Big Ray’s Fish Camp

EVERYTHING is delicious and prices are reasonable! We ordered the grouper cheeks, lobster corn dog with cole slaw, grouper sandwich with fries, grouper reuben with onion rings, key lime pie and cronuts. It was hilarious because we all kept saying, «this is the best sandwich/​lobster/​fries/​slaw, I’ve ever had.» So glad we found this place! Cannot recommend it enough!

When I get friends to visit from out of town, they often ask «where can I get some great seafood?», due to the close proximity to the ocean. Unfortunately, I feel like unless you want to dine in a nice atmosphere… our options are severely limited when it comes to casual seafood.
Big Ray’s Fish Camp changes all of that.
What it lacks in restaurant size, they make up for in food quality and taste. It is *exactly* what Tampa needed. Yes, a lot of the options are fried… but if I can honest with myself, a lot of seafood is great that way. The grouper sandwich has been fantastic on both attempts. The shrimp poboy looks like something out of a Southern Living magazine each time I have ordered it… I’m almost too afraid to eat it. They could lighten up on the lettuce, however.
The onion rings… maaaaybe the best in Tampa.
I haven’t took the chance yet, but they always seem to have a rotating off-​menu special. Last time it was a Lobster Corndog. Yes, you read that right. Yes, it is what is sounds like. Yes, I’m a dummy and didn’t order it.
My only hope is that their due success affords them the option to expand the restaurant in some form. The inside is small and only shrinks when a line forms at the register. Good problem to have.

Ah Tampa, your majestic mountains and snowy lanes, you only have the finest of fishes. Might I suggest the Blackened Grouper Sandwich? Con papas? I imagine all the food is off the hook here. So just tell everyone to shut up in the car and drive here.

Omg! We love this quaint, little grouper haven! We loved the grilled grouper and the Grouper Nuggets have THE best sweet, Thai chili sauce!
Loved the atmosphere, the Bob Marley music and the cool employees. Loved it!

Stopped by Big Ray’s Fish Camp for lunch on Sunday. The food was good, but your options are extremely limited if you are trying to eat healthy. The majority of the menu at Big Ray’s is fried fish dishes and sandwiches.
I ordered the Caesar salad with blackened grouper for $ 13 and my husband ordered the Caesar salad with fried grouper cheeks for $ 12. Our salads were huge and contained large portions of fresh caught grouper. I wasn’t a fan of my husband’s grouper cheeks. The cheeks were coated in so much cornmeal breading that the only thing I could taste was the bland breading. I would suggest dusting the grouper cheeks in a lighter layer of cornmeal and seasoning the breading with salt and pepper.
Since our salads were the only items on the menu that weren’t fried, covered in mayo, or served on bread I doubt I’ll be a regular, but I would definitely return for the fresh, local caught grouper.

Man o Man I’ve been in search of some seafood since I moved to Tampa and how did this place fly under the radar and its literally 2mins from my house oh well I know now and I’m going to make up for all the times i didnt go lol.
Normal Saturday im looking for fish to eat and my beautiful wife goes to Unilocal and finds this joint. I look up the menu and pics and I’m truly impressed. So she goes and grab me an Fried Grouper sandwich and parmesan fries with a side of conch balls sheeeessh how fresh and how damn good was this meal!!! I can explain how unique the fries are the grouper was huge and seasoned to my exact likening. The conch balls were decent being from miami the home of conch ive had plenty of dope servings of conch so i wont hold it against them but it was good enough that i will order it again.
Sidebar: In the middle of writing this review i checked to see if they were open on Sunday and they were so i went myself so I experienced first hand the dope staff quick service and i really dig the setup its not big but they have plenty of space outside to enjoy your meal. The only thing i wish they had were beer an Corona would’ve have topped this joint off tho. Beer or no beer I’ll be swangin through here on the regular.

