Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille is coming to west St. Pete
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille on Fort Myers Beach
Riding on the success of their restaurant at the new St. Pete Pier, the group behind Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille has decided to open a second location in west St. Petersburg. The new waterfront eatery will be located at 8790 Bay Pines Boulevard. The site was formerly home to the Green Iguana Bar and Grill, which closed in 2012, and Joe’s Crab Shack before that.
"We love the St. Pete community and look forward to being in the Jungle Terrace neighborhood," said Mark Marinello, an HM Restaurant Group partner.
Doc Ford’s second St. Pete restaurant will be located at 8790 Bay Pines Boulevard in west St. pete
This will be the fifth location for Doc Ford’s with other locations in Fort Myers Beach, Captiva Island, and Sanibel Island.
Doc Ford’s is known for their steamed Yucatan shrimp, which can be ordered as peel-and-eat or in tacos. The Yucatan sauce is a mixture of cilantro, garlic, butter, key lime juice, and Columbian chilis. Other popular items include the Maine Lobster Roll and fresh Gulf oysters served on the half shell.
And is a waterfront meal complete without a tropical cocktail? Of course not! Doc Ford’s drink menu offers many options, both frozen and on the rocks, from margaritas to bloody marys, mojitos to mules. And staying true to its name, Doc Ford’s also offers a large selection of rum. Beer and wine are also available.
Yucatan Shrimp - Steamed peel-and-eat shrimp in a dressing of real butter, garlic, mild Colombian chilies, fresh cilantro, and Key lime juice
The restaurant group behind Doc Ford’s purchased the 2.2-acre waterfront restaurant site from Chesapeake Bay Holding Company Inc. for $3.45 million on April 27th. The 6,750 square foot building has 306 feet of water frontage as well as a 4,150-square-foot porch and deck. There will also be transient boat slips available for hungry boaters coming over from Sarasota or Tampa. Mike and Paul Heretick of Vector Commercial Real Estate represented the seller.
“This has been a great property for us. We’ve had it leased 18 of the 20 years we’ve held it,” said Ken Heretick, part-owner of Chesapeake Bay. “With land values so high, it just made more sense to sell it at this time.”
Yucatan Bloody Mary with the St Pete Pier in the background
It’s hard to understate just how well Doc Ford’s location at the St. Pete Pier has done so far. The restaurant debuted in July 2020, just two months after the highly anticipated pier opened to the public. Despite being slammed since day one, Doc Ford’s has been able to provide an incredible atmosphere and delicious food without skipping a beat.
On TripAdvisor, Doc Ford’s is currently ranked the number one restaurant in St. Petersburg out of 583 establishments and holds a rating of 4.85 out of five stars.
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille is inspired by a character from a series of thrilling, best-selling novels by Randy Wayne White, a partner in the restaurant group. In the books, Marion “Doc” Ford is a moody marine biologist and environmental consultant living on the Florida coast that has a murky past as a covert government agent.
An opening date hasn’t been finalized, but HM Restaurant Group hopes to have the new location at 8790 Bay Pines Boulevard open by the end of the year. In the meantime, check out Doc Ford’s at the St. Pete Pier, but be sure to make a reservation first.
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