Boathouse Oyster Bar
288 Hwy 98 E, Destin, FL, 32541
Boathouse Oyster Bar Menu
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Address :
288 Hwy 98 E
Destin, FL, 32541 - Phone (850) 837-3645
- Website https://www.boathouseoysterbar.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Loud
Music : Live
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Thuy H.
First time in Destin, first restaurant to try. It's not a bad experience but it's not a great one neither, just "eh" disappointing. I don't know how Florida people eat here but I expect the food to be super fresh and I better be stuffed if I paid twice as much for the price of a regular dish . I paid a total of $115 for 3 dishes and a soup. The food was fresh but everything was fried so the freshness went from a 10 to a 3. If you can buy the food from the local market and cook it like the restaurant or even better than it's very disappointing. So to sum up overpriced, oily, small portion.
(2)Pam F.
The men went fishing with Jeff Jones (O Sea D Fishing Charters) and caught some delicious Mahi Mahi. As soon as we left the boat dock, we went straight to the Boathouse to have it grilled up for a late lunch. The price per pound for them to cook it INCLUDED slaw, hush puppies, corn and potatoes. We had it blackened and it was AMAZING. It doesn't get much fresher than going from the ocean straight to your plate in the same day. The ambiance was very beachy dive bar and the music was great. Dollar bills stapled to the ceilings and walls. We sat outside for the full dive bar atmosphere near the harbor. It doesn't look like much from the road BUT don't let that keep you away. It was definitely a great place to eat. The locals KNOW where to go and this one didn't disappoint. We really enjoyed it!!! Our next trip the boys will be fishing at the beginning of the trip so we can hit this place more than once.
(5)Paul T.
Ordered the Mahi Mahi sandwich grilled. What I received was a dry, bland and boring sandwich. You can tell it was a frozen piece of fish. When you expect to order a sandwich or burger, you'd expect French fries as sides, but instead you receive a bag of potato chips. All of that is $15.00 which is over priced for what you get. The server, an Asian lady with a huge flower tattoo on her right thigh, also gave me a bad attitude. Asking questions about their food was not accepted and was despised. All in all, I will NEVER come back to this over priced and unfriendly places in Destin.
(1)Jenny L.
If you are just looking for some fresh oysters and bottled beer, this would be the place to go. A dozen oysters were around $12 which is great for the fresh oysters they serve. i know it wasn't meant to be an upscale restaurant and more of a casual place on the boardwalk but i dislike being served in all disposable cups, plates, and utensils unless i'm eating at a food court or eating off of food trucks. there's no excuse for any restaurant to serve their food in any disposable containers or utensils in my opinion. I was disappointed with their portion. Soft drinks come in a tiny disposable 8 oz. plastic cup where most of it is ice. They charge you for softdrink refills unless it's a sweet tea. A cup of gumbo was basically 4 spoonful and their bowl of gumbo might have yielded just a little more than a cup. Although every restaurant from Fort Walton to Panama City claims that it's an "award-winning" gumbo, i've been disappointed at every cup of gumbo that i tried. Here, the gumbo didn't even have any rice. I had the fried shrimp sandwich and it comes with no sauce of any kind. It's basically 5 pieces of friend shrimp on a hamburger bun topped with lettuce, tomato, and onion. I had to pour hot sauce and cocktail sauce into the sandwich for some flavor. It was mediocre at best. Everything on their menu seemed to be a bit overpriced compared to its portion. I didn't get to ask them about the story behind all of the stapled dollar bills and frankly, i really didn't care. Ceilings had bras hanging from it as well and i definitely didn't care for the story behind those. Service was bad. After we got our food, the server never came by to refill drinks and when she did, she would only refill drinks if one asked for a refill. Service is basically non-existent at this place. I know the gulf cost beaches are known to be the playground for rednecks from its surrounding states but when i walk into a seaside restaurant during mid day, i don't expect to be blasted by country music. Couldn't converse with my party at the table because they had live country singer blaring through the speaker. It was a little too red neck for my taste. I would give them one less star but since the oysters were really fresh and yummy and priced reasonably, i gave them an extra star. I would only recommend this place if you are in the mood for oysters. Everything else is overpriced and not worth your money and the place is blazing hot with no AC so be ready to sweat like a hog.
(3)Katie J.
Amazing seafood, live music, and friendly staff! Our first time at the boathouse and we were pleasantly impressed! Open air, relaxed atmosphere makes this place a must visit! Our waitress suggested the yellowfin tuna blackened and it was AMAZING! Make sure you go on a Rusty is signing, awesome entertainment. We are visiting for s week, and we will be going back to the Boathouse multiple times.
(5)Karen R.
Classic dining experience for a seaside town...not a chain, so great for tourists that want to have a "local" experience. Live music on the deck rafted through the open windows. Rustic setting... like a fish shack. Apparently the locals love it.. having all chipped in to rebuild it after a hurricane took out the original structure. Be sure to bring a dollar to write your name on staple to the wall. Some of the best raw oysters I have had.
(5)Brian C.
Love the harbor side casual view. Oysters were great as was the staff.
(4)Samantha Y.
If you don't like this place, you are an uptight a-hole. It's a bar on the gulf that has bras and dollar bills hanging from the ceiling. It's unkept appearance is all part of the charm. The raw oysters are FABULOUS! I read a review that someone didn't like the fact that the oysters had small clams on them and they appeared dirty. THEY WERE PULLED OUT OF THE WATER!!!! If my oysters were polished and didn't have sand or little clams on them, I'd be worried. This place weeds out the "touristy" families and kids. Good live music too.
(5)Patty C.
NOT A FAN I found it to be trashy, overpriced and not some place that I would go to get quality food. Our server was inattentive, was throwing back shots and smoking in between taking tables. The burgers were overpriced and came with a stinkin' bag of ruffles (really?) And, the sides were boring (and cold). Do yourself a favor - if you're looking to get drunk and partying with the servers, go for it. If you're looking for good food and service, skip it.
(1)Hannah T.
This was a favorite spot while in Destin. Great service, laid back atmosphere & most importantly, excellent oysters! We had raw & fried oysters, both were very good and had a great flavor. You can't beat the prices and the view was relaxing near the water. They have live music later in the afternoon. There are larger tables for families & the new bathrooms were very clean. We'll definitely be back next time we're in town.
(5)Teri S.
GREAT ATMOSPHERE!! Love this place for oysters, crab claws and COLD beer. We went Sat(first night on vacation) saw Gunner the band-fantastic music!! Went back on Wed night and heard more great music and more crab claws! YUM!! Ask for Debbie, she is great!!
(5)Slim W.
This place was recommended to my wife and me for the oysters and on that they don't disappoint. The best, and best priced, raw oysters in Destin. $11.50/dozen - and usually you get 13 or 14. It's fair to say that the rest of the food is rather forgettable. It's a local dive bar that does a good job of fostering just that vibe. It's almost like you're paying for a downscale atmosphere. My wife and I do this: go to The Boathouse and eat a dozen or two raw oysters then go somewhere else for dinner. There are lots of other better places to get your main course but nowhere better for raw oysters.
(4)Amy Z.
Cute spot on the harbor with good food. The clientele was a little dicey during spring break this week as we saw a woman in her 60s cold cock a college kid in his face Friday night. They had a decent band and our bartender was very sweet. I'd go back again, but hopefully my next trip will be altercation free...
(3)Ryan P.
When you just need a good cold beer and plate full of oysters, this is your place. Live music wasn't bad either. Keep it simple.
(4)Alan V.
