Walt'z Fish Shak in Madeira Beach - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

I’ve always wanted to try this restaurant because I had heard they serve the freshest fish and when they run out they close. I had reviewed the menu before we went so we were prepared for the $46 per plate fish dinner. We weren’t prepared for the attitude. The sign at the front door said something to the effect of “we open when we feel like it, we close when we feel like it”. Perhaps, this should have been a red flag. This is a very casual fish shack. On the positive, a glass of wine is a really large pour which is nice. The food is very good and the portions are adequate for one sitting. You won’t be asking for a to-go box. The turn off was the snarky comments. My husband likes hot sauce in his rice and beans. He requested it and the server said, “did you taste it yet?” My husband said yes but she never provided any hot sauce. My friend ordered the fried breaded fish and when she asked for Tartar sauce she was told “this isn’t McDonald’s” and none was provided. At the end of the meal, the server announced she will only take one credit card and refused to split the check in two. She also said she needed to see a driver’s license. We won’t go back. There are so many other restaurants in that price range that would provide us service that would make us feel appreciated. Waltz made us feel like we should feel lucky that they were open and allowed us to dine there. No thanks. Not again.

Owners wife is extremely rude. She was mad the second we walked in the door. They were out of all entrees one hour after opening? If this place has any hope of staying in business they need a new owner and get rid of the the blonde haired lady

Owners wife is beyond condescending. Felt unwelcomed the second we walked in. Very rude, trashes every other restaurant in John’ Pass. Rude to every customer that walks in. Degrades customers for being “visitors”. Don’t waste your time or money here. Menu is overpriced and selection is zero. She told us we were on drugs and needed to call the police to get help (??).

The grouper menu is the most expensive. I was surprised that it was served on a plastic plate, but the cabbage and rice that came with the grouper were really worth the money. In particular, Deter's Key Lime Pie, with so much key lime in it, is unforgettable. However, the inconvenience is that the nearby parking lot is very expensive at $20 for two hours. Because it was crowded during business hours, we could barely find a seat in a corner.

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Saturday evening 9pm. June high season. Went there to try this famous “local fish”. Place closed with no info on opening or closing times. Likely no longer in business

Food quality has dropped off significantly. The wife of the owner is a rude, condescending, disrespectful, unprofessional pig. Won't be going back and warn anyone visiting to stay away from this place.

Top quality, locally sourced seafood! If you’re looking to eat actually local seafood, this is the place. Our host/server, Sue, took her time explaining the menu to us. We got the blackened yellowedge grouper (sourced from the Gulf of Mexico) and grilled pink shrimp (sourced from the FL Keys) and both were amazing! We could easily taste the freshness of the ingredients. To finalize the experience, we had their key lime pie, which is a family recipe from the Keys. Do yourself a favor and eat locally sourced seafood that is prepared with care and attention. Highly recommend this restaurant!

This was my 4th visit. Always stop in when at Mad beach. Best fresh seafood. Definitely a little quirky but that’s what makes it special

I don’t know how this isn’t a solid five star rating. First trip to St Pete Beach and this is my happy place. I was looking for this all week. Fresh day caught fish prepared right. The grouper here is what I dream of when I think of Florida seafood. Wife had the snapper - equally as good. Poblano crab soup was not like anything I’ve had before and so flavorful and delicious. If you like real, fresh seafood then this is for you. Get here early and enjoy! Don’t sleep on the key lime pie either…

Always a fantastic meal! Small menu because they only offer the best and freshest catch available each day. Meal sides are unique and delicious! You need to try the smoked fish spread, so addicting! Highly recommend planning a meal here!

The food is delicious with lots of flavor. We had the yellow edge grouper and the American red snapper meals. F A B U L O U S! Highly recommend…arrive early as they only serve fresh fish caught that same day!! They ran out of fish and had to turn a few folks away.

The seafood was very overpriced and not great. Walts wife is a complete condescending beeotch. Our server was very nice so that made up for the owner. Won't go back.

The fish was OK but definitely not worth the money. The owner Sue definitely was very condescending in her opinions. We will never go back.

By far the BEST meal I have had in Madiera Beach. The quality and freshness is second to none. The sides of slaw and rice and beans are so tasty. The special fish tonight was out of this world. Dessert was key lime pie - the best I ever had! Can’t wait to go for dinner again tomorrow!

Walt, Sue and Christine were great hosts and the food was outstanding. We came for dinner two nights in a row. Blackened grouper, coconut shrimp and key lime pie! Go here!

