Fin's at Sharky's on the Pier in Venice

My mom has wanted to take us out to lunch at Fin's since we arrived in Florida. We finally got there!

Fin's is located on the second floor, right above Sharky's. The location boasts fabulous views of the beach and the pier. You can sit outdoors under a roof, or indoors. Outdoors is definitely the way to go!

This place was packed when we arrived for a late lunch. We were seated at about 1:15pm. Half our party arrived a few minutes later and we ordered. Things seemed to be moving along quite nicely, but we were mistaken.

Thankfully, we were able to enjoy the lovely, sunny beach view as our food took almost an hour to arrive! It was past 2pm when we were finally served.

My husband and I ordered the grouper fish and chips. The beer-battered filets were small, but white and flaky, not fishy at all. The batter was crisp and crunchy. You can order 2 or 3 pieces--we ordered 2 and we were not stuffed after eating both. I probably could have scarfed down another.

The fries were SUPER skinny--way thinner than McDonald's--and coated with a batter. Although I usually prefer fat French fries, these were tasty.

The "tartar" sauce was more like a remoulade. There were no discernible pickles in there, possibly some paprika as the sauce was vaguely pink.

And the "slaw" on the side was a kale-based salad which my husband deemed "punishment" as he is no fan of the kale. I thought it was lacking in seasoning.

My daughter had sushi. She said it was lacking the spicy mayo which was described in the menu. At $19 per plate, she expected larger rolls than the 8 small pieces she received.

My mom enjoyed her Thai salad with shrimp.

We may not have experienced Fin's at its best due to the crowds pouring in for lunch. The kitchen seemed to be completely overwhelmed by the volume. Our server was friendly and efficient, though, and kept all our glasses filled while we waited.

If you're looking for a place to eat with stunning water views, you might like to give Fin's a try.

Photo credit: Sophie Moock