Runaway Island

Went for an early dinner on Friday around 3:30. Our server Liz was great. Sat outside with a beautiful view of the gulf. We order four apps. The calamari was good, as was the spinach dip. Crab cakes were great. The half dozen oysters were the saltiest oysters we ever had. I asked Liz why. She told be the wash the oysters with salt water. I don’t recommend them. We have never had oysters like that. My mother in-law had the Parmesan flounder with shrimps which she said was good. My wife and daughter both had the mani tacos which again were pretty salty. My shrimp tacos were great. I wanted to rate this place with 3 stars, but Liz service deserved the four stars.

We went today for the Thanksgiving Buffet. The food was really delicious. The atmosphere was nice. Everyone did an excellent job putting everything together to make sure everyone had an excellent experience.

Thanksgiving buffet and dining experience was delicious and very well put together!

Runaway Island is a good-all-around source for fresh seafood and local cuisine. I got the special at the time, blackened mahi with grilled Gulf shrimp over cheese grits, and it was outstanding. My husband had the blackened grouper sandwich and fries, also very good. Fish portion sizes were generous. Service is efficient and friendly. They have a small gift shop. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. If you want to sit outside beachside, though, you'll have to squeeze into one of their "high" tables. Some of the tables, high and low, include beach umbrellas. Good value for the money, and right on the beach.

We love to eat at Runaway Island. It’s our first stop each time we are here. Haley was our waitress today and she was awesome! She was so sweet and made sure we had everything we needed!

Went for lunch and when I got the check, the suggested tip percentages were figured from the total and NOT the food price. It was a percentage of the total credit card amount. Tips should be based on only the food price!

We just got back from eating the red fish special, it was very good, the manager always acknowledges every table. We then went to their gift shop, I bought perfume there last year and needed more, we waited and waited to pay, no one around, my husband finally got someone’s attention, they were all talking at the main area where you check in, she came back, threw the receipt down, I signed, she turned around and walked away. We spent $200.00 there and not even a thank you, not my kind of place, I’ll buy on line next time.

Food was great, server was very attentive and friendly. Only thing I did not like was no Italian dressing but I will live. Moscato was also great.

I had the blackened shrimp basket. The seasoning tasted pretty good. My husband had the sirloin. Asked for well done but came medium-well. Good flavor. We were with a group of around 25 people so some service was a bit slow, but all of the servers were kind.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

When we visit Panama City, Runaway Island is a MUST STOP!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We ate lunch on the patio this week. The beach view is great and the vibe is not bad. The waitress raved about the Baja Rolls so we ordered them as an appetizer - pretty bland and not worth $16. Our grouper sandwiches were good however my french fries were stone cold. Service was a little slow but that's probably the norm this time of the year.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Calamari was like rubber and the coleslaw had no taste but the shrimp basket was good

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Fried Shrimp Basket

A little pricey for what the food is but the atmosphere, music, and service are fantastic!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Absolutely terrible service. I walked out. Please don't waste your time and money.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 1

Food was good, but the drinks were weak. Our waitress wasn't very attentive. We had to ask for silverware 3 times. Entrees came while we were still eating our appetizers. She had our table cluttered to where the manager noticed and came to remove plates from our table. Had to ask for to-go boxes & cups twice. The manager ended up bringing those too. It wasn't that busy for the lack of service we received, and we still tipped her almost 20%.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 3