It’s the end of another era. One of St. Pete’s most iconic and loved watering hole has announced that it has closed. Fish Tales Seafood House, the go to drinking spot and seafood restaurant at the marina, frequented by avid boaters, St. Pete locals and tourists alike, posted the sad news on their Facebook. Owners Dan and Peggy Wesner, opened Fish Tales back in 1999 with its vibe that transported you to Key West with its thatched roof like tiki bar and tables with views of the waterways.

Fish Tales Seafood House is located at 1500 2nd St South.

Below is the full letter Fish Tales posted.

***** To all of our loyal customers, *****

It is with a heavy heart that I have to write this, but write it I must. After a 5 year legal battle, fighting tooth and nail and exhausting every legal avenue that we could think of, our landlords have won the legal fight to evict Fish Tales Seafood House.

Dan and Peggy Wesner started this little business endeavor way back in 1999, taking a little shack nestled in a marina on the banks of Salt Creek and turning it into one of St. Petersburg’s best outdoor waterfront restaurant/bars it’s ever had, expanding from that little solitary building into St. Pete’s best hideaway outdoor dining and cocktail facility, serving some of the best seafood, ice cold beer and cocktails in the state of Florida, all while being visited year after year by loyal customers from all 50 states as well as many other countries. It is certainly a sad day for St. Petersburg and our customers to lose such a landmark that it has been for all these years. A sad day indeed.

Dan, Peggy, their family and their employees have put their heart and soul into this place for so many years. But as of the time this notice has been posted, and as hard as it is to say, I must sadly tell you that Fish Tales Seafood House is officially closed.

We want to thank all of our family, our employees and especially our customers for the honor and experience of serving you. You’re all very simply the best that anyone can have! And although this chapter may be over, the book isn’t finished by any means. There just might be a strong possibility that Fish Tales just might pop up somewhere else in the St. Pete area, in this form or maybe another…we’ll just have to wait and see, and you’ll just have to keep your eyes peeled. But for now, we say thank you to the best people in the world…and so long for now.

It’s been one hell of a ride…

Images courtesy of Fish Tales Seafood House