Located in the vibrant heart of downtown Sarasota, Duval’s (1435 Main St.) has been honored as Sarasota’s Best Local Seafood Spot every year since 2016 and won TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award in 2023. Duval’s only sources seafood from local fishermen and farmers, ensuring each dish consists of fresh fare that supports the local community and economy.
The staff describes Duval’s as a “local restaurant with a passion for stunning seafood, superb service, fine wine, and creative cocktails.” For lunch, we highly recommend Duval’s signature po’ boys served on a baguette with Napa cabbage, tomato, chipotle remoulade, with your choice of shrimp, oyster, or chicken. Add a cup of lobster bisque for a delicious and affordable lunch combo meal. Check out the full lunch menu here.
The dinner menu runs the gamut of decadent seafood fare. Notable entrees include the Scallops Rockefeller (seared U10 scallops, roast Yukon potatoes, spinach, bacon sambuca cream sauce, crisp oysters) and the Seafood Bouillabaisse (half a lobster tail, shrimp, PEI mussels, calamari, filet of fish, tomato, fennel broth, served over linguine). For a full taste of the sea, Duval’s Seafood Platter is the way to go (lobster tail, shrimp, and U10 sea scallops grilled, over roasted potatoes, spinach, garlic, and onions, grilled herb oil, side of clarified butter). Check out the dinner menu here.

Stellar happy hour specials
A stellar happy hour complements the great food. Duval’s has two happy hours daily: the first is from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the second is from 9 p.m. to close. The happy hour boasts $5 house wines, $8 cocktails, and $11 bar bites.
Combining great happy hour specials with Sarasota-inspired fare, Duval’s surpasses its awards in that it’s become inextricable from the culture of Sarasota.
“Our local community has been a major influence on our journey,” says the staff. “We partner with local businesses, organizations, and our downtown neighbors to ensure Sarasota continues to thrive, and that we are providing a unique experience that you cannot get anywhere else.”
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