The best beach bars on the Treasure Coast

Eve Pierpont
Updated ·4 min read

One of Florida's greatest appeals is the beach lifestyle, and with that comes the luxury of drinking at a bar while watching the ocean. The Treasure Coast is known for its renowned beaches and has some of the top beach bars in Florida. With the wide array of atmospheres and drink selections, Florida's beach bars are hard to beat.

Here are the best beach bars in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.

Click on the links for more TCPalm reviews, articles and photo galleries about these bars and restaurants.

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INDIAN RIVER

Mulligan's Beach House Bar & Grill

Waterfront Sailfish Lounge & Grill opened Feb. 10 at the former Mulligan’s in downtown Stuart. Its menu features a raw bar that includes oysters on the half-shell.
Waterfront Sailfish Lounge & Grill opened Feb. 10 at the former Mulligan’s in downtown Stuart. Its menu features a raw bar that includes oysters on the half-shell.

The first Mulligan's was opened in 1997 by George Hart in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. The Vero Beach location offers food and drinks right off the Sexton Plaza beach access. It has indoor and outdoor seating, live music on the weekend and a relaxed beachfront atmosphere.

1025 Beachland Blvd., Vero Beach; 772-492-6744; website

Waldo's Restaurant and Bar

Waldo Sexton first came to Vero Beach in the 1920s and started building the Driftwood Inn out of the timbers of a dairy barn destroyed in a storm. It was supposed to be a family beach house but after many requests for rooms due to the limited hotel options in the area, it was made into the Driftwood Resort with an oceanfront restaurant and bar. It has indoor and outdoor seating with a guest-only pool in the middle, live music on the weekends and a wooden deck that sits on the beach.

3150 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach; 772-231-7091; website

Cabana Bar at Costa d' Este

The Cabana Bar is located beachside and poolside at Gloria Estefan's Costa d' Este resort. It has specialty cocktails and a diverse selection of craft beers, and offers an oceanfront lunch or casual dinner. For a more upscale atmosphere, the Wave Kitchen & Bar is located inside the hotel and serves drinks and Cuban-style food.

3244 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach; 772-410-0100; website

Heaton's on the Ocean

Heaton's is the Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa's oceanfront bar and grill that offers inventive cocktails, a curated selection of beers, wines and spirits and coastal fare. The bar is poolside with outdoor seating and firepits. It is open for lunch and dinner. The hotel also offers an indoor bar and restaurant with ocean views located in Cobalt, which serves seafood and drinks in a casually elegant setting.

3500 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach; 772-469-1060; website

ST. LUCIE COUNTY

Square Grouper Tiki Bar

A crowd watches as illuminated and decorated boats pass by during the St. Lucie County Christmas Boat Parade on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, at Square Grouper Tiki Bar in Fort Pierce. The event was presented by the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast Inc. and co-hosted by the Fort Pierce Yacht Club and Paella King.
A crowd watches as illuminated and decorated boats pass by during the St. Lucie County Christmas Boat Parade on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, at Square Grouper Tiki Bar in Fort Pierce. The event was presented by the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast Inc. and co-hosted by the Fort Pierce Yacht Club and Paella King.

The Square Grouper, which opened in 2016, is perched above the Fort Pierce Inlet and Jetty Park walkway. It has a great breeze; tropical atmosphere; gorgeous views of the inlet, ocean and north jetty; and live music seven days a week. It is a 21 and over establishment at all times; has first come, first serve tables; and no dress code. There's no table service. Guests order at the bar and pick up food at the kitchen window.

1920 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce; 561-406-6417; website

Island Beach Bar & Restaurant

The Island Beach Bar & Restaurant in May moved into the Sunrise Sands Beach Resort from its former location in the Ocean Village gated community. The South Beach establishment, owned by Gary Sofen and Jeff Groth, is separate from the hotel. Previous restaurants in that spot have included Rhumfish, Rhumcay and The Inlet Grill.

2400 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce; 772-409-4677; website

Kyle G's Prime Seafood and Steaks

Kyle G's Bloody Mary Bar was stocked with regular or infused vodkas, spicy or less spicy mixes, horseradish, olives, bacon, chunks of pepperoni or cheese, pickles, and a variety of traditional and non-traditional condiments.
Kyle G's Bloody Mary Bar was stocked with regular or infused vodkas, spicy or less spicy mixes, horseradish, olives, bacon, chunks of pepperoni or cheese, pickles, and a variety of traditional and non-traditional condiments.

Kyle G's has an outdoor tiki deck bar and tables, as well as an indoor bar and lounge. It offers specialty cocktails, happy hours and fresh-shucked oysters. The "Floribbean" steakhouse also serves seafood.

10900 S. Ocean Drive, Hutchinson Island; 772-237-5461; website

MARTIN COUNTY

Shucker's on the Beach

Shucker's has an oceanfront patio beach bar with live music. It serves beer, wine, liquor and bubbles as well as specialty and frozen cocktails. The restaurant, with outdoor and indoor seating, serves seafood and steaks.

9800 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach; 772-229-1224; website

Drift Kitchen + Bar at Hutchinson Shores

The Drift Kitchen + Bar, which is inside the Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa, has an outdoor oceanfront bar serving a wide array of craft cocktails. You can see the ocean from the indoor bar too. The restaurant, which has outdoor and indoor seating, serves modern coastal and classic Italian fare. It's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

3793 N.E. Ocean Blvd., Jensen Beach; 772-334-1950; website

Seaside Café

Seaside Café is an outdoor deck just steps away from Stuart Beach, where you can rent beach chairs and umbrellas. The bar overlooks the ocean with a relaxing atmosphere and serves wine, beer and specialty and frozen drinks. It is open for breakfast and lunch until 4 p.m. and has island-inspired fare and bar bites.

891 N.E. Ocean Blvd., Stuart; 772-320-3082; website

Eve Pierpont is a freelancer for TCPalm who looks out for the best things to do across the Treasure Coast. Do you have an upcoming event you want to be potentially included in this weekly roundup? Email it to her at epierpont@gannett.com. You can also upload your event to TCPalm's event page at events.tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Best beach bars in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties