Fort Pierce Waterfront Restaurant Abruptly Closes

Crabby's Dockside Seafood Restaurant shutters after just 3 years, leaving city and owners silent on reasons.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The city of Fort Pierce and the owners of Crabby's Dockside Seafood Restaurant are remaining tight-lipped about the sudden and unexpected closure of the popular waterfront eatery overlooking the city marina and Indian River Lagoon. The restaurant announced it would be closing on February 15th, but has not provided any details on who made the decision or why. The city, which owns the property leased to Crabby's, says it is reviewing the circumstances in accordance with the lease agreement.

Why it matters

The closure of Crabby's Dockside is a blow to the revitalization efforts of Fort Pierce's downtown waterfront area, which had seen the previous tenant, the beloved Original Tiki Bar & Restaurant, razed in 2019 to make way for the new restaurant. The lack of transparency from both the city and the restaurant owners has left the community with many unanswered questions.

The details

Crabby's Dockside opened in July 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, investing $1.4 million to build a two-story, 199-seat restaurant with rooftop dining. The restaurant was part of a larger company that operates eateries in several Florida beach towns. However, after just 3 years of operation, Crabby's Dockside announced it would be closing on February 15th, citing "a decision not within our control." The city, which owns the property and leased it to Crabby's, says it is reviewing the circumstances but has not provided any further details.

  • Crabby's Dockside opened for business over the July 4th holiday weekend in 2020.
  • The Original Tiki Bar & Restaurant, a previous tenant, closed on April 28, 2019 after the city decided not to renew its lease.
  • Crabby's Dockside announced it would be closing on February 12, 2026 and closed on February 15, 2026.

The players

Crabby's Dockside

A waterfront seafood restaurant that opened in 2020 in Fort Pierce, Florida, overlooking the city marina and Indian River Lagoon.

Fort Pierce

The city that owns the property leased to Crabby's Dockside and is reviewing the circumstances around the restaurant's sudden closure.

Gary Hardie

The owner of Crabby's Dockside who has not responded to requests for comment on the restaurant's closure.

Linda Hudson

The mayor of Fort Pierce who voted to close the previous tenant, the Original Tiki Bar & Restaurant, in 2019.

Original Tiki Bar & Restaurant

A popular Fort Pierce hotspot that was razed in 2019 to make way for Crabby's Dockside.

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What they’re saying

“A decision not within our control,”

— Crabby's Dockside (Crabby's Dockside Facebook page)

“The city's priority is to ensure a thoughtful and responsible path forward that supports the community, local businesses and the continued vitality of the downtown area,”

— Kaitlyn Ballard, City of Fort Pierce spokesperson (TCPalm)

What’s next

The Fort Pierce City Commission will discuss the closure of Crabby's Dockside at its February 17th meeting.

The takeaway

The abrupt closure of Crabby's Dockside, coming just 3 years after the city controversially shut down the popular Original Tiki Bar & Restaurant, has left the Fort Pierce community with many unanswered questions about the future of its waterfront and the transparency of local government decision-making.