First of all, this is a dive. If you don't like dives, move on. Party of 16 and we were concerned about getting seated at 7:30 on a Sunday evening. We were seated immediately at a large picnic table outside. Fans and a bay breeze kept it tolerable. Oysters were fresh and huge. They lived up to their reputation. Most of us had fish sandwiches of one type or another and they were all generously sized. Highly positive reviews by all. I had a tuna steak sandwich done rare and that may be the best tuna steak sandwich I have ever had. Perfection. I make a lot of sushi, been around it all my life and I work with high quality sashimi grade tuna. I know tuna. The tuna here was moist and flavorful. Did I say I liked their tuna?
(5)Don P.
One of my co workers recommended this place. Sense then I have been here 3 times. Like the previous reviews, the gumbo does not come with rice, but imo has great flavor. The cheese fries are great. The dozen oysters for $9.99 is the best deal you find in Destin. I had 4 dozens and all of them have been fresh. Thank you
(4)Kimberly R.
My most favorite place in my home town! Perfect vibe, best oysters and gumbo on EARTH. I wish they had more variety in their live music, however. I can only take so much 60's and 70's southern rock before I feel like it's time to go. C'mon guys! Mix it up a little bit for the not-so-middle-aged crowd! ;) Just a suggestion, maybe take it for a trial spin? Regardless, I am faithfully yours.
(5)kirk D.
The best fried oysters and shrimp that I've had in Destin. The breading was good, well seasoned, not too thick, and it stuck to the shrimp and oysters. We also got the baked oysters. The action and the other one with jalapeños. I preferred the action because it had more flavor. Overall the baked oysters wet disappointing. The cheese seemed to overpower flavor of the oysters. As far as the dollar bills, nothing too special is several other bars/dives are doing the same thing. I will be back for the fired oysters and fried shrimp.
(4)Diedra F.
Really laid back. Open air, nice breeze. Fabulous grilled Mahi Mahi dinner. Our group of 9 loved all our meals! Love this place, will def be back!
(5)Janice B.
Fun times!!
(5)April S.
Open air dining with a view of the bay. Check. Cold beer and shrimp and oysters on the menu. Check. Dirty bras nailed to the ceiling. Check. What more do you need? Yes, the prices are a little high, but not any higher than any other touristy joint on the gulf coast. They have a full bar and decent beet selection. The food is served fast and fresh, with a smile. The shrimp were great and I really enjoyed my wedge salad. The tuna dip was pretty darn good too. Sit back and relax. Enjoy the food, the beer, and the view in this no-frills, laid-back, dockside restaurant. I love it. TIP: The bathroom is next door.
(4)Bruce L.
ALL ABOUT OYSTER (That's my title) I was very joyous to find this establishment not charging premium rates for their oysters that are the same oysters being served up and down the coastline. During my sojourn in Destin, I prefer to indulge in meals that I prepare from the kitchen of my condo. It is part of the enrichment experience of a beach get-a-way. Even though there are plenty of restaurant venues worthwhile for selection, sometimes (Not every time) I tend to do it better (Most especially seafood boil.... I admit, I did mess this up once). Cooking is both satisfying in taste and cost. But not the case for shucking oysters.... Has anyone ever tried shucking oysters? There was a time, I perceived myself as being clever for ordering a case of oysters to shuck and devour. On my own, I concocted a mix of discouragement and frustration from not being able to shuck oysters well (And still hungry). My failed attempts to shuck oysters make it seem worthwhile to spend premium dollars on oysters that are shucked for me. Handful of seafood venues do charge premium rates for fresh and shucked oysters (I assume they are not in season). Finding Boathouse was a major contribution to my experience in Destin. Not only do they serve the same fresh oysters as every other venue, they don't charge a premium price! WIN! I can enjoy as much as I want and feel great about spending my money! (Keep in mind, too much of anything is consider bad). This little mom and pop like establishment is great. They catered well and accommodated to my large party of guests. Absolutely the place to go for an oyster fix!
(4)Becky G.
Great little dive over the wTer. This is truly a dive bar. It has great views & a terribly casual vibe. The food os okay but if you are going for oysters & ice cold beer, you will be very pleased. The service is excellent & friendly. They can handle a full house.
(4)Casey B.
Love it!
(5)Marina M.
We ate: crab cakes, grilled shrimp, slaw, corn, hush puppies, new potatoes The good: Crab cakes and shrimp were excellent. Hush puppies and slaw were good too. The bad: Coming from the Midwest I have high standards for corn on the cob. This corn was mushy and overcooked.
(4)Jackie T.
Definitely some of the best oysters in the town. Great food very friendly service and great atmosphere
(5)Rod H.
I love dive oyster bars and this place fits the bill. I have eaten raw oysters all over east coast and these were the freshest tastiest I have ever had. The beers were cold and the view was beautiful. A singer was setting up when we left, but we wanted to back to the beach, or I would have spent longer.
(5)Jules W.
Hmmmm...welllllll - it's a great local joint. And I mean joint. It's a tiny, dollar bills & bras on the walls kind of place. Zero frills. The potato chips come in a bag. Our server was great and the view fantastic. And the food was good - really. But not I can't wait to come back good.The cup of gumbo was about a shot glass worth (it was good) and had no rice. NO. RICE. Never had it that way before. I wish they had a lunch menu - I thought we spent quite a lot for lunch in such a dive-y out of the way spot. They do have bloody's by the pitcher, though. May have to come back on a Saturday for oysters and bloody's.
(3)Alan D.
Was on vacation in the area and came here on a local recommendation. So far we have eaten the snow crab legs (excellent/ $23), baked oysters (similar to Rockefeller, good, $14 for dozen), crab cake sandwich (awesome! $14), kids popcorn shrimp (big portion, amazingly yummy! $7), fried oyster plate (the best, $14), side of hush puppies (honestly the best I've had... We ordered more!)... And surprisingly the best thing I've eaten here was the hamburger! Wow, is the only way to describe it. The bread, the cheddar cheese, the chopped onions... The huge slab of hamburger. Seriously I would order this everytime. Thankfully, we found this place on the second day of four. Stopped looking for other places to eat!!!! I forgot to add: horsey sauce and cocktail sauces are also tops!!!
(5)Jessica H.
Food was amazing - the gumbo was perfect and the oysters (I got the 1/2 and 1/2) were delicious. Couple that with great service and this place is a new favorite!
(5)Lisa G.
I had the alligator bites, which were fresh and hand cut, and the most amazing pieces of gator meat that I have ever had!! You have to try this restaurant when you are in Destin!
(5)Trey H.
You know a five star rating doesn't necessary mean a place has white table cloths.. It means they hit every area in food, service and atmosphere. I've been here 100 times. I've never had anything bad here ever. And it right in the middle of paradise. So I don't think you can get any better. I love the Boathouse. Home away from home.
(5)Jason F.
This is a no-frills oyster bar, where they serve the oysters on a plastic tray instead of on ice like I've seen everywhere else. I guess that explains why a dozen raw oysters is under $10... Oysters were fine tasting. The shells were covered in baby clams unscrubbed. They only have outdoor seating and the wait-staff is friendly. I wasn't in-awe of the place, but I would have liked to come back at night to see the live band and then I am sure I would have liked it more.
(3)Strysan M.
Awesome selection of food. Great for a chill lunch, beautiful view, awesome staff! My new fave!
(4)April H.
