7 Fort Myers Beach Bars for Fun Food and Fantastic Drinks

by Lori Sorrentino

Any visit to Fort Myers or Fort Myers Beach is all about fun in the sun, so keep this list of Fort Myers beach bars handy.

You’ll want to visit these places for cold beverages and fun times in the sand!

The historic city of Fort Myers is the gateway to southwest Florida’s most beautiful beaches and hub of Old Florida’s bygone commercial fishing culture.

There’s a lot to see and do in Fort Myers, but you’ll find two unique faces to the City of Palms: the historic district downtown along the Caloosahatchee River, and the lively, touristy beach atmosphere of Fort Myers Beach 15 miles away on the Gulf of Mexico.

This is why most of the beach bars in Fort Myers FL aren’t actually in Fort Myers at all — they’re at the beach.

There’s only one beach bar in Fort Myers on this list and it’s located upriver along the Calooshahatchee river.

If you’re looking for bars in Fort Myers Florida, you’ll find some really cool places in vintage buildings downtown including an awesome rooftop bar overlooking the river.

But alas, not much sand!

If it’s a beach bar you’re looking for, the bars in Fort Myers Beach are what you want — the perfect places to grab drinks, enjoy some live music, and admire the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico views.

You can nosh on local seafood at Dixie Fish Co., listen to laidback live music at the Smokin’ Oyster Brewery, and enjoy some umbrella drinks at The Cottage Fort Myers Beach Bar.

These 7 Fort Myers beach bars are all a bit unique, but this guide has you covered!

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7 Fort Myers Beach Bars

Smokin Oyster

340 Old San Carlos Blvd, Fort Myers Beach

Despite what its name implies, Smokin’ Oyster Brewery doesn’t actually brew beer or smoke oysters.

But, regardless of that, SOB — as the locals call it — is the self-described Classiest Dive on Fort Myers Beach, and one of the best bars Fort Myers has to offer.

But don’t come for the sand which is a few blocks away.

The thing that sets Smokin’ Oyster Brewery apart from many of the other bars in Fort Myers Beach is its laid-back vibe.

The pale yellow walls, turquoise trim, and live music give it a fun and beachy feel.

Then, there’s the noteworthy drink selection.

Even though they don’t brew their own beer, Smokin’ Oyster Brewery does have quite an array of beers, wines, and cocktails with everything from ice cold bottles of Stella to a tropical Bahama Mama cocktail.

Every good beach bar serves up some tasty bar food.

Try the BBQ bacon-wrapped shrimp, the smoked jumbo wings, or the fire-roasted oysters.

Sabal Palm Bar + Grill (Temporarily Closed for Rebuilding)

Lani Kai Island Resort, 1400 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers Beach

The Lani Kai Island Resort is THE party spot in Fort Myers Beach, so it should be no surprise to find out that the resort’s Sabal Palm Bar + Grill is just as exciting.

The Sabal Palm Bar + Grill is right on the beach, so you can see everyone having the time of their lives as they enjoy the sun, sand, and surf.

And all of that joy just makes the atmosphere at this Fort Myers beach bar even better.

But no trip to Sabal Palm Bar + Grill would be complete without an amazing alcoholic drink.

The most famous drink by far is the frozen rum runner. This cold cocktail is the perfect way to cool down from the Florida heat!

You can also get a domestic beer, a Miami vice, or a margarita on the rocks.

If you’d like to purchase a bite to eat during your visit to Sabal Palm Bar + Grill, you’ll have loads of options.

If you come in for happy hour, you can snack on as many peel & eat shrimp, jumbo chicken wings, steamed clams, and fresh oysters as you’d like.

And if you decide to order off of the regular menu, the pulled pork sliders, coconut shrimp, and mahi mahi tacos are all great options.

Salty Crab (Temporarily Closed for Rebuilding)

1154 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers Beach

You’re in paradise, so naturally you want to dig your toes in the sand and order up a cold one right on the beach?

While some beach bars aren’t actually on the beach, the Salty Crab is literally on the sand, with such a fun and colorful setting that’s sure to sate your tropical vibe.

It's the perfect place to grab some great food, cold beer, and order some burgers, steaks or fresh seafood.

