Hammerhead Fred’s
8752 Thomas Dr, Panama City Beach, FL, 32408
Hammerhead Fred’s Menu
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Address :
8752 Thomas Dr
Panama City Beach, FL, 32408 - Phone (850) 233-3907
- Website https://www.hammerheadfreds.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 12
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner, Late Night
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Touristy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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John M.
Decent crowd-pleasing menu. Calamari 'and friends' (fried banana peppers and crab claws) was fine.Shrimp Casino - shrimp with blue crab and cream cheese - was light on crab but had surprisingly good-quality shrimp. The 'baby bakers' potatoes on the side were simply excellent, fluffy and buttery inside. The 'inferno sauce', unfortunately, was something else - this tasted like maple syrup and red pepper flakes mixed with dishwater. The shrimp was fine without them. My friend reported good things about the redfish Pontchartrain but I didn't sample any. Shared appetizer, two entrees, two beers and an iced tea came to $68 before service. Given that this is a tourist town that's not a terrible price. Quick service but it was off-season so the place was half-full. A good choice near the beach.
(3)Andy D.
I came to PCB with some friends as spring break was dying down. Unfortunately a lot of the fun places in town were closed or operating at a reduced capacity, but when we went to Hammerheads it was still lively! There was a good group of people of all ages trying to get drunk and have a good time. We met this goal, probably better here than anywhere else we tried this week other than maybe Harpoon Harry's. Beer came in large 16 oz cans which were ice cold. Mixed drinks were made strong (not complaining). The only one I tried was a rum and coke and a sip of a friends Sex on the Beach. Tasty though. It is what it is (spring breaky club atmosphere) but it was a lot of fun. Note: We didn't try the food, only came to drink and dance. I probably wouldn't come to a place like this for food in the first place. The DJ was pretty good!
(4)Brittany C.
The food was very average. However, the service was terrible. We had a group of 12. As an ex server, I understand that this is challenging. You simply have to have help from four team. Our server was also the bartender and we were a very long way from the bar. We waited 20 minutes for our initial drinks. Some food orders were taken, while others' appetizers were not. So our group had a terrible array of eat times. One girl ran food to help our server. However, a manager did not make an appearance until we had finally finished, almost 2 hours later. I had one drink while I was there because it took so very long to get refills. It took an enjoyable night to a very annoyed and disappointed one.
(2)Alana R.
Our service was fantastic on 7/30. The food was good but the sampler wasn't much for 4 adults and 2 kids. We all got steak and crab legs and shrimp. Everything was really tasty. If you like Jack Daniels, definitely get a Jackhammer (frozen Jack and Coke) - very strong but good. We didn't have to wait long for a table and the place was really lively.
(4)Brooke I.
Overall experience was pleasant. I eat here every year when I come down to visit. Seafood gumbo is delicious, and the oyster sampler is a crowd pleaser at our table. I tried the shrimp scampi appetizer for the first time last night & it was delicious served with crusted bread with garlic sauce for dipping. Service was average.
(4)Julie B.
We ate here twice on our vacation. The first night was absolutely perfect! Our waiter, John, was very friendly and made some excellent recommendations for food and drinks. The food was amazing, with fresh ingredients and sizeable portions. The kids fish was a pleasant surprise since it had two good sized pieces of grouper. The kids pb&j's was a bit disappointing as it was an Uncrustable. They made up for their small shortcomings by serving the kids meals on frisbees. Big hit with our littles! The second time we were there wasn't as perfect. The food was still good. There was a magician going around doing tricks and making balloon animals for the kids. Our food took a while and then right when it was due to come out they dropped our entire table on the floor and had to remake it. While they were very quick to come and apologize, they didn't give us any kind of discount or anything. It wasn't a big deal, but it would've been kind of nice. All in all, we would go here again and just keep our fingers crossed that we saw John again!
(4)Justin W.
Atmosphere was good but the food was prepared a little over done. I feel like Fred's scene is a little commercial. So if you are looking for that local vibe you won't find it here. Also I've had food prepared better at smaller, more local restaurants. Fred's feels like it's lacking a little love in their food. Not intensely disappointing, but not the highest level of cooking. Probably won't go back here.
(2)Kyle P.
Got right in with a party of 12. Band sucked but the food was great. I'd recommend the Martinique Platter and Gulf Delight. Cool atmosphere.
(5)Ldbell2 L.
Scallops the size of a dime. Do not come here for quality seafood. A bit of a joke. Atmosphere is casual, fun and laid back.
(1)Clare R.
My girls and I went to Hammerheads for lunch our first day in PCB. My friend and I have the signature fish tacos. They came with some bland white rice, topped with black beans. The fish in the tacos was well-seasoned and cooked appropriately, but the tortilla and pick on the taco seemed like afterthoughts. The third friend ordered a grilled shrimp basket. Her shrimp were also seasoned well and cooked nicely. Her basket came with French fries. The waitress was very nice and attentive.
(2)Dustin M.
Food was super bland and generic, not impressed, service and atmosphere were good with the live music but not enough to make up for the overpriced and underwhelming food.
(2)Mike M.
Hey. It was there and open and the folks were friendly. I thought it was much better than a 2-1/2 star review. And I got a 15% off Yelp coupon. So win!