I never visit the area without a trip to the Boathouse. It's a dive- dollar bills and panties cover ever inch of the walls and ceiling. Very small ( although they've expanded the outdoor seating area). It's dirty and loud, service is hit or miss and it's always crowded. Usually get the raw oysters but went with baked this time due to the current flesh-eating bacteria outbreak in the region. They came quickly and were covered in bacon, onions, and oh so gooey mozzarella. Outstanding. I also recommend the Hush puppies and gumbo. Steamed shrimp were perfect. I love this place. If you're looking for a fancy, clean place then don't go here. If you can't hear more than two Jimmy Buffett songs in a row, stay away. If you're looking for delicious seafood, don't miss the Boathouse.
(4)William K.
I ordered the tuna steak sandwich and I loved it, the waitress was good but didn't blow me away. I would definitely go back. Nightlife here is pretty good too, locals hang out here and weekends are full of live music. Only bad thing is the place is so small it fills up and you end up watching the band from the sidewalk.
(4)Helena C.
Kind of a strange set up as far as the interior goes, like someone's old house with a porch turned restaurant with half of it renovated and half of it old and crusty? The mixed drink pitcher of boathouse breeze had virtually no alcohol in it. The gumbo was really amazing so definitely come for that and the grilled shrimp and fish. Gross sides, overcooked frozen corn on the cobb and bags of chips! You're basically paying 12$ for the piece of fish. The tartar was in packets unless you ask for a side then they charge you. My friend had a huge piece of delicious tuna (8oz) but two tiny boiled potatos, a tiny bowl of slaw and a piece of that corn I mentioned earlier. So 20$ for a delicious piece of tuna? I say go here to sit on the deck for beer and oysters or get a tub of gumbo to go. Kinda dive bar-ish and no real plates or silverware! Cut your food with plastic knives, yikes.
(2)Kelly K.
Best blackened mahi mahi we've ever had. Fantastic music. Really fun place to hang with friends while enjoying a few cocktails and live entertainment. Loved the atmosphere.
(4)Judy R.
Food was good, service was okay but everything was on the pricey side for such a divey/"rustic" place...
(3)Patricia S.
Tried it once...don't think we'll be going back again. The oysters on the half shell tasted good but there was a lot of debris and yuck on the shell. My son and I ordered the fried oyster and shrimp platter to share and specifically requested an extra plate. The food was delivered already split on two plates and the waitress cheerily said, "Oh, we split it for you" and then when the bill arrived their was a split dish charge on the bill which is why I ordered an extra plate in the first place...to split it myself! I didn't make a big deal out of it because I didn't want to ruin the dinner for my son but it was very irritating. The fried shrimp were good, but the fried oysters were very small and greasy.
(3)Andy Z.
My dad, me & my 2 brothers went to see the last space shuttle launch in Florida. On the way back we stopped in at Destin, Florida. Yelped a solid seafood-pub grub place. The Boathouse was on the water next to, definitely the most beautiful gulf coast beach I've ever seen. Get the "Mahi Fingers." Gulf coast Mahi fish, battered & deep fried. EXCELLENT. We had them as app & sandwich. Great solo acoustic guitar act. We all had a great time. I got no complaints. I only do five stars for table linens. This is a great dive that should b apart of your visit to Destin. Don't come here expecting full service dinner. This is gulf coast pub grub at it's finest.
(4)TheRaven B.
We had lunch at the Boathouse on Sunday, and I left feeling a bit disappointed. We had the shrimp dinner and a dozen raw oysters. The shrimp dinner was great. Very well prepared and as close to "perfect" as fried shrimp can be. But the waiter brought our oysters and they were the tiniest oysters I've ever had served to me at any restaurant, anywhere. And when I say tiny, I mean tiny as in about 1/4 the size of a typical oyster I'm used to eating. The waiter said that they gave us a few extra because they were small. But giving me 17 oysters that are about 1/4th the normal size and charging me for dozen full-size oysters is not like you're doing us a favor. Basically I feel like we got about 1/3 of a normal tray of oysters. Screwed...and a bit ticked off. I've been eating at this place for nearly ten years. I'll guess I'll have to find another place to go for oysters from now on.
(3)Jessica A.
Not very kid friendly. Its an old school oyster bar. Jalapeño hush puppies were good.
(3)Brennan H.
Great food, great service, but they charged my card erroneously. Used a card to open a tab. Then used a separate card to close out and pay for the tab. They charged me on both tabs. For a total of $278 dollars on each card. Just wrong. Not cool. When I tried to call them, their phone mailbox is full. No help. Currently disputing with my bank. Guess I'll have to go back to the location tonight to get this sorted out. I'm skeptical at best. Make sure you only use a quality credit card when eating here. This way you can dispute it and not have the funds unavailable in your account.
(1)Lauren P.
Dear Boathouse Over the years, you have supplied my belly with the best oysters in the South. As long as y'all are open, I will be back for more fresh seafood. The best oysters in the world come straight out of the Gulf down near Apalachicola. Thank the Lord, Boathouse gets these suckers in fresh daily. And I like them prepared every way: Raw - all y'all need is cocktail sauce, horseradish and a saltine Baked "Action" - swimming in butter then topped with bacon bits, onion and mozzarella S.O.B. - cheddar cheese, jalapenos and salsa (although, I always pick the nacho chips out) This time around, the service was lackluster. Granted it was a Saturday afternoon and management probably wasn't anticipating such a large crowd; but the fact your team comped our super-late oysters and another pitcher of beer was redemption. Congrats on being open for 26-years-and-running. See y'all next time Love, Lauren P. P.S. the new patio is a great addition
(5)George N.
Food was good, service was poor. Raw oysters were nice and fresh, other food was good too. Crawfish in season, nicely spiced but a bit mushy (oversteamed). Piped-in music so loud conversations impossible. Asked to turn it down, sorry, said the owner likes it like that (perfect). Our waitress got our orders wrong, that added to the fair experience.
(3)Emilia L.
I was on vacation in Destin with the BF's family and the BF tasked me with finding a good seafood place. PRESSURE! I went to Yelp and found Boathouse. There is a large sign along the road, but the actual restaurant is tucked in the very back, right on the water. This means there are nice views of the Gulf(?) It also means that any boats pulling into the dock will saturate the air with the smell of gasoline, yuck. We decided to sit at one of the large tables on the patio, where there was a live band playing. Thankfully, they weren't TOO loud considering we had a two-month old baby with us. We ordered three dozen raw oysters to start. I was surprised at the pricing -- about $8 for each dozen? That's pretty good for Destin, I am certain of it. However, all the other items on the menu were pretty overpriced. There are no prices on the menu online, but they are similar to other seafood restaurants in the vicinity. The oysters were OK. They had a different taste to them than I am used to, but I expected that, being in Destin. They were more salty and briny and not as "clean" tasting as the ones I have had, at say, Steamhouse Lounge in Midtown. Also, we had to wait a LONG-ASS time for the oysters! And the food in general. In addition to the oysters, I got a cup of their "award-winning" gumbo ($4-5?) and the Boathouse Wedge salad ($7-8?). The gumbo was the first item to come out and it was actually pretty good, though I wish there was a little more seafood in it. It also came in the tiniest, most shallow bowl ever. Sigh. As for the wedge, they actually forgot it but brought it out quickly after we asked about it. I was entirely underwhelmed. It was literally a slice of iceberg lettuce with diced tomatoes and onions and some shredded cheese. This was probably 50 cents worth of food, for nearly $8? Are you effing kidding me? Not only that, they served it in one of those old school red plastic baskets that your school cafeteria hotdog came in. I was also given a plastic fork and knife. Very hard to eat. Biggest ripoff EVER. Our bill came out to $187-something because they automatically added 18% gratuity. Nearly $200 for seven of us? Ridic. Boo-hiss for using plastic utensils, what a waste of plastic! Do they not have a dishwasher? Boo-hiss for serving their poor excuse of a salad in a plastic basket with HOLES. Does not matter that they put a wax paper liner. Use a damn plate next time. Boo-hiss for the small portions and overpriced food. Boo-hiss for the long wait times. There was a warning that we patrons needed to be patient because they have to shuck oysters, but... I have been to many an oyster place that has got them beat on shucking times. And their oysters taste better too. They get one star because they actually priced the oysters decently. For a tourist beach town, that is.
