12945 Village Blvd
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
*Disclaimer: We were not paid for this review. All opinions are our own and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Lively St. John's Boardwalk in Madeira Beach is loaded with all sorts of touristy restaurants, some good, others overrated tourist traps. Mad Beach Craft Brewing is one of the better dining choices in this touristy area. Great food, a large drink menu, and a casual ambiance definitely make this one stand out amongst the sea of tourist trap dining options. This is a lively place to enjoy some comfort foods, apps, and drinks after a long beach day.
This pub offers a really unique menu with lots of seafood choices. Signature entrees include John's Pass Grouper, Gaspar's Pirate Shrimp, and T-Willy's Gumbo Dinner. The Falafel Dinner served with a delicious vegetable roast is a great choice especially for vegetarians and anyone else who is not fond of seafood.
Appetizers include everything from a hummus plate, to a Smoked Fish spread, to Grouper tacos. If you are really adventurous, you may want to try the Gator Chomps, which are basically fried gator tail served with a honey chipotle dipping sauce. For anyone who prefers to keep it healthy, their delicious black beans and rice is a great alternative.
A selection of salads, burgers, and sandwiches round out the menu. The drink menu is pretty extensive with 28 beers are on tap here. On a side note, this pub won the 2020 award for best small brewery in Florida.
The menu offers numerous selections for anyone needing vegetarian or gluten-free selections. Thus, it is a great diverse choice for everyone in your party. After a tiresome day at the beach, it's great to enjoy a hassle-free dining experience!
Update: I am a bit disappointed that they got rid of their great falafel appetizers. However, they do offer a hummus app served with pita points as a great alternative. A few more vegetarian options would be nice.
Service is great, especially if you visit during the quieter early afternoon hours.
This is a fun restaurant with a big bar and casual vibe. The space is big and open with many TV's, a pool table, and a pinball machine.
Mad Beach is definitely the best lunch dining choice on St. John's Boardwalk. You really cannot beat the extensive beer menu, the great comfort food choices, and the fun ambiance. The addition of a few more vegetarian friendly appetizers and entrees would bring me back in more frequently.
