Best waterfront restaurants in Pensacola area: 21 spots you need to visit

Pensacola's waterfront has a huge number of restaurants that offer quality views of the Gulf of Mexico.

You don't even have to drive to Pensacola Beach to see that view, either, though it certainly helps.

And thanks to Pensacola's growing foodie scene, you're not going to be stuck choosing between chicken fingers, steak or seafood while you soak in the scenery.

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Here's an exhaustive look at Pensacola's waterfront restaurants and what you can expect at each:

The Oar House

1000 S. Pace Blvd.

Where can you find live music, amazing views and games? Look no further than The Oar House.

The Oar House offers a scenic view of the Bahia Mar Marina and is minutes away from downtown Pensacola. Patrons can enjoy watching beautiful sunsets, watching boats pass and even indulge in games like cornhole, volleyball and more.

Food: Award-winning crab cakes, fresh fish sandwiches, gumbo, red beans and rice and etouffée.

Jaco’s Bayfront Bar & Grill

997 S. Palafox St.

Jaco's Bayfront is strictly food and views, and it does both well. Overlooking Pensacola Bay, diners can get a glimpse of the sun as it sets behind Blue Wahoos Stadium, right at the end of South Palafox Street.

Food: Jaco's is known for its signature flatbreads, appetizers, cocktails and specialties like ahi tuna, filet mignon and bella mushroom stack. If that doesn't entice you, the menu switches every month.

The Fish House

600 S. Barracks St.

The Fish House's upscale dockside dining experience overlooking Pensacola Bay and Seville Harbor isn't one to be forgotten. Grab drinks and a view on The Deck, or head over to its sister restaurant, Atlas Oyster House, for fresh local oysters.

Food: Diners will find fresh, daily seafood, house-smoked meats, sushi, its world-famous Grits á Ya Ya and a great brunch menu.

Nick’s Boathouse

455 W. Main St.

Nick's Boathouse is located right on Pensacola Bay, next to the Community Maritime Park and offers a casual atmosphere. It's a great place to catch the post-game fireworks at the Blue Wahoos Stadium. Inside you'll find a saltwater aquarium, too.

Food: The Boathouse offers a variety of fresh seafood and steaks with a Cajun flair.

Calvert’s in the Heights

670 Scenic Highway

Calvert's in the Heights bills itself as a one-of-a-kind English-themed restaurant, and while it's not quite on the water, it sits on Scenic Highway and offers a unique, elevated view of the Pensacola Bay. The view isn't the only thing to take in, the outside dining area out back has cornhole and kids games.

Food: At Calvert's, you'll receive the restaurant's own take on English cuisine and American bar foods, plus an assortment of beers, liquors and wines.

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The Crab Trap

16495 Perdido Key Drive

You won't be surprised to find that The Crab Trap is a waterfront fish house on the Gulf of Mexico, but that should be the exact reason to grab your family or friends and head over. At The Crab Trap, you'll find a boardwalk leading down to the water, rustic Florida décor, great views of the Gulf and a playground for the kiddos.

Food: Here you'll find a variety of seafood and daily specials including local mahi mahi, blue crab claws and crab cakes.

Flora-Bama Lounge

17401 Perdido Key Drive

Established in 1964, the Flora-Bama Lounge is known beyond Florida as one of the top beach bars and is uniquely located on the Alabama-Florida line between Orange Beach and Perdido Key. The restaurant has five stages for live music, several beachfront bars and, of course, spectacular views of the Gulf.

Food: The Flora-Bama Lounge is known for its Bushwackers and oysters. If you're not a fan of seafood, the Ole River Grill is a great place to grab a bite to eat for anyone.

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Oyster Bar Restaurant & Marina

13700 River Road

The Perdido Key Oyster Bar Restaurant & Marina is located right on the intracoastal waterway in Perdido Key, making it a great spot for waterfront views and getting a look at Big Lagoon State Park.

Food: Here you can grab anything from steaks to pasta and oysters.

Bonsai

12 Via De Luna Drive, Pensacola Beach

Bonsai is a sophisticated Japanese dining experience unique to Pensacola Beach. It’s located in the second floor of Hilton Pensacola Beach and offers a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico. The restaurant focuses on offering unique flavors using the finest in-season ingredients available.

Food: The curated menu features gourmet sushi, wagyu beef steaks, Southern “smoked” rainbow rolls and more.

Red Fish Blue Fish

5 Via De Luna Drive B, Pensacola Beach

Red Fish Blue Fish overlooks Santa Rosa Sound and focuses on serving simple dishes that use fresh ingredients. The entryway walls are covered in wooden planks that were reclaimed by the old Coca-Cola warehouse and the restaurant incorporates sustainable features in its design, like solar panels, using repurposed shipping containers and using alternatives to plastic straws.

Food: The menu features a variety of items from burgers and seafood to yum bowls and tacos.

Drift Modern Coastal

41 Fort Pickens Road, Floor 2, Pensacola Beach

Drift offers a casual fine dining experience from the second story of the building that also houses the Casino Beach Bar and Grille, one of its sister restaurants. The more upscale establishment offers a beautiful, panoramic view of the Gulf of Mexico. Their dishes are meticulously prepared with mostly locally-sourced ingredients that pay homage to the best of what Pensacola Beach has to offer, with healthy alternatives to fresh land and sea plating.

