Ocean Seven

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Rooftop Restaurant Above Clearwater Beach

Ocean Seven sits on the seventh floor of The Hiatus Hotel on Clearwater Beach, well above the busy boardwalks and street-level crowds. The space was designed by Celano Design Studio, with lighting, textures, and finishes chosen to evoke what the team calls "coastal sophistication" — a phrase that holds up when the view stretches across the Gulf of Mexico in every direction. Tampa Magazine recognized the room as a runner-up for Best Ambience & Décor in 2024, and the panoramic setting earned an honorable mention for Best Waterfront/Beachfront Dining in 2025.

Floribbean Cuisine, Thoughtfully Executed

The kitchen works in what Ocean Seven calls "Floribbean" cuisine — a blend of Florida's coastal pantry and Caribbean influence that gives the menu its character. Signature dishes include a Coconut Shrimp Crunch Roll, a Jamaican Coffee-Crusted Ribeye, and a Baked Florida Grouper served with sweet plantains, spinach callaloo, and spiced agave agrodolce. Beef tenderloin and cheese empanadas with salsa verde and an 8oz filet mignon with wild mushrooms and Madeira wine sauce round out a menu that moves comfortably between the tropical and the classic. Tampa Magazine named Ocean Seven Best Seafood in its 2026 Best Restaurants list, citing the kitchen's commitment to fresh ingredients and sustainable sourcing.

A Wine Program Built for the Food

General Manager Anthony Hughes designed the wine list personally, working closely with the culinary team to ensure each selection could stand alongside the restaurant's bold Floribbean flavors. The list spans 228 bottles across Old and New World regions — sparkling wines, crisp whites, and full-bodied reds — with the stated goal of being "well-rounded and approachable." That work earned Ocean Seven the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 2025, a recognition given to restaurants whose wine programs demonstrate quality, thoughtful pairing, and harmony with the menu. Hughes describes the philosophy simply: "Pairing should be based on matching or contrasting flavor profiles, and acidity should be considered as it can balance richness or cut through fat."

The Vision Behind It

Hughes and the team came to Ocean Seven with a clear intention: not to build another hotel restaurant, but a place where locals and visitors alike would want to mark life's occasions. "Our vision was never to create just another hotel restaurant," Hughes has said. "We set out to create a true local gem that just happens to be inside a hotel." The Wine Spectator recognition arrived in the restaurant's first year of operation — a meaningful early signal that the vision is landing. Private dining spaces are available for special occasions, and the events calendar runs throughout the year, from curated wine dinners to seasonal celebrations on the 7th floor.