Food is AMAZING! Waitress was fantastic but overworked. Hostess… was rude and turned away multiple guest while we were there. We asked to sit at a table that would seat 4 and were told no that we only had 2 and had to take a table by the door or outside. We sat down and watched an older couple come in after us and sat at the table we were told we couldn’t sit at. She told multiple people to leave, one was because their child was on her cell phone! Definitely will come back because Walt is so kind and the one waitress is amazing as well as they food but the hostess needs to be replaced!!

Yes the food was great but the Hostess who I hear is Walt’s Wife or Girlfriend is a Royal B$)((!! ! We spent over $150.00 and when my Wife asked for Remoulade sauce to take home she was told by the B;($$ it was one serving per meal!! We were going to bring a group in but no way if she is going to be there!! Sorry Walt from a Fellow Business Owner you need to have a very strong talk with your Significant other or your going to lose a lot of business!! By the way we are from Pittsburgh also!!

WARNING Stay AWAY. Tourist Trap. Friendly Until You Order. Then NOT Friendly. Food Is VERY VERY Expensive and NOT Worth it. The Service was so so Poor! The Lady there is the Only server. And is Walt's wife or girl friend. And is a real "B-Word". We found the best seafood at John's Pass Is The Friendly Fisherman up on the boardwalk.

We literally stumbled upon Walt’z Fish Shack and had a wonderful meal, great service and friendly staff and owners. Highly recommend this quaint little restaurant. We’ll definitely be back.

Very disappointed with the owner/hostess who was extremely rude to our party of four. She was very condescending and made us all feel like outsiders when we walked in. We immediately turned around and left. We were at another restaurant and it appears this owner/hostess has a reputation for doing this. The menu was also way over priced. Do not give her your business as there are plenty of better places to go on the boardwalk there.

My wife walked in while I was parking and received a stern lecture on Walt's NOT being a bar and we should not come in just to hang out!! All we wanted is some seafood and a couple of beers. She was so upset we left. It has been years since we were last there and really wanted to hang there for a bit. I feel terrible about this situation.

Went during seafood and music fest. Hostess (female) was horid, nasty to us and many others who came after us. So abrasive, we left as did the others. I have never been treated this poorly at a restaurant. I would never eat here!

Looking for great seafood John’s Pass Seafood Fest weekend and opted for a sit down vs stand in line lunch. Great luck finding Walt’z. Sat at the bar, had the fish spread-as I do where ever I find it-was a bit sweeter and served with Vegs than I’m used to, but good. Then the lightly fried Grouper Cakes and lightly battered Mahi fingers. All very good! Small dining spaces, porches, bar, tables and outside seating. Note the menu is on many chalkboards approaching and in the Resto. Great service, appears to be family run. Had a live music for fest weekend.

We were at the Seafood fest 1-19-24 . A solo guitarist was playing outside of the resturant and at this time the restaurant was not opened as of yet. Tables were on the outside of the establishment so we took a seat. We were rudely confronted by an older blonde woman who siad to us . Get up and go.you can not sit here. We were dumbfounded as to why not nobody was there and the place was not opened. She not only did this to us but to many other people. She was so rude not only her actions but verbally. I later said to her why can't you be kind. Her response was she was kind and we were rude. She proceeded to say my friend was out of control and was a bipolar person. THE AUDACITY of her to Speak to people that way I hope this blonde headed woman gets some psychiatric help. Just thought I'd share. When we were leaving after listening to Adam play his Solo's we heard many people complaining about her actions. It was a festival and everyone wanted to have some fun. Thank you for reading this long post. Be Happy Be kind and God Bless America! ❤️ to u Sara

Overpriced and underwhelming. I went to Walt’z with a party of 5 tonight and was extremely disappointed. Two of us ordered the grouper-stuffed lobster and the lobster was raw. I had to send my dish back twice. I’ve tried this place many times over the last 15ish years and I’ve never had a great experience. Tonight was the last straw. My advice would be to skip Walt’z, there are many other places in the area that serve higher quality food, with I much more reasonable price tag.

