one of the crab cakes and all of my sides (leaving me one to enjoy for lunch tomorrow!). My husband went with the Parmesan crusted grouper. The fish was prepared perfectly and it had great flavor. (One of our friends got the full rack of ribs. He said they were cooked perfectly and he had plenty for lunch tomorrow as well!)Our server was awesome. She was engaging and had great energy without being overbearing. She was great with suggestions and accommodating to our requests. The greeter and even the valet were friendly and helped round out a great night, meal and experience. We're glad our friends introduced us to this restaurant.

This is a must go for SandKey- heck even if you're in Clearwater, drive yourself here for great food, service, and amazing view. Happy hour is daily until 6 and they offer items not on the regular menu. 2-4-1 drinks too!

After my flight was cancelled, we got a hotel on Sand Key and looked for a casual lunch spot. Our hotel concierge mentioned Backwaters as an option, so we took a chance and decided to come. You seat yourself, so we sat outside next to the water (they have outdoor heaters for cooler days). Our waitress was very friendly and welcoming. We started with the 2-for-1 margaritas, which were a bit weak, but nothing to complain about. (Happy hour runs 11am-6pm.) I then opted for the blackened grouper sandwich, which was well seasoned and seemed pretty fresh. For my side, I chose the cole slaw, which is on the sweeter side. Great, fresh lettuce and tomato on the sandwich, served with homemade tartar sauce. Overall, we really enjoyed our late lunch. And you can't beat the views!

Great view, great service and good food with decent quantity.Molly was an awesome server and our grouper tacos were delicious. We also enjoyed the grouper sandwich. Key lime pie was ok and could have been tarter. Overall we enjoyed our dinner and will come back.

The entire menu is 10/10! Very friendly staff. Clean. Would eat here everyday if I could!

Went for happy hour at 5pm. $4 well drinks and a nice selection of food at reduced prices. Chicken nachos at $12 was like a meal for 2 and very good. Service was excellent and free valet parking. No reservations and by 5:30 place was packed. Bar atmosphere on the water. Highly recommend.

Food was great had mahi mahi sandwich service was great and the restaurant is very cute! Forgot to take a picture but had the fries and friend homemade chips ... yum !