Great appetizers and service!! We went to the Stone Crab Festival today, and instead of eating there, we stopped in to the Cortez Kitchen. We each had a margarita (Boozy, very good). We then shared Buffalo Grouper bites and Fried Mushrooms. The mushrooms were delicious, fried perfectly and juicy, the Grouper bites were amazing. Tender, with a perfect golden crust, a little heat, and what I believe was a house made Bleu Cheese dressing…so good!! Our server was friendly, food was fast, we will go back!!

Fast service. Food came out quickly. The beer was fresh and cold. Classic local dive vibe. Friendly waitstaff.

Cortez Kitchen has a cool atmosphere. Very laid back and casual. The food was good. Got chicken tenders, seafood platter and cheese sticks. All pretty good. Would recommend for seafood.

Highly recommend! Cortez Kitchen is a yummy and efficient restaurant! When we arrived, there was no wait and as soon as we sat we were greeted. They had very cheap and cold beers! As an appetizer, we ordered the Buffalo grouper bites which came out quickly and were very tasty! For the entrees, I ordered the broiled shrimp, okra and fries and my boyfriend ordered the lightly blackened mahi with the vegetables and coleslaw. Both entrees were delicious! It’s located right on the canal and had a good atmosphere!

When you come to the restaurant, it is a self seating place so seat yourself wherever there is a table available. The waitress immediately noticed us and gave us a menu right away even though the place was really packed ! Great and fast service! The food was just amazing as the service! I got the red royal shrimp special for the day with sweet potato fries and mac m cheese ! I love the freshness and sweetness of the shrimp. Pairing it with the decadent mac n cheese was such a great combo. The clams were also delicious! We also ordered a brownie sundae and it definitely hits the sweet spot and cravings! Definitely would come back again!

The best royal red shrimp and cheeseburgers in town. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. All made to order and all so tasty!! We will continue to come here for years to come.

Went during height of spring break but we got an outdoor spot right away. Our server was very nice and efficient. It appeared the restaurant was under staffed. I ordered the blackened grouper. It was my first time trying this fish. It was delicious but expensive. The place is pet friendly and my dog was provided water. I really enjoyed the location and watching the pelicans waddle around inside the warehouse next door. A Sandhill crane was also trotting around. All n all a good spot for food, friendly service and great bird watching. If I am in the area again I would return here.

We stopped at this place on a Saturday night but could not get a table due to the great live music. We decided to stop by on Sunday for lunch and we were glad we did. We enjoyed the shrimp, scallops, soft shell crab sandwich, and Mahi sandwich. All seafood cooked well and the price well. Service was excellent and we enjoyed all the pelicans hanging around.

This little place is a mainstay in my family. It is always friendly with some of the best seafood around. The favorites in our house are grilled shimp, grilled grouper, blackened mahi, and the peel and eat shrimp. We have had more off the menu, but those are the items we go back for over and over.

When you are looking for an 'old florida' setting with genuine people and killer fresh seafood, this is the place you want to be.

Excellent Blackened Grouper Sandwich well done Fries! Cold Beer ! Great old Florida vibe ! Locals eat here ! Yum ! Excellent service too !

Water views and great service! We enjoyed our evening out with friends with good service from Cindy. She was working alone with many tables and still did a great job. Super recommendation on the shrimp!!! Can't wait to return.

Superb service and great food! My wife and I enjoyed our dinner at this nice little restaurant that is off the beaten path. It sits right on the bay. During our 9 day visit I have been trying to find the best Scallops and theirs are very good!

Great food + great service = great time!!!

BEST peel and eat! We like to stop in the "Kitchen" for a nice cold beer and peel and eat shrimp. This is a great local place with always friendly staff and cold beer!

Best seafood platter so far in Cortez Village and we go to all the restaurants as well as on island. Gave a 4 because the social distancing was not very good and some staff did not wear masks. But it was outdoor seating so we felt ok and glad we stayed. Great cheese grits too!

We liked this Place better than Star Fish Co. Right on the water with lots of room and shade. We ordered blackened shrimp with hush puppies and cheese grits. This was very good. A fried Mahi sandwich with sweet potato fries and a couple beers made for a good lunch.

This place has a very laid back vibe to it. Being on the water the view is very pretty and relaxing, especially on nights when the have bands perform. It is outside seating only but with the ocean breeze it feels night (especially at sunset). The bands are always good and the staff is very kind. The food and drinks are enjoyable, very worth it to visit with all these factors combined.