(4)Diana K.
Tourist trap with awful food. Oysters were old, dried out, and served warm, as other reviewers have written. Hubby loves oysters and these were so had that he couldn't eat them and couldn't wait to get out if there. I told him he should've informed the server or manager, but according to other reviewers, they wouldn't care. Lesson learned: always check Yelp reviews before eating at an unfamiliar place. Will never return and highly suggest you avoid their warm old sickening oysters.
(1)Bryan G.
Showed up on a sunday afternoon,very few cutomers.I walked up to the bar,I was the only person sitting there,the bartender was attentiveI ordered a craft beer (6 bucks)and an order of the baked oysters with cheese.I waited and waited,the beer was warm,maybe drank half of it.at this point I was over it,and had my order canceled,they still charged me for the warm beer.upon leaving I needed to use the restroom,filthy dirty! As well the establishment could use some serious cleaning as well.as I made my way out I noticed a ton of staff just sitting around staring off into space,like they did not want to be there.if your very drunk and want to go to a total tourist trap,this is the place.
(1)Donna B.
Don't waste your time or money. Waiter unfamiliar with drink menu and food menu. Our lunch came with soup or salad, we never received either. Did not even attempt to make us happy. Simply apologized as he handed us our $138 bill.
(1)Brittany C.
My husband and I came with our family for a birthday. It was some of the worst service i have ever had. I work in the service industry so im pretty understanding usually but for a restaurant to be nearly empty and take almost 2 hrs after we arrived to receive our food and then the manager to choose not to come by the table is unacceptable. We had small children along with adults that were patienntly waiting. The server was unconcerned that we had waited so long until it got time to pay. I would never recommend this place, steer clear!
(1)Diamond H.
If you like being pushed around, treated like crap, and completely ripped off, then Hammerhead Fred's is the place for you! If I could give this place infinity negative stars, I would. I bought advanced tickets to their "Glow Paint Party" online, which were supposed to be cheaper, but they ended up only charging $20 at the door; I paid $25 each for my group's tickets. No where on the ticket nor were there any signs or warnings anywhere at Hammerhead Fred's that said "no Go-Pros or small cameras allowed." I bring my Go-Pro because it's spring break and every other place let me bring it in, and there no warnings saying I couldn't have it. They take my ticket and push me through to security where they proceed to tell me I can't bring it in. I said no where said I can't bring it in and they kept saying no and told me my choice was to leave it with the "front lady taking the tickets" or take it to my car, but I took a taxi, like a majority of the people there. I go to the first ticket lady and she says "I'm not taking care of that." And the security guys hear and tell me to go ask another lady. Now why would I ever want to leave my $500 camera with employees who already don't want to try and keep it for me? Who's to say I would ever get it back? I ask and they say they aren't liable for lost items. Phones ARE allowed in and they all have video recording capability so the fact that I can't bring in this camera bewilders me. They then escort me out of the club and ban me, and I never even stepped foot into the actual club. Obviously, if I would have known I couldn't have this camera, I would have left it at the hotel and avoid this entire fiasco. At this point, all I want is my money back. I call and ask to speak to a manager, tell her my problem, she says she can't come out and talk to me because there is money in her office and I can't come in to talk to her. Her name is Michelle (quite rude on the phone by the way) and said if I tell security that Michelle told me I needed to talk to another manager, they would come out. I do and the "security manager" comes to talk to me and is very uninterested, rude, and says he can't help me. I ask for the owner's information and he just says "Rob." I ask for his last name and he looks around and say "Hammer." Then I ask for his phone number and says "I don't have time for this" and leaves. I call back the next day and ask to speak to Rob Hammer and the manager on the phone says she doesn't know who gave me that name but he isn't the owner. I tell her everything and that all I want is a refund for my tickets and she says "we never give any refunds" and that she can't help me. This place is ridiculous and plain money hungry. They don't care about their mistakes, take advantage of you, and are there to sit and take your money. If you're going to be strict about what you can and can't bring into your club, put it on the ticket, or even put a sign up. They should have people go through security before taking tickets/cover if that's how they want to do things. Go ANYWHERE but to Hammerhead Fred's.
(1)Neil W.
Great location and fun atmosphere. Kids will probably like it a lot. Good drinks and service can be very good. Nice music in the outside bar. Good okay to good.
(3)Thomas E.
This place has the worst costumer service. After waiting an hour for our food & telling a manager about the wait time, we got our cold crab legs. We had to ask for bread, after we noticed the other table getting it from their waiter. Our business was not appreciated.. Too commercial & Would not waste time or money.
(1)Lynn F.
Was skeptical after reading the reviews but was really impressed with both the food and service! The food portions were huge and really tasty! Miranda was An amazing server!!! Thank you for a great experience!!!
(4)Tiffany M.
If I could give a place no stars I would. My family and I waited over an about two hours for our food, and by the time we got it half of it was cold. The nachos absolutely sucked, and everything was was overpriced for the quality of the food. The only good thing was the live music.
(1)David J.
