Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille’s Fort Myers Beach location has been named the Best All Around Restaurant and Best Waterfront Restaurant in The News-Press’ 2024 Best of the Best Fort Myers Community Choice Awards. This is the second year in a row Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille has won these awards.

The awards celebrate and recognize Southwest Florida businesses in a variety of categories. Nominations and voting took place online over the summer and winners were announced at a gala on Sept. 5.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to be recognized by Southwest Florida for our food, service and atmosphere,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group, the parent company of Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille. “We are honored to receive these awards, and it shows the dedication the team at our Fort Myers Beach location puts into our restaurant.”

Renowned for its legendary guest experience, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with locations on Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, the St. Petersburg Pier and Jungle Terrace in St. Petersburg. Doc Ford’s also offers live music most nights at its Fort Myers Beach and St. Petersburg Pier locations.

Owned and operated by HM Restaurant Group, award-winning Doc Ford’s offers food with a unique balance of flavors inspired by the Caribbean Rim. Beloved for its sauces, spices and signature Yucatan shrimp served daily, it’s highly regarded by locals and visitors alike as a spectacular seafood restaurant. Established on Sanibel in 2003, Doc Ford’s is a perennial Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner. The Pier restaurant was named the county’s No. 1 Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats in 2023.

Philanthropy and community outreach are engrained in HM Restaurant Group’s company philosophy. Proceeds from specialty cocktails at Doc Ford’s raise money to support children’s hospitals and water quality issues. HM Restaurant Group also supports local nonprofits dedicated to conservation, community and the environment. The “Ding” Darling Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament has raised nearly $1.3 million for Sanibel’s J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge since 2012. The 13th annual tournament will be held May 9, 2025.