Singleton's Seafood Shack

North of Jacksonville, where the St. James River meets the Atlantic, is the Village of Mayport. Here, you'll discover a no-frills fish camp, Singleton's Seafood Shack, revered as one of the top-rated Jacksonville restaurants.

This iconic restaurant opened in 1969 by happenstance. Captain Ray Singleton and his wife, Miss Ann, had built a successful shrimping and charter fishing service in the area. After a charter trip in '69, Miss Ann decided to cook the seafood caught by the guests. Her meal was a hit, and without knowing it, the couple was in the restaurant business.

To this day, fishermen dock at Singleton's, unload their catch, and the restaurant cooks it. Talk about ocean-to-table efficiency! For these reasons, Singleton's offers the freshest seafood. 

Like the shack, the menu is simple, with seafood as the main attraction. Yes, Singleton's offers some land-lovers fare, but most guests come for fresh fish, shrimp, and oysters.

The eatery is near landmarks like Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, which makes scheduling sightseeing with a fish camp-style meal easy. 

Singleton's Seafood Shack is a journey to a simpler time, where the pace of life slows, and the highlight of your day is savoring fresh food with friends and family. 

Vibe

As you drive through the sleepy fishing village of Mayport, you'll spot Singleton's Seafood Shack's pastel orange wooden sign. Pulling into the parking lot, you realize that the restaurant is a shack, not a contemporary setting decorated to look shabby. 

Inside, the rustic but authentic atmosphere continues. You'll find sanded, varnished planks for tables resembling an old-school galley and a small bar with seating for a handful of customers. Nautical memorabilia and pictures of boats and fishermen dot the wall. 

But the coveted dining spot is out back on the county's largest water deck. Diners will have unobstructed views of the St. James River and breathtaking sunsets. Plenty of picnic tables with umbrellas make the deck a relaxing place to dine after a day of fun in the sun at Atlantic Beach.  

While Singleton's is not dilapidated, its pastel orange facade, rustic interior, and vast waterside deck prove it is a Real McCoy fish camp.

Singleton's Seafood Shack: Menu & Drinks 

We'll skip over the land-lover options and jump to the main attraction: the off-the-boat fresh seafood!

Dive into your seafood dining with starters like Bang Bang Shrimp, Buffalo Fried Shrimp, or Shrimpwreck Shrimp. Each offers unique spices and flavors that pair well with a cold beer or cocktail. 

When it's time for dinner, the options range from assorted shrimp dishes to fresh catch of the day, scallops, and crab. All dinners include hush puppies and two of the following: cole slaw, French fries, baked potato, black beans and rice, cheese grits, or veggie of the day. 

The combo dinners offer some tasty choices like the Steam Pot for Two. This combo is cooked low-country style and features generous portions of steamed crab legs, shrimp, clams, crawfish, sausage, corn, and potatoes.

A feature at Singleton's that you won't find at many other seafood restaurants is that they will prepare your catch for dinner. This is ideal for those who chartered Historic Coast Outfitters and want to taste their catch once back to shore.

Lunchtime offers fantastic deals with the Weekly Lunch Specials from 11 AM until 4 PM. The Catch of the Day Sandwich is a budget-friendly meal with French fries, cole slaw, or black beans and rice. For an additional cost, you can substitute a salad or have the fish grilled or blackened.

The drinks at Singleton's will appeal to many. They have a beer and wine list and a full bar with signature cocktails. 

When you want food from one of the top-rated Jacksonville restaurants, you can't beat a visit to Singleton's Seafood Shack. With its "shabby-shack" vibe, boat-to-table seafood, waterside deck, and even model boat museum, you're in for a marvelous dining experience on your First Coast getaway.