Probably my least favorite club in Panama City. The line was incredibly long when we got there around 8:30 so that tells me that someone who was checking IDs and taking cover was in completely over their head and was slowing us all down. The inside bar area was ridiculously packed for a Thursday night, you literally could not move so the bar HAD to be over capacity. It took almost 15 minutes to get a beer and worst of all the outside area with all of the "bathrooms" (port-a-potties) was COMPLETELY covered with piss and puke. It was one of the most disgusting things I've ever walked through, and I was in sandals so you can imagine my disdain for this experience. Jesus Christ at least invest in a hose to wash it away and you probably could have gained another star, but thanks to this mess that was left untouched I had to give it two stars, and almost one. Get it together Hammerhead Fred's.
(2)Daniel H.
Great atmosphere! I had the New York strip with grilled shrimp. Steak was good but shrimp was cold. Sweet tea was also good.
(4)Edd C.
The food was good and service was excellent.
(4)William P.
The wait wasn't to long compared to other restaurants in the area, but the waitress was rude and didn't keep our drinks filled. The food was good for what it was (don't expect gourmet food) but way to expensive for the portian they give you. Great scenery with a live band and outside seating.
(3)Michelle T.
My husband and I were on our way out of PCB and didn't have much time so we chose a place hastily. Boy did we make a mistake. To put it simply the best thing I had was the tea. We knew instantly from the prices of the seafood that we hit a tourist trap. We wanted to get on the road so he reluctantly ordered the chicken sandwich and I ordered the fish and chips. The staff was attentive no complaints there. After I received my fish and chips I noticed a store brand tartar sauce packet and shook my head. The food tasted like Long John Silvers. We could have saved a lot of money going there. The fish did not taste fresh and was not worth $15. The chicken sandwich seemed like it was pounded down thin. The fries were mediocre. We both felt robbed and we are not afraid to throw down for an awesome meal. The beer selection was decent. The atmosphere was interesting and that is about the only positive part.
(1)Tyrone D.
If you enjoy seafood it's good place to come, sit inside or out but only when weather is nice cause it gets humid here
(4)Teri W.
Awesome atmosphere! Waitress was on point food was good. I had the alligator, it was fresh and crispy. Hammerhead Fred's is a must when in Panama City.
(4)April S.
The new outdoor setup is awesome! I'm certainly a fan of fully stocked outdoor bars, lots of patio seating, and a live music. Prior to this addition, Hammerhead Fred's would not have been on my list of places to visit while in Panama City Beach, but that has changed. It's apparent that substantial money was poured in to this outdoor expansion. It's more of an outdoor entertainment hall, than just a patio or deck. We had such a great time sitting at the bar, listening to music and munching on appetizers. The bartenders took really good care of us. The manager stopped by to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and even conversed with us a bit about the remodel. I'm sure we will be regulars in no time at all.
(4)Christina F.
Touristy place for sure....food was fair and expensive for what you got. I ordered stuffed mahi and sent it back because it was tough and overcooked. .The server was very nice and swapped out my meal without any problems. This is not a place I would return to. ..
(3)Jeremy B.
The Martinique Platter was awesome, our server was awesome! The wait time was excessive especially at 8pm. Lots of craft beers to choose from, music can be a bit too loud when sitting outside.
(5)Susan A.
We can't go to PCB without at trip to Hammerhead Fred's. Great atmosphere. Great bar, and love the outside dining/entertainment space. Great oysters and I am obsessed with their gumbo. Parking can be a challenge but it is worth it.
(4)Maurice G.
Beach atmosphere, great service! Food was good, and was a good family hangout. Gets extremely busy during peak dinner. Recommend lunch if you don't want to wait.
(3)Melissa B.
Went for lunch so it was very quite. Also we went during non-peek season. Great food and service and fair price considering to location. We will be back.
(4)Mike P.
The oysters where so-so. I had them raw. But the fish tacos where fantastic. Only complaint is the music. It's fine if your a 12 year old girl but Katie Perry isn't on my playlist. And it's way too loud. I don't feel the need to shout at the person I'm eating with to be heard.
(3)Tony K.
Good food and great atmosphere. The mixed drinks were good but expensive. They had a live band and the staff was very nice. Yeah it was kind of pricey but what do you expect from a restaurant in a tourist destination. All in all I had a good experience.
(4)Kristin C.
Was excited to try this place out , despite the reviews I had read before coming we decided to come anyway . We were here off peak season and the service was still Terrible. We orders and app and 2 entrees and then the waitress brought out our entrees and completely forgot the app ( no big deal things happen but I was looking forward to the app!). 5 mins into our meal she asks us if we're ready for the check ... (With full plates still in front of us!) we say no not yet ... 5 more mins and she comes back how about now ?? I had to remind myself & Yankee mouth that were in the Deep South and to just keep it cool I said fine just being the Check , after she drops it , I let it sit there were still eating ... Here she comes again looking for the credit card and waits until we take our our wallet ....we were out of there within a half hour of getting there .... Avoid this place the food wasn't even good , poor quality & service
(1)Richard G.
We moved here a few weeks ago. When my in-laws came for a visit they found this place. While reading reviews, I was unsure of what to expect but we went for a lunch on a monday. My in-laws, wife and sister in-law all had snow crab. I personally had a steak. All of our food was fresh, cooked to our desire and tasty. The service was prompt and friendly. Our waiter was Andy and he was very helpful in both knowledge of his restaurant as well as surrounding area places, letting us know of other establishments we may want to try. All-in-all it was a pleasant experience and after reading other reviews, felt it was only fair I share. Thanks
(4)Rex A.