(1)Dane R.
Boathouse Oyster Bar is a small, low-key, on-the-water, restaurant. They often have live music and always have good oysters. The mood has a relaxed, neon glow. For the best coastal experience, sit on the perimeter bar. That way, you can hear the live music (on the right night) and overlook the water. The boats passing by give you something to look at while you enjoy some delicious oysters. The fresh catch is great too.
(4)Desi D.
After reading the YELP! reviews on this place, we decided to go. I was hoping for fresh, local seafood and some local flavor. This place is definitely a dive, but I must say I was unimpressed. After not finding any direction on "Seat yourself" or a hostess on duty, we flagged someone down and they said "Sit wherever you'd like" The ONLY places to sit were benches made of a 1x4 along the railing of the restaurant. The "table" is the railing of the deck. Based on the reviews, I ordered the gumbo as a "starter" (I was hungry) and I was very disappointed to have a chunky tomato dish delivered. THAT IS NOT GUMBO. I am from South Louisiana and gumbo does not include tomatoes. Maybe a creole gumbo has tomatoes? But then there was no rice. Who's ever heard of gumbo with no rice? WTF? That's ridiculous. When our food arrived and my husband's dozen oysters still had not arrived, we questioned our server. "Oh, they're backed up. They'll come out soon" When we were finishing up dinner, we flagged him down again to ask about the oysters. He returned with a tray, saying that our order was "lost", but he just snagged this dozen that was ready for another table. Nice, that's probably what happened to our order in the first place! What a disaster! The service was also pretty dismal. We had to flag down our server anytime we needed something and our dishes were never bussed from our "table'/deck railing. Needless to say, we will NOT be back. Find some other place to go. In our experience, restaurant food & service in this area of FL leave a lot to be desired. This experience just confirms that. Next time, we'll head to a seafood market and cook at home.
(1)Tom G.
If you want fancy dining, if you want air conditioned comfort, if you want white table cloth type service, DON'T go here! If however, you want some of the best seafood at reasonable prices, and, definitely a 'where locals dine' establishment, DEFINITELY go here! Very casual atmosphere, at the end of the harbor in Destin. Everything we had was excellent. Dozen oysters on the half shell, best I've had in Destin so far. Steamed shrimp, very good, cooked perfect w/ great tasting homemade cocktail sauce. The Boathouse Salad ordered by our party came with a whole grilled Mahi Mahi filet on top, seasoned perfect. The alligator bites, well the wife's had these at 20+ restaurants, never like this. She cut them with a plastic fork so tender, best ever she said. The gumbo didn't have rice, fine with me, just give me the gumbo, boy was it great. Ate lunch there today, fun to hear all the captains stories that were in there after their charter trips. Will definitely come back, if not this trip, the next, and the next, etc.
(5)Joe K.
This place is awesome! My wife and I moved to Destin 2 months ago and have been frequenting this establishment since day 1. At this point we've been to the Boathouse about a dozen times. The food is amazing; best oysters, gumbo, and boiled peanuts I've ever had. In addition, the live music at Boathouse is the best we've seen in the entire Destin area (and we've been to almost every bar around here). We keep coming back and have never been disappointed. This place will not be for everyone, but if you're the kind of person who likes a local-style dive bar on the water with cold beer, good music and great seafood you'll love the Boathouse.
(5)Bryan M.
Great oysters!
(4)Jill Y.
I've experienced MUCH better. I've had much better raw oysters (these were not ice cold, shucked sloppy with bits of shell). I've had much better gumbo (this gumbo was more of a tomato stew with seafood - and it didn't have rice..) I've had much better fried oysters and shrimp (these oysters were puny and not plump) BUT, the fried Mahi was decent. Also, we waited forever for our seafood platter, then the server checked on us and asked us if we got everything..we told her we were still waiting.. She then came back and said that our platter went to a different table by mistake and they are making ours right now.. What was nice was the harbor breeze coming through the open doors/windows and loud music (classic rock) After 4 out of 5 restaurants that failed the Yelp (rating does not match my take) - I'm starting to think that there aren't many great restaurants in Destin.. boooo.. so sad. :(
(1)Joe S.
Ok 1 - they won't split checks. We came in on 2 boats of people had the big round table outside. Some of us knew one another some didnt. My buddy and I wanted ours split and they told us they don't do it. So we noted on the bill what we had and didn't it that way. 2 - it's busy we know that but service was slow and a friend of mine got her oysters after we all were finishing our food. Hers were baked but I was paying when she got hers. Not acceptable! 3- they add 18 percent gratitude to the checks. Our bill was $48.00 and we handed the server a $ 100 dollar bill and he had the nerve to ask us if we needed change. Not impressed at all OH AND WOW HOW CAN I FORGET. THE CHICKEN WINGS .....ya don't get them. They are cooked in a pan and not fried. Fatty, soggy and gross. The best part was the celery. Kind of hard to mess up celery I suppose. Stay away from the wings!
(1)Robert U.
This is a fun place. Most of the seating is outdoor, open-air, but is covered, so you won't get too much sun. They often have live music in the form of a dude with a guitar and a drum machine - not very elaborate, but hey, it's fun.
(3)Bridget P.
Holy crap, these are the best raw oysters I have ever had in my life. They don't even taste like seafood, just deliciousness. Sit outside, order a dozen to share with friends, get your lemon, horseradish, and cocktail sauce on, and just relax. Great location on the harbor to just hang out. $21 pitchers of strong Bloody Mary too.... the combination of it all makes the perfect afternoon. I know this is a vacation town, but service was pretty horrible. They completely forgot anything else we ordered, and then charged everything to my card instead of splitting it up like we'd asked. I still wanted to go back though, those damn oysters were worth it.
(3)Adam C.
BEST GUMBO IN DESTIN Great staff. Very small place with a lot of character, plastered in dollar bills, with a local dive feeling. Great staff, Kayla was awesome. May have to warm up to you, but once they do you will have a great time. The gumbo may be the best I have ever had and we have tried a lot. Hands down best in the Destin area. Don't miss out on some strong jello shots for $1 and rolling rock special. Took some locals advice and started a great night here, highly recommend.
(5)Henri M.
We ended up here because I yelped the closet Oyster place while on vacation. The coolest little hole in the wall. Nothing fancy, in fact there are bras, money and hand written markings all over the walls. We took our children with us and felt very comfortable. The oysters were awesome,and the staff was very friendly. It is right on the water and was the best experience here so far. The only reason it will not get a 5 star is that it did feel a little pricy. We will encourage it to all our friends headed to Destin!
(4)Bob F.
We were looking for a lunch place near the water that served oysters, crab, etc. Walked through several nearby places that were chain restaurants/tourist traps (or looked like it) - and they were not what we wanted. Then we found this place. It truly is a seafood shack - on a dock in a harbor. Exactly what we wanted. Watched our oysters being shucked and they were very good. Had 2 pounds of crawfish I really enjoyed. Wife's mahi mahi sandwich was huge and tasty. This place defines the term "dive" but is great if you are looking for a good seafood lunch on the water away from the chains.
