Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill
Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill opened in June of 2005 by Tarpon Springs locals Jack and Julie Russell. The restaurant is an achievement of three generations worth of goals spanning some 30 years.
Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill is a family owned and operated seafood restaurant on the world famous Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. The name ‘Rusty Bellies’ came from the family’s love of fishing, mainly Gulf grouper on their boat “Redman”. A Rusty Belly is a nickname given to the large male gag grouper that lay on the bottom of the Gulf floor, turning their bellies a rust color, and is typically caught by a true at heart fisherman. Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill offers a casual and relaxing atmosphere for indoor and outdoor dining.
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The new addition of a waterfront bar adds live music and fun to the already enjoyable surroundings. Customers come to not only enjoy the local seafood, but the beautiful sunsets caught from the deck. As customers look around the restaurant, they will see photos of family, friends, and local fisherman that bring in the fresh seafood. The menu gives credit to the many local fishermen by naming the dishes after their beloved boats. The restaurant offers a wide variety menu options, all from homemade recipes even down to the sauces and deserts. The combination of traditional southern seafood and a waterfront bar makes this restaurant hard to resist!
Located directly next door is the family’s third generation seafood market, Pelican Point Seafood. The waterfront seafood market allows local commercial fisherman to unload their daily catch straight from their boats to the market for processing. Pelican Point Seafood thrives on purchasing FRESH FLORIDA WILD SEAFOOD from the local commercial fisherman. In 2002, the Russell’s launched their self-built shrimp boat named “Julie Ann”. The “Julie Ann”, “Redman”, and “Crabracadabra” are all family owned and operated commercial boats. All the boats help produce fresh Gulf seafood for Pelican Point Seafood. Both Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill and Pelican Point Seafood take great pride in their products being wild caught, from the Gulf of Mexico waters. This family has been involved in the commercial fishing industry for over three generations, and plans to continue their support of the industry in which the community thrives on. Next time you are in Tarpon Springs, be sure to visit Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill and Pelican Point Seafood to satisfy all your seafood dinning needs.