Fish was not good and had a muddy taste to it. The shrimp and baby bakers were good. I would not recommend going to this place during spring break season because the entrance to Thomas Dr. was closed. We had to do a big circle in traffic to enter from the Joan Ave. entrance. I will head east next time and visit J. Michaels.
(2)Robin B.
We've been visiting this restaurant for the last 10 or more years. Unfortunately, the last couple of times we were a bit disappointed. However, since it's been a family tradition to order a nice cold pitcher of beer and a couple dozen oysters at Hammerhead, we went last night. The nice thing is the outdoor dining area has expanded and upgraded - very open and airy. We were seated right away during the peak dinner hour - 6:30! Our waitress was very friendly and the food came out fast. Unfortunately the food was lousy. We ordered raw oysters and they were served warm - yuck! We ordered the oyster sampler and there was more cheese than anything else - very disappointing. For entrees we ordered the fried shrimp dinner, Mahi Mahi & grilled shrimp and fried combo dinner - they were okay. For the price, the food should be really good. The keylime pie was more like a cream cheesecake - which isn't so bad but we wanted keylime pie. Needless to say, Hammerhead Fred ' s will no longer be a Panama City tradition.
(2)Lesley R.
It's a tourist trap - ok food and atmosphere, if you don't know any better. Try some of the out of the way restaurants in PCB; you will be greatly rewarded.
(2)Hunter B.
I was skeptical going to eat here solely based on previous negative reviews, but I'm feeling like a lot of those reviews were just based on how tourist-y this place (and everything else in PCB) is. We went on a Monday night and had a 40 minute wait, you can grab a drink at the bar and hang out in the giant outdoor area they have. We ended up being seated in about 25 minutes which was awesome! Everyone we came across was friendly, even though everyone who worked there looked VERY tired. Refills always came before our drink was empty and our waitress was always in sight. I got the Captain's Platter, a smorgasbord of seafood with all things fried. Now, if you are a SeaFoodie (I love seafood, but I'm not an expert) then you will probably hate this dish. I thought it was "AIGHT". Everything tasted fine but it did not taste local. It tasted similar to a deep-fried platter from Long John Silvers (not a bad thing), but the price tag of $27 was just really steep for what is was. I gave 3 stars because of the experience we had, however, I don't know if I would recommend this place to first-timers to the beach. There are a lot of cool places around and this is just one of the many, many overpriced tourist traps.
(3)Susan O.
Had the market fresh fish which was Ahi ahi that day...the actual fish portion size was tiny with a massive side of rice (filler food). My meal was $21 when it should have been around $12 for what was on my plate.
(1)Diana T.
Delish! Another Yelp recommendation success. Fresh, fast, and fun atmosphere. Grouper focaccia sandwich was yummy.
(4)Jessi S.
Went there for a party over spring break. It doesn't surprise me that kids die from alcohol poisoning here when they charge you $2.50 for a small cup of water about the size of 3 Dixie cups. I asked the bartender what their liability protocol was with so many underage drinkers, many of them clearly too drunk and in need of water. He looked coldly at me and said that wasn't his problem. I'm glad if someone didn't make it because of inadequate preventative measures he would sleep soundly. Poor ID checking and the staff was just as creepy as the guests; poaching women and following them around after asking to be left alone. Security was nonexistent and the staff had terrible customer service. The cab drivers waiting outside overcharged and often looked at you like you were a piece of meat. I felt like I was going to be taken to an ally and murdered by these people. The bathrooms were disgusting and the whole place in general have off a vibe of being highly unsafe and unsanitary. Unless you are 19 years old with a fake ID who is willing to be taken home by literally anyone, go somewhere else for a good time
(1)Brandon V.
Review from visit OCT2013. Am only reviewing oysters as I left shortly thereafter... I read that they might have happy hour specials on oysters, they do not. After paying 9 bucks for a dozen room temperature (not served over ice) oysters that did not smell very fresh, I left. The waitress was nice so I am adding an extra star for that, however, the oysters were lacking to such a degree that I did not order dinner and will likely not be back.
(2)Jacquelyn G.
Best dinner experience yet!! Service and food was outstanding! Couldn't be happier!!!
(5)Loretta C.
I returned for the blackened fish tacos and they were awesome, as were the drinks and appetizers. Our server, Brittany, was very friendly and on top of things. We felt like we were getting very personal attention. My Sis had the fish and chips basket and said it was very good. Our leftovers were even good today after heating them up. I will visit Hammerhead Fred's again!
(4)Brett K.
Been to hammerhead Fred's three times first time was to go and it was our last day at the beach and it was the best food he had all week. The 2nd visit was great service and again really good food. This week four of us had dinner and it has been the best food of the week. If I am in PCB HHF is on my List of number one to visit! Better than any other in pcb head and shoulders above! Hammerhead and shoulders above!!!
(5)Austin K.