Best little fish joint in Tampa. Love this place Food is always fresh and great tasting. They have a small menu but everything’s terrific. Also the owners are great. Ray is always engaging and connected to his customers and Lindsey always welcomes you with a warm smile and charm. Tonight I had the blackened Ruben grouper sandwich. Perfect! We also love the hamburger. Can’t wait for them to open the Taco joint next door

Folks don’t let the simplicity of the restaurant fool you. The quality of the blackened grouper sandwich is is matched by no other. I’ve had the pleasure of trying the blackened grouper sandwich in many restaurants but the taste and the portion fall far short of what Big Ray’s Fish Camp serves you. The grouper had the perfect amount of spices and was perfectly cooked unlike other fine restaurants attempting to serve this dish. The French fries were quite a surprise, as they were sprinkled with parmesan cheese, chopped garlic and a touch of parsley. There was no need for any condiments since the flavor was mouthwatering. I CAN’T WAIT TO COME BACK.

I loved my lunch here! I’m not giving it 5 stars for some small reasons, would have gone 4.5 if I could. So if you are in the Ballast Point/​MacDill area, give this place a try for lunch. First off, I had the Grouper Reuben sandwich and onion rings. The grouper was fresh. How fresh? My daughter saw them cut the fish when we ordered it. That’s how fresh! The sandwich was also tasty, the bread crunchy yet buttery, the Cole slaw was crisp and the sandwich was not overpowered by the dressing. Moving on to the onion rings. They were stellar! Very light batter, great taste! Did not need any ketchup or sauce. My daughter had the regular grouper sandwich and French fries. She said both were great. I snuck a fry when she wasn’t looking and they are garlic parm fries!
We are so going back here!

Saw this little place going up months ago and was always excited to come here. Kinda nice to know you can come grab a grouper sandwich or po boy without driving across the bridge.
I had the opportunity to try their conch fritters, grouper Cheeks, onion rings and shrimp po boy. All were good, not the best I’ve had. But worth the visit. With fried food their must be beer and there was nothing to help break things down. I also wish they had different dipping sauces. I wasn’t in love with the one that came with the grouper cheeks and the mustard that came with the conch.
I had the lobster corn dog and I thing they use warm water lobster tail not the cold water. You can taste the minerals in the lobster and it’s not sweet at all. Probably won’t ever order it again.

Best grouper sandwich in Tampa! No lie.
I really think the lobster corn dog is spectacular, but the grouper sandwich steals the show. Always pick the handmade onion rings over the French fries because they are delicious.

Why 3 stars? Because it was better than most, but fried food is still fried food.
— — —
I want to write this with two caveats:
–I’m not putting Big Ray’s in the same class with the hot garbage that they serve at a place like Long John Silver’s.
–I realize that Big Ray’s serves fish that isn’t fried.
That being said, this was my experience:
I ordered a fried grouper sandwich and onion rings. The onion rings tasted significantly better than most, as they were going down. It’s once they got to the bottom of the my stomach that the trouble began. Most food goes down there, and just starts digesting. But many fried foods will just sit. And sit. And not digest. And sit some more. Even hours later, I was still filled with regret. Literally.
The fried grouper sandwich had a very odd flavor, and I’m not even talking about the fried portion. The very middle of the fish just tasted incredibly different than it should. I’m not sure how to exactly describe it, but it wasn’t normal.
I hate writing this review. I’d wanted to come here for quite a while, and based on the other reviews, I feel like I caught them on a bad day, and/​or, ordered the wrong things. But something was definitely off with that grouper, and I do want to offer my honest feedback.
I will definitely be back, and I’ll go the grilled or blackened route next time