Food: Coastal cuisine with creative seafood dishes, small plates, steak, a cocktail menu and more.

Full story: New restaurant Drift opens on Pensacola Beach with fine dining in a casual setting

Casino Beach Bar and Grille

41 Fort Pickens Road, Floor 1, Pensacola Beach

Casino Beach Bar and Grille sits right on top of Pensacola Beach, with its sugar-white sands that lead right up to the restaurant. This is the place to go if you want to experience the sights and sounds of the Gulf of Mexico, island vibes and live music.

Food: Gulf Coast and Caribbean-inspired small plates, burgers, tacos, sandwiches, specialty plates and more.

Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar

400 Quietwater Beach Road, Pensacola Beach

Full story: Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar is opening at Pensacola Beach. What you can expect:

Felix’s is an oyster bar based out of New Orleans with a history dating back to the 1940s. In 2021, longtime Pensacola Beach staple Hemingway’s Island Grill shut its doors, paving the way for Felix’s to move into the space. The restaurant has spectacular views of the sound side, lively outdoor seating with music, fire pits, New Orleans lanterns and courtyards.

Food: New Orleans-style Creole and Cajun cuisine, including staples like red beans and rice, jambalaya, crawfish etouffee and more.

Laguna’s Beach Bar and Grill

460 Pensacola Beach Blvd.

Laguna’s isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a whole experience. The park, formerly known as Premier Adventure Park, added its Caribbean restaurant and tiki bar in 2020 when it rebranded itself as Laguna’s. Now the site offers beachfront seating, Caribbean-inspired entrees and a myriad of drink options to go along with the park’s ropes courses, zip trails, go-karts and more.

Food: Crab cake sandwiches, seafood tacos, jerk chicken sandwiches and a host of burgers, flatbreads, appetizers and salads grace the menu.

Shaggy’s Pensacola Beach

701 Pensacola Beach Blvd.

Shaggy’s Pensacola Beach is a laid-back waterfront bar and grill that offers a seafood-centric menu, frozen daiquiris, an extensive craft beer list and more. The island-style vibes offer waterfront views from every seat in the establishment.

Food: Seafood macaroni and cheese, shrimp and grits, wagyu sirloin and more.

Whiskey Joe’s Bar and Grill

400 Quietwater Beach Road, Suite 13

Whiskey Joe’s Bar and Grill opened its fifth location in Pensacola Beach last year. The restaurant has a mixture of beachfront and indoor seating, caters to people looking for a quick bite to eat with a carry-out window and you can even order online while you’re tanning in the sun on the sand.

Food: The menu is described as “Floribbean,” where you can find a unique assortment of menu items like gator bites, mango-glazed scallops, local fish tacos, island crab cakes and more.

Full story: Caribbean-themed restaurant and tiki bar 'Whiskey Joe's' opens on Pensacola Beach Friday

Paradise Bar and Grill

21 Via De Luna Dr., Pensacola Beach

Paradise Bar & Grill is a popular hangout spot for locals to come out and enjoy live music with good food and a good drink. The award-winning bar is located just behind Paradise Inn on the Santa Rosa Sound, making it easily accessible by boat, car and foot.

Food: Paradise Bar and Grill has simple offerings like burgers, fried seafood baskets and sandwiches.

The Grand Marlin

400 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach

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The Grand Marlin probably needs no introduction as it has appeared on OpenTable’s Top 100 Most Scenic Restaurants, Top Al Fresco Restaurants and Best Brunch Restaurants, and they’ve had their chefs nationally recognized. The restaurant is probably Pensacola Beach’s fanciest restaurant but you don’t need to leave your flip-flops at home to enjoy the view.

Food: A daily menu features the freshest, locally-caught fish, high-quality ingredients, expertly-crafted island cocktails and more.

Crabs

6 Casino Beach Boardwalk, Pensacola Beach

Crabs on the Beach is another waterfront restaurant parked right on Casino Beach. You can catch a breathtaking view of the sunrise from its open-air, Gulf-side deck or on the upstairs patio.

Food: Crabs — any way you want them. You’ll also find platters and baskets of fried and grilled fish, steaks and more.

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Flounder’s Chowder House

800 Quietwater Beach Road, Pensacola Beach

Flounders promises on a unique and interesting experience — with good food — and it’s a promise they deliver on. As soon as you walk under the remnants of an old Pensacola Beach sign marlin, you know you’re in for a good time. Other notable items inside and outside the restaurant is the 55-foot M/V Flounder ship, a 980-pound blue fin marlin and tons more.

Food: Fresh seafood, Flounder’s pasta, sushi, fowl, steaks, burgers and more.

Frisky Dolphin Sunset Oyster Bar and Grill

715 Pensacola Beach Blvd.

The Frisky Dolphin is a laid-back waterfront restaurant that offers Cajun-Creole foods, seafood and cocktails. It’s known for having one of the coolest indoor and outdoor decks around.

Food: Fresh-shucked oysters served steamed, fried and baked, Frisky shrimp, crab cakes, gumbo and more.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola area best waterfront restaurants from the bay to the beach