Planning a trip to Clearwater Beach? No beach vacation would be complete without a cold drink, or three. Check out these 7 bars on Clearwater Beach.
It’s no secret a big part of my travel plans revolve around food and drinks. A beach vacation to Clearwater Beach is no exception.
I don’t know if it’s the hot weather or the fact that I’m on vacation. But there is nothing better than a frozen cocktail after spending the day on the beach. There are many fantastic bars on Clearwater Beach but a few stand out.
This article may contain affiliate links or ads. When you click these links, I may get a small commission. This does not cost you anything but helps me run this site. I only promote products I have used and enjoy.
1. Best Bar for a craft beer on Clearwater Beach – 3 Daughters Brewing
3 Daughters Brewery is a Florida-owned brewery with two locations, one in St Pete, and the other in Clearwater. Created by a restaurant owner and the chef who one day was joking about the number of pints of beer they would need to sell to put their three daughters through college.
When their craft brew started selling more than the sourced beer in their restaurant, they realized they were on to something, and 3 Daughters Brewery was born.
If their story isn’t enough to get you to try it out, then go for the beer. They offer many styles of beer and cider. My favorite is Feeling Nauti a Pale Ale or the Rod Bender Red Ale. Their ciders are delicious too if beer is not your thing.
3 Daughters is not just a good place to get a beer but they also added food. If you only want an appetizer or a whole meal, the selection is perfect for a date night or a family outing.
Still not convinced, then go to see the sunset views. Being on the 3rd floor there is a perfect view of the beach and of course the famous sunsets.
The views, the beer, and the story are enough to make this a fantastic place to get a drink on Clearwater Beach.
2. Best Bar for a Margarita – Tacos, Tequila, and Rum
We recently found Tacos, Tequila, and Rum on our most recent trip to Clearwater Beach. Hidden in plain sight, this little Mexican restaurant is in a strip mall. Don’t let its location fool you. This is a MUST try!
What can only be described as a hole in the wall, this tiny restaurant is FANTASTIC!!! There is a bar with about 5 stools and maybe 7 tables. The open kitchen lets you watch the chefs while they make your food.
This is however a post about amazing places to get a drink at Clearwater Beach so I better mention the drinks. I’m sure they have a lot of tasty drinks but you HAVE to try the margarita!!! I’ve had some delicious margaritas before and even took a class in Mexico to learn how to make them, but this margarita has some kind of magic.
I can’t even describe how delicious it was. A perfect blend of lime juice and tequila. They were huge and well worth the stop!!
3. Best bar for a beachy dive bar vibe – Beach Fire Beach Bar & Grille
Beach Fire, Beach Bar & Grille is by all definitions a dive bar. And I LOVE IT!!! The bar is long and narrow. There are only a few tables and a couple of booths.
The rest of the space is filled with a long narrow bar height table with stools lining both sides. Windows line the front of the space which makes it feel open and airy. There are stools outside as well for use when the windows are open.
The bar is decked out with a rustic tiki bar feel and the tables are painted to look like old beat-up boat boards.
I know this is a post about getting a drink but Beach Fire is a BBQ joint with everything cooked on an open flame so the smell is amazing!! The drinks are delicious and they don’t skimp on the alcohol.
I recommend the key lime pie martini. Yummy!!
I think the best part about this place however is it seemed to be a hangout for locals. We felt very comfortable and welcomed as tourists but most people in there seemed to know each other. The bartenders knew the locals by name and their usual drinks.
I highly recommend Beach Fire if you want a bar on Clearwater Beach that is off the beaten path.
4. Best Sports Bar on Clearwater Beach – Surfside Taphouse
Looking for a sports bar on Clearwater Beach? Head to Surfside Taphouse. Like most places near Clearwater Beach Surfside is a long and narrow bar but has a lot of seating and a LOT of TVs. Big screen TVs line the walls, all airing live sporting events. Smaller TVs display games behind the bar. If there is a game on, you will find it at Surfside.
Their drink menu is full of specialty cocktails, tropical favorites, margaritas, martinis, shots, beers, wine, seltzers… any kind of drink you want they have it.
I recommend ordering Dale, a tequila cocktail with lemonade, iced tea, mint leaves, and lemon slices. It was a refreshing change to the frozen drinks I lean toward when at the beach.
5. Best beachside bar on Clearwater Beach – Palm Pavilion Beachside Bar and Grill
In a previous post, What I learned on my trip to Clearwater Beach, I mentioned Clearwater Beach is dry meaning alcohol is not allowed on the beach so getting a drink on the beach is not easy. There are however a couple of bars on the north end of Clearwater Beach that are as close to “on the beach” as you can get.
Palm Pavilion Beachside Bar and Grill is my recommendation for a beachside bar on Clearwater Beach. Palm Pavilion was originally opened in 1926 and has that vintage retro beach vibe. Casual and classic are the best way to describe it. Inside there is a lot of seating but if you want the beach, ask for a table on the covered patio.
The views of the beach are amazing and it’s a fantastic spot to watch the sunset! Order a drink (the food was delicious too) and enjoy the view.
I recommend the Key Lime Colada! It is a showstopper and I had two different people stop and ask what I had ordered because it looked so good. It was fantastic! Very Insta-worthy and worth the calories.
6. Best Canal View Bar on Clearwater Beach – Shephard’s Tiki Beach Bar
Located on the south end of Clearwater Beach I don’t think Shepard’s Tiki Beach Bar gets the love it deserves. Located in Shepard’s Beach Resort hotel, the Tiki Beach bar sits on the beach side. A deck over the sand gets you a table as close to the water as you will get.
Across the canal is the Sand Key Park which gives you an excellent view of both water and land. Since the beach space is private for the hotel guests, it’s very quiet with limited foot traffic. Live music is common though out the day.
I recommend the Coco-Nutz cocktail. It is a coconut, hazelnut, coffee-flavored drink and very tasty. Be careful if you get food here, the seagulls will try to take your food from you.
People – will you please stop feeding seagulls? People’s food is not healthy for them and they become aggressive.
7. Best Quiet Bar on Clearwater Beach – Cabanas Coastal Grill
Part of the fun and excitement of going on a beach vacation is the vibe and energy of the people around you. But sometimes you just want a nice place to get a drink that is quiet and relaxed. Cabanas Coastal Grill is a perfect place for a quiet drink.
It is along the street so it’s not super quiet but does seem to be quiet relative to the other bars on Clearwater Beach. Cabanas have two different sides, one is on the beach and one is on the street. I’m talking about the street side.
This was the first bar I went to on my first-ever trip to Clearwater Beach. We were walking around trying to figure out where things were located and decided we should stop for a cocktail.
Since most people wanted the beach it was very quiet and we had the place mostly to ourselves. We were able to talk to each other and make a plan for the week without the distraction of mass crowds.
I recommend the Jalapeno Margarita! I a nice blend of lime, tequila, and a hit of spice.
Bars on Clearwater Beach – You can’t go wrong anywhere
You can really get a drink anywhere and you will have a good time. It is after all a beach vacation. I picked my top choices for different reasons but I’ve never had a bad drink at any of the bars on Clearwater Beach.
The bars I listed are my choices more for the atmosphere and vibe than anything. My best recommendation is to find a place that meets the vibe you want. And the drinks will be delicious.
Happy travels and remember the world is full of adventures all around you.
I am not a professional in any of the topics discussed on Adventures at Home and Away. All content on Adventures at Home and Away is for informational and educational purposes only. All comments made are my personal opinion and should not be used as professional advice.
Photography on Adventures at Home and Away is protected by copyright and licensing agreements. No photographs may be copied or reused unless a proper license agreement has been obtained.
