tl;dr don't miss out on the blackened grouper or fried key lime pie at this popular, hole-in-the-wall seafood shackThe waters of Tampa are widely known for their abundant grouper, and the nearby Madeira Beach is the self-described "grouper capital of the world." Unsurprisingly, grouper (especially the grouper sandwich) is ubiquitous across Tampa restaurants, and few do it better than Big Ray's Fish Camp. Tampa native Nick Cruz came armed with family recipes when he opened the decidedly casual seafood joint back in 2015. He quickly received local acclaim, and the restaurant has more recently been featured on the Food Network.The original Ballast Point location is a standalone, cinder block shack, painted with a grouper-themed mural along the side. The small, square room is decorated with marine and nautical motifs, from a mounted grouper head to shabby wooden signs. Polaroids are clipped to the well-worn shiplap wall to the left, and the menu is displayed on a chalkboard across the back. Stainless steel chairs are pressed up against the mismatched wooden tables and counters. Reggae tunes blend with the sizzle from the kitchen.My family arrived for early dinner on a drizzly weekday evening, and we were the only ones there. We ordered the Blackened Grouper Sandwich, Caesar Salad with Blackened Chicken, Shrimp Po' Boy, and Fried Key Lime Pie. My hand-sized grouper filet was expertly seasoned and perfectly cooked. The homemade tartar sauce was pleasantly heavy on the pickles -- it's a shame that the flavors were somewhat drowned out by the massive sesame seed bun. The butterflied chicken breast was just as well-seasoned as the grouper, but the salad was "Caesar" only in name: it consisted of the same tomato and lettuce rings that otherwise would be used on the sandwiches, served beside a prepackaged Caesar dressing. Meanwhile, my sister loved her po' boy, which packed 8 large, lightly battered, flash-fried shrimp. The French roll was soft and chewy, in contrast to the crisp veggies and shrimp. Between our sides, the lightly battered, piping hot, pepper-forward onion rings were the clear winner. The fries, meanwhile, were mostly standard steakhouse variety, apart from the addition of parmesan. Lastly, the pie (which was frozen, battered, and fried) was enjoyably warm and crispy on the outside, but creamy and cold on the inside. The sweetened condensed milk on the side proved to be the perfectly sugary complement.Service was laid-back and friendly, but the restaurant seemed understaffed during an unexpected dinner rush right after we ordered. Additionally, each item was made-to-order, but our first entree arrived 20 minutes before the last, with nothing more than a shrug. Although seemingly geared toward takeout, at nearly $70 for everything, Big Ray's certainly isn't everyday dinner. Nonetheless, the blackened grouper and fried key lime pie are must-try dishes worthy of the hype.
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"The Bait House in Clearwater is fantastic! The food is super fresh and delicious. The drunken shrimp is to die for, and the ahi tuna was incredibly fresh. The place has a great vibe and friendly staff. There's limited seating, so you might have to wait, but it's totally worth it. A must-visit spot for amazing seafood!"
"We moved from Nashville to Tampa early during COVID and became hooked on fresh caught grouper. Big Ray's has some of the best grouper the Bay Area has to offer.Wither at their Interbay or Downtown location this place never fails.Fast, friendly service every time. You have to try the lobster corn dog if feeling adventurous!"
