31 Best Seafood Restaurants in Destin

“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!“

“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!“

“Went to Fish-On in Destin today and had an awesome experience. The manager and chef both came out and introduced themselves, which you don’t see much anymore. We learned they’re one of only three restaurants in Destin serving locally caught seafood that’s truly fresh — never frozen — and you can taste the difference. The chef has been on Hell’s Kitchen twice, and you can tell he takes real pride in what he puts on the plate. Everything we ordered was excellent, and the prices were surprisingly fair for the quality you’re getting. If you’re in Destin and want something legit, this place is a hidden gem. Highly recommend.“

“AMAZING FOOD!! Our server, Josie, was so accommodating to our group of 14!! Definitely recommend!“

“The food was fabulous! Don’t forget to try the butter pecan cheesecake. It is to die for! Will definitely be back!“

“Best food I had while in Destin!“

“Robin was fantastic. Thank you so much!“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Definitely a 5 Star experience. Food is great in dining area and the SkyBar above is always fun and entertaining.“

“The Back Porch did not disappoint one bit. We loved the atmosphere. We were seated out on the back porch right in front of the gulf and had a wonderful breeze blowing the whole time, which was great since we were visiting Florida in August. We got seafood and steak. The steak was amazing and tender. The grouper, crab bites and twice baked potatoes were delicious! We will definitely be back!“

“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!“

“Mariah was the best all servers should be so talented. She made our day so fun. They call the wind. If you see this Mariah watch for Brad. Food was good also we have gone to PJ for years when in Destin always good. Shout put to Ed.“

“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!“

“Excellent service & food was perfect! Highly recommend them !“

“Great food! I'm an Oklahoman so I don't eat seafood very often. The service was great and the wait time wasn't bad for being packed. Can't wait to eat here again on my next vacation!Quick edit, the seafood was great! It's something I wasn't expecting even though it's literally a beachside restaurant. I recommend stopping here if your on vacation!“

“Awesome service! Loved this place! 5 stars for Keith!!!“

“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.“

“Fantastic food and very attentive waitstaff! Enjoyed the outdoor covered dining area with views of the water.“

“We just had dinner at Dewey Destin’s and it was amazing. We just did appetizers but holy moly! I had the medium heat peel and eat shrimp, we had the best hush puppies I’ve ever had, and grit cakes. I believe Jenn was our server and she was so very helpful and sweet. The Dock Rocker cocktail was delicious! Glad after 5 years of coming to the area we tried this place! 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.“

“We just got back from a week stay down by Crystal Beach. We were within walking distance and visited Camille‘s several times, both the daytime Café and nighttime restaurant. What a great find. The sushi was amazing, all the drinks were delicious. We loved chatting with Holly the bartender. She was wonderful. This is definitely a must try if you were in the area.“

“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 was the best meal I’ve had ALL week! I really enjoyed their seafood 🤤 We will definitely be back next time!!“

“We just checked out from an eight night stay and overall we were very disappointed in our experience this week. We visited the henderson once or twice a year since our children were toddlers. Beyond financial support, we have been the most vocal champions of the resort for years. Not only have we consistently provided good reviews online, we have also brought siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins to the Henderson. We wear the merchandise from the resort store year round. So when we booked this trip, we were excited as always. We paid for the premium gulf view room just as we did last trip, and were instantly disappointed with our room view. We did not have the pool/gulf straight on view like we did last time and is advertised on the website. Instead, we had a view of trees and only a partial gulf on the side. This is an unacceptable view when paying for the premium option. We called the front desk twice and kindly asked to be moved, or even notified if one of the better views opens up throughout the week. However, we were instantly shut down both times, being told there is absolutely nothing they can or are willing to do for us. So although we paid for the premium view for eight nights, we were never once able to enjoy it. We would have simply preferred courtyard view over what we had and saved the money. The way our concerns were brushed aside after being loyal customers for many years has made us question if we will ever return. Before posting this review I tried contacting management twice while at the resort and another five times since we checked out, having been ignored the entire time. On top of the room view, there were a lot of other concerning issues that we have never experienced at the Henderson. Our room was very beat up and in need of repair. The walls needed painted and the furniture needed replaced. The lights in the bathroom constantly flashed like strobe lights and everything in general felt unclean. There were leaks in the lobby, tiles missing in the pool, the showers by the beach were half broken, and the bathrooms by the beach were closed for an entire day. So we had to walk all the way back to the resort to use the restroom. The overall level of the service we experienced on this trip was not the exceptional customer service we have become accustomed to at the Henderson. No one helped us with our luggage, bar tenders at the beach weren't friendly, and overall we felt more like a number instead of a valued guest (which is what we always loved about the resort). There seems to be more focus and attention given to the condo selling expansion than the resort guests. There was also constant non stop construction noise for our entire trip - which we were not warned about upon booking. When you're charging these kind of prices, there are expectations that follow. One of my favorite things in the past has been the cheese quesadilla at the pool. Even that was a shell of its former self, with barely any cheese. I actually have a photo of the way it used to be compared to now. And I paid a premium for that just like everything else at the hotel. At one point I paid $22 for two popsicles at the pool. Again, these prices are acceptable when the overall experience matches like it has in the past. But that simply wasn't the case this week. As much as it pains me to say, my wife has been looking for different options for our next trip to Florida Lastly I would conclude that the overall care level from the resort staff was nowhere close to how it used to be. We went to a water balloon toss event that was a total joke. The staff had about 10 water balloons and zero plan. It lasted about 30 seconds. That was a good representation of the whole trip. Nobody cared about our room complaint, nobody cared to fix the maintenance issues, and the sense was that selling and expanding condos is the main focus now. We are going to have to take time as family and consider if the Henderson is going to continue to be a staple for our summer vacations.“

“Food and service was great! I wanted to leave a review for the hair wrap we got on the patio- paid $45 for my daughter’s hair wrap and it started unraveling the next day! I had to tie it up on the end. Just completely came out and it hasn’t even been a week. Only lasted that long bc I kept messing with it. Don’t recommend!! We got one at Paradise Beach Henna in Destin (quick google search for Destin hair wrap and you can find it) and that one was so secure and lasted forever!! Book there!!“

“Had a wonderful dinner and dining experience with family. Food was amazing and so fresh. Great family atmosphere. Thank you for the Great service“

“I recently dined with friends at the Marina Cafe. All the meals were delicious. We ordered the Sampler Dessert. It included multiple desserts that were all yummy. Cody was our waiter. He provided excellent service and made excellent recommendations. I would highly recommend dinner at the Marina Cafe.“

“My family and I had the best dinner. Appetizers, entrees and dessert were all absolutely amazing. Our server was on top of it and kept us very happy. 10/10 experience!“

“Cam was fantastic! He was working alone and was pretty busy. Despite this, he took time to help me with my order (my first time in), answered my questions, and made great recommendations! Our food was delicious, we had the steamed royal reds, potatoes and corn. Next time will double up on the corn!“

“Kid approved and great food and service.“

“We had the best time , food was great. Service was on point. Highly recommend a visit“