Staff is incredibly rude. My wife and I thought it looked like a nice place to have a drink one evening while on vacation. They have a nice looking open patio area which is what enticed us to go there, however they didn't have any servers for that area as the hostess very rudely informed us. We could sit out there but we would have to go inside to the bar every time we needed a new drink. I do not recommend this place. Go to Schooners instead.
(1)Steve K.
HHF's has a great building and location, with a huge patio and a casual feel. We've been coming here for years and the name is well known in PCB On our last visit our server was a weird dude who seemed like he really wanted to be somewhere else. The mixed drinks were too sweet, with not alot of liquor in them for $10-$12. The starter salad was good, but had alot of end pieces of lettuce, kinda cheap. My grilled grouper entree, however, was delicious top quality fish, fresh from the Gulf, The side of potatoes was boring and bland, and there was nothing else on the plate, not even a piece of parsley to dress it up a bit. Boring and lazy They were also playing the "background" music way too loud, especially since the patio was deserted except for us, and many of the songs were strangely annoying and repetitive. I usuaully don't knock places for their music, but, damn, this was bad HHF's is fine if you're close by (like we were), but there isn't much reason to drive a long way to get there. It's far overpriced for what you get, slanted toward tourists, and they seem to be relying more on the name than the food to keep customers coming back. Meh
(2)Kayla C.
Fresh oysters, fun drinks! The alligator bites are delicious. I have been here twice in the past 4 years and both visits have been pleasant. Service has been good, and atmosphere is tourist friendly. Nightly entertainment bar setting for the party goers, or calm relaxing atmosphere for lunch and dinner for families.We loved Hammerhead Freds and will make it a family stop every year from here on out!
(5)Will R.
Sorry to dispute the other reviews, but....raw oysters were excellent and ice cold. The beer selection was excellent and the bartenders allowed us to try several flavors first (naked pig was my favorite). Also, the stuffed shrimp were very good. Not overcooked. The baby bakers have a great flavor just wish the processed cheese was melted. Music was good just too loud while we were trying to eat. Enjoyable place...long wait.
(4)John L.
Hammerhead Fred's was one of the recommended restaurants in the free map of Panama City Beach provided by our hotel. We were all in the mood for seafood, and according to various internet reviews, this sounded like the place to be. We went around 8p on a Friday night -- what one would assume would be the prime time to go out to a restaurant in a tourist hotspot like PCB (yea bro!!!) -- but were surprised at how empty the place looked. Our hostess greeted us with an incredibly bored "hullo." and led us to our table without another word. We were seated outside, but right next to the door leading indoors -- so close, in fact, that I would have to move my seat regularly to get out of the way of servers and their trays -- and immediately below an incredibly loud fan. There were only four of us, but I had to strain to hear anything that my companions would say. Our server was nice enough, but made sure to tell us immediately that he was quitting after his shift and so he really didn't care about the restaurant. He was quick to tell us which dishes were "awful," which was nice... I guess... The food itself was very poor. All of us have relatively low standards, but none of us finished our extremely expensive and greasy meals. After getting the ridiculous bill, we asked to speak with the manager (despite none of us being the type to nitpick meals, wanting to give restaurants/servers the benefit of the doubt) and he was equal parts apologetic and extremely defensive. He said, "I'll take care of it," taking our bills away. We assumed that this meant that he would comp our meals, as we had such an unpleasant experience. As we were talking with the manager, servers that didn't have any tables were putting up chairs, vacuuming, and swearing at each other. They clearly wanted us to leave. When he returned with our adjusted bills, we saw that him "taking care of it" meant taking 10% off of our $150 meal. Great! Problem solved! The only good part of our meal was the fact that we were able to keep our giant plastic mugs that the "signature cocktails" came in. Hooray...
(1)Angela A.
We had an awesome time here. jamiel was the best server I had had ever in life. Very nice and pleasant. I left the biggest tip I have ever left for any server. The food was delicious. We did find a hair in my food but the manager was very apologetic and even offered me another meal. Usually when we go to panama city, we go to pineapple willys., I think hammered head Fred will forever get our business.
(5)Craig J.
Worst food so far on this vacation and very expensive. Service was mediocre. Beer selection not bad. Wouldn't stop again
(1)Lauren A.
This place was absolutely delicious. They had the best drinks we have had the entire trip. The Hammerhead is the best.
(5)Karen B.
We love this place!! Haven't been to PCB in 5 years. I saw Hammerhead Fred's and rememberd it being good from before. The staff; food; price; everything is wonderful here!! Definitely give it 2 thumbs up!!!
(4)Jennifer H.
Go somewhere else! Food was overpriced and awful. We ordered the captains platter which was described to include "catch of the day", oysters, fried crab claws, scallops, stuffed crab shell and shrimp- sounds good right? We were so disappointed. "Catch of the day" was tiny finger like fish sticks, over cooked fried oysters, everything was fried in the same salty awful batter. (This platter runs $27) We also ordered seafood Mac and cheese-it was dried out and not cheesy. We told our waiter we were disappointed with our food. He told us he'd bring the manager over. Manager never came over instead he gave us a 30% discount. Guess he just didn't care to hear why we weren't happy. So if you are reading this now, my advice to you is to care about your patrons. Listen to their complaint and fix the problem with your restaurant. Maybe then your rating will be better!
(1)Missy R.
