Coconut Charlie’s Beach Bar

by South Florida Eats · Published December 24, 2022 · Updated December 24, 2022

Coconut Charlie’s Beach Bar & Grill: 6100 Gulf Blvd, St. Pete Beach, FL 33706

Along Gulf Blvd, you will find an array of restaurants to appeal to your food desires. I was in St. Petersburg, Florida, with my friend Mike who recommended we check out Coconut Charlie’s Beach Bar & Grill. It was a Sunday afternoon, and we were hungry after a long night of celebrating a win from our favorite hockey team, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Because Coconut Charlie’s Beach Bar is located on the beach, the parking is monitored. It’s located inside the Hilton Garden Inn St. Pete. When you park, it is $30, and a guy will take your payment right there. Once paid, he will give you a $30 voucher for Coconut Charlie’s if you tell him you are there for the restaurant.

The Restaurant:

The restaurant is split into two parts. You have the portion connected to the hotel itself, with a large dining area. The view from here is of the parking lot, but there is some outside dining. The best part is actually the beach bar area. You will have to walk down a long hallway in the hotel to get to the outdoor space. But you aren’t there yet, since the hotel is long and narrow. Walk just a little more, and you will see what looks like an old fish shack.

This is where Coconut Charlie’s Beach Bar is located. It’s mostly table seating outside on a wooden deck, with some lounge-style seating on one side. There is a decent-sized indoor bar with TVs to watch your favorite sports. To one side of the bar is outdoor seating with access to the bar. And if you are so inclined, you can run on the beach as your food cooks.

The Food:

The food at Coconut Charlie’s is a mix of handheld sandwiches, pizza, small plates, and three healthy selections. We initially wanted to start with the Boom Boom Shrimp, but when our meals arrived, and we had not even received the shrimp yet, we asked our waitress to cancel the order. No sense in having an appetizer after the main course. I have to say this was the only strike against this place.

Now prior to this meal, I had heard about Poke bowls but never tried one. Mike decided he would be the healthy one and chose to go with the Tuna Poke Bowl. According to Mike, though, this was not exactly made in a traditional way. The dish is served with ponzu glazed yellowfin tuna, mixed greens, shredded carrot, cucumber, mandarin orange, edamame, wonton, and wasabi vinaigrette.

It was a delightful mix of flavors and one that Mike thoroughly enjoyed. He took his time to savor every bite as we talked about our plans for the day.

For those that know me, I can be a creature of habit at times. I chose to go a more traditional route. I tried Coconut Charlie’s cheeseburger and fries. Made with Certified Black Angus Blend, American cheese, lettuce, and tomato and served on a toasted bun. The burger itself was cooked perfectly to the temperature I requested. The mix they use of meats has good flavor, and the grill gives it a nice crust on the outside. This was one of the best burgers I have had in a while, and I would highly recommend it.

The french fries were the side of choice for us both. They were cooked to a golden brown with a nice crunch to them. The pepper and salt seasoning they added made the fries pop in your mouth with flavor. I ended up eating half of Mike’s when he got full. I would order them again, hands down.

For our drinks, Mike had a Bloody Mary, and I had a mimosa. Both hit the spot and would be our drinks of choice the next time we visit.