Southern Shores Seafood Expanding to Jacksonville This August

Southern Shores Seafood, a family-style seafood restaurant, is preparing to open its second location at 5613 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207. “We hope to open up by August, but we're waiting on a couple of things. But if all goes according to plan [we'll open by the] last week of August or early September,” owner Curtis Fellows told Business Debut.

The concept remains rooted in a casual, family-style dining experience. “We want it to be the kind of place where when you’re working in the yard on a Saturday and think, ‘I want a blackened mahi sandwich,’ and you know you can just come by,” Fellows said. “But also nice enough to bring the family out on a Monday or even celebrate a birthday or anniversary with a crab leg dinner.”

The Jacksonville location will seat approximately 90 guests and serve beer and wine, including curated wine options tailored to local tastes.

The menu will largely mirror the established Valdosta, GA location, which can be found on their website, but with a few exciting additions: a ribeye steak, a grilled chicken breast option, and a lump crab cake are being introduced exclusively in Jacksonville. Popular existing dishes include blackened mahi sandwiches, crab leg dinners, lobster feasts for two, and fresh chicken tenders. The restaurant will be open seven days a week, with hours from 11 am–9 pm daily.

Fellows, who also owns two other unaffiliated seafood spots in Florida, chose Jacksonville for this expansion to be closer to his home in Middleburg while working with his trusted partners. “We tried not to make it look too fish campy,” Fellows said. “It’s not fine dining, but has enough class for enjoying a special occasion.”

This marks the second Southern Shores Seafood location, following the original in Valdosta, GA, which opened in 2022. The Jacksonville expansion is being led by Fellows and the following partners: his sister Delaine Ring, her husband and store manager Robert Ring, and long-time collaborator Christopher Swisher, who has managed the Valdosta store and worked with Fellows for over 20 years.

For updates and menu photos, follow their Facebook page or visit their website.