Guy Harvey’s Rumfish Grill in St. Pete Beach
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If you have ever seen Animal Planet’s Tanked, then you are well aware of the creative aquarium masterpieces designed by Wayde and Brett of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing, a Las Vegas based company. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the show, Tanked is a reality series which follows the extraordinary tasks of ATM, many of which include incredible projects for casinos, hotels, and celebrities. Update: Although the show was cancelled in 2019, you can still catch reruns or watch the full series on Discovery+. I really love this show – all the aquariums are so eclectic and beautiful. I find myself watching reruns all the time. Seeing these incredible tanks makes me want one designed for my own home – if only someone else maintains it!
Over the years, the team has created many breathtaking aquariums including: a themed coffee mug/donut tank for Dunkin Donuts, a shark inspired tank for comedian Tracy Morgan, and a 3300 gallon tank for the Valley View Casino in San Diego.
One of their most impressive projects is a stunning 33,500 gallon tank for Guy Harvey’s RumFish Grill, located in the TradeWinds Island Resort in St. Pete Beach, Florida. The restaurant opened in 2013, and since then has been drawing in both locals and tourists who wish to dine alongside the impressive 1 million dollar tank. Mike and I have been visiting the various touristy beach towns since relocating to the Tampa metro. We love the show Tanked so decided we would plan a day out dining at the famous restaurant and then heading to the beach.
The dining room is dimly lit and backlit menus are used so you can read them in the dark. The setting is pretty original and unique to the area. The tank is massive, so all guests will have a great view no matter where you are sitting. For an extra fee, you can snorkel along with 30 different species of fish, including a nurse shark.
We had an excellent seat -the second row from the front of the tank. We visited for breakfast which is the best time to avoid the crowds. This location allowed us to take some great photos, especially since the front row began to clear out after we sat down.
Another smaller tank and colorful fish themed artwork really makes this a fun place to add to your vacation itinerary. I always love trying oddball restaurants whenever I travel somewhere new. Most of the US is overrun by the same boring chains today, so it’s always nice to support local businesses which put in a little effort and creativity into the design.
After your meal you can walk over to the tank viewing area. You can watch a brief video clip of Wayde and Brett discussing the building of the tank. For anyone who watched the series, I highly recommend a quick look. Also, if you are wondering, this tank was featured on Season 7, Episode 11. You can watch it on Discovery Plus or HBO Max.
Check out the video below, featuring Wayde and Brett of Tanked explaining the process of building the aquarium.
Seafood & more
This restaurant serves primarily seafood. Recent menu selections have included: Smoked Fish Dip, Florida Snapper Ceviche, Fresh Shucked Oysters, Lobster Mac and Cheese, and Blackened Mahi Mahi and Gulf Shrimp. Unfortunately, there are few options for vegetarians with the exception of a hummus appetizers and a cauliflower steak entree. Gluten-free selections are ample and conveniently marked on the menu.
Breakfast was fantastic and service was excellent. The chef even came out to verify that our meals were gluten-free. They had a lot of options on the menu for us and the staff was really nice about making any substitutions. GF menu items available include: omelets, French toast and pancakes, and special biscuits in place of the toast. My veggie omelet, potatoes, and biscuit were great, just the right portion for a filling breakfast.
Update: Breakfast is no longer served. However, if you enjoy seafood, there are many enticing apps and entrees available for dinner. Fortunately, we no longer dine GF, so we would love to return and explore more of the menu. I would probably go with the 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese or the Spicy Seafood Luigini.
I would definitely recommend dining at this restaurant, not just for fans of the series, but also for St. Pete Beach tourists and locals seeking a unique dining experience. Dining while on vacation should be a fun experience, not simply a meal in my opinion. The food is great here and the unique setting is unlikely to be duplicated anywhere else.
Additional info
This restaurant is located at: 6000 Gulf Blvd, St Pete Beach, FL 33706
Hours: Dinner: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Due to the popularity, reservations are recommended.
What else to do?
While you are in the area, you can visit touristy beaches like St. Pete and Clearwater. For those looking to avoid the heavy crowds, I recommend a hidden gem on the southern end of St. Pete called Pass-a-Grille. This beach is a bit narrow, but much quieter and more scenic. You can stroll to a little village afterwards for local shopping.