Delightful evening at Cortez Kitchen Following a bad experience with the hostess at Swordfish Grill after a 35-minute wait, we were not in a good mood when we walked next door to Cortez Kitchen. But we had a great time, thanks to the friendly waitress Shannon and some amazing seafood. One of the specials was grilled red shrimp, which Shannon said are from Argentina. Although we like to support locally caught seafood whenever possible, we ordered the red shrimp as an appetizer and they were so tasty I ordered them as my main course too. The main course comes with two sides ($21.99; I can’t remember appetizer price). Served with melted butter, they taste like mini-lobsters. The Steamer Pot of shrimp, scallops, clams, grouper, broccoli, and celery ($21.99) and steamed clams ($11.99) were delicious. We love the hole-in-the-wall atmosphere in a covered outdoor setting. It reminds me of what makes Anna Maria Island special. Thanks to the staff at Cortez Kitchen for rescuing our disastrous evening and making it special.

The reviews on Cortez Kitchen seem to be all over the place. Some call it a dive bar and while it kind of appears that way, the menu is expansive and experimental. The prices also aren't very dive bar-ish, but they are pretty normal for the area.

If you want something new, the Buffalo Grouper Sandwich is something I never knew I needed. I passed up the Reuben for that and was not disappointed. While I like trying new things, I'll probably have to get that again on my next visit. Most of the offerings are fried fish and such (we had gator tail and hushpuppies), but they also have sushi, which I did not try. I visited on a colder night so didn't get the true vibe, but it's an open-air spot in the bay, so not sure how people can complain about that.

I went to this place with my wife and son for lunch. 12pm. It was pretty good. We enjoyed it. The view is nothing special. It's in a bit of an industrial area. That being said, the food was pretty good. Mozzarella sticks were good but the dipping sauce was cold. But overall I would say it was decent. We had grouper sangwiches. I would go back but I wouldn't rush to get back. Knam sayn? At least it's not on the island so we avoided those crowds.

My favorite local joint. Food is good, service is great! Music and atmosphere is excellent!!!

Great food n menu0 We ate at the Cortez Kitchen on Monday evening. They had a good band playing, who were very good.
Enjoyed the food and music.

Good food, music Great atmosphere. So close to fish docks the fish are practically jumping into the skillet or on the grill. Great "real Florida" seafood. I would enthusiastically recommend this restaurant "joint" to friends and family!

Fresh as it gets - seafood! My wife and I love going here to Cortez Kitchen for the fresh seafood. We have been going here for many years and never disappointed. I love the scallops and ask for them blackened. Really very good and we also like the fried shrimp, delicious enough that I also eat the tails on the shrimp, that good. This is our go to spot when we arrive Florida and are looking for the real fresh seafood...Hard to beat this place as everything is very tasty! Very open, on the water and very relaxing atmosphere, Florida at it's best!

Great dinner - Service was not so great .... I hate to bag on bad service, but they must have been short-staffed for a Friday night because our poor server was running around like a crazy person but we waited for multiple things (ranch, refills, the check) for far too long. People standing around waiting for our table since it was a packed house but we were waiting on our check.. That being said, the food was fabulous!! Royal Reds any time I can get them - if you like shell fish, YOU MUST HAVE THESE!! My husband had a burger, said it was greasy through the bun but tasted good... Good thing we were catching up with family we haven't seen in a while or the service would have been really buggy...

Great find! Quaint Waterfront restaurant, fresh seafood, large portions, reasonable prices. Best seafood I’ve eaten in a very long time. Staff was very friendly.

Great dive bar! If you are looking for fancy food don't bother, if you want amazing food with awesome atmosphere then this is for you. Bands are too loud, only criticism

Wonderful lunch Fresh fish sandwich and a side, in this case onion rings and for me an order of tuna roll. Very fresh. Mixed drinks were $3.50. the band was setting up to play. A lovely Sunday afternoon.

Stone crab claws! Get the dinner with seven mediums and two sides. Funky place with music on the weekends. Still weird with smoking allowed

Old Florida at its best The place the locals go for good food and excellent entertainment. Our server was exceptional and her meal suggestion was right on target. Our group enjoyed the evening. Thanks Cindy for all the help.

Grouper sandwich to die for... Had a chance to revisit an old eatery that has been serving Real Grouper sandwichs for at least the past 20+ yrs... And the steamed broccoli with garlic "secret sauce" as a side item with the Fried, Blackened or Grilled Grouper is a true Florida Lunch or Dinner that can not be beat... Check it out for a good time with the Full Bar (including Tampa's Cigar City brewery crafted beers, plus some of the newer libations now being brewed in SRQ)...And don't forget to stop by the Florida Maritime museum which is a very short walk from the old time Cracker style eatery..

Royal Red Shrimp!!! These shrimp are not just huge they taste more like lobster than shrimp. The texture is like lobster claw!!! I heard about them but was happily surprised that it's all true. Amazing food there.

Funky, Local, Old Florida, Delightful If you want a super fancy big menu in deluxe surroundings, don't go here. But if you like a funky sort of place that's been keeping people happy - a lot of local people and visitors too - for many years, one with a lively bar, music on occasion, outside-inside setting right by the water, and one where you will see some really interesting people - types you may never see that often, well, try this place. It's been one of our favorites for years. We keep going back. Oh yes. The food is good too.

