Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay, the beloved waterfront restaurant at the south end of Siesta Key, is marking 40 years of serving the community. Since opening in 1986, the family-owned restaurant has become a cherished gathering place for residents, visitors and generations of families who return year after year.

Nestled along Little Sarasota Bay, directly across from Turtle Beach, Turtles has earned its place as one of Siesta Key’s most enduring dining destinations. Founded by members of the Kelleher and Flanigan families, the restaurant has remained remarkably true to its original vision.

“We are a legacy business,” Sean Flanigan told the Siesta Sand. “We’re a heritage restaurant started by six local Siesta Key residents.”

When Turtles first opened, both Siesta Key and Sarasota were far smaller communities than they are today. Yet as the area has grown, so has the restaurant’s reputation. Four decades later, Turtles remains as popular as ever, proving that some traditions only get better with time.

Throughout the years, it has been a place where friends and families gather over fresh seafood and waterfront views. During the COVID-19 pandemic, its open-air setting offered a welcome escape for diners. When three hurricanes battered Siesta Key in 2024, Turtles, like the rest of the community, weathered the storms and emerged stronger as visitors returned and recovery took hold.

Today, as a younger generation of the Kelleher and Flanigan families carries the business forward, the restaurant continues to embrace the values that made it successful from the beginning: warm hospitality, fresh ingredients, attentive service and one of the best waterfront views on Siesta Key. Add the occasional dolphin sighting, and it’s easy to understand why so many guests consider Turtles a destination rather than simply a restaurant.

One constant throughout nearly the restaurant’s entire history has been manager Alex Ortega.

Now in his 39th year at Turtles, Ortega began working there at age 16 as a dishwasher. Nearly four decades later, he remains one of the restaurant’s most recognizable faces.

“Our menu has stayed the same,” Ortega said. “We have the same cooks who, like me, have been here for many years. We make our own sauces, and our customers love our fresh fish and our appetizers. By the way,” he added with a smile, “the coconut shrimp is one of the favorites.”

For Ortega, however, the secret to Turtles’ longevity goes well beyond the menu.

“Our recipe for continued success is that we treat our staff like family,” he said. “When we hire people, we teach them the Turtles way. Family is very important to us.”

Ortega describes Turtles as a true destination restaurant.

“People hear about us and want to come experience it,” he said. “Guests arrive right from the beach, by boat — they can dock right in front of the restaurant at Marker 48 — by car or on the Siesta Key trolley. There are so many ways to get here.”

Looking ahead, Ortega is optimistic about the future.

“I’m sure Turtles will keep being Turtles for another 40 years — or more,” he said.

To mark the anniversary, the restaurant is featuring several special menu items. Ortega also recommends trying one of the restaurant’s increasingly popular mocktails.

“Enjoy one at the bar or out on the porch with your meal,” he said. “They’re fun, they look great, and they taste great, too.”

After four decades of welcoming guests with waterfront views, friendly faces and memorable meals, Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay remains more than a restaurant. It is part of the story of Siesta Key itself — a family-owned business whose success has been built one meal, one memory and one generation at a time.