When you want the food you see to be seafood, Doc Ford’s is always our go-to choice in St. Pete for their delicious lineup. This May, the local favorite is going all out for one of their signature items as they celebrate National Yucatan Shrimp Day on May 24.

Yucatan Shrimp is, of course, one of the specialties that helped put Doc Ford’s on the map – really, every day is Yucatan Shrimp Day at Doc Ford’s. But in addition to a big celebration on the official day, Doc Ford’s is celebrating all month long with giveaways, specials and big events.

In fact, anyone who orders *any* Yucatan item between now and the end of service on May 23 will be entered to win a massive Yeti cooler packed full of Doc Ford’s swag, goodies and more. On May 24, one winner will be selected at each restaurant, sending two lucky winners home with all the good stuff. The two St. Pete locations are on the St. Pete Pier and at 8790 Bay Pines Boulevard.

The fun doesn’t stop there, of course. While the Doc Ford’s Yucatan Sauce is one of the most popular items in the store every day, the celebrated restaurant is also showcasing the chefs at home. Doc Ford’s is asking for Yucatan fans to share their favorite homemade Yucatan sauce recipes, whether it’s a tangy marinade, a zesty dipping sauce, or a spicy drink, they want to see your culinary creations, and one lucky winner will be selected to win a free bottle of Doc Ford’s Yucatan Sauce. To enter, simply whip up your favorite Yucatan sauce recipe, post on social media, and tag Doc Ford’s.

Perhaps the best news on the giveaway and full month of Yucatan Shrimp dining is that every single dish you purchase counts as another entry into the contest. If you go back for seconds? It counts. Make a visit twice in a weekend? Both of them get you one step closer to the packed out Yeti cooler.

To learn more and see what the chefs are whipping up all month long, follow Doc Ford’s on facebook and on instagram. And be sure to check in on May 24, National Yucatan Shrimp Day, to see if you’re one of the lucky winners! (Though truly, if we may say, anyone getting a place of Yucatan Shrimp can be considered a winner.)

Doc Ford’s Jungle Terrace is a St. Pete oasis

When we need to get away from it all (or when we’re just hungry), Doc Ford’s in Jungle Terrace is our go-to for tasty eats, great drinks, and waterfront relaxation. The rum- and seafood-forward restaurant just celebrated its first anniversary at 8790 Bay Pines Boulevard, and the secluded spot has become a true hidden gem in St. Pete for lunch, dinner and anything in between.

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille, a regional favorite, is a local success story, and any visit shows why the literary-inspired restaurant has had so much success. Their opening alongside the St. Pete Pier in 2020 was met with so much fanfare that the need (and demand) for a West St. Pete location quickly became evident.

Nestled along Long Bayou, the newest location for Doc Ford’s is a tropical getaway befitting the restaurant’s island inspiration. Sitting on the patio overlooking the water, it’s hard not to have one of those “oh yeah, we live in paradise” moments.

Doc Ford’s showcases creative seafood favorites

Of course, it isn’t the waterfront views that have made the restaurant so popular. Doc Ford’s Caribbean-inspired lineup of food and drink keeps guests coming back for more, and it was the star of our recent visit, as well. The expansive menu can make selecting which dish (or dishes) to choose quite the brain teaser, but we’ll admit: the rum helps with that.

The menu, open for lunch and dinner, places an emphasis on fresh seafood, including a shellfish bar. The extensive offerings include a wide variety of appetizers, sandwiches and fish-driven entrees. The main attractions on our visit were the Yucatan Shrimp and the Macadamia Nut Crusted Grouper, both of which are exemplars of the restaurant’s seafood-forward experience.

For something more snackable, the buffalo shrimp are always a hit, and their new flatbreads are surprisingly light (and delightfully tasty). We’d also recommend steamed mussels, crab cakes, fish tacos, or their seared tuna appetizer plate.

Enjoy a rum-soaked literary paradise

That said, there’s plenty more at Doc Ford’s than just good eats. Rum takes center stage on the drinks menu, with everything from high-end rum flights to fruity and boozy island-inspired cocktails. The Sanibel Sunset is our go-to, though multiple rum punches are tempting members of the menu. If rum isn’t your thing, no worries: the full cocktail menu has an impressive array of margaritas, bloody marys, mojitos, mules and coladas, as well as plenty of local beer and great wines.

While it’s the food and drinks that keep people coming back, Doc Ford’s is perhaps best known for its literary history. It’s not often that a rum-soaked restaurant has such ties, but thanks to local author Randy Wayne White and his series of novels starring a baseball-loving, tropical adventurer named Doc Ford, the bar and grille is a destination for shrimp lovers and book lovers alike.

Doc Ford’s combines island vibes with a sports bar atmosphere

As for the edible parts of Doc Ford’s success, the restaurant has been on the receiving end of several notable accolades recently. In 2021, Trip Advisor ranked the company’s four restaurants as the No. 1 place in the country for “everyday eats.” Just last year, Trip Advisor also ranked their location on the pier as St. Pete’s No. 1 restaurant.

The restaurant group’s other locations are on Sanibel Island, the St. Pete Pier, and Ft. Myers Beach. On their website, Doc Ford’s describes their approach: “We take pride in providing our customers with only the freshest seafood and ingredients available, and where all of our dishes are prepared fresh in house everyday. We proudly offer daily specials for lunch and dinner, full menu from open to close, signature cocktails, and an extensive Premium Rum Selection.

The airy and bright locations all feature combination indoor and outdoor seating with views of the water, as well as full bars and plenty of TVs for catching any live sports. The Jungle Terrace has two full bars: one tiki-style bar on the patio, and another indoor/outdoor combo tying the entire dining room and patio areas together.

Learn more and see their full menu here.