Where to Eat near Port Canaveral

Waterfront seafood with live music and a kids' menu that actually has good food

Order: The menu follows the day's catch. The shark kabob is the item reviewers name most, and the Tiki Tango is the house cocktail.

Pro tip: Sit on the deck — kids can watch the boats come in, and the tiki bar side is the more relaxed half. Live music runs Wednesday through Sunday, so expect a band if you come on a weekend night.

Casual waterfront spot where you can watch cruise ships from your table

Order: Grouper sandwich is their signature. Kids love the popcorn shrimp basket.

Pro tip: There's casual waterfront dining downstairs, a covered patio, an indoor sports bar, and an upstairs sun deck with a tiki bar — the upper deck is the ship-watching spot. Happy hour runs Monday to Friday, 3–6pm.

Chef-owned Italian on N Atlantic Ave doing pizza, pasta, seafood and steak in generous portions

Order: The pastas are what regulars keep naming — tortellini carbonara, lasagna, ravioli, fettuccine alfredo — and the pizzas come out large.

Pro tip: Open 3–10pm daily, and reservations are recommended. There's indoor seating and an outdoor patio, and they do online ordering if you'd rather eat at the hotel.

Small downtown Cocoa Beach dining room doing American Wagyu steaks, house-made pasta and local seafood

Order: Mishima Reserve American Wagyu is the kitchen's signature cut, and the 8 oz filet is the one they lead with. Escargot in brandy cream and deep-fried brie are the standing starters; crème brûlée is the standing dessert. Ask what Chef Ricardo's seafood feature is that night.

Pro tip: Dinner only, Tuesday through Saturday, 5:00–8:30pm, and they close early on slow nights — reserve rather than walk in. OpenTable covers parties of four or fewer; call the restaurant directly for five or more. It's beer and wine only ($25 corkage if you bring a bottle) and there's no takeout. Parties of six or more get an automatic 20% gratuity.

Upscale-casual seafood in a small house on S Atlantic Ave, leaning Caribbean and local

Order: The kitchen builds around fresh local seafood and seasonal dishes, so ask what came in that day. There's a curated wine list put together around the coastal menu.

Pro tip: Open daily 4–9pm, with happy hour weekdays 4–6pm and half-price appetizers. Book through OpenTable — the dining room is small. They've been open 17 years and cook without seed or nut oils, worth knowing if that matters to you.

Fresh seafood and hand-cut steaks on N Atlantic Ave, in what the restaurant calls "Florida upscale casual".

Order: Golden corvina with lemon caper butter is the dish the kitchen puts forward, alongside Florida-style fresh calamari and hand-cut Certified Angus Beef. The soups are made in house.

Pro tip: Open 4:00–9:30pm daily, with happy hour 4:00–6:00pm every day (call drinks from $7.25, house wine from $6.75, food from $8.90). They take call-ahead seating if you phone after 2pm. Dress code is country-club casual — no beachwear or men's tank tops.

Fun, loud and casual, the kind of place where kids can be kids and the seafood is fresh.

Order: Shrimp platters, jumbo scallops, oysters and crab legs are the core of the menu, available à la carte or buffet-style.

Pro tip: Open 11am–8:30pm Sunday to Thursday and until 9pm Friday and Saturday. Happy hour runs 3–6pm every day, and early-bird items are served 11am–6pm daily. There's a large deck for outside dining and live entertainment most nights.

An unpretentious, fast burger-and-dog joint that kids absolutely love.

Order: The signature is an extra-long char-grilled all-beef hot dog on a butter-toasted roll. The smashed chuck burgers, wings, fish tacos and bowls round out the menu.

Pro tip: This is the no-stress option. Open 10:30am–9:30pm Sunday to Thursday and until 10:30pm Friday and Saturday, with curbside and drive-thru pickup if you're eating at the hotel.

Perched over the Banana River facing west — the whole point is eating outside as the sun goes down

Order: The grouper sandwich and the conch fritters are what reviewers single out on an American-style seafood menu.

Pro tip: Open 11am to 10pm seven days a week. There's indoor seating, outside seating and a lower deck right on the water — the deck faces west over the Intracoastal, so time your table for sunset.