We had dinner at Waltz’s Crab Shak last night. When we arrived at the restaurant, the hostess told us they only serve fish - no steak, chicken, or fries. Just fish. Fresh fish that was caught that day! We weren’t sure what to expect but we went ahead and sat down. We were glad we did as the fish entrees were excellent! The service was great. We started off with the Fish Spread. Very tasty! I would highly recommend it. We had Yellow Edge Grouper Blackened, Yellow Edge Grouper Lightly Fried, and Blue Crab Cakes. They were all delicious! For our sides, we had two choices: beach slaw and island rice with peas or an organic spring mix salad, the three of us each selected beach slaw and island rice with peas. It was a good choice as it was very tasty! . The restaurant was small. The waitress said sometimes there is a long wait or they run out of food. We were lucky as last night they were not very busy. The menu changes daily as the entrees are based on what is caught that day. The menu is written on a chalkboard. Once they run out of fish, they stop serving. We will go back to Waltz’s Fish Shak. The food was delicious. Next time we are going to save room for a piece of Key Lime Pie.

Overpriced and underwhelming. I went to Walt’z with a party of 5 tonight it was extremely disappointed. Two of us ordered the grouper-stuffed lobster and the lobster was raw. I had to send my dish back twice. I’ve tried this place many times over the last 15ish years and I’ve never had a great experience. Tonight was the last straw. My advice would be to skip Walt’z, there are many other places in the area that serve higher quality food, with I much more reasonable price tag.

Very good food, totally fresh. Limited menu, not a bad thing in my view. You can have either red or white wine, again, not a bad thing, in keeping with the philosophy of the people running the place. A tad expensive , but different to the rest of the places on the Pass. We did not experience any of the rudeness faced by other clients, a very paradoxical experience is to be had here by all accounts.

Cuisine excellente mais personnel juste poli et quand même trop onéreux

Thank you for the excellent hospitality and first class experience. Top notch!

Had a great time very nice people food was absolutely fabulous

I went to the place to the bathroom and then I ask the waitress (blonde, 60ish years old) if I may use the bathroom, counting it was freezing and raining outside. And she yelled NO in front of all the customers. What kind of person denies something like that in the middle of the weather conditions that we were having. She was rude and unprofessional. Don’t support business like this. Totally a lack of empathy towards a potential customer. If they would let me use the bathroom I would buy something at the bar, but they don’t deserve it. At the end this place looks like a tourist trap. Don’t come here!!!

On the Gilf Coast, there is no better fresh fish, prepared simply, than Walt'z.

Essen nicht getestet, nachdem man uns nach 17.00 h recht barsch zu verstehen gab, dass das Lokal dann ab 19.00 h geschlossen werde. Relativ unfreundlich wurde dies so mitgeteilt, wie die Info betreffend Speiseauswahl. Wahrscheinlich hat man es dort nicht so nötig, die Gäste kommen eh. Einrichtung ist originell.

Small place that serves fresh daily caught fish/ seafood only!! We were greeted by a women and seated. Asked for the best appetizers and had 1) smoked fish spread 2) key west pinks Both fantastic! In fact after staying in Gulf Port for 8 days and eating fish spread each day, No place in the entire St. Pete area had better smoked Fish spread than Walt’s. Next was our main dish! We had the 1) Black Grouper 2) Sea Scallops 3) Gulf Shrimp 4) Crawfish Patties I personally had the Scallops! Tasted like the ocean, perfectly grilled and the beans & rice complemented dish. One of the Best and freshest meals I’ve ever had. Opted out on dessert as there’s too many ice cream shops on the beach. Ps: We did get to meet and talk to Walt.

My husband loved the grouper. No Salt pepper or dips...they want you to taste the fish. Walt is amazing. Very quante and small. Nice water view. Expect to pay alittle more . Nice

Went to this restaurant on a recommendation. Owner I believe was incredibly rude: food was mediocre. Did not care that my friend thought her food was too spicy. Basically “too bad” attitude. Asked for salt and pepper.. said we don’t have it. Asked for separate checks. Refused. Was the worst dining experience I’ve ever had in Florida. I don’t ever write reviews, but walked out totally disappointed. Don’t waste your money, and don’t support this restaurant.

Signature, rice and coleslaw with any of the entrées. It’s gonna be a winner. We particularly love the scallops and the horseradish sauce, as well as the grouper cakes.

The best fish, pigeon peas and rice and super slaw. Simple menu but always fresh and good. Come with a good attitude and watch the dolfins.

