The best waterfront restaurants in Fort Lauderdale with live music sit on the Intracoastal and the New River, where you can watch yachts slide past while a band or a steel drummer plays on the dock. This guide skips the beach bars and sticks to the river and Intracoastal side, from the Galleria strip on NE 32nd Avenue down to the 17th Street marinas, plus a few worthwhile stops in Hollywood, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach. Every venue below confirms live music on its own site, and we only mention boat docking where the venue itself offers it.
Shooters Waterfront
On the Intracoastal just north of Oakland Park Boulevard, Shooters Waterfront is the restaurant most locals picture when they think of eating on the water in Fort Lauderdale. It is a big indoor and outdoor space with a long dockside patio, and it is a stop on the Water Taxi route. Its own events pages list live music on weekends, Sunday evening sets from 6pm to 9pm, and steel drums on the dock on Saturdays that hand over to a DJ around sunset.
It suits groups, weekend brunch crowds and anyone who wants the full boat watching experience with a drink in hand. Book ahead on weekends, when the patio fills early (get directions).
Bokampers Sports Bar and Grill
A short walk north on the same stretch of NE 32nd Avenue, Bokampers is a sports bar with 18,000 square feet of waterfront space, covered patios and dock seating facing the Intracoastal. Friday is Caribbean Night, with steel drums on the patio from 5pm. It is also Water Taxi stop 10, so it pairs easily with Shooters.
Come here when you want the game on and the water in view at the same table. It is louder and more casual than its neighbors, and it gets busy on game days and during the Winterfest Boat Parade in December (get directions).
Mastro’s Ocean Club
For a dressier night on the Intracoastal, Mastro’s Ocean Club sits on the same NE 32nd Avenue strip as Shooters, with outdoor seating overlooking the waterway. Local musicians perform every night, from 5:30pm to 9:30pm Sunday through Thursday and 6pm to 10pm on Friday and Saturday. The bar and lounge open daily at 4pm.
This is the pick for anniversaries, client dinners and steak and seafood with live music in the background. Expect an upscale dress code and reserve well ahead for weekends (get directions).
The Wharf Fort Lauderdale
Downtown, The Wharf Fort Lauderdale is an open air bar directly on the New River at the foot of Las Olas Boulevard. It opens Thursday through Sunday, staying open until 3am on Friday and Saturday. Live DJs carry the nights, and Sundays on the River brings live music, local vendors and a frozen drink bar.
It suits a younger crowd and anyone starting or ending a downtown night, with the Riverwalk and the rest of Las Olas a short walk away. The calendar is themed and changes often, so check it before you go (get directions).
Southport Raw Bar
Off SE 17th Street near Port Everglades, Southport Raw Bar is a casual seafood restaurant close to Port Everglades that has been around for decades. Its patio deck seats about 100 people over the water, and the restaurant says live music plays every evening plus weekend afternoons.
It is the most relaxed place on this list, with a local crowd that has been coming for years. Grab a deck table, since the dining room misses the point (get directions).
5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar and Grill
South in Hollywood, the 5 o’Clock Somewhere bar at Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort is a rustic indoor and outdoor dockside bar on the Intracoastal. The resort describes it as a place to unwind to live music on the waterway, and the Water Taxi stops at the resort.
It works well for a sunset drink, and arriving by Water Taxi skips the parking hunt on Hollywood Beach (get directions).
Lola’s On The Water
In Pompano Beach at Sands Harbor, Lola’s On The Water is an indoor and outdoor restaurant on the Intracoastal with Dock and Dine boat slips a few steps from the tables. Slips are first come, first served and reserved for dining guests. Local acts play live music on the waterfront every Saturday and Sunday during brunch.
It is a strong choice for a long weekend brunch or for boaters running up the Intracoastal toward the Hillsboro Inlet (get directions).
The Cove Waterfront Restaurant and Tiki Bar
Farther north in Deerfield Beach, The Cove Waterfront Restaurant and Tiki Bar has its own marina on the Intracoastal with boat up access and about 400 feet of dock space. Its Live Music on the Water series runs every weekend: Friday evenings, then Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm, with local duos and reggae acts.
It suits boaters, families at lunch and anyone who wants a tiki bar afternoon without the beach crowds (get directions).
Planning Your Waterfront Night
The NE 32nd Avenue cluster is the easiest place to start: Shooters, Bokampers and Mastro’s are within a short walk of each other. Downtown, use the city garages near Las Olas for The Wharf, or take a rideshare if you plan to stay late on a Friday or Saturday. The Water Taxi links many of these spots, including Shooters, Bokampers and Margaritaville in Hollywood, and is the most scenic way to combine two or three stops in one day. Weekends are busiest everywhere, especially Saturday and Sunday afternoons when the daytime bands play, so reserve where you can. For more live music across the city, browse our venue directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best waterfront restaurants in Fort Lauderdale with live music?
Shooters Waterfront, Bokampers and Mastro’s Ocean Club on the Intracoastal, The Wharf on the New River and Southport Raw Bar near 17th Street all program regular live music or DJs.
Which restaurants in Fort Lauderdale have live music every night?
Mastro’s Ocean Club runs live entertainment nightly, and Southport Raw Bar says it has live music every evening.
What are the best Fort Lauderdale waterfront bars for a casual drink?
Southport Raw Bar for a laid back deck, Bokampers for sports and steel drums on Friday, and The Wharf for a late night on the New River.
Which Intracoastal restaurants in Fort Lauderdale are on the Water Taxi route?
Shooters Waterfront and Bokampers are both Water Taxi stops, and the route also reaches Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort to the south.
Where can I dock and dine near Fort Lauderdale with live music?
Lola’s On The Water in Pompano Beach has Dock and Dine slips for dining guests and weekend brunch music, and The Cove in Deerfield Beach has its own marina with live music every weekend.
Header photo: Tamanoeconomico, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
