Pops Sunset GrillGood Food, Water Views and Sunsets To Die For! Pops Sunset Grill is one of those out of the way places that you just have to try when you come to the Sarasota, Florida area. It's nestled in along the Intracoastal Waterway in nearby Nokomis, a short drive from from Sarasota. Pops Sunset Grill sits right on the water with a spectacular view of the waterway and if you want to imagine that you’re “sittin' on the dock of the bay” or "wasting away in “Margaritaville,” or "way down in Kokomo," this is the place to do it and no one’s going to stop you.
This is that kind of place! It’s a friendly crowd and there’s full bar service from the Tiki Hut Bar along with both indoor and outdoor seating. Just off the Tiki Bar, which is smoker friendly, there's a courtyard area with picnic tables where you can also relax. I like to hang out there with friends over a pitcher of beer while enjoying a cigar. From any vantage point at Pops Sunset Grill you’ll be able to watch large motor yachts and small boats sailing up and down the waterway. You’ll see the nearby Albee Road drawbridge raise and lower. You’ll spot Pelicans, Snowy Egrets; occasionally a Great Blue Heron will land on the dock next to the outdoor dining area. A number of birds come by looking for generous and sympathetic diners. You might also spot “Moochie,” patrolling the waterway, looking for handouts from passing boaters, (which is illegal, by the way). Moochie, or as some call him, Beggar, is a bottle nose dolphin. You can frequently see him and others in the channel alongside Pops.
They don’t charge extra for the sunset at Pops even though it’s called the “Sunset Grill.”Most of what’s on Pops Sunset Grill menu would not be categorized as “gourmet prepared” food, that’s not what they do at Pops nor why you go. You go for the atmosphere, the scenery, being right on the water and a little bit of what's left of old Florida.It’s one of the few remaining restaurants in Sarasota, and its surrounding area, where you can actually dine on the water and get a good meal at a fair price. There are menu items in all price ranges. When I go for lunch I will usually have a basic burger basket, which is a standard burger and fries. There are a few different varieties of burgers on the menu. I also like their Turkey Club Panini, which comes with bacon, Swiss cheese and tomato with a side of fries. It's a good sandwich. You might check Pops' lunch specials, too; sometimes they have a delicious bbq pulled pork sandwich on special, or grilled salmon. There's also crispy chicken club and cheese steak sandwiches, “fresh catch” sandwiches that you can order “blackened,” and lots of appetizers to choose from like buffalo wings and peel ‘n eat shrimp. There’s plenty here to choose from.
The steaks, which I order on occasion, are cooked to order, which is medium, and they have been delicious.
Pops also has a gift shop where you can purchase Florida and Sarasota mementos and souvenirs. One of the few Sarasota Florida Restaurants left on the water; all in all, I always enjoy my time at Pops Sunset Grill. I think you will too. One note: During peak season it can be extremely busy and the wait can be long for a table as diners come by both land and water. Plan ahead.
Turn right onto Albee Road. Follow Albee Road to just before the drawbridge that goes over to Casey Key and Nokomis Beach. Turn left before the drawbridge at Gulf Harbor Marina and head straight past the boat marina storage building, back into one of the two parking lots that you’ll see in front of you. You’re now in the parking lots of Pops Sunset Grill. Mind you, parking is not always the best here. You may want to find another nearby parking location, now that you’ve found Pops successfully. (941) 488-3177
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