39 Best American Restaurants in Destin

“Birthday dinner with the fam was great!“

“After hearing so many great things about this place, I finally made it out here to try it for myself. The atmosphere was beautiful and elegant. Brandon our server was amazing. The way Brandon described the specials and the menu items, he made it sound like it was going to be the best meal of my life. The food was spectacular so HUGE kudos to the chef. You are doing everything perfect. Atmosphere is 10 out of 10, service is a 100 out of 10 and the food was a 10 out of 10. I will definitely be back and thank you for the amazing dining experience.“

“We visited Fort Walton for the first time and I had already planned to visit this restaurant. I was so excited because of what I saw on the internet. It absolutely did not disappoint. We enjoyed the nachos & mixed drinks. The scavenger hunt was so much fun with my husband and 3 year old and the alligator show was so educational. We will definitely go back!! Oh, and we met “Henry” the 1 year old baby gator that we took a photo with!“

“As a local, I was seriously disappointed by the treatment we received by the host and hostess. We started at the bar and moved to a table not thinking it was a problem bc it wasn’t busy. We sat there and sat there. No one came up to us. No one brought water. I went to the hostess stand to point out that we moved and apologized for not asking to be sat. They flippantly replied, well that’s why you’re not getting any service. Service continued to be slow moving. And again it wasn’t busy. Food is great though! And we enjoyed the live music!“

“The waitress was very friendly and did a great job, but when I ordered the STEAK nachos I didn't realize there would only be two small pieces of steak on them, and they were cold. The rest of the food was good especially the burger and fries.“

“Absolutely an overlooked restaurant, don’t assume because it’s inside a resort that the food is not as good, it’s owned by fuddpuckers. The burgers are outstanding as well as the fish tacos. Definitely a must, if your staying at the Sandestin resort do not ignore this place.“

“The food is absolutely AMAZING, but the service is EVEN BETTER, a couple of friends and I went and sat in to this establishment. Pimlada was outstanding from beginning to end!! Please continue to have this great spirit float around your restaurant. Definitely coming BACK!“

“Beautiful restaurant and wonderful service from hostess to our server, Candace.“

“Absolutely!! Frank the tank is amazing, highly recommend him as a server! The strawberries in the blonde bombshell were delish and the rib and shrimp kabob was a 10.. thanks Frank!“

“Second year eating here and they have great service and our waiter Brandon was very professional and constantly made sure we were satisfied! Highly recommend!“

“Came here for our wedding anniversary and it did not disappoint the service was great and the food was so very very delicious!! Will be coming back thank you to Ron and Lexi at the Destin Florida location for such a wonderful first experience at millers ale house !“

“My husband had raw oysters and said they were some of the best he ever had. He then got the blackened grouper with an amazing sauce. I had the chicken alfredo and it was delicious! We had a great server, TJ!“

“Culvers is our “go to” place with the grandkids.“

“Tiffany is an amazing server she recommended lemon blueberry mimosas which were fabulous, and also recommended the beignets. She made our first visit at another broken egg very good. Thank you Tiffany. We will definitely be back before we leave Destin“

“Our server, Tom, was so patient with our large group of adults and children, kept our glasses filled and bellies full. He also made an excellent recommendation for me with the Cajun chicken pasta (I was not blessed with seafood or spicy tastebuds), and stated he would recommend the chicken just be “golden” and not blackened so that it wouldn’t be spicy- it was delicious! Not too spicy, delicious flavor, and large portion size. Thank you Tom for the excellent recommendation and service!“

“We just had lunch at the Destin Cracker Barrel. Our server was Kash and she was brand new at the job. She is a true asset to your organization. She is precious and so friendly and helpful. We’ll surely return and hopefully she’ll be working again.“

“Best food I had while in Destin!“

“The Harbor Tavern is one of my absolute favorites! Great vibe and kid friendly! My family took Destin Harbor Haulers to dinner and we had yet another amazing time at the Harbor Tavern! Thanks to Chris with the Destin Harbor Haulers for getting us there!“

“Great service and great food. Reasonably priced!!!!“

“We ordered from Sarah K’s to be delivered to our weekend beach rental. The food was delicious and in the fridge when we arrived. We highly recommend!“