We have come here a couple times - My husband always wants to go back but I have to agree with one of the reviewers, Sue gets worse and worse each visit to the point I never care to go again and the fish is okay but not fantastic - You literally think to yourself, I just wish this woman would shut up, multiple times throughout dinner. She wasn’t even our sever but just lingers (our actual server was great by the way). Sue is just an odd duck. If you enjoy paying high prices and working on self control, to not tell someone they talk too much; then go. Everyone should pay a couple hundred to have the Sue experience.

Such amazing fresh fish, super friendly service and cool vibe. What a beach restaurant should be!

So...you have read all the reviews. Or at least most. You know what to expect from the blonde. If she's rude to you, it shouldn't come as a surprise. And if she's nice to you? Play the lottery! Ha ha. My husband and I were here 10 years ago. We were back in the area and decided to go again, especially after reading all the reviews. We had no idea what to expect from the blonde hostess so we figured at the very least, we might get a good laugh out of it. We have been to Madeira many times over the years and go to so many good places, that if we were treated bad, we would just laugh and go somewhere else. We arrive and walk in. The blonde immediately asks if we have been there before. We had, so I said yes. Her whole demeanor changed. She asked where we wanted to sit, then brought out the menu board, and took our drink order. Now while she was not rude to us in any way, we did witness her turning away a party of 5 (they don't seat parties over 4) and asking someone to take the drink they were carrying outside. Was she rude? Not overly so. She was abrupt and blunt. We also talked with Walt, and he was extremely nice and polite. With all that being said, the food was amazing. I'm still thinking about the grouper. And the wine pours! It's like a half bottle of wine in each pour! If you read all the reviews, you know what to expect. The blonde's attitude, no chicken, no French fries, etc etc. If you are on the fence about it, I would 100% give it a try. Go in knowing what could happen and be prepared to enjoy an amazing seafood meal.

This place was suggested to us by the captain of our tiki boat tour, and it sounded just right for a fish dinner. The hostess explained that the menu was limited to what had been caught fresh - fine by us. We ordered a shared appetizer and 4 main courses, along with 4 glasses of wine ($11/glass, but very large servings). We all enjoyed the fish and were chatting as we finished our wine when the hostess came over and told us they had closed 45 minutes ago and the employees were waiting for us so they could go home! This was somewhere between 8:15 and 8:30, and we had been seated some time around 7:15. She had never mentioned a closing time when she took our orders. That made all 4 of us feel really uncomfortable and unwelcome, so we quickly downed the wine and hurried out, evening spoiled. We won't be back.

Walt’z fish shak is one of the best!! We always come here and enjoy a slice of Old Florida with amazing fresh seafood, views, and great staff. The owner is so kind to check in on us, and the staff are splendid. We will be bringing our friends here for sure.

As soon as we opened the door and walked in the lady at the door said this place is not for you. All we serve is fresh fish nothing frozen… Ok!! That sound good!! .I assumed it was because we had a young son .. Then told her that our son eats mussels and oysters all the time.. She then said we would never serve that to anyone in our restaurant.. she blocked us from coming any further into the restaurant.. Ok see ya awful lady we or anyone we know will never come here again!!!

Walt and his partner are great. Going in there since the 90s it’s a little blurry. Great food and nice people. This is a real deal local place. Leave your nonsense at home. It’s small so they expect you to be respectful. Get there early when they run out of fish that’s it!

What a wonderful place. The scallops simply melted in the mouth. My wife had the blackened grouper and it was magnificent. John's Pass is a really fun place to visit as well. Will certainly be back.

As many reviewers have noted the owners wife is crazy rude. I read the reviews but decided to try it anyway. Instead of welcoming us with appreciation we are patronizing their restaurant she treated us as though we should feel privileged she is allowing us to dine in her restaurant. Total joke. After being treated rudely before we left we spoke to her husband who was sitting at the bar and told him to read the trip advisor reviews. He either doesn’t care or is in an abusive relationship and can’t do anything about it. Trust the reviews this place has decent fresh fish but is overpriced and you end up wanting your money back after her poor and rude service. I can’t believe this place shows a 4 start rating after seeing all the 1 stars. I would give it zero stars if that were an option.

Who is this revolting blond harpy who serves at this restaurant?! Who allows her to be around people? Absolutely no people skills. Mean, rude, demeaning! She has her regular crowd of creepy locals that she fans over, otherwise you don’t belong. She is great representation of a horror show that this place has become.

