Spook-Tacular Seafood & Cocktails and The Ultimate Halloween Bash
By Nanette Wiser
Since they opened, the annual Halloween costume party at The Wharf Waterfront Restaurant & Bar in Pass-a-Grille has been a favorite event. This year general manager Stanton Chevalier has lifted the bar with a headless horseman, animatronic creatures, and skeletons hanging from the rafters in Wharf t-shirts.
Join in on the fun Oct. 31 with a costume contest at 8pm and enjoy rocking Rob Tyre on the front porch with a bit of dancing in between sipping your Practical Magic Midnight Margarita!
Jim Miller bought The Wharf to make sure the historic bar and restaurant continued its legacy and ole’ Florida vibe. Alongside general manager Stanton Chevalier, they have updated the kitchen, signage (Petey the Pelican) and decor. There are new boat docks, a refreshed back deck, and open-air dining room over water (air-conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter) and a beautiful Vitale Brothers mural depicting The Wharf’s fishing heritage on the front of the building.
What makes it a popular watering hole is the friendly vibe, cool cocktails, rocking jukebox, sensational seafood and great service plus all your favorite NFL, MLB and other sports on 17 TVs. On Wednesday-Saturday, local legend Rob Tyre plays 6-9:30pm on the front porch. Dine outside or almost al fresco at the beautiful indoor, open-air dining room and wraparound bar with the sea breeze blowing through the open windows. Inside the landmark 100-year-old building, you’ll enjoy the historic fishing photos and wacky signs, and the hostess will welcome you to the best party on the beach, served with a side of great food and conversations with new friends.
Planning a party? Make a reservation for the private event space out front that comes with a dedicated server overlooking the water on the outdoor patio. For regular dining, there are no reservations and parties six or more may be seated at multiple tables. In addition to docks for boaters, there is free parking on site and paid beachfront parking just down the road. By boat, car, Uber or bike, a day at The Wharf is a day in Pass-a-Grille paradise!
Festive Food & Drink Start the party with the succulent appetizers, cold beers, specialty cocktails, wines or frozen tiki drinks. Favorites include juicy shrimp (peel-and-eat, coconut, spicy bang bang or stuffed with cheese and jalapeno), wonderful wings in nine flavors, seared rare ahi tuna, fried calamari, smoked fish spread, battered mushrooms or green beans, seared ahi or jalapeno conch fritters.
The sandwiches and burgers are equally tantalizing. Try the blackened mahi sandwich, the massive Reuben with house made ranch chips, the steak and cheese or patty melt as well as the monster burger with bacon and pepper jack slathered with chipotle mayo. Go light with a chopped or Caesar salad. Like Cajun food? You’ll love the New Orleans-style gumbo with chicken, ham, andouille and shrimp.
The Wharf is famous for its perfectly seasoned blackened grouper sandwiches, baskets (shrimp, scallops, baby back ribs) with fries and coleslaw and dinners served with any two sides featuring grouper, ribeye, crab cakes, yellowfin tuna, mahi, salmon and more. Save room for the key lime pie, cheesecake, and other specialty desserts. Ask about their kid-friendly menu! \
Wharf Specials
The Wharf happy hour is 3:30-6pm Mon.-Fri. (bar only). Check their social for daily specials, including Fish Fry Tuesdays (fried fish with fries, slaw, and hushpuppies) and Taco Wednesdays (grouper, mahi, shrimp, ground beef) include quesadillas (chicken, shrimp, steak). Ceviche is usually on the menu Friday-Saturday, and other rotating special favorites include open-faced roast beef sandwich, meatloaf, crab cake BLT, grouper nuggets, the Double Play, and more. Visit www.facebook.com/WharfPAG#.
Historical Landmark
In 2026, the city of St. Pete Beach’s Historical Preservation Board a historic landmark. The Wharf opened for business in April 1994, but its beginning can be traced back as far as 1912. That was the year Heber Bell set the original pilings for the building that today is the Wharf. The Bell family was one of the founding families in the bustling Florida West Coast fishing industry. During the 1930’s the building was a processing plant that was handling thousands of pounds of fish per day!
One of the pictures in the hallway shows several trawlers unloading their catch on the backside of the building. It was during this time period that Heber Bell befriended a man named Clarence Birdseye and together they developed a quick freeze method for freezing fish and vegetables. Although Heber Bell decided to keep his operation local, Mr. Birdseye went national and became the original leader in frozen foods. The Bell family continued in the fish and frozen fish business; and even today, Robert Bell (third generation) operates a large deep freeze packaging plant in St. Petersburg. The pictures in the hallway are remarked originals from the Bell family photo albums.
The Wharf Waterfront Restaurant & Bar
2001 Pass-A-Grille Way, St. Pete Beach
wharfpag.com 727.367.9469