Three-story waterfront restaurant and bar proposed for downtown Gulfport
/A rendering of the proposed three-level surf shack restaurant at 5427 shore boulevard south in gulfport | fraze design
A vacant quarter-acre lot along Gulfport’s downtown waterfront is slated to be redeveloped into a new restaurant.
Clearwater-based Prometheus Partners has proposed to construct a three-story, 5,700-square-foot restaurant and bar called Surf Shack at 5427 Shore Boulevard South, just steps from popular spots like O’Maddy’s Bar & Grille and Stormrunners Tavern.
Designed by St. Pete-based Fraze Design renderings show a fresh, modern coastal aesthetic with white siding with blue accents and striped awnings.
Plans call for multiple bars, a covered balcony, and ample seating designed to take advantage of Gulfport’s waterfront views.
While Prometheus has not yet released details about the menu, the concept is expected to feature casual coastal fare and drinks in line with its beach-inspired theme.
surf shack would be built on a 0.24-acre property next to stormrunners tavern | google maps
According to documents filed with the City of Gulfport, the restaurant will include 171 seats across the 2nd and 3rd levels.
Because the property lies within a flood zone, FEMA regulations require the restaurant’s first floor to be elevated at least 12 feet above the base flood elevation.
As a result, the ground level will function primarily as covered parking, offering 11 on-site spaces along with an elevator lobby and service access.
Even with its elevated design, Surf Shack’s proposed height of 39 feet 4 inches remains below the city’s 45-foot height limit for the property.
The second level will contain 104 seats, including nine bar seats, plus the kitchen and restrooms.
The third floor will include 67 seats, with 10 at the bar, along with a covered balcony featuring lounge-style seating and greenery for outdoor dining and drinks.
a rendering of surf shack and the covered outdoor dining balcony | fraze design
Prometheus Partners purchased the site, formerly home to five apartments which were demolished in 2023, for $1.8 million in April 2024.
The company has spent several months refining its plans after feedback from Gulfport’s Site Plan Review Committee, particularly around parking.
On October 8th, the city’s Board of Adjustment approved a variance to reduce the number of required surplus on-street parking spaces by 25, bringing the total available to 51 spaces to support the project.
Two final approvals, a site plan and a conditional use permit for outdoor seating, are expected to be administratively approved in the coming weeks.
Once approved, construction could begin soon after, marking Prometheus’s first investment in Gulfport.
The group, affiliated with Southeast Investment Property Holdings LLC, operates nearly 50 Taco Bell and several Olive Garden locations across the Southeast.
In recent years, it has also invested heavily in St. Pete, acquiring more than $43 million in waterfront parcels along Salt Creek in the Old Southeast neighborhood. Plans there include another restaurant concept.
