By: Andrew Silverstein

Clearwater is no stranger to the sea.  Flanked on each side by the Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, the area is rife with beaches, beautiful waterfront views, and a ton of great seafood.  Here are five restaurants with some of the best seafood in Clearwater.

Nauti Nancy's - Nauti Nancy's is a southern-bred hotspot for down home cooking and a ton of great seafood.  From huge sandwiches to raw oysters, salads, burgers, and seafood entrees, they have it all.  Menu highlights include beer battered shrimp, crab stuffed mushrooms with melted provolone, lobster ravioli, and more.

Rumba Island Bar and Grill - This bar and grill provides a quaint, contemporary island experience rife with outdoor seating and diverse menu of seafood and more.  Menu highlights include runaway bay crab cakes, grouper sandwiches, and island shrimp and rice bowls in varieties like grilled grouper, BBQ salmon, and tempura lobster tail.

Island Way Grill - Head to Island Way Grill for a contemporary, inventive seafood experience.  Sample menu items including a huge variety of raw oysters, super scampi linguini, and crab meat stuffed half lobster tails.

Ward's Seafood Market - Ward's doubles as a high quality seafood market and restaurant.  Shop and browse produce, wine, and other grocery items or dine at the restaurant and chow down on quality selections including grouper sandwiches, fish and chips, crab cakes, and more.

Frenchy's Rockaway Grill - Frenchy's might be the most well-loved seafood restaurant in Clearwater, and for good reason.  Founded in 1991, Frenchy's offers a ton of classic seafood dishes in a beautiful beachfront setting.  Menu highlights include their famous super grouper sandwich, she crab soup, Carribbean jerk shrimp platters, and more.