(4)Jim S.
Great oysters, cheeseburgers & views
(4)Mary Jane C.
Almost a year later, I'm back for more yummy seafood by the ocean water. This time, I didn't come back for their fried shrimp (average, in my opinion) or the uncommonly savory seafood gumbo. My friends and I had a couple orders of raw oysters, and it was delicious! The white, fleshy oysters sat in a little bit of salt water in its shells, waiting for us to top them with lemon juice, cocktail sauce, and horseradish and slurp them up. The words tasty, salty, and quite satisfying summed up my first time experience of gobbling up raw oysters. Customer service is quite friendly, but it's not always consistent at every visit.
(3)Mike C.
Please note how many positive reviews came mostly from pre-2012 As a local I had for many years enjoyed coming here. No longer...surley wait staff and uncaring management has turned me away. I never expected 4 star service and always just rolled with the vibe of the place. Decent food at decent prices in a laid back atmosphere was the attraction. I made the mistake of persuading 12 friends to gather here only to be told they cant split checks. That's right...had to figure out everyone's separate tickets and pay up front for them. Kind of ruins the experience. Returned a month later and got crapped on again. Poor and arrogant service again. I just cant fathom how the wait staff doesn't understand how being attentive and friendly equates to better tips. Avoid this place.
(2)Dale H.
Fresh oysters and cold beer. Friendly and attentive staff. Old school oyster bar. Would definitely go back again.
(3)Jen T.
The view is the only thing I can say I actually enjoyed at this Place. From the moment we walked in we felt like we didn't belong there and were treated like that. When we first walked in we were intrigued by the dollar bills everywhere and hole in the wall feel, but after waiting 45 minutes to be served we had time to really look around and see how disgusting the place really was from the dirty tables to the disgusting looking condiments on our table to the guy wearing gloves and touching everything in site including food. Now to the food...the grilled sandwich that I got but didn't order wasn't bad, and everyone else at my table seemed to agree that the food is decent and I would say about $10 a person so not overpriced, but none of us ordered anything to seafood like(yes at a seafood restaurant). I definitely will not be going back or recommending it to anyone.
(2)Valerie N.
We wandered over to the Boathouse after spending an hour or so at A.J.'s during the fishing rodeo. It was my first time at this spot, which was nicely settled into the harbor. We easily found a seat and our waitress was prompt with waters. We decided to get some hushpuppies and oysters to go with our beverages. The hushpuppies were good - not the best I ever had, but definitely worth trying. I can't speak to the oysters because I don't eat them, but those in our party thought they were huge and delicious. They were served on a plastic tray without ice, as noted by a few other reviewers. That's the thing - this place is gritty wonderful. No tablecloths, no cloth napkins, I don't even think they have real silverware - its just a dive spot on the water with cold beer and fresh seafood. Is it my favorite spot in Destin? No. Is it the best seafood in Destin? No. But is it a fabulous place to have a drink and watch the sun go down? Heck yes. And for that, I will return.
(4)Amy L.
First time in Destin & this seem to be the place to go for oysters. The Boathouse Oyster Bar is shaped like a rectangular shack that sits on the water edge with bras & dollar bills covering the wall & ceiling. yelp.com/biz_photos/2guK… Apalachicola Oysters (4*) - $7.95 a doz...Cheap, fresh, clean tasting, & not gritty at all Alaskan Snow Crab Legs w/ hush puppies & corn (3*) Gumbo (3*) Boiled peanuts (1*) - soggy & salty (maybe that's the way Deep South peanuts are ?) Service (3.5*) Ambiance (4*) very laid back & you can feel the ocean breeze anywhere you sit
(4)Brenda D.
Now, this is my kind of place. A true hole in the wall, right on the water, fresh fish, dollar bills stapled and rock solid food. The Apalachicola Oysters were amazing and huge, the Gator bites were delicious and the gumbo was simply scrumptious. It doesn't matter how full you are - you have to try the gumbo. You can spend your entire night looking up at the crazy signs, variuos articles of clothing hanging from the ceiling (I kept wondering who went home with one stilleto...) or just listening to the great entertainment they offer. We loved this place so much we went back again. I would have eaten here every night if it were up to me. This is on the must list for me when I get to Destin again.
(5)Jen S.
Thanks Yelpers for pointing us in the direction of the Boathouse. We had a great time here the other night. Food was great, local color proved to be very entertaining, and the price was very reasonable. My husband loved the bangin shrimp, and I had the SOB Oysters, which were basically like nachos. If I go back, I'll get half SOB and half regular baked oysters, I think. I shared some of my mom's crab cake sandwich, which was very good. The hush puppies were (so far) the best we've had on our trip. After dinner, we wandered around the pier and walked off our meal. It was a great night!
(4)Frank G.
You know how everyone wants to go to the "Hole-In-The-Wall" to eat and drink? Well, here it is. Yes, it's kind of a dive, but don't let that deter you. This is a cool little spot, and little means just that. This is the kind of place where you go for your lunch break on Monday then call work and tell them you aren't coming back. If you don't want crowds, don't go for lunch on the weekend. But during the week and atypical hours, you'll have a good time. The location is right on the harbor, the beer is cold and the oysters are fresh. I wish they would simplify their menu a little; it's getting a little out of control. But give this place a try when you want to go somewhere that's laid-back, you'll be glad you did.
(4)Steven Q.
The service at the boathouse is excellent and the staff really makes you feel like you're part of the local scene down here in Destin Florida. The oysters are out of this world and the music and atmosphere is something not to be missed. As a vacationer this is a spot I will always make sure to visit multiple times. Make sure you hit up the outside bar for the specials and say hi to Jenny.
(5)Kayla T.
Ammazing food! Really nice people, waiter was on top of everthing. Gumbo was excelent. So much better than some of the other over priced rude restraunts around this area. Its cool how you can sign dollar bills and staple them to the ceiling or the walls. Just a local little joint literaly out on the bay, will be coming back!
(5)Marc W.
On vacation and found Great entertainment, great beer. Great oysters. Most fun in Destin with dollar bills used as decoration. If down here you need to visit
(5)John W.
Good service but, terrible food, high prices and awful music. Trashy tourist bar.
(1)Christian S.
Very tasty mahi mahi sandwich, grilled or fried. Good hush puppies as well but very spicy with jalapeño. One refill per drink order.
(3)Marty S.
Great spot to put back a few and enjoy great seafood on the water. $7.95 dozen raw oysters and $15.95 for 2lbs for mudbugs. Hot and delicious.
(5)Pat A.
Never miss this place on our visits. Suggestion? Just order exactly what you want and forget the chips...the fries... just get the fried oysters, fried shrimps, gumbo etc. The baked oysters were microwaved, don't bother. But well worth the visit with the windows open, a good breeze despite the expensive beers for the dive it is. Great service!
(4)Chelsie S.
HUGE oysters. The picture someone has posted on here already is accurate. All of ours were that size on a recent visit here. Smoked tuna dip was good too.
(4)Bo W.
Good food, good atmosphere! I love this little gem.
(4)Rach G.
Do not come to this place of you are expecting a hostess and a quick dinner. This is a 4 pitcher of beer, relaxing for a couple hours experience-right up my alley. You grab your own table or seat wherever you can and order at the counter but this place is the bomb.com . You have to have some "bang me" shrimp and a bowl of gumbo (tomato based with blue crab claws throughout). And of course oysters. We loved this place on an overcast beach vacation day!!
(5)Leigh F.