I love seeing new businesses crop up in my old childhood neighborhood. The only thing better is seeing them thrive and get awesome Unilocal reviews.
I don’t get down to the SOG very often these days, so Big Ray’s sat in my bookmark’s for a hot minute. I saw the owner’s mother posting about the place on our high school Alumni page months before the doors opened, and I thought the location was great. Honestly, any business next to the Green Store is going to do well because they get a lot of traffic.
This weekend, La Chica and I rolled thru to get some stone crab claws. We also ordered up some grouper cheeks. The claws were about $ 28, and La Chica assured me it was a good deal. We got 6 in the order, and they were really good, though I’m not the claw expert.
As for the grouper cheeks, what I got for $ 9 was a joke (see pic). Normally, a whole grouper filet goes for $ 11 to $ 14, so $ 9 worth of non-​filet meat had better be enough to please my appetite, but it wasn’t. I got 10 – 12 very small pieces of what could’ve been grouper, but I couldn’t really taste it well enough to tell. This is because they use something like semolina or corn meal to bread their fish. This method might be okay for a large piece of fish, like a filet, but not for pieces of fish that are half the size of a McDonald’s chicken nugget. The coating it too bland and dry, rendering the taste of the fish morsels nonexistent. If it weren’t for the dipping sauce, there would have been zero flavor at all.
I saw a fried grouper sandwich, as well as a grouper Ruben, and they looked great. So my advice would be to get some claws and order once of the sandwiches; steer clear of the «grouper cheeks.»
Lastly, the place is tiny, so be prepared to sit outside if you go during lunchtime. Also be prepared to be accosted by flies. They have some pretty elaborate fly traps all over the patio area, but not enough to keep people from swatting between bites.
Bathroom is clean, staff is friendly. Might be back.

Absolutely a solid 4.5!
We got grouper cheeks, one grouper sandwich (blackened) and cronuts. The grouper cheeks were okay. The Thai chili dipping sauce was underwhelming. Actually it is pretty sweet and reminds me of duck sauce.
Now, the grouper sandwich was delicious! Not fishy at all! We spilt it but should have opted for two sandwiches! Yum! I may try it grilled next time… just to change it up.
The cronuts were very good. Not my cup of tea but my partner really enjoyed them!!!
Both of us are excited to return and try some different items on the menu. I like that they offer a variety of dishes… including those for land lovers!
Yes, we will be returning!

Can’t look up reviews on Unilocal and not pick the one with 5 stars!
Everyone says get the grouper sandwich. It is really good and I really don’t like fish. It’s a very mild fish. The hubs says he liked the blackened better than my fried but I’m not a fan of all things blackened.
The fries are really good too! They are coated in a batter and sprinkled with Parmesan! So yummy.
Oh it’s a cute fish shack and the bathroom is really clean!

This casual, seafood-​centric dining spot is making big waves with its tasty selection of sandwiches, salads, non-​seafood items (chicken, pulled pork and Cuban sandwiches, for example) and desserts.
Expect lines and a bit of a wait because within only a few weeks of opening, Big Ray’s has already attracted a big following.
The premise is simple. Stand in line, place your order, pay your bill and find a seat. The premises, too, are simple. Tables and chairs inside and some tables and chairs and picnic tables outside, partially protected from the Florida sun by a large canvas.
The food is brought to you and no matter what the wait may be, it will be worth the wait. Judging from the orders arriving at nearby tables, the grouper is a huge crowd favorite.
I also liked the smoked fish dip and conch fritters but seriously contemplated trying the Carnival Shrimp Corn Dog. Just out of curiosity and because it looked really good.
Best bet may be to plan for a late lunch or a takeout order timed other than prime time.
There is so much to like about this place but so many people like it that timing may matter, especially if you hunger for one of those crowd-​pleasing grouper sandwiches.

