Beloved Cortez seafood spot is closed, for now. Here’s when to expect its return

A beloved Bradenton area waterfront seafood restaurant has temporarily closed for renovation.

Cortez Kitchen, 4528 119th Street West, has kept fresh seafood, tropical drinks and local live music flowing for over 20 years in the heart of the historic fishing village.

It’s among locally owned eateries with a fresh-off-the-boat philosophy that have earned Cortez a reputation as a go-to spot for delicious seafood.

Rumors on social media had fans of Cortez Kitchen fearing a permanent closure.

“Breaks my heart,” one said. “I hope this isn’t true,” said another.

But the property owner, John Banyas, is assuring patrons that Cortez Kitchen isn’t going anywhere.

The restaurant’s longtime operator, Joe Oelker, is retiring, Banyas said.

Banyas will assume management of the restaurant.

Banyas said the closure will last a month or so and entail some minor renovations, including kitchen upgrades and a deck refresh.

But the menu, the live music and everything else that patrons have come to love about the restaurant will remain the same.

“It will keep the same old Cortez charm that it has. It will just be fixed up a little bit,” Banyas said.

He said to look for a reopening around late September.

“We’ll definitely be back for stone crab season and our yearly festival,” Banyas said.

Banyas, a fourth-generation Cortezian, also owns the Swordfish Grill & Tiki Bar, the Cortez Bait & Seafood Fish Market, a fish processing business and the N.E. Taylor Boatworks, a boat yard business founded by his grandfather.

How does he feel about keeping Cortez traditions alive?

“A good place to eat on the shoreline goes hand in hand with fishing,” Banyas said. “And a good spot to grab a beer.”

This story was originally published August 7, 2023 at 1:40 PM.