If I could legally marry this place and change my name to Leigh Boathouse......you better believe your sun-baked booty I'd do it! On our annual Destin family vacation, you'll find my entire family here....at 6 out of the 7 days we're in town. We LOVE this place...and if you search the walls, you'll see plenty of our dollars stapled all over! Where do I start with this place? We found it as a happy accident one day while it was raining, took a wrong turn and ended up here. It's been Destin Dive bliss ever since. By far my favorite thing on the menu is the Crab Cake sammich. The crab cake is the real deal, with lump crab meat cooked on a flat top grill....TO PERFECTION....I eat at least 5 of these every year. Their oysters are shucked to order and are always SO fresh and tasty...their gumbo is the best in town that we have found yet, and their hushpuppy's (new since last year...guess they finally got a fryer) were slap 'yo mamma good. If you're sick of seafood...you'll be fine with their huge juicy burger.....seriously, I have yet to eat anything here that wasn't amazing. The staff is beyond friendly and local favorite....the entertainment ALWAYS has the place singing along together and making new friends (Rusty, you rock man). Got a game you need to watch..pull up a boat chair bar stool and order a beer....you'll thank me. You might even want to watch it on the new addition of the redneck patio.....this place gets better every year! Oh, and don't forget to go out back and feed the fish...they wait for you. And grab me a red koozy please, I'm trying to collect all 5....
(5)Erin M.
We love this place! The food is delicious and very reasonable compared to the other restaurants on the harbor. The staff are friendly and the service is outstanding. And the place feels more local and small than some of the large chains and tourist trap seafood restaurants on the harbor. Definitely a great place to go while you are in Destin!
(5)Eugene K.
Great food! We didn't know anything just that reviews on Yelp were good. That's all we went on. Sit anywhere. Ate oysters and had the gumbo. Yum! We're going to Destin next year. Will definitely stop by the boathouse.
(4)Rusty C.
Lots of snarky irreverent fun when I was there. Fresh oysters shucked before my eyes - sweet n salty locally grown. Burger not bad either. "were all outa tea hon but we got lotsa beer". It's ok I get it. Great folks!
(4)Tim M.
Went for Sunday lunch. Nice ocean breeze. Friendly staff. Good view of boats coming in and out. FOOD: Raw oysters were very wet, almost too much water still in it but good. Add a little cocktail sauce and it only gets better - yes, cocktail sauce made the raw oysters better. I had the Grilled Tuna Sandwich (cooked medium). That was pretty good. You could tell that the tuna wasn't fresh but possibly from the day before. It was still good. I enjoyed it - cooked just right, still moist inside and very tender. Sister had the Crabcake sandwich. That is another good choice. There was not much bread on it. It was soft and chewy. Negative: $2 for a bottle of water - the ones you normally pay $1 on the Vegas strip at the street merchants' coolers. Total ripoff.
(4)Ashley R.
This place is VERY divey. My boyfriend loves it and loves their oysters, but being a vegetarian, I can't vouch for anything but the french fries. They were hot and delicious. I got a jack & coke, but was extremely disappointed in the fact it was $7 and incredibly weak.
(2)W L.
I'm not sure what everyone else is thinking but the oysters here are not very fresh, had a lot of grit in them and were not tasty AT ALL. This was our first food spot when we came to Destin and the wait for the food is awful. Don't get me wrong I love hole in the wall restaurants because they usually have more unique and tasty food but I would have to disagree when it came to the Boathouse. Please don't come here based on the 4-5 stars, I made that mistake! Go to AJ's down the street their oysters are good.
(2)Casey T.
Fabulous Oysters and the BEST Gater Bites I have ever had!!!!! Will come here again on our next visit to the Gulf!!
(5)Jennifer N.
Jesse loves their oysters. I have to say they looked fresh, and really raw, lol. And he can eat them all, I don't like them. I did enjoy their mahi fingers! They were cooked perfectly. They get three stars because the lady who worked there cleared my basket before I was done!!! I mean there was 1 bite left! It did make for a good laugh since Jesse thinks I eat like cookie monster! We will come back for sure, and I will just eat quicker! The live music here is awesome too!
(3)John H.
Good oysters and burgers. Dive bar local hang out.
(3)Nigel M.
It's a dive by Destin standards, but to me, it's just homey. We hit this up the first night we got here for vacation because we wanted oysters. Oysters we craved, and oysters we received. This place is located in the back of a plaza, on the dock, with a downwards sloping dirt parking lot. Not good for a dropped 350Z, but I managed without scraping. The interior is covered in dollar bills. Like, there are dollar bills stapled to every visible interior. Roof beams, walls, everything floors, but now I'm not so sure. On to the oysters. In a word, GREAT. In more words, Awesome baked oysters, delicious steamed oysters, great fresh oysters. All washed down with Yeungling's beer (a regional beer that they have that we sadly do not have in Texas). Service was a tad slow, but that did nothing to sour the overall experience!
(5)Stephie Z.
This is my spot in Destin. Hole-in-the-wall and covered with bras and money. The service is pretty slow, make that unbelievably slow, but with ice cold beer in your hand who cares. The gumbo rocks! It has no pork and contains some delicious crab claws as well as fresh caught shrimp. Throw in some extra Tabasco and you are in heaven. Cajun Boiled Peanuts are good. Raw oysters are great and super fresh. The SOB oyster (I think that's the one) is covered in nacho cheese and jalapenos- Yummy! This is by far the best hangout spot in Destin as well as having reasonable prices as compared to the majority of other eateries.
(5)L And T S.
Hole in the wall, oyster bar that we love. The prices are a little steep but is on the harbor and it's always a party thanks to the live music and crowd.
(5)Michele J.
It had a great ambiance with the inside decor covered in $1 bills everywhere. The live music on Wednesdays is great! The shrimp and hushpuppies were very tasty. My kids loved the place.
(4)Elizabeth B.
Nestled behind other bars is the Boathouse Oyster Bar - local favorite on the water. First meal while in Destin, oysters is where it's at! A dozen oysters you say for $7 - um yes!! Can't find this type of price in Orlando, but we are also not right on the water either :) Very small setting, but the oysters were my favorite out of all oysters in Destin and any I have had before. Apalachicola oysters that were fresh and delicious. They serve only beer and wine, no liquor. Nice people, a little slow service, but servers are extremely nice, and showcase that Southern Hospitality spirit. Can't be the view either of Harbor boats, care to go parasailing? Check out the place next door! Nice to have this place be a local restaurant and not a tourist trap.
(4)Glenn M.
Best No-Frill seafood in the Fort Walton/Destin area. The oysters are wicked fresh and cheap! $8.00 for a dozen on the half shell. The gumbo was delicious, yet not as thick as what you would find in N'awlins. I had the oyster and shrimp platter and it was delicious. The hushpuppies were well above average and the coleslaw was a hit as well. The restaurant is hovering over the water and the casual feel was a hit. This place has an alomst "locals only" feel to it, but we fit right in. Bring a good attitude don't expect tablecloths but put down a few beers and get down n dirty with the freshest most unmolested seafood around. Glenn. Addendum -- This place is only open Thurs-Sun. We went back last night for more and the place was closed. Don't go to AJ's even though the proximity is tempting.
(5)Franklin B.
Still delicious raw oysters and reasonably priced. Awesome pier location and beatnik ambiance. The cheesy baked oysters are overpriced, too much cheese, too little oyster. The bacon cheese fries are awesome washed down with the suds listening to live music. Live music most nights including weekdays. Always a pilgrimage when in Destin.
(5)Jessica M.
My favorite oyster bar around! Every time I come to Destin I always make sure I stop here to eat some oysters.