Walt’z is a mandatory stop every time we visit St. Pete. We discovered this gem years ago and it is a great part of our story. The hours are limited. Basically they cook fresh and once the food is gone for the day, it’s gone. But it is so worth it. Family owned, and limited capacity seating add to the charm of this great restaurant. The friendly atmosphere and amazing food are as good as you will find. Walt still makes many of the dishes and when he isn’t cooking, he’s chatting up the customers. Eat all you want, just make sure to save room for the best key lime pie you’ll ever have. I ordered the scallops and my wife had carrot ginger soup, grouper cakes and hummus. Generous pours of wine made for a fun evening as we watched a storm roll in off the bay.

Not really sure how this place is still in business. I have never been treated so rudely in my life! The accusations by the lady that greeted us and pushed us out of the door and down the stairs needs some personality lessons on how to treat the customers...still in disbelief by how rude she was and didn't seem to really care-sad that an employee would be so unkind and say such things to a group who was looking for a place to enjoy dinner!! Very obviously they can't handle to many at one time!!!

What a great find this place is. On arrival we were notified there is no chicken, no beef and no french fries. Which was perfect because we went there for the seafood and it did not disappoint. Fish is caught in the keys by family boat daily, so the menu is on a chalk board because it changes daily. Their unique cole slaw was delicious. I had the scallops and my companion the tile fish, both excellent. Ended sharing a delicious piece of Key Lime Pie that was Waltz moms recipe. Waltz took the time to visit every table and greet us. Its a small unique restaurant a bit pricy but well worth it. Put it on your list.

The fresh yellow wedge grouper was great. The main menu is all fresh caught fish that the serve till they run out. You can get the fish blackened, grilled or lightly fried. I had lightly fried. The key lime pie was the best I ever had.

Such an amazing place! Walt and Sue are are great people, they’ve got wonderful team. Phenomenal food.

Wow! Cannot believe how rudely we were treated by the welcoming???person(along with another couple we didn’t know). I have NEVER had such an unpleasant restaurant experience in my life! Would never recommend this place….can’t recommend the food as we were run off before we could try it(as well as the afore mentioned couple)….really don’t understand….maybe because she wanted to close. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Rude condescending lady at the front! What an attitude “read the menu before you come in” did you see the prices .. there are other places better for you …” what does that mean? Read the other reviews this is a consistent theme. Better service from a vending machine. Save your money.

Essen wird auf Plastiktellern serviert. 5 Shrimps mit Coleslaw für 34 Dollar. Shrimps waren lecker, aber den Preis nicht wert. Wir waren zu zweit dort. 1 Bier, Wasser war kostenlos (kein sparkling) und 2 x die Shrimps Rechnung 78 Dollar plus Trinkgeld. Kellnerin war freundlich. Inhaberin hat nichtmal zum Ende gegrüßt. Wir würden nicht mehr dort essen.

If you want the best and freshest seafood in the area, this is your place! I can honestly say that this was the best meal I’ve ever had. We are local and plan to make this a regular dinner place. The owners are wonderful humans!!! Their customers appreciate that they get delicious, fresh, healthy food…it is a privilege to dine here! That’s all you need to know.. it’s a privilege! Can’t wait to go back!

Overpriced and the waitress was absolutely rude.

This place came highly recommended from some locals. Walt'z is only open 3 hours a day, 5 days a week (or less). We were encouraged to go early as this place closes once they run out of food. We were sat in a small table by the bar where the owner Walt was sitting. We got to chat with him as we waited for our meal. The server was nice, but we kind of felt a little rushed considering the place wasn't full. The food was super fresh, everything they serve comes out of the gulf withing 24 hours with the exception of the big pink shrimp which he flies in from the keys that day. The meal was expensive, but for the quality, it's to be expected. Next time we're in the area, I hope to go have another amazing meal at Walt'z. Oh yeah, don't skip the Key lime Pie, trust me n this.

Walt's wife, the older blonde lady, is honestly the rudest person I think I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with. The first time we went there, we walked in and were looking at the chalkboard menu when she walked up and told us that they only served seafood and if that didn't suit us, we needed to go elsewhere. Later in the week we went back, and there were two older couples ahead of us looking at the chalkboard menu when the blonde gal walks up. They had a couple questions about the menu and she then proceeds to tell them that she can tell they aren't going to be happy there and they should just eat elsewhere. The people ended up walking off and said they'd never be back. Just amazing that a business owner would treat customers that way. I know we will never be back and certainly will never recommend eating there to anyone else.