What a find! This place has only been open for seven weeks, but has quickly convinced us that the seafood they provide is some of the freshest and tastiest around. There are seats for no more than about 15 people inside, but there are a few large picnic tables under an awning outside. Frankly, I’d gladly sit on the hood of my car as long as I could chow down on the great stuff they offer.
The Conch Fritters were good for a start. Crisp on the outside and rich inside. My wife had the Shrimp CornDogs, and loved them. Two are served with each order, and each are three large shrimp on a skewer dipped in a cornmeal batter and deep fried. A cool variation on the old carnival standard.
I had the Blackened Grouper Sandwich, and it was large, fresh and had just the right amount of heat. We shared an order of fries and onion rings and their vinegar-​based slaw, and the meal was great.
We topped it off with Key Lime Pie (too small for the price, and needs a notch or two off the tart/​twang meter), and Cronuts (light fried dough with sugared cinnamon).
The hostess/​cashier, Lindsey, truly adds to the atmosphere. She is so personable, friendly, knows the menu very well, and makes certain everyone is welcomed, enjoying thier experience and leaves with a smile.
I’m certain this place will skyrocket as word gets around about their menu and the quality of seafood available here. Great job!

This would be a Five Star place just for the cronuts served up hot right out of the frier with cinnamon sugar. Soooo naughty good!!!
It’s a very little place altough there are plans to expand. Four or so tables inside a few more outside. Service is friendly and prompt. Fun menu of fish, shrimp, and other seafood dishes. Everything was quite good although I didn’t love the Caribbean lobster corn dog. It was very good, but in fairness I am a Maine lobster snob and that frozen warm water stuff just doesn’t cut it. :P
The conch fritters were satifying and gluttonous. The fries were hot and VERY VERY good with some parmesan on them. The onion rings are very good also with a nice lighter batter. The corn meal crusted grouper cheeks were also very tasty.
I hope avocados come back in season soon because I need a Big Chill sandwich with fried avocado. This is a fun and feasty place for casual seafood lovers. Thanks Big Mike, Lindsay & Co. :) Good times and good food.
They have deep fried key lime pie. :P Let me know how it is. I am on a very strict diet.

Awesome new seafood restaurant south of Gandy. Totally worth the trip.
I love places like this. Small little restaurant with limited seating, basic furnishing, friendly staff/​chef, great food. For Florida seafood, it doesn’t get much better.
We started with the grouper cheeks. They were breaded with a cornmeal batter. Very crispy, well seasoned. Sweet and fresh grouper, so good. I then had the lobster corn dogs, which were on special. They gave a huge amount of fresh lobster and fried it to perfection. This was served with the garlic parmesan french fries. My husband had the grouper sandwich, which was huge and also excellent.
We were too full to try dessert, but I really want to return to try the cronut.
I wish they were open for dinner more days of the week, but I’m glad they at least have weekend dinners.
I asked Ray to keep the lobster corn dogs on the regular menu. I will return.

I had the pleasure of stopping by Big Ray’s yesterday for lunch. Big Ray’s is a «seafood shack» on Interbay Boulevard in a wee building that if you blink, you will definitely miss it. My rating is a 4.5 so I rounded up.
I was greeted warmly by Lindsey and Ray, himself. I was a bit overwhelmed by the extended menu on the wall, but I decided to order the special, the Oyster Po Boy, which included one side. Lindsey recommended the onion rings so I chose those. Then I saw Cronuts on the menu board and all hell broke loose…
Food turnover was very quick and my Oyster Po Boy was placed in the cutest classic Shrimp Packing box. The onion rings were served in separately in another container. Both portions were very generous. The Cronuts were bite-​sized and came five to a bag.
The Oyster Po Boy was delicious. There was a bit too much bread for me, but I am not a Po Boy expert. Maybe I will add extra oysters next time? I loved the onion rings. There were thin and salty, just the way I like them. I enjoyed the Cronuts, too. They were a perfect ending to my «fried festival» and I had some leftover to munch on for later.
The restaurant is decorated in a nautical and fishing theme. There is minimal seating in the restaurant with a few tables and chairs. There is also seating by the window at an extended table. Because the building is located on a small lot, parking is limited, also.
I will definitely return because I want to try the grouper cheeks and other menu items. If you want to stay away from the fried food, they do have salads. PS — if you eat like a child like I do, they also have corn dogs too!!!