(5)Sonny K.
Nice hole in the wall type bar, has pretty good raw oysters, the baked oyster is okay, not great, but very good price. The crab cake is really good, but for the price you only get on crab cake, not worth the money.
(3)Nancy T.
Sunday afternoon, beautiful evening and great oyster on half shell Hush puppies were great . Crab cake sandwich i would order again. Live music a great place to relax eat and drink.
(4)Peggy L.
Oh Boathouse... how we love to hate thee... Okay so it's a little dramatic sounding... but it was a little disappointing because service was so poor. We went on recommendations of another group of friends and told the wait would be long but the food would be good... The wait was longer than anything imagined but bearable since we weren't starving when we arrived (make sure you're not or you will be miserable!!). The food was pretty good.. we got oysters, gumbo and a mahi mahi sandwich based on other yelper's reviews... All good stuff. What made our experience so poor was the service. Granted it's busy... but what I found strange was that a table that got there much after us got their gumbo first... I'm not sure if it's a race thing since we were the only Asians there but we shrugged it off... I mean we're in 2011 right?? My sister ordered a dozen raw and our other friend ordered half and half baked... we saw a waitress (not our main one) bring out those two orders but the order of raw didn't go to my sister but to the table behind us who again got there much later than we did.... wait a minute... Our waitress had told us that there was a waiting list so why is that they got their oysters before us? I'm still puzzled... the food is pretty good but go only if you are willing to wait and have poor service.
(3)Amy H.
Great food and perfect location on the Destin Harbor. Oysters and gumbo are to die for!
(5)Brent M.
Looks like a dive...... That's what I like. The service was great, the waitress was real fun. I started with the oysters and they rocked. The kids got the popcorn shrimp and they kids portion was huge. I got the gumbo which was some of the best I've had. Don't let the looks throw you off go to it.. I will be back.
(5)Alex R.
I went there late at night. Excellent service. Very laid back. Live music. Audience participation. BUT they served me bad oysters. I should've stopped when I noticed the oysters were warm.
(3)Teresa T.
Average to say the least. Bad: This Is the place you go to after a long day of boating & need a place to eat when your all sweaty, gross, & don't care your hair looks like. The food was mediocre, nothing exciting. Not worth the cost when the side of chips was a snack size bag of ruffles. Pretty ghetto. I was not fan of the dollar bills, hanging shoes, bras, & writings on the wall. Good: the oysters were delicious. I don't recommend the nacho oysters with the salsa on them. Personally, I don't think salsa belongs on oysters, but that's just me. The raw oysters were great, very big! The horseradish was strong, very good. The staff was very friendly, always making sure our drinks were filled. Overall: like i said, good after a long day on the water. Not for a nice lunch/dinner or date.
(2)Kristina P.
Total bar after 6. Great time for us but we saw people trying to bring in babies/ kids and its packed there with drinking, standing, smoking, live music, and its a small space. Might be fun during the day with kids. Wait staff was great, you just go sit anywhere and they come frequently even when slammed. We had the mahi mahi cause people on yelp said it was good and it was. But when the person next to me got the oysters I sure wish I had of gotten those! yum! Great food, great experience for us out on the dock at sunset hanging out with drinkers around us. :)
(4)Tommy R.
Gets 5 stars from me cause the oysters at this oyster bar are the best damn oysters I have ever had. I stopped in mid afternoon so I missed the entertainment and all but have heard great things about the place when it gets a little wild as well from my pal Boathouse Bob who dances the long middle table after a few brews. Service was friendly and I chatted with the shucker while he shucked my order. How fresh is that? Gumbo also very good although I have had a better bowl in New Orleans
(5)Jeff O.
Atmosphere was cool but the food was a little over priced.
(3)Brian P.
Barebones. Lot of hype. Beer. It is in fact on the water.
(2)Gaz H.
3.5 stars. The experience is a 4. The crazy older guy on the guitar sang songs only my 50/60-something dining companions knew the words to. His daughter (pictured, above) is a server and is was more memorable to us relatively younger folks as a performer. Food is solid dockside dive bar fare, but fails to dazzle and only merits a three. That said, I am not a raw oyster guy. My companions who ate them said they were fresher than the ones they had had earlier in the day at Acme.
(4)Richard C.
This used to be one of the best locals joints in the area but their food has gone down and quality over the last 2 years. The grouper sandwich is nothing like it used to be. It was the best in town and my favorite menu item. I don't know when they started closing in the winter but they're closed this year which proves even more they are no longer a local dive.
(2)David P.
off the beaten bath and definitely catering to the beer-drinking, boiled-peanut eating, super casual crowd. I wouldn't rec'd bringing the entire fam in tow- especially picky kids, grandmas or folks allergic to live music. My crew and I took part in 18 raw oysters (gave us too many, oh well), a basket of cajun boiled peanuts (too much seasoning), fried crab claws and an assortment of domestic beers at reasonable prices. Overall, the food was better than expected and the fish tasted fresh - they have enough of a regular crowd to keep things moving along. Service was a little spotty, but in our girl's defense, she did go on stage and sing a song or two.
(4)Harry N.
I went to this place after a friend reffered. My first impression was its a beat down place, but if the oysters are good it will be worth it. Pros on he water Cons, baked oysters are microwaved. Wow, I have never seen oysters microwaved, that killed it for me. We ordered sme other sandwiches and the prices were pret high for the portions. If you are looking for a beer, maybe sme fresh oysters then maybe this s your place. If you want a decent environment with good food, I would say go elsewhere. I won't be returning, still can't wrap my head around the fact they microwaved my oysters is enough for me not to return. I had great experiences at acme, will stick to there from now on.
(2)Mike S.
The oysters were fresh and outstanding. The mahi mahi fingers were fantastic along with the baked oysters. The award winning gumbo was great too but it had a little too much salt. Service was good.
(4)Jesse F.
I love this place! I've been here to many times to count and it is always a good experience. The oysters are outstanding as well as the gumbo. I've also had crawfish here twice, and they were tasty also, could have been a little more spicy though. It is small, but the setting inside makes it a wonderful experience. Lastly, the entire staff is awesome.
(4)Jay J.
This is a dive on the harbor good for evening music, oysters, and drinks. They have other menu items, but if I want dinner, I'm not going to Boathouse. If I want oysters, a beer, and a neat local atmosphere with a nice harbor view, I'm going to Boathouse.
(3)Scott K.
Thanks Yelpers! Based on the reviews here we went to the Boathouse this week during our visit to Destin. We were very glad we did. I love small "hole in the wall" local places when we travel. Some are good and some are not so good. The Boathouse was perfect. From the location, the size, the dollar bills on the ceiling and walls to the $9 pitchers of Bud Light and finally the food - all was great. Most importantly, the food was excellent. We had the Boathouse Fried Platter (fried Mahi Mahi - great!), fried shrimp, oysters and steamed shrimp. Everything was great. The place is very small (you may have to wait a while for a table depending on the time you go) and it was a little loud with the live music, but we loved it.
(5)Louis G.
Scrumptious Apalachicola oysters in a waterfront dive bar ($7.95/dozen). Life doesn't get better. Go there.
(4)Grace T.
if I lived in destin, this place would likely be one of my favorite spots and the place to take all visitors and guests. why? not because it's fancy or expensive by any means; more because it's really the kind of dive-y seafood joint on the water that you just gotta love... i only went twice the spring of 2007 for spring break where bf and i chowed down on some damn delicious food and i've had a craving for their tuna sandwich on an onion bun for almost 3 years now!
(4)Tara S.