The cocktails here fit hit the right note and there’s frequent live music to seal the deal.

Sunset from the Salty Crab, one of the best Fort Myers Beach bars

The Cottage Fort Myers Beach Bar

1250 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers Beach

The Cottage Fort Myers Beach Bar, also known as simply The Cottage, is a local favorite and many’s top choice for best bar in Fort Myers Beach.

One of the coolest parts of The Cottage is the entertainment.

Throughout the year, The Cottage will showcase new local music talent playing everything from old school rock ‘n roll to laidback calypso music.

As for the drinks, The Cottage boasts a great selection of beer, wine, spirits, and cocktail choices.

You can even try one of their massive bucket drinks guaranteed to hang you out to dry — always a Spring Break favorite — and The Cottage has a few to choose from: the Bacardi beach juice, Spiked beach lemonade, or the Captain’s punch.

Last but not least, the food here is very good. If there’s one thing you have to try at The Cottage, it’s the famous original beach bread.

This tasty Cuban-style bread is loaded with blue cheese, basil, and diced tomatoes. You can even add other toppings like bacon and jalapeños to spice up your beach bread even more.

But if that doesn’t seem to satisfy your cravings, the mango pineapple salsa, Gulf grouper bites, and Shucker’s quesadilla are all wonderful options as well.

The Boathouse Tiki Bar & Grill

17101 State Rd 31, Fort Myers

Although most of the Fort Myers beach bars on this list are located on Fort Myers Beach, that doesn’t mean there are no beachy bars in Fort Myers!

If you’re staying in the heart of downtown Fort Myers but still want a great tiki bar experience without driving to FMB, head east — that’s right, go inland even further, past the Rte. 41/North Fort Myers bridge, even past the I-75 bridge to The Boathouse.

This large, open-air joint on the Caloosahatchee River may be the only tiki bar Fort Myers has to offer.

There’s a sandy (manmade) beach with adirondack chairs, a huge tiki bar and even a pool.

What more could you ask for — a waterfront location, sandy beach, AND a pool!

Order up some fresh seafood, salad, or fish tacos and enjoy a cold one or two.

And one of the best parts is they have live music every single day!

There’s also a second Boathouse location in Cape Coral, overlooking the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River and downtown Fort Myers, and it’s one of the best things to do in Cape Coral if you’re visiting for the day.

This is only half the view of The Boathouse tiki bar Fort Myers

>>> For something different and a lot of fun, take this Fort Myers Beach Haunted Pub Crawl! <<<

You’ll choose from various stops to eat, drink & shop, and refreshments & snacks are complimentary. It’s one of the best Fort Myers boat tours around!

Dixie Fish Co.

714 Fishermans Wharf, Fort Myers Beach

Dixie Fish Co. is well-known as one of the best restaurants in Fort Myers Beach, but it also happens to be one of the best Fort Myers beach bars!

This 1937 restaurant sits right on Matanzas Harbor.

And as you’re staring at the lovely waterfront views, you’ll want to have one of the tasty Dixie Fish Co. drinks in your hand.

With local beers on tap, a few premium wines, and a slew of cocktails, you’ll have quite a few options to choose from.

Some of the best cocktails include the rum runner, the dixie rita, and the smokin’ Mary.

In addition to your drinks, you can also enjoy some non-traditional bar food, including insanely good shrimp tacos, grouper bites, fried green tomatoes (some of the best we’ve EVER had), and oysters on the half shell.

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille

708 Fishermans Wharf, Fort Myers Beach

Like its sister company Dixie Fish Co., Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille claims a prime piece of real estate on Matanzas Harbor.

And while you take in the waterfront atmosphere, there are delicious servings of food and drinks for you to enjoy as well.

No trip to Doc Fords Fort Myers Beach would be complete without, well, some rum – or at least an alcoholic beverage.

The mojitos are definitely the most popular drink at this Fort Myers beach bar. Will the island mojito, the mule mojito, or the tropical mojito be your drink of choice?

Since many of the drinks at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille can be pret-ty strong, do your constitution a favor and order some bar bites as well.

The Captiva crab cakes, mussels, and buffalo shrimp are all fantastic choices.