To many, the dream of Southern paradise includes pulling your boat up to a restaurant on the water after a pleasant afternoon set to the tune of distant cicadas and the scent of sunscreen. This is no doubt the dream that local restauranteurs Nathan Stuart and Margo Klar had when they opened their latest fast casual seafood spot, the Grouper Shack. Set where the San Sebastian River meets the Cat’s Paw Marina, the full bar and ample deck seating provides a picturesque view of the classic Anastasia Island skyline.
The Grouper Shack is designed for the locals. A full bar overlooks the Matanzas River, where the distant St. Augustine Lighthouse joins you for one of the several signature cocktails and the great local fare that St. Johns County residents have come to expect from Nathan and Margo’s waterfront restaurants. The restaurant masters the iconic “Florida Cracker” menu with options like gator tail, bang bang shrimp, and smoked fish dip, but shines with their Fresh Seafood Baskets–fresh-caught fish served fried, grilled, or blackened with a side of fries and slaw. Aside from their seasonal staples, which include grouper, mahi, and cod, select dishes can be ordered with local in-season catches like wahoo and yellow tail snapper.
Since 2018, Nathan and Margo have been creating restaurants under the motive “You can’t fake fresh,” which is equally reflected in their choice of location as it is in their selection of dishes. When the couple started their first restaurant–just a short walk from St. John’s River–with under $100,000 of their personal savings, they won the hearts of the locals by capturing every step of the process. The Orange Park Fish and Oyster Bar opened to the success the couple knew was possible, and their journey as restauranteurs officially began. Since then, nearly every restaurant built by the duo has featured proximity to one of Northeast Florida’s major waterways or coasts. The tagline, more importantly, refers to their commitment to serving fresh-caught, in-season fish served to order. At the Grouper Shack, the dining is fresh and the atmosphere is casual; marrying the views of classic, southern waterfront dining, and the laid-back fast-food-style service.
230 Nix Boat Yard Rd, St. Augustine, FL