I came here to see if I was the only one who thought the lady at the bar was RUDE!!!! She needs a nap

Overall, the food was good, but the prices didn't match our bill. It was short staffed that day, so I gave the manager the benefit of the doubt; however, what I thought was a bad day is her baseline temperament according to the reviews. She was overall nasty and incapable of compartmentalizing her personal issues to offer a satisfactory customer service experience. I may try them again outside of an event day, but I really hope she can operate the business in a way that motivates people to stay.

I would not recommend. Owners wife is just as described in the other reviews. Poor man!! She is extremely rude and ruins the atmosphere by treating people poorly. I’m embarrassed for her. No need to treat people this way. Especially those who are there to support you and your business. Btw, I’m pretty sure you don’t own the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. The next time I’m in town, I will enjoy my beverage right outside your steps and protect people from your mean gestures.

wow i didn’t read these reviews before coming. Owners wife is freaking bizarre. So uncomfortable. I was really excited to eat here, got dressed up and all. Heard this was really great seafood. Took my family this woman was trying really hard to convince me not to eat here. Kept telling me “we ONLY serve seafood” uhhhh yeah ok, that’s kindof the point. I don’t think many people end up there by accident, you go if you are looking for good seafood. She saw my children and told me they didn’t have high chairs, yeahhhh again, not a problem, they are too old for them. Then she repeated again they don’t serve chicken nuggets…yes mam’ i got it. Then she said “we don’t have a table” ok so why did you screen me so hard and ask me to read your menu multiple times. Seems like a very round about way to say “i just don’t want to serve you” anyways. it left such a horrible taste in my mouth, id been looking forward to eating here for a while. ended up eating at a terrible pizza place and paid 8$ an hour parking :/

In spite of the bad reviews we still wanted to give it a try thinking we would have a memorable meal. Don’t waste your money. One person had a dietary request which the older blonde woman would not accommodate. She flat out refused to put the fish on a separate plate and put the salad dressing on the side. She claimed her food was “fresh” and no one can have allergies to it.. There is no reason a person could not have salad dressing on the side and their fish on a separate plate from the salad. The $10.00 cup of conch chowder was so spicy, I could barely swallow it. I left it and told them, but they did not remove it from the check. I was really looking forward to the rice and peas, but another disappointment. Very overly spiced and the “peas” were dark brown. The Grouper and Sea Scallops was very mediocre. We will not be returning to Walt’z.

the owner is a crazy blonde lady who should not at all be running a restaurant, let alone interacting with other human beings. id be lying if i said she wasnt one of the rudest people ive ever met. i noticed a family walk in and ask her something and she responded to them with "nope, out. eat somewhere else." i mean, i didnt hear what the man said to her, but like come on. disrespectful doesnt even work when describing her. she was so out of control that we couldnt even eat our food without feeling like we were chewing incorrectly. the food wasnt even all that good either. i mean it wasnt necessarily bad, it was just alright. she looked to be in her mid-to-late fifties, possibly even sixty. anyone who rates this place anything over two stars is either dillusional or came on a day she was out.

The owner of this restaurant is a terribly rude women. Place is cramped. Food is mid at best. Waaaay overpriced. Check other options on the board walk. Don’t waste your time or money here.

Walt's wife the old blonde is as rude as the reviews? She scared off a group of 9 in front of us. Told them we have no burgers, chicken, or French fries and I will have to split your group 3 ways. We should have walked away with them. She invited us in while degrading all the local establishments we find and Love in Florida. I've never seen a person so rude and inconsiderate. The food was ok but double over priced. If it wasn't for the Owners wife, I would consider returning. Don't waste your time or money on this establishment. There is too much Love and Kindness in Florida to Over Pay a miserable Old Woman to bring your day down.

If you want fresh seafood, this is YOUR PLACE!!! EVERYTHING made here comes right off the boat, and it's absolutely delicious! Tonight, I had the lightly blackened grouper, and it was TO DIE FOR!!! Harrison had the Key West Pink Shrimp, and it was equally good! But the HIGHLIGHT of the evening was definitely the homemade Key Lime Pie. It's the REAL DEAL, and it's over the top good! If you're looking for a great place with local charm, you can't do better than this. But go early, there are only a few tables and they fill up fast!

