_This is one of those places that you can easily miss when you’re out and about the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. Make sure you DON’T miss it though. Drive by the Greek restaurants and make your way down to Rusty Bellies, especially if you’re looking for some great seafood.

When you walk into this place you realize how this gem can make you believe that fresh seafood is still out there. It’s on the water and inside you’ll see some history of Tarpon Springs and the restaurant itself. It has a very island/vacation feel to it. Once you’re seated your table will be given a brown paper bag with some amazing hush puppies in it. They are warm and have a sweet and salty flavor to them that is just the thing to get your mouth watering over the menu.

For the times that I’ve gone in here I can’t help but order the fish and chips or the Red Snapper. Since I’m originally from Rhode Island having fish and chips is one of my favorite meals. Knowing the difference between good fish and chips and not so good is usually the thickness of the batter and the freshness of the fish. Both of which are done very well at Rusty Bellies. The Red Snapper is one of my favorite dishes because of the flavor and light coating. I just wish that their portions were a little bigger on this menu item. I’m sure it works out fine for the people eating it within the wrap or sandwich, but I just like to eat the snapper out of it. The Grouper wrap is another great menu item in which they add the tzatziki sauce which is a Greek sauce. With Greek yogurt some seasoning and cucumbers this sauce is fresh and cool tasting. The wrap is a little messy, but all in all great in flavor.

Rusty Bellies does a good job of keeping their prices pretty low and maybe that’s why they’re so busy. Even if you have to wait to be seated it’s worth it if you’re in the mood for seafood. Otherwise there are some mediocre Greek restaurants about a block away.

__The wait staff was pleasant from the beginning and they were able to accommodate us on short notice for a party of nine. The décor is very unique with an almost Indonesian style which is very intimate and warm. The lights are low and candles are placed on each table giving that romantic feel. The feeling of class begins at the doorway and follows through with their delectable menu.

Since The Living Room is a tapas style restaurant we thought it would work out best to order several small menu items and share with the table. We ordered items such as the Pane Bianco, Stuffed Portobello, Marbled Potatoes au Gratin, Braised Pork Shanks with Artichoke Ragu, Sautéed Haricot Verts and the Carciofo al Forno. If you look at their menu you can understand a little more about each of these items. As a table we enjoyed the Stuffed Portobello and Marbled Potatoes au Gratin the best. Both of these items were seasoned to perfection with bold flavors and a fresh from the garden feel. Very easily shared although you’ll wish you didn’t have to. The Carciofo al Forno was mainly artichokes with seasonings and cheese. It wasn’t one of the major delights of the table although it was fresh and light in flavor. The key to these dishes were that each were beautifully presented and the flavors were clean and the food was fresh.

Although the prices may appear high the quality of the food and the establishment itself makes it worth the price. This place is especially nice for dates, special occasions or a girls night out at the bar with some appetizers.

For the cons: This wasn’t my first time at The Living Room, however it was my first time where it wasn’t a special event. On a few occasions this place has held special events that can over crowd the restaurant which doesn’t give you the warm eclectic feel that this place has. The wait staff can be slow or nonexistent during these times. However, given the opportunity to have a dinner party on a regular night this place pulls through pretty well.