The Crow's Nest Marina is located just inside the Venice Inlet. (Staff photo by Wade Tatangelo)
The Crow’s Nest restaurant and tavern overlooking its marina located just inside the Venice Inlet is a South County landmark. Like many local dining destinations, it started small. Since opening in 1976, The Crow’s Nest has undergone a series of smart expansions and renovations supervised by founding owner Steve Harner.
DRINKS: During a recent late lunch visit at the upstairs bar I had one of the best rum runners ($7.50) of recent memory. Alana DesJardin deftly mixed light and dark rum, crème de banana, blackberry brandy, pineapple and orange juices, and grenadine to create a tasty, refreshing rendition of the Florida original. The many cocktail selections include enticing takes on tropical standards like the mojito, rum punch, frozen drinks such as the piña colada and many more martinis, cordials and top-shelf whiskeys. There are some national and local craft brews available, too, and then there is the vino. The Crow’s Nest easily has one of the best wine lists in the area. In addition to 30-plus wines available by the glass, there are more than 1,100 bottles representing some of the best vineyards in the world. Not sure which white or maybe red pairs best with that plate of raw oysters? Don’t be afraid to ask. The servers I encountered were more than happy to help.
The Crow's Nest Restaurant and Marina is located at 1968 Tarpon Center Drive in Venice. (Staff photo by Wade Tatangelo)
EATS: I had a nicely grilled grouper sandwich with fries for $16. Other options include everything from soups, salads and burgers to entrees such as shrimp scampi, lobster tail, seafood pot pie and steak. The Tavern menu, available only downstairs, offers a more casual assortment of sandwiches, seafood baskets, raw bar items and the famed “One Way Salad.” Available exclusively at the Tavern, it’s made with greens, cucumber, grape tomatoes, cheddar, black olives, red onion, pepperoncini and trail mix topping with a house-made dressing ($6.50; $4 with sandwich or entrée).
The view from the second floor restaurant of The Crow's Nest. (Staff photo by Wade Tatangelo)
SCENE: The upstairs bar and dining areas are washed in sunlight and offer spectacular views of the South Jetty, Venice Inlet and a roundabout of sorts in the Intracoastal Waterway circling Snake Island. The Tavern downstairs is a dark, cozy wood-paneled bar perfect for anyone looking to cool off after a day boating or sunbathing at nearby Venice Beach. As for patrons, it’s mostly tourists during season but the staff is reporting a higher percentage of longtime regulars again as we approach summer.
CALENDAR: Memorial Day Weekend Oyster and Clam Fest is May 21-25 with raw bar specials ranging from Ipswich steamers to Island Creek Oysters and oyster wine flights.
The Crow’s Nest
1968 Tarpon Center Drive, Venice; 484-9551; crowsnest-venice.com
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WADE TATANGELO is a content producer who has been an entertainment editor, reporter, columnist and reviewer at publications nationwide. He is a Hershey, Pa., native who grew up in Tampa and graduated from the University of South Florida. Wade joined the Herald-Tribune in 2013 and writes the weekly Bar Tab column. He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4955. Follow @wtatangelo
