Five Atlantic Beach Seafood Dinners Worth Ordering

Short answer: The popular seafood dishes Atlantic Beach menus are built around are the simple ones done right: a fresh catch platter cooked your way, fish tacos, seared ahi tuna, a shrimp and crab salad, and a fried strawberry dessert. Start with whatever fish came in that day, then build the rest of dinner around it.

A fresh catch is the fish of the day: whatever the boats brought in, rather than one fixed species printed on a menu. It is the heart of a beach seafood dinner, and it is where this list begins.

Picture it. Salt still in your hair, sandals by the door, and more good options than one dinner can hold. Five plates make the choice easier, and each one suits a different kind of hungry.

What are the most popular seafood dishes Atlantic Beach restaurants serve?

On this stretch of coast, the dishes people look for lean on local fish and shrimp: a fish of the day cooked to order, fish tacos, seared tuna, a seafood salad, and a sweet finish. Here are our five, side by side.

Shrimp is a home-water catch here. White shrimp range from Fire Island, New York, to St. Lucie Inlet on Florida’s Atlantic coast, and 2024 landings totaled 107 million pounds, valued at $159 million (Source: NOAA Fisheries 2024).

Here is the five-dish shortlist at a glance.

Key takeaway: if you only remember one thing, ask what came in today. That one question gets you the best plate on any honest seafood menu.

What is a fresh catch platter, and how should you order it?

A fresh catch platter is the fish of the day, cooked the way you choose, with a side. Pick the fish first, the cooking style second, and the side last.

Local, wild-caught fish is the exception in this country, not the rule. Americans ate 19.1 pounds of seafood per person in 2023, and an estimated 80 percent of it came from foreign imports (Source: NOAA Fisheries 2023). That is why a fish of the day matters.

Our Fresh Catch Platter is one selection from our fresh catch, served with one side. The fish is wild-caught and never frozen, and the board changes with what the boats bring in. Here is what wild-caught, never frozen really means on the plate.

Every catch comes grilled, blackened, fried, or jalapeno crusted. Grilled shows off a delicate fish. Blackened adds a spiced crust. When flounder is on the fresh catch board, it is worth asking about. For the side, the Hush Puppies are golden and made to order, and you can find them under sides.

Can’t pick one fish? The Goofy Foot puts two fresh catch selections and two sides on one plate, and The Hugangus goes to three. Our seasonal seafood guide explains why the board shifts through the year.

Are fish tacos a good first order at a seafood restaurant?

Yes. Fish tacos are an easy first order: the fish stays the star, the cabbage adds crunch and the sauce pulls it together. Get those right and nothing else is needed.

Our Terrific Tacos: Fish come in flour tortillas with crisp cabbage and our Atlantic Beach aioli, served with one side. The cabbage brings the crunch and the aioli brings the cream. They live under tacos, next to shrimp, oyster, and grouper versions.

Want a sweeter fish? The Key West Style Mahi Tacos are stuffed with our grilled mahi mahi. NOAA describes mahi mahi as sweet and mild, lean and fairly firm with large, moist flakes. Most of it is caught by anglers: in 2024, recreational fishers harvested 8.2 million pounds in the Atlantic and Gulf, against about 75,000 pounds landed commercially (Source: NOAA Fisheries 2024).

Pair either one with the Mango Wasabi Slaw, our sweet heat house slaw. Rather have your fish on bread? Our fish sandwich guide covers the on a bun side of the menu.

What is seared ahi tuna?

Seared ahi tuna is yellowfin tuna cooked hot and fast, so the outside browns while the center stays rare. It eats more like a steak than a flaky fish.

Ahi is another name for yellowfin. NOAA describes it as mild and meaty, with firm, moist meat and large flakes. A 100 gram raw serving carries 24.4 grams of protein, and the 2024 stock assessment found Atlantic yellowfin not overfished and not subject to overfishing (Source: NOAA Fisheries 2024).

Our Seared Ahi Tuna is sushi-grade ahi, seared and served over a sushi rice cake, topped with wakame seaweed salad, teriyaki glaze, and wasabi cream. Salty glaze, cool seaweed, a little wasabi heat. It is the order for the person who says they don’t do fried food, and it sits with the fresh catch on our menu.

Is a seafood salad filling enough for dinner?

Yes, when it is loaded with protein. A salad with real shrimp and crab on it is a full dinner, not a side dish.

Our Seafood Cobb Salad brings fresh mixed greens, diced tomato, avocado, crabmeat, grilled shrimp, shredded mixed cheeses, onion, and applewood smoked bacon. That is two kinds of shellfish in one bowl. NOAA lists 20.31 grams of protein in a 100 gram raw serving of white shrimp (Source: NOAA Fisheries).