I know we're not the first one to write a review like this. Actually it is the first review we've ever written. We moved to Madeira Beach in 2001 we have been to Walt'z many times and it's always the same, amazing food with the absolute worst service not from the wait staff but from the owner! As many other reviews have dubbed her the "crazy blonde lady" it's ashamed to have such a great restaurant which I'm sure Walt is very proud of as it shows in his food but to have such a miserable front face. We went for the Seafood Festival and decided we wanted a good meal at a sit down restaurant and decided to give Waltz another try (BIG MISTAKE). The restaurant was empty I can't imagine why? (Maybe the caution taping off the perimeter so no one could sit down). Needless to say she was so rude when my husband sat down we did not end up eating there. You have to feel sorry for someone like that but most of all I feel sorry for Walt. We would never recommend that place for one reason. THE CRAZY BLONDE LADY!

Came during Seafood Fest. I’d love to tell you how good it was, but who ever the blonde lady in charge is, wouldn’t let us in because we were undecided on if we were going to eat. I understand she wants to sell food, but she was completely rude about it! There were empty seats inside and outside was COMPLETELY empty. And there was a stage for music RIGHT there! If I was Seafood Fest, I would never have a stage where a business owner runs people off. And run people off she did. While we stayed a few minutes to listen to music, she ran at least another 12 people off. Outside still completely empty, inside half empty. Must be indecently wealth because they can’t be making money at this dump.

From the moment we walked in the owner was extremely rude by not allowing us to sit at a table with more room. She said that the table was to have five people. So she sat us in a corner table with very little room, and the minute we sat down another set of couples, which were 4 people (the same as we had) sat in that table that she did not allow us to sit it. It only got worse from there. Our food arrived, and the portions were laughable. They were literally the size of a small appetizer, my husband’s scallops were small scallops, and there were only five of these tiny scallops on the plate. My shrimp were very small, and also only five of them on the plate. I asked the owner who had a horrible attitude from the beginning, for some table salt. I couldn’t believe it, and neither could our friends, when the owner literally started berating me for asking for salt because it would insult the chef and he thinks his food is seasoned perfectly, so how dare I ask for salt. when the bill came and let me tell you from the food we ordered: two beers, one bowl of soup, one plate of salad, one dinner with shrimp, one dinner with scallops, and one piece of Keylime pie, came to a total of $181.57. When we looked at the itemized bill, we couldn’t even read it because it was so scribbled. There was no way to read it. And because of the service we had been given, or I should say, lack there of, with the demeaning, rudeness and anger that was shown to us the entire time, we didn’t even ask why the bill was so high we just wanted to pay and walk out. I don’t think we have ever gone to a restaurant that had an owner and server treat us with such disrespect and rudeness. I would never suggest anyone walk through their doors again!

Best fish anywhere. Don't miss eating here.

Walked into this place on a whim and found a warm comfortable spot that was not full of itself and unpretentious. The hostess was almost apologetic on the fresh seafood only menu. Our dinner was fresh and well prepared with Walt's family recipes. We will definitely go back to enjoy the atmosphere and great food.

Horrible experience. We ended up not dining here, because upon entering an older blond woman was extremely rude towards my boyfriend and I. Not a very welcoming place. As a local, I was excited to give it a try but unfortunately we felt so uncomfortable that we left before ordering and we will not be back.

Just finished our meal for NYE there; after appetizers, my husband ordered bacon wrapped shrimp for his entree. The shrimp was $24 and came with four… yes, four…. Small shrimp. Super disappointing.

Owner was very rude when we very kindly asked to move a chair. And she said they change the menu every day but it said market price. Why couldn’t you put the price if you change it every day? We didn’t end up eating there because it rubbed us the wrong way so don’t know what the food tastes like. But we hear the food is good so go at your own risk

Biggest pour of wine in a glass than anywhere on the beach! The food is amazing and very fresh. Love the family recipes

Absolutely the WORST service ever. The old Blonde Witch that pretends to be a server should only work on Halloween. Stay away unless you like being treated like garbage.

Don’t let the low scores deter you. The food is great. We’ve dined here multiple times. Just know what you’re coming into. A small place with few (but fresh/fantastic) options.

We took two steps into the door and the owner looked at us and decided we did not fit in her dining room. We had a 95 yr old with us. Before she even sat us she told us to leave her restaurant. I really should have read the reviews before we attempted to eat here. Reading the 1 star reviews mirrors our experience. I will include her in my prayers, everyone needs to pray for her.

The food is fresh and fantastic, the blackened and fried grouper is amazing- best blackened seasoning I’ve had. The owner, sue, is very nice and she had a great conversation with our table- she recognizes us every time. Walt’z is local, old florida style, and authentic. the food comes as is. I highly recommend.

