Friends and neighbors,

This week, I’m going back to the spots that still feel like Naples before the high‑rises and valet stands took over. The classic seafood places where the grouper is fresh, the hush puppies are hot, and some regulars have been coming since before you could walk. A couple places are newer, but still hold their own against the old favorites. I’ve rounded up five seafood spots that are casual, reliable, and don’t have a dress code.

I’ve also got a new Cuban spot up north that’s worth the drive. ChaChaCha is small and family‑run, with ropa vieja that tastes like homemade comfort.

If you’re new here: this newsletter is a mix of food, culture, and community happenings in Naples, complete with weekly polls and feedback from you.

If you're not new: I’m glad you’re back. 

Thanks for being here,

For all the new waterfront concepts and chef‑driven menus, Naples is still, at heart, a seafood town. These places aren’t chasing trends; they’re serving fresh fish in rooms where the decor and the regulars haven’t changed much in years. 

Kelly’s Fish House Dining Room doesn’t just feel old‑school; it is. Open since the early 1950s on the Gordon River, it’s often described as the oldest seafood restaurant in town, a low‑slung building that looks like it washed up with the tide and decided to stay. Inside, the dark wood, nets, vintage photos, and river views feel almost museum‑like, except everyone’s drinking beer and working on a basket of fried seafood. The menu is all classics: fried or broiled grouper, shrimp baskets, seafood platters, chowder, hush puppies, and slaw. The move here is to keep it simple with a grouper sandwich or fried seafood combo, a cup of chowder, and key lime pie to finish. It’s ideal for multi‑generation family dinners, low‑key date nights that actually feel like “old Florida,” and evenings when you want to sit by the water and order the same thing you’ve been getting for 20 years.

1302 Fifth Avenue S (US 41 E), Naples, FL 34102
https://kellysfishhousediningroom.com

The Dock at Crayton Cove came along in the late 1970s, just as Naples was shifting from sleepy fishing town to full‑time resort city, and it’s managed to keep one foot in each world. Sitting right on Naples Bay, it’s built for boat traffic and breezy afternoons, with big windows framing charter boats, pelicans, and the occasional dolphin in the marina. The menu leans into that easygoing coastal mood: peel‑and‑eat shrimp, fish tacos, crab cakes, grilled or blackened catch of the day, ceviche, and a roster of tropical‑leaning cocktails. Regulars go for blackened fish sandwiches, coconut‑style shrimp, and anything that lets you pair a simply cooked fillet with a cold drink and a sunset. It’s a classic “this is Naples” place for out‑of‑towners, where you can sit for two hours, watch the boats swing on their lines, and get the postcard version of the city without the stuffiness.

845 12th Avenue S, Naples, FL 34102
https://dockcraytoncove.com

Captain & Krewe is younger than the grand old names on this list, but it behaves like a throwback: part market, part lunch counter, part neighborhood hangout. A few blocks off the beach, it channels the energy of a working dock even though you’re in the middle of town, with cases piled high with fresh fillets and shellfish and a chalkboard that changes with whatever just came in. The smart move is to let that board decide: a dozen oysters on the half shell, stone crab claws when they’re in season, or simply grilled snapper or grouper with minimal fuss. People come for the raw bar—oysters, clams, maybe a crudo or ceviche special—and stay for baskets of fried shrimp or some of the freshest fish and chips in the city. It’s especially good for seafood‑obsessed friends who want to talk with the staff about where the fish came from, grab a bar stool for a glass of wine and oysters, then walk out with a piece of fish and cooking advice for dinner at home.

629 8th Street S, Naples, FL 34102
https://captainandkrewe.com

Steamers feel like they could have been air‑lifted from a small harbor town and dropped into Naples with the neon still blinking. It’s quintessentially casual: paper‑lined trays, metal buckets, big platters meant to be shared, and a dining room that gets lively. The focus of the menu is right in the name—steamed pots, every kind of seafood fried or grilled, all served with some of the best tartar sauce and homemade coleslaw. Favorites include the blackened grouper, classic fried baskets like fish and chips, fried shrimp, and scallops and their hand-cut onion rings. This is where you go for a big, communal seafood blowout that doesn’t require any dressing up: kids getting their hands dirty, grandparents with a glass of wine, everyone else cracking crab and wiping butter off their fingers without worrying what they look like.

5317 Airport Pulling Rd N, Naples, FL 34109
https://www.facebook.com/SteamersofNaples

Mr. Big Fish is comparatively new to the scene, but it has settled into its role as a modern neighborhood fish house where it’s easy to become a familiar face. The room is unpretentious with booths and a busy bar, but locals come back for the straightforward Florida seafood. There’s usually a lineup of fresh catches you can have grilled, blackened, or fried, plus shrimp, scallops, crab cakes, and a few land‑lover standbys so everyone’s covered. Regulars go for blackened fish with a squeeze of citrus, shrimp and grits, or pasta dishes that feel a notch more polished, along with nightly specials that reward repeat visits. This is a dependable weeknight spot: order a reliable fish dinner after work at friendlier prices than most waterfront addresses, and feel like a “regular” even if you’ve only been twice.

2395 Tamiami Trail N, Naples, FL 34103
https://mrbigfishnaples.com/

ChaChaCha Fusion Cuban Cuisine is one of the newest reasons to head north for dinner instead of defaulting to your usual spots. It sits at 5628 Strand Blvd, and it’s a small, family‑run room that feels more party than downtown’s white tablecloths: bright colors, Latin music, and perhaps the ease to order “just one more” drink.

The food is Cuban comfort. Ropa vieja is slow‑braised, tomato‑y shredded beef with peppers, piled next to rice, black beans, and sweet plantains, built with flavor and depth over hours. Vaca frita takes that same beef, crisps it on the grill with onions and lime, and gives you those caramelized edges in every bite. Lechón asado is garlicky, citrus‑marinated roast pork with yuca or plantains, and the Cuban sandwich stacks roast pork, ham, Swiss, mustard, mayo, and pickles on pressed bread that cracks just a little when you bite down. Croquetas (creamy ham fritters) and yuca fries are ideal if you like to stretch out the night with apps and a cocktail before committing to a full plate.

A few things to know before you go: ChaChaCha is in a strip plaza, so give yourself a minute to find the suite and park. Because it’s new and family‑run, hours and pace can switch up, so it’s worth a quick check online the day you’re heading over. When the room fills up, food can take a little longer, but that’s your cue to lean into the music, sip something cold, and pretend you’re nowhere near a Publix parking lot.

ChaChaCha Fusion Cuban Cuisine
5628 Strand Blvd, Naples, FL 34110
Sunday–Thursday: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Friday–Saturday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
https://www.chachachanaples.com

Last week’s poll asked: Naples is quickly becoming a steak town. What’s your favorite cut of steak? 🥩

Here’s where you landed:

With 23.39% of the votes, Ribeye came out on top, followed by Filet Mignon and then Sirloin, while almost 9% of our readers aren’t steak fans at all. With the price deterrent of T-Bone steaks, I’m not surprised it’s one of the least popular! 

Naples changes quickly, and the places that still feel like the old town matter more because of it.

These seafood spots, and even a newer place like ChaChaCha, remind you that good food here is still about flavor, comfort, and the kind of experience people come back for.

Until next time, keep supporting the places that still feel like Naples.

Elizabeth Bellotti
Editor-In-Chief
Naples, Florida
The Naples Florida Review

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