Food was okay. Little expensive for lunch time but we didn't have to wait since we went between lunch and dinner. Went by there later that night and the place was PACKED! Recommend going early!
(3)Jake N.
Bread was moldy on my sandwich. Waitress did not really care too much. Didn't offer to comp our bill, didn't apologize, it was mind blowing.
(1)Leah J.
I ate here because my boyfriend said he had eaten here a few times when he was in town before and it's good plus while talking to a hotel employee was told the oysters were great. I was worried we would waste a meal on vacation since the reviews aren't very good. Unfortunately, Saturday night at 8pm they had already sold out of oysters. We were told their supplier had shorted the order. :( We ordered the Ol'Biloxi sampler. It was good, came with a creamy gravy on top. Looked like it had whole grain mustard in it?? The seafood Mac & cheese wasn't really my cup of tea but my bf loved it. He ordered a shrimp trio. The bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with cream cheese came with an amazing spicy apple sauce called Inferno sauce (no worries, the spice level was no where near inferno) The portions were huge and they had a good beer menu. All in all I pleasantly surprised. Not the best meal of my life but a very enjoyable one.
(4)Linda T.
We got there in time for happy hour and got to try their oysters, a dozen for $5.95. I love oysters but they brought it out on a tray with NO ice, yuck, the oysters weren't chilled and room temperature. That was disgusting. The food was a bit overpriced for the type of restaurant it was. We did get to sit outside and see the live music, that was probably the highlight of dining there oh + the bloody marys, those were pretty good. Seems like a pretty touristy spot and pretty busy during peak hours. When we left there were many people waiting.
(3)Frank U.
Great atmosphere, great food and cheap drinks Awesome Happy Hour specials during the off season from 4-6 $2 beers and cheap well drinks Slam packed during Spring Break..worth the $20 cover
(5)Ashleigh D.
I got the fried chicken breast sandwich and it was kinda undercooked. The place was really hard to find where to park as well and we ended up parking in a tow away zone. However, hannah the server was so great! Ask for her if you want gross food.
(1)Adrianne T.
Enjoyed the environment and the drinks :) plus our waitress was great but the food was over priced and over cooked but under seasoned.
(3)Sherye S.
Edit Sherye S. 9/7/2013 Go here for frozen cold food, warm flat beer that arrives 40 minutes after u order and the rudest waiters I have ever experienced in my life!! Worst meal and experience at a restaurant in years!
(1)Robbie G.
good local seafood on the menu. Never had many complaints about this place it tends to be over priced on some items so be careful
(3)Jason V.
We were reluctant to try here based on the overall 3 star rating. We were pleasantly surprised! Everyone in our family enjoyed their meals. Mom's steak was fantastic she said, we had the seafood dip as an appetizer, my first time having a dip like that. It wasn't bad. The only complaint was with the combo platers, they will only prepare all the food on the platers one way. I wanted grilled fish and fried shrimp, couldn't do it. Server was ok, not very informative or excited about anything on the menu. Would come back.
(4)Tom P.
Just didn't work for us. The shrimp tasted as if they were cleaned with cleaning products. Both the lobster bites and bottle tops were extremely salty. The fish taco was okay. The hamburger was average. The oysters tasted sandy. The chicken fingers were interesting.
(1)Tony B.
Service was great! Food was less then desirable. I had " catch of the day" which was mahi mahi & it tasted like shoe leather. Seafood Mac n cheese tasted like it came from a school cafeteria. Not impressed at all!
(2)Carrie S.
This place was terrible. We came around 8:30pm on Friday night. Upon the server recommendation, we tried the crab claws and literally 2 mins later she brought them to our table. They were not hot, and probably had been sitting out prior to us ordering them. We ordered the seafood gumbo which was barely warm and had one shrimp and one scallop in the whole bowl. The server said oh it might be hot, it just came out, a new batch. Ummm, no. Barely warm. Reverse psychology maybe? For the entree we had the mahi mahi tacos with a side of seafood Mac and cheese. Fish was the only thing hot. Tacos were so-so. Not at all impressed, save your $ and go elsewhere.
(1)M. E.
So it was 6 of us that went here on spring break,it was on a wednesday,it was crowded. the waitress "Geni" was very nice. BUTTT she was very forgetful with the things we asked for like our silverware. we didnt get our food in a timely manner but my brother didnt get his meal until all of us were DONE with our.But on top of him NOT gettin his food he bite into a cherry that was in his drink and PULLED out a HAIR frm the cherry in his mouth ...GROSSSS ,he got his food for FREE and she offered every1 dessert but we didnt want it,this place sucks and i hope no one has a bad experience like we did:( check out the picture of the cherry stem im about to add
(1)Bryce K.
Cheap drinks. Meh food. The nachos tasted like Taco Bell and the service was poor. It was late Saturday night after the Florida ironman and they had not staffed for it. Some decent beers on tap but out of half of them and apparently didn't have back ups for them. If u advertise 30 craft beers on tap u should have at Least 20 that are available. Would not return, go to the Wendy's down the street
(2)Robert T.
We had a great meal and service was great. We will be back.
(4)Lyndsey S.
