Sarasota Tiki Bars That Feel Like a Vacation

Few things scream Florida vacation more than a tiki bar. The palapa overhead, the cool drinks in hand, the salty breeze drifting through the open-air venue – the combination is a tropical trifecta perfect for tourists and locals alike who are searching for that calming escape that the tiki always provides. Wherever you are in Sarasota County, a tiki bar sits waiting for you to visit, to let out that deep breath, to let the shoulders relax, and to become one with the tiki.

O’Leary’s Tiki Bar & Grill 

O’Leary’s Tiki Bar & Grill may be the most popular tiki bar in Sarasota. Located downtown adjacent to the marina and Bayfront Park, O’Leary’s offers panoramic water views of the mooring field and a sunset unlike any other. Watch the boats drift past and disappear under the John Ringling Bridge while listening to soothing troprock music as the sand squishes underfoot. Pets are welcome and O’Leary’s may be the most kid-friendly tiki option. My kiddos can throw stones into the Bay and pet dogs all day – it’s their happy place, and luckily, it coincides with mine, so we all win.

The Big Tiki Lounge

Located at the Siesta Key Beach Resort and Suites and newly renovated, The Big Tiki Lounge now offers a relaxed island vibe with daily happy hour specials from 3-5pm right on Ocean Boulevard in Siesta Village. Guests can enjoy handcrafted cocktails, live music on select evenings, sports viewing on 70" flat screens and bar games aplenty. It's an ideal spot for both vacationers and locals looking to feel like they're on a vacay. 

Captain Curt’s Sniki Tiki

Also on Siesta Key, the Sniki Tiki at Captain Curt's Crab & Oyster Bar proves that a good tiki bar doesn’t have to be directly on the water to give that same chill vibe. Sitting out back of the venue under the giant thatched roof, you get the best of both worlds – the soothing sensation that you’re moving with the breeze and waves until nature has massaged you into a loose noodle, but still away from the hustle and bustle of….everyone else. It’s like the back of a Hawaiian island where the tourists can’t find you, but you still get the vibe.

Pop's Sunset Grill

A staple on the Gulf Coast, Pop's Sunset Grill in Nokomis offers a casual atmosphere with fresh island-inspired fare and live music every day. The expansive tiki bar provides nearly 180-degree views of the Intracoastal Waterway, complemented by live music and tons of open-air seating, including fire pit tables and its waterfront tiki bar. This is the spot to soak up some Old Florida charm with a happening bunch!

Lido Beach Club Poolside Tiki Bar

Part of the Lido Beach Resort, the Lido Beach Club Poolside Tiki Bar is open to the public to enjoy in all its tropical glory. It’s the tiki for meeting up with friends to see and be seen. Sunsets over the Gulf are hard to beat and its discreet location leads to fewer crowds to fight for access to the bar. The Lido Beach Club Poolside Tiki Bar is only open until 7 pm, so it’s the perfect place to mingle all day and begin your night out with a stroll on the beach.

Ritz-Carlton Beach Club's Lido Key Tiki Bar

A stroll further south along Lido Beach, with its soft sands underfoot and crystal clear water kissing the shore, brings you to The Ritz-Carlton Beach Club's Lido Key Tiki Bar, a gleaming beacon calling you to succumb to its siren call. You hear it. It’s begging you to leave your feet bare and belly up to the bar for a mudslide. 

Hop on a stool or turn around to admire the glistening Gulf in front of you as you wonder, ‘is this real?’ To prove it is not a mirage, you’ll be hungry (no one is ever hungry in dreams), so you order some of the outstanding food that comes from the Ritz-Carlton (wait, maybe it is a dream…a tiki bar with food from the Ritz?). While technically part of the Ritz-Carlton, the Lido Key Tiki Bar is open to the public and maintains the utmost laidback vibe and is definitely not a dream. It just feels like one.

Sharky’s on the Pier

Sharky’s on the Pier in Venice lies directly in front of the famous Venice Fishing Pier on the Gulf of Mexico, providing stunning views, photo ops, and people watching. Sip that local brew while being entertained by the diving water birds and wackiness that inevitably ensues on the beach. Watch as fishermen and women pull up lunkers from the sea and satisfy that watering mouth with Sharky’s extensive seafood-focused menu. A stroll on the beach, a game of volleyball or a quick sandcastle and you’re back without ever changing your shoes, parking spot, or clothes. It’s a day and night come true.

Evie’s on the Bay

If you’re lucky enough to arrive to your tiki via boat, Evie’s on the Bay is your destination. Hook up to a piling along the Intracoastal waters of Little Sarasota Bay in Osprey and quench that seafaring thirst with a cool drink. Whether arriving by land or sea, the giant tiki bar area offers a coolest-backyard-in-the-neighborhood vibe. Live music, local brews and a seafood menu top off the perfect night before you sail off into the stunning sunset.

Walt’s Fish Market and Tiki Bar

Whatever the reason – allergies, a bad sunburn, whatnot – if you crave a tiki but need to dodge the beach for a bit, Walt’s Fish Market and Tiki Bar gives the tiki bar vibe with its palapa, boat drinks, and tropical tunes but without a beach in sight. The location cannot be easier to find along Tamiami Trail and the adjoining fish market makes the ‘what’s for dinner?’ question nonexistent. Keep that ease going.

Cruisin' Tikis Sarasota

For a truly unique tiki experience, set sail with Cruisin' Tikis Sarasota—a floating tiki bar that offers private, BYOB cruises along the scenic Sarasota Bay. These 6-person charters provide some serious fun, and offer a variety of cruise options, including 90-minute Fun Tiki cruises, romantic Sunset cruises, Sandbar & Swim excursions, and even morning Brunch cruises. It's the perfect way to enjoy Sarasota's waterways and toast to new memories.

A tiki bar is the bacon of the social world – everyone loves it and it’s always the right time to savor its awesomeness. Day or night, weekend or hump day, it’s perpetually acceptable to visit a tiki. So what are you waiting for? It’s tiki time – whether you're on vacation or not!