Great outdoor restaurant/bar on the waterfront where casual is not only the norm but highly recommended.
Menu is seafood based but there are other items such as prime rib, burgers, and chicken.
We visited restaurant for lunch and had a blackened Reuben grouper sandwich, a soft shell crab sandwich, sweet potato fries, cole slaw and finished it off with delicious key lime pie!!
Great staff. Easy parking

Good vibe at cortez kitchen Very enjoyable evening nice food friendly good service enjoyed the music great open restaurant at the waters edge boat yard

Food, entertainment, service all great! My family and I stopped by on a weekday evening. The service was prompt and friendly. All the dishes we ordered were very good....fried shrimp, fried oysters, fries, coleslaw, fresh fruit . The only small complaint was the grouper bites were slightly under cooked. The live entertainment was very good also.

Nice place with fresh seafood plus good customer service, can't wait to come back. Grilled grouper was perfect

Just Love Cortez Kitchen! For a hidden gem, with great views and true history, go here! We go several times a year and are really not disappointed. Food is sometimes hit or miss and the prices are higher but overall, a great place to hang outside and enjoy the ambiance! Drinks are cold and STRONG....Prefer beer in bottle than draft, as it gets warm to quick. I tried the Cabo Rita and it was fabulous...9.00 but huge drink and soooooo tasty! Our meal was grouper bites and hushpuppies with fried oysters......Very good!

Fresh Seafood! Amazing Grouper and boiled Shrimp platters! Best fresh seafood around!!! The atmosphere is perfect if you are looking for a hidden old Florida Gem!

A total dive — perfect for us! If you don’t love a local dive, this isn’t your place. But if you don’t mind outdoor seating at a local bar, this is a must. Loved the food—fish and chips, grouper sandwich, magi sandwich, wings. Our family really liked it. It’s not classy—but it is great! Would definitely go back. They have live music sometimes, too, but no band when we were there.

Live music, dancing in old Florida Located in the Cortez fishing village. Fun music in the afternoon. Pulled up in the boat, joined people on a picnic table and enjoyed the band. Very laid back. People started dancing. We also saw the nice catch that a charter brought in.

Great food & music First time going to this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, on the marina, great music by 2 guitar players good music and tasty shrimp and scallops. Such a laid-back atmosphere. We just moved to Bradenton to miles from this restaurant can't wait to be a regular

HOT Shrimp After swimming all day long, it was Fantastic finding Cortez Kitchen and enjoying your One Pound of peel n eat shrimp - which thanks to LINDSAY - got them HOT for us. Not to mention the delicious Clam chouder and Beer Pitcher. Yiu made my last day in florida. Next time I come down I'll definitely pop in for more good food and great service!

Family Lunch Truly amazing food. It was harder to get a table for a party of 7 but the staff was very creative and got us ALL together.

Topnotch food, atmosphere and service! Great find! Lunch here with a friend. Shared the seafood platter - more than enough for both of us. Great scallops, stuffed crab, shrimp, fish.
The service was fast and the music was fabulous.
What a great atmosphere, right on the water - quirky place.
Can't wait to go back next year.

Really good and fresh food!! Stopped in for a causal lunch and everything was so tasty!! Nice clam chowder - full of clams, blackened grouper sandwich, coconut shrimp and buffalo grouper bits were all great!! The 3 of us split a piece of key lime pie - nice and tart. Good value and so fresh. Super casual, and a friendly and accomodating waitress.

Yummy Lunch Stopped for lunch today and had the buffalo groupper bites. They were wonderful. Love the laid back atmosphere.

Old school Florida joint Great stop for lunch. Uber casual diner/tavern on the Cortez fishing wharf. Service is slow but you're here for the fresh fish. We highly recommend the grilled red shrimp. Ask for plenty of napkins. Juicy, succulent, and messy. Dive right in!

Wow! This place is so very awesome! Everyone we visit my husbands relatives in Bradenton, when they ask me where we want to eat we always say Cortez Kitchen! This place is right on the water. You're surrounded by fishing boats. I love Grouper. I have had grouper at many places in Florida from Ft Myers Beach to Cortez. Hands down Cortez Kitchen makes the most delicious grouper anywhere. I prefer it blackened but all the ways of preparing it are perfect. They also gave excellent peel and eat shrimp! Tons of yummy fresh seafood here! They have a variety of other menu items as well. They also have very good live entertainment on the weekends. Such an awesome place. Make sure to check them out if your around the Sarasota Anna Maria Island Bradenton area. This place is worth the trip!

Great food and service We loved this place. Ample portions and great service by Leann. We love grouper and couldn’t believe how perfectly pokes the fish was and the size of the sandwiches. Will return for sure when we come back next year !!!!

Great price great food Second time here and will keep coming back! Stopped for lunch and had the scallops which were cooked to perfection! Great service and got to see the fishing boats come in with their catches and so did the pelicans.