I did not like this place at all. I ordered the special which was grouper and shrimp. It had an overpowering sauce the basically took over the meal. It came with the seafood Mac n cheese, which was tasty, but how do you mess up mac n cheese?! Also ordered the baked oysters. They were so gross! It seemed like they didn't cook them long enough, it was slightly warm and had bad favor. Also the market price was 10.99 for a half dozen and 15.99 for a whole dozen. I thought that was extremely pricey, especially when Dusty's is down the road serving up amazing oysters at 9.99 a dozen or 7.99 for a half. My boyfriend tried to help me finish the oysters and he puked an hour later. Take my advice and just skip this place, especially if you enjoy food.
(1)Matt W.
One of the better known of the big beach restaurants, this was my first trip to Hammerhead Fred's. This visit was on a weekend day a little after noon, and the place had a busy, but not overly crowded main dining area with a diverse group of people and lots of families with young children. The music was a bit loud, but it was a good mix of classics and newer tunes which fit the decor well. Hammerhead Fred's is decorated in a sort of "shabby beach" theme, similar to many of the other restaurants on Panama City Beach, and one needn't look far to see a large fish, surfboard, or dive flag hanging from the wall or rafters. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive, and kept our glasses refilled and our other needs satisfied. I wasn't expecting all that much from the food, as the crowd and overall experience definitely felt more tourist than local (what would you expect?), but I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the fish tacos, which is not something I usually eat, but they were quite good. The fish (not sure what kind it was) was excellent, lightly breaded and fried, and really contrasted well with what appeared to be homemade pico de gallo. This dish came served with a side of coleslaw and a generous portion of fries. The fries were pretty basic - not bad, but nothing memorable either. The Mrs. had their basic burger, which she said was quite good as well. She ordered cheese on her burger, and I thought the dollar add-on for this was a bit much, but it is probably on par with other eateries in the area. Prices for most dishes seemed reasonable, but, as one might expect, the seafood dishes and other specialties at the center of the menu were more expensive. The dishes reviewed above were in the $10 range, while the parts of the menu featuring seafood and steaks were more in the $20-$30 range. Final Words: The place primarily caters to tourists, and this is reflected in the atmosphere, menu, and, naturally, clientele at Hammerhead Fred's. As a local, I know that there are better choices along this stretch of Thomas Drive for this type of food, but tourists would not be completely off base giving this restaurant a try, and they seem to have a good collection of T-shirts to memorialize your trip. Were I to return, it would absolutely be at night to see if the place livens up as the sun falls.
(3)Steve C.
If you are looking for a restaurant that caters to tourists and serves mediocre food at high prices, this is your place. We both tried the Shrimp Casino (grilled shrimp stuffed with crab meat and cream cheese and wrapped in bacon). The shrimp were small, the bacon was greasy, and we are still looking for the crab meat. The french fries appeared to be of the frozen variety. The clam chowder was passable, but if you are from New England you will be disappointed. The Key Lime pie was definitely the frozen variety (ours had not fully thawed yet).
(2)Russ K.
Not so good. Fairly bad tourist food.
(2)Ryan C.
Me, my parents, and my sister went there for dinner on July 12th, 2013 and we all walked away satisfied. I had the oysters rockefeller, which were very nice. The oysters had a generous helping of cheese and spinach and were broiled just long enough to get them melty, which left the oysters still somewhat raw which is how I think it should be. Both of my parents got the Ol' Biloxi Combo and were both happy with what they received. The blackened fish wasn't too spicy, and was tasty. My father especially liked the crab cake that came along with it. I finished off his side of potato bites that came along with it and were much better than I expected for what seemed a rather mundane side. My sister had the Fred's "FEEDING FRENZY" which was way more food than she expected. The chicken tenders were standard affair as were the cheese sticks, but who goes to a seafood place for that anyhow? the fired pickles, however, were fairly nice. the only complaint I have is that for drinks, I ordered a frozen alcoholic beverage, some strawberry and coconut thing, my mom ordered a margarita, and my sister a virgin margarita. Mine and my sister's came in a tall souvenir cup while my mom's came in a standard glass. the menu made no distinction between why and the waiter never mentioned this. The best we can figure is mine and my sisters were frozen and hers was on the rocks, as that was the only difference, therefore hers came in a regular glass. The atmosphere is nice, standard PCB vibe, and we were sat in a new expanded area so it wasn't overly crowded at the time we went (around 6:30) but we drove by later and it was completely packed.
(4)Flash-The-Cache C.
Great place to eat. Service was the best we have had in years. The various shrimp dinners were excellent.
(5)Philip M.
Service and wait staff were wonderful but the food was just below fair. Fired shrimp tasted frozen, sea mac and cheese was unfortunate. They do have good fries.
(2)Kimmie H.
Went to the beach for a nice getaway with my husband and three of our four adult kids. Hammerhead Fred's was having a "crawfish event," which sounded like fun, so we drove over to the restaurant. Didn't look impressive, so we bypassed the "event" and went straight into the restaurant. Sat out on the deck, and that was the best part of the entire experience. Server was decent - slow, but decent. Food was substandard. Daughter's crab legs were still cold, returned them and they recooked them. Sure, I know that crab legs are already cooked before they're frozen, but they still need to be thoroughly warmed before serving, right? The kicker: My son's glass of iced tea had something floating in the bottom, and when we fished it out, it was a piece of stretchy cloth with something stuck to it! I demanded manager, and the server took the glass inside to summon her. The manager emerged and said, "It looks like those footies that you try shoes on with." We were MORTIFIED. She offered to knock some of the food expense off the tab and otherwise didn't bat an eye. So, my advice? Go elsewhere. Anywhere else. There are pretty dining decks are all around PCB - choose one with that practices safe food.