“The service was good and the wine was great. We got a charcuterie board and the Brie from France was hands down the best cheese I’ve ever had. The reason I’m giving 4 stars is because the small charcuterie board was $30 and I understand the cheese is gourmet, but I still thought that was overpriced. Overall good experience, but expect to pay a little more than you may have thought.“

“We ate at Captain Dave’s Friday night.The atmosphere is relaxed and loved the view.Our server was wonderful,Robyn B.,The food was great ,would definitely go again.“

“Our last night at the beach we picked Margaritaville. The view was great, the food was amazing, but our server made our first visit sure not to be our last visit. Jennifer gave great recommendations and service. We'll be back for sure!“

“Stacey A was awesome. We will definitely come back“

“We had such a wonderful time at this restaurant! From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed. The service was attentive, and every member of the staff was friendly and professional. The food was absolutely delicious, fresh, full of flavor, and beautifully presented. The atmosphere was cozy yet elegant, making it perfect for both a casual meal or a special occasion. Everything exceeded our expectations, and we left with full hearts and happy stomachs. Highly recommend!“

“never had a bad meal all is good just sit and enjoy“

“Great experience even though we got rained out on the back nine! They gave us a rain check to play again! Well kept course and excellent staff.“

“Debbie, Ashley and Juan (and I forget the other younger lady’s name) were AMAZING. From the moment we arrived, they made us feel welcome and were attentive to our needs throughout our meals. The service was prompt, friendly and shouts to Juan for the avocado chicken flatbread recommendation!!! It’s clear that the staff truly cares about providing a memorable experience for every guest. I’m sad to leave but they’ve truly left an imprint. From Florida back to NYC we go with smiles on our hearts ❤️“

“Second year eating here and they have great service and our waiter Brandon was very professional and constantly made sure we were satisfied! Highly recommend!“

“First time visiting on halloween and wow how freaking cute! Everyone was dressed up and the atmosphere was just perfect! Loved walking along the side of the boats and seeing all the water activity as well. Took a dolphin cruise from there as well and was the best thing in my life.“

“Amazing, came back twice on a short vacation. Brittney the bartender and the best oysters we’ve ever had being the sole reasons. Would make the 6 hour drive here just for that“

“The food was very good and cooked just the way we wanted. Sonya was attentive without being overbearing. A little warm outside but nice.“

“We had beyond amazing experience at the emerald coast location. We sat outside with our two little kids. Our server walked out (Chante) and right away started to engage with the kids and made them smile and feel so welcome. As a parent it was just heartfelt and amazing to have someone so kind to the kids. It made our night the kindness that was shown. If we are ever back in Destin we will be going back.“

“this place is the best place I have ever ate at ! I am a Mac and cheese lover and their best of both worlds Mac sandwich was off the chain ! I have never had Mac like theirs before And it was by far the best I have ever had in my life ! they deserve more than a five star“

“Fun places for the family“

“I had the All Star Breakfast. This is the first place I ate while on vacation. We don’t have Waffle House in Texas. The smell of waffles filled the restaurant. 😋“

“Kid approved and great food and service.“

“A good seafood restaurant with beautiful scenery.“

“**Review for Hooters - 5 Stars**

My first time at Hooters was definitely an experience to remember, though not for the reasons you might expect! Two wonderful women from my church decided to take me—a gay man—out to Hooters for a meal, and let’s just say it was unique from start to finish.

The service was... well, let's call it 'distinct.' The waitstaff certainly added to the atmosphere, if you can imagine. The establishment itself had a certain charm, too—like walking into a 1950s gas station garage that had been converted into a restaurant. The bathroom? A true vintage experience, reminiscent of those old roadside stops where you might be a little hesitant to touch anything.

Now, the food was memorable in its own right. Let’s just say it’s not the cuisine that will be bringing me back anytime soon. But sometimes, it’s not about the food—it's about the company, the laughter, and the memories made in the most unexpected places.

In the end, I give this Hooters five stars for delivering an experience that I’ll never forget—though for reasons that you might not find on the menu!

Dennis Schleicher,
YouTuber with 90K+ subscribers
Instagram Content Creator with 50K+ followers

Parking: Located right next to the Walmart superstore.“