Our area can always use fun new waterside hangouts, and the massive new tiki bar at Pop's Sunset Grill fits the bill. The husband-and-wife team of Joe and Kristen Farrell and a handful of investors purchased Pop's and an adjacent restaurant, Urbanek's, back in 2001 and then folded the two restaurants into one, Pop's. A few years ago, the owners began the long process of tearing down the Urbanek's structure and constructing a 4,000-square-foot tiki bar that buts right up against the Intracoastal Waterway.

The new bar, which officially opened in January, is intended to better accommodate customers during the off-season. "May through November, you either have a lot of sun or a lot of rain, and a lot of heat, so you want to be covered and you want to have some fans blowing," says Joe Farrell.

The tiki bar includes three different tiers, with big fans that keep the space cool, plus heaters that will keep it pleasant during the winter, and clear shades that can be rolled down if it's cold or rainy. The bar is the third on the property, joining outdoor and indoor bars on the other side of the restaurant. It just might be your new waterside watering hole.

Pop's Sunset Grill is located at 112 Circuit Road, Nokomis, and is open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. For more info, call (941) 488-3177 or check out the restaurant's website.