(1)sara f.
My friends and I are like tornado's when we bar hop. We storm in to the restaurant, rush to the bar, have a drink and run out. Our bartender Robert, fully understood our intention the moment we stepped foot inside. It was noon in Panama City Beach in the off season, so poor Robert had no other customers and had to entertain us while we drank. He had a great attitude and offered to make us whatever drink we wanted. They have about 30 beers on tap and I wanted to try them all. He poured a small amount of each beer into a cup and dared me to drink. It was delicious, I also got to name the drink. If you ever find yourself in Hammerhead Freds, try the Ralphy. Thats my specialty. My point is Hammerhead Fred's is a fun, friendly bar, with bar food like all the rest.
(4)Shaggy S.
I recommend sitting outside... its covered, but there is a breeze that comes off of the Ocean that's makes the atmosphere of this place. I asked the waiter what he recommended and he said alligator. I've have never had it so I took his advice. It's chewy but good. The restaurant doubles a club. The music was good. Check it out.
(4)Gaspasn G.
Sounded fun for family vaca- nothing really special. Not worth any wait If u like the crumbs from long john silvers U will probably like this selection. Everything is deep fried. There is no beach view.. Might as well been back in Missouri pretending i was at the beach.
(2)George B.
Stayed at the summit across the street for spring break and decided to grab dinner here one night. First off the beer selection was terrible for a bar this size. And on top of that it seemed like they were out of almost everytap besides bud and miller. Our server was terrible and kept coming back saying that something we ordered was out or couldn't be made tonight. Then our food came. I got the fish and chips and it was disgusting, I wasn't expecting great food but what we got was absolutely gross and over priced. My girlfriend had a chicken sandwich which was very dry and extremely expensive. I would never come back for food, drinks maybe. All in all, go to spinnakers across the street and avoid this tourist trap.
(2)Mark O.
Smoked Tuna Dip #1 quality!! This is a great place with excellent service. We have been to Hammerhead's a few times and it is a great atmosphere for friends and family! About 20 different beers on tap and a full bar but, the dining area is separate and there is also outside dining!
(4)Beth S.
Great atmosphere. There are a lot of people here but you don't feel crowded or uncomfortable while waiting. There is an awesome outdoor extension that has increased that beachy southern feeling with good music, an oyster bar, full bar service and dining tables. It even makes this local girl relaxed and feeling like I'm on vacation. I have a beautiful plate of scallops, crab cakes, shrimp, fish and veggies. The sauce is a bounty of flavor.
(4)Terry D.
Looks like a really cool place, but we wouldn't know for sure considering they were closed WAY before they were supposed to. Call first if it's late night!!! Places in PCB base hours off of the crowd. They will close early if its slow and stay open late if its busy
(2)R C.
Just ate here tonight with my parents and boyfriend. We loved it! We started with a dozen raw oysters and seafood dip. Seafood dip was alright nothing special, but we loved the oysters. Soooo fresh! I ordered the fish tacos and was satisfied. My bf got the tuna sandwich. It looked delicious and the piece of fish was huge. My dad ordered the bourbon tuna and really enjoyed the sauce used on it. Best part of the meal was my mom's shrimp. She ordered the "Shrimp Casino". It was delicious. Shrimp stuffed with crab and cream cheese then wrapped in bacon. It was cooked perfectly. Our waiter "Duvall" was enthusiastic and attentive. If we get a chance to come back during our week here, we will be back.
(5)Ben S.
Not terrible but don't let this be your big beach meal. Everything was fried. Too fried. Gonna be sick tomorrow fried. Ordered alligator that was OK and the restaurant was very accommodating to food allergies. Waiter was nice and food was came out fast. But did I mention that it was all fried. Unless you need a good fried fix don't wait until your big vacation finale dinner for this one and make sure you got some tums around.
(2)andrew h.
okay it's your ordinary good ole beach dive but the food is pretty good but they do deep fry alot of there food, and well beer is cold and my wife likes the strawberry daquiri's fm here oh and gator nuggets
(4)marie t.
Just got into Panama City a few days ago and decided to eat some shrimp. Well...ordered the shrimp wrapped in bacon which never got cooked. Was nust plain nasty and slimy. Sent it back! Tried to eat the new potatoes covered in cheese which tasted quite "yucky". When the shrimp came back...tried to eat it..but bacon was still slimy...so removed it and tried to eat the shrimp. Just tasted "awful".....if you want nasty, "heart-attack" food, dirty inside....EAT here...!!!
(1)Tom S.
Very good food in a rustic beach atmosphere. Excellent friendly service. Reasonable prices. Sufficient parking available. Sometimes must wait for a table, especially when the specials are running. Live music some nights. Watch the newspaper and bill boards for the specials and live music times
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