Love. Seafood DIVE, awesome oysters. Did raw on the half shell and some baked with cheese, jalapeños, and tortilla chips, pretty amazing. My cornmeal fried mahi sandwich was wonderful and huge. Peel and eat shrimp and blackened mahi were also great. Would go here every day :)
(5)Priscilla B.
The oysters were just ok, the service was slow - seemed like more of a locals hang out. The view from the dock was nice though.
(2)Steve M.
This place is awesome. It is a dive. The oysters and seafood were amazing. We had the gumbo and it was some of the best I've had with lots of shrimp and crab claws in there -- no skimping. The raw oysters were fresh and delicious. The baked oysters were excellent -- they have two varieties Action (cheddar and jalepeno) and S.O.B. (mozarella and bacon bits). I felt the SOBs really boosted the natural oyster flavor. The building is run down, covered in dollar bills, bras, and blow up dolls. That just makes me love it even more.
(5)John G.
Relaxed, kinda funky with the absolutely best raw oysters. Plus Rusty entertaining with guitar and "kitty" song made the experience. Service was good. Will return.
(4)Debra B.
Great place, wonderful oysters! Very good grilled mahi mahi sandwiches. Great place to chill & watch boats go by. This is basically a shack; very casual. Five stars for being a great seafood shack with live music. I recommend a stop for this laid back atomosphere!
(5)Jerry F.
Everything was great. Staff, oysters, drinks. If you are in Destin you have to go there.
(5)T D.
Crab cakes were very good. Horrible service. We sat with empty drinks for 15 minutes. "Helter Skelter" is not appropriate music when the place has kids there. Very disappointed.
(3)Rahel K.
Although I liked this place because it is a dive on the ocean.....I still didn't appreciate the 5 INCH "X" IN PERMANENT MARKER you placed on my hand to let the entire planet know that I'm over 21.....seriously?????
(3)Debi L.
Been going to this place for years, but today will be my last! We had 2 sandwiches, 5 dozen oysters, 7 beers! PRICE 160.00!!! OMG THAT IS REDICULOUS! and they put gratuity bc were we 6, one was my handicap child that didn't eat!!! TOO PRICEY And SERVICE SLOW!!!!
(1)Tony P.
This was my first time to try raw oysters...not too bad! The sandwiches were awesome! I had the grilled tuna and my wife and kids had the mahi-mahi.....all great! The waitress was very friendly but sometimes slow to come around. As night comes along, the music gets raunchy so if you have kids, go before sundown. You can eat well for around 10 bucks a person.
(4)Keith C.
Used to be one of my favorite places. Won't be going back. Service is terrible. We were given a check to leave because they were having a change if shift. No explanation - just the check. Food not as good as it used to be. Oh well all good things come to an end. Plenty of great places in Destin with air conditioning and servers who are not rude. I will be going there.
(1)Eric D.
I live in Las Vegas, and the boathouse is my favorite place to go. In the World. In fact, Its one of the only reasons I even go to Destin. Not really, I like everything about Destin, But the Boathouse is the best. Look for my dollars on the ceiling ( E. from Vegas)
(5)Rick B.
My favorite hangout on Destin Harbor, bar none. The best staff in Destin, friendly to both locals as well as the tourists. Live music every night, great food (the cajun boiled peanuts are a must snack), entertaining atmosphere for the young and old. Tom Phillips plays alot of music that the crowd can sing along to and become a part of, including his conga line to "Day-Oh". Greatest small bar on the Emerald Coast!!
(5)Jason H.
We went to Boathouse Oyster Bar based solely on the reviews through Yelp. Our experience was very similar to what was described, except for Leigh Boathouse -- not sure we have that much love for the place! First, the situation: me, my wife and two daughters (ages 3.5 and almost 2) on an "on again, off again" rainy Sunday night. The bar/restaurant was not very busy as a result, which worked to my family's advantage. It is very much a dive, but a very good dive. I had the Mahi Mahi, my wife had peel and eat shrimp and the little ones had hot dogs. All the food was very good -- even the hot dogs! Our waitress was excellent in accommodating the little ones. To top off the experience, live music was being performed (similar to described in other reviews) that kept my girls, my wife and I engaged the entire time. I can see where one reviewer called the experience "a little rough" for kids, but it was fine for us on the day we went. Go, enjoy, and keep your food expectations high while keeping the ambience expecations low. After all -- it is just a dive joint on the water!
(4)Chris R.
Very good dive bar - enjoyed the fried crab claws. A *little* bit rough to take kids in. We were the first customer maybe everyone was hung over. Had a GREAT waitress on her first day though and she took very good care of us. Will return sans children for a little more relaxed time.
(3)Rolf M.
Exactly what I needed. Hole in the wall on a dock.
(4)Melonie T.
This place has surprisingly good food, I enjoy the baked oysters on half shell and the shrimp boil which can get really spicy. There are many locals here and not so many tourists. The joint looks very unstable (it is a wood structure and in some places you can see through the wall/floors) but is a nice break from the over-neoned tourists traps around town. Dress is extremely casual with many people coming in as-is from a day of fishing.
(4)Jonathon S.
More bar than restaurant, Boathouse Oyster Bar is built on a dock on the Destin Harbor and is a fun (if somewhat raucous) place to go and have a drink or three while enjoying the company of friends and locals and a great view of the harbor. Live music and a wraparound deck make this small bar get pretty lively on the weekends.
(4)Angela Y.
We found this place on yelp a long time ago and have been thinking about trying out the place. Our first try was several months ago and the place was completely packed. So we decided to go back at a later time. Today we went in and there were only 3 other people that were dining there. Anyway, we ordered a cup of gumbo, 2 dozens of oysters and a fried shrimp sandwich. They all tasted great but the gumbo and sandwich were a little on the expensive side. Would definitely go back for the food during low season.
(3)piper b.
maybe i had too much anticipation going into it, but this place left a lot to be desired. we had just landed in destin, all set for some seafood and relaxin. after driving back and forth 2 or 3 times (we called to ask for directions, but none of the staff knew where they were located), we finally made it. whew. sadly, it took another 10 minutes before we got a beer, and even though the apps came relatively quickly, it was maybe an hour before our real food arrived. the oysters (raw) were pretty good, the boiled peanuts were the worst i've ever had. the crab claws were good, but my shrimp sandwich had the tails left on, which is inexcusable (i mean, it's a damn sandwich). all that being said, i can see where this place would rock and roll under many other circumstances. the live music was loud and fun. the crowd was up for drinking and cavorting. but those things aren't a plus when you're the table that was abandoned on the patio. all in all, i was too hungry and not drunk enough to love this place.
(2)Brittany and Tim L.
all reviews say yes i say no if you are going for oysters and good service. they have outside seating which is a plus since there are only 5 tables and a stage inside but guess what.. they don't serve people sitting outside. you have to walk in and wait in a huge line before you get you food. you have to pay on the spot not tickets open for those outside. if you want a refill guess waht you are going back inside to get one. only two staff people working slow kitchen. i ordered the half and half which is 6 steamed oysters done like potato skins and 6 done like nachos. the idea works and smelled great but they don't wash the oysters so they are sandy as all get out. i ate more sand then there was oyster it was unavoidable since the cheese was melted completely around the shell. i also ordered a dozen raw oysters and the same thing. grit, shells and more sand. my husband orders the chicken sandwich and said it was ok but mc d's has a better dollar sanwich. when we went to pay their computer went down so it was cash only. we dont carry cash so we had to go find a atm. they hand gammed the recipet and we ended up paying way to much for everything so no tip was left. will not be going back!!
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