Frankly, I don't understand how Sue isn't regularly assaulted.

The mid-50’s(ish) blonde woman identifying herself as the owner & “wife of Walt” was cringe-worthy rude to customers & employees. I couldn’t believe she berated a waitress in front of everyone stating “Sorry everyone, she really has trouble listening!” & harassed a group passing by outside taking a picture for not eating there but taking pictures nearby. We could only laugh. Location was pleasant, but overpriced and w/marginal food. I’d pick somewhere else on the boardwalk. We overheard the owner stating some suppliers failed to show up which may have set her off. Good times. 👌🏼

Over priced, limited menu options, and down right pushy/rude waitress. Will never go back. So many very good options at great prices within 75 feet of this place. Up to you but do not appreciate being treated so badly on my vacation.

Waitress/Bartender banged on bathroom door because we used bathroom

Disrespectful, rude, awful operating system and owners. Went in to grab drinks while walking the boardwalk and utilize the bathroom. While the owner/worker banged obnoxiously and loud on the door while using the restroom kicked everyone out including 2 kids and an adult while a child was on the toilet. Would never recommend this place!!!

The dishes are delicious and always fresh. The menu changes based on what is available fresh. They go to great lengths to get the best including their shrimp and fish. This is the old charm of Johns Pass before all the redevelopment. A classic old Florida cottage. It is run my a husband and wife team. They know what they are doing!!! They are justifiably proud of their food. It is far, far better than any of the other restaurants in the area. Yup, it can get hectic when busy, but the food is worth it!!! However, if you are one of those demanding sorts needing special attention, give us all a break and go somewhere else. No one needs your stressful lifestyle.

One of the worst places I've been to. The other low reviews here are very accurate. I would avoid it if you're on vacation. If you local, maybe it's hit or miss.

Extremely rude staff. Very over priced mediocre food. Don’t waste your time or money.

Been hearing about the place forever so decided to check it out. (Been coming to Treasure Island for over 50 years). My husband and I walked in (1st people there) and I asked to sit at the bar. I was told it was not really open since COVID and directed to sit on porch. OK - the server goes on and on about the great menu, recipes, and fresh fish - normally OK but she was SO CONDESCENDING. She went ON and ON and ON and it was just obnoxious. Should have left then but wanted to try it so we ordered. Next a couple walks in she knew and they sat at the bar.....WTF???? Guess my Jersey $ isn't as green as local $. We decided to share 3 apps and 1 dinner so we could try different things. We had the fish spread (good, nothing special), Red shrimp (Wahoo's is far superior and less $), Grouper cakes (again, OK nothing special - finely minced fish so any sign of grouper was hidden), and we split the scamp Grouper ($43 for the fish, slaw and rice). The Grouper was done nicely, slaw was good, rice was basic.....overpriced in my book. Bill was $143.17 for the above + 3 draft Stellas and 2 bottles of Miller Lite. I normally would have given it 3 stars with notes about the price tag but the woman waiting tables was just unbearable. We passed on the $7 Key Lime Pie since I couldn't take her a minute longer.

ATTENTION!!! TOURIST TRAP 🚨 I wanna say some specific words about the lady who is there, but I am gonna keep it neutral so my comment stays and protect future customers. The lady who is there, a 70 years old who thinks is a top model is so rude and mean. She was jumping into my family’s conversation and expressing her self negative about my country products. We couldn’t talk because we were scare that she is gonna listen and jump in again. The prices…. forget it. With the money that I paid l, I rent the fisherman to bring the fish ready to my place. Stay AWAY!!!

Fantastic food with fresh fish and homemade coleslaw and not the crap from the supermarket and especially no mayonnaise sauces and the like. 100% recommended.

the absolute best and most fresh fish i’ve had since moving to st pete! incredible product

A rude owner blonde old crazy lady yelled at us as we were trying to settle with a baby outside ( no ADA rump there so you can't go to main dining if you have stroller , ect) . Toddler had a snack from the beach that we needed to trash , but wait : before that happened we got yelled at . Looks like they are laundering money there selling something else , no way a place can be in business. Some tourists were leaving saying the same thing

They don't want to be a "bar". Yet serve wine and beer. Avoid! East coast vibe.

Food is well worth the price. This is my new favorite!

A simple menu that is simply fantastic! It’s a great location in John’s Pass and has the freshest fish around. We’ve been going there for years and always go back when we are in Florida.