It is a smart pick on the mercury front, too. The FDA and EPA list both shrimp and crab as Best Choices, the top tier on their mercury chart (Source: FDA 2024).

Craving fruit with your shrimp? The Tropical Shrimp Salad adds mango and strawberries with a coconut lime dressing. Both sit on the salad menu. Ordering on the lighter side? See our guide to healthy seafood in Atlantic Beach. Starting with shellfish instead? Our guide to fresh oysters in Atlantic Beach covers oysters on the half shell.

Should you save room for dessert at a seafood restaurant?

Yes, at least once. A seafood dinner ends well on something warm and fruity, and strawberries are a true Florida crop.

Our Strawberry Longboard is battered and deep-fried shortbread, topped with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and strawberry and white chocolate sauces. Crisp outside, soft inside, and big enough to share. It lives on the dessert menu beside The Legendary Coconut Cake and the No-Bake Key Lime Pie.

Florida grows a lot of the country’s winter fruit. Hillsborough County produces about 15 percent of the nation’s strawberries and virtually all the berries grown during the winter (Source: Florida Strawberry Growers Association). The season runs from Thanksgiving to Easter (Source: UF/IFAS 2020).

Where can you order these five dishes in Atlantic Beach?

All five are on the Two Dudes Seafood menu, three blocks from the ocean on Sailfish Drive East. We are family-owned and have served Atlantic Beach since 2006.

You will find us at Two Dudes Seafood, 73 Sailfish Drive East, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233. Call (904) 246-2000 to ask what came in today. We serve dinner only: Monday 5 to 9 PM, closed Tuesday, and Wednesday to Sunday 5 to 9 PM. No reservations, just walk in, and flip flops are welcome.

Any of these popular seafood dishes in Atlantic Beach counts toward the at least 8 ounces of seafood a week that the Dietary Guidelines recommend for adults (Source: FDA 2024). Browse the full Two Dudes Seafood menu, or order online for pickup.

New to the neighborhood? Read our story, plan a perfect evening in Atlantic Beach, or see our guide to local seafood in Atlantic Beach. Bringing the kids? The kids menu has Fish Fingers. Eating at home tonight? Our guide to seafood takeout in Atlantic Beach covers which dishes travel best.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a reservation at Two Dudes Seafood?

No. We don’t take reservations, so everyone walks in, first-timers and old friends alike. We are a casual, family-owned spot three blocks from the ocean, and flip flops are welcome. We serve dinner only: Monday 5 to 9 PM, closed Tuesday, and Wednesday to Sunday 5 to 9 PM. Coming with a big group, or just curious about tonight’s fish? Call (904) 246-2000 and ask what came in. That way you can start deciding between the platter, the tacos, and the ahi on the drive over, and spend less time with the menu once you sit down.

Is the fresh catch the same every night?

No, and that is the point. Our fish is wild-caught and never frozen, so the fresh catch changes with what the boats bring in. One night’s board can look different from the next. When flounder is on the fresh catch board, it is a good one to ask about. Pick your fish, then choose grilled, blackened, fried, or jalapeno crusted. Want more than one? The Goofy Foot puts two selections and two sides on a plate, and The Hugangus puts three. Not sure what is running? Your server can tell you what came in, or you can call ahead.

What should I order if I don’t want anything fried?

Start with the Seared Ahi Tuna: sushi-grade ahi, seared and served over a sushi rice cake with wakame seaweed salad. A grilled fresh catch is the next best pick. The Grilled Shrimp come original or blackened, and the Seafood Cobb Salad and Tropical Shrimp Salad are full meals on their own. For a side, the Side Salad or Mango Wasabi Slaw keeps things light. On the mercury question, the FDA and EPA rate shrimp a Best Choice and mahi mahi and yellowfin tuna Good Choices (Source: FDA 2024). Their advice is about how often to eat each fish, and it is general guidance, not medical advice.

Can I order these dishes for pickup?

Yes. You can order online for pickup, which works well for a night on the porch or a quick dinner after the beach. Plan on a short drive to Sailfish Drive East to pick it up. Fried dishes like the Strawberry Longboard taste best soon after they leave the kitchen, so eat those first when you get home. Our wine and cold beer are in-house only, so they stay with us. Not sure what travels well, or want to know tonight’s fresh catch before you order? Call (904) 246-2000 and ask what came in today, then place your pickup order online.

Those are five popular seafood dishes in Atlantic Beach worth a second visit, and a third. Come by for dinner, ask what came in today, and see which one becomes your usual. The blog has more local food talk, and the home page has the basics.