Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants

Dining with Breathtaking Views

Vacationers bound for Destin arrive seeking sunshine, smiles, sand, seafood and more.

Destin delivers all of the above and then some!

This bustling Gulf-side town also serves up amazing views of the Gulf of Mexico, Destin Harbor, and Choctawhatchee Bay. Combine one--or a combination of--those views with scrumptious seafood and you'll create a menu for happy vacationers every time!

Here’s a rundown of some of Destin’s best waterfront restaurants.

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar on the Destin Harbor

116 Harbor Blvd., Destin, FL 32541

AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar has been a Destin staple since 1984, so the restaurant is doing something right! Matter of fact, in those four decades, AJ’s has expanded to four convenient locations, so this popular eatery is doing lots of things right!

The original location on Destin Harbor is still going strong as one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants.

“What began as a popular local hangout known for fresh oysters and cold beer has grown into one of the most iconic ‘hot spots’ on the Destin Harbor,” according to AJ’s website. And as you might expect, the menu has expanded greatly since the old days.

From “Southern Favorites” and “Reef & Range” to “Some Like It Steamed” and “AJ’s Baskets”, the multi-page menu offers a wide range of freshly prepared fare, which also includes sushi, sandwiches, soups, salads, beer, wine and specialty drinks.

The restaurant also serves up three stages of live entertainment and events most days, a Jumbo-Tron screen on the deck broadcasting popular sporting events. And of course, fishing boats entering and exiting the harbor, many unloading their fresh catches within diners’ views.

If you’d like to dine with a view of a beautiful bustling harbor, AJ’s is a great choice.

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - The Back Porch Seafood & Oyster House

1740 Scenic Highway 98, Destin, FL 32541

This iconic Destin restaurant originally became an eatery in 1974 in a small A-frame building on Destin’s sugary white beach. Fifty years later The Back Porch is still in the same location, but in a much more spacious building offering ample indoor and deck dining with sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico.

Creator of the Amberjack Sandwich, The Back Porch also offers up a variety of seafood delivered daily ranging from raw Appalachicola Oysters to grilled Grouper Destin topped with shrimp. In addition, the menu features an array of appetizers, soups & salads, house specialties, seafood favorites and combos, steak & chicken, desserts, and a gluten-free selection. And 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Happy Hour offers up a wide assortment of libations aiming to please.

The Back Porch is an excellent choice for one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants--beachside dining with great Gulf views.

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - The Beach House

4009 S. Sandestin Blvd., Destin, FL 32550

In addition to yummy food and wonderful views, beautiful Gulf-side Beach House restaurant in Sandestin Resort welcomes pets to join diners on the deck, live music on the deck Wednesdays through Sundays, daily beer and wine specials, and Happy Hour all day every Thursday.

The Beach House menu offers up something from seafood seekers as well as landlubbers, ranging from Shrimp Baskets, Fish Tacos, and Gulf Shrimp & Crabmeat Pasta to Beach House Cheddar Burgers, Pulled Pork Sliders, and Chicken Tenders Baskets. There’s also a wide selection of salads and shareable appetizers, a kids’ menu, and an array of sides including pineapple slaw and cheese grits.

Beverages include such unique concoctions as Panhandle Tea, Hemingway Mojito, and Pain Killer.

Whether you’re vacationing in Sandestin or another property, The Beach House is one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants, well worth the trip, and worthy of a bib!

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - Beach Walk Café at Henderson Park Inn

2700 Scenic Highway 98, Destin, FL 32541

“Award-winning” and “fine-dining directly on the Gulf of Mexico” are two of the opening descriptions on Beach Walk Café at Henderson Park Inn’s website. This establishment serves breakfast and dinner daily, as well as brunch on the first Sunday of each month.

Beach Walk Café’s breakfast menu choices include a variety of egg preparations such as Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon and Omelets, Southern Biscuits and Gravy, Avocado Toast, Smoked Gouda Grits, Pancakes, Belgian Waffles and much more. The dinner menu ranges from Crab Cakes and Fish Tacos to Grilled Lobster Tails.

Henderson Park Inn is nestled in Henderson Beach State Park, which encompasses a mile of undisturbed beach. Definitely worthy of being called one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants, Beach Walk Café is open to guests of the Inn and others.

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - Boathouse Oyster Bar

288 Harbor Blvd., Destin, FL 32541

Popular Boathouse Oyster Bar has long been a fixture on Destin Harbor. “With fresh oysters, cold beer and live music every day of the week, it’s easy to see why we’ve been a staple on the Destin Harbor for over 30 years!” exclaims the restaurant’s website.

In addition to Ms. Wanda’s award-winning gumbo, the restaurant serves up raw, steamed, baked, chargrilled, "Redneck Rockefeller" oysters and more, as well as chili, soups, sandwiches, tacos, wings, crawfish, and entrees like Grilled Shrimp and Tuna Steak, Prime Rib and Cajun Pasta.

Boathouse Oyster Bar also offers a wide array of libations, hosts fun events, and is one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants. Plus, views of the Destin Harbor are in ample supply indoors and on the deck. Watch fishing boats come and go, and frequently unload fresh catches, all while you're dining on fresh catches that arrived the same way!

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House

414 Harbor Blvd., Destin, FL 32541

On the Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House website, the owners invite guests to “be as casual and comfortable as they can be while experiencing the absolute finest dining offered on the Destin Harbor.”

The menu offers “Gulf to Table Southern Cuisine,” for lunch, dinner, desserts, and kids, including such appetizers as Fried Green Tomato & Jumbo Lump Crab, Local Blue Crab Claws, True Alabama Feta Cheese Dip, and Baked Pimento Cheese Dip. The choices continue under the categories of From the Oyster Bar, Standards, Soup, Salads, Fixins, and of course, Libations, which range from Mojitos on the Harbor to Blackberry Whiskey Sour.

And the harbor peppered with boats provides a great backdrop for live music outside two or three evenings a week. Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House is definitely one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants!

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer

210D Harbor Blvd., Destin, FL 32541

Sitting on the Destin Harbor, Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer describes itself on its website as a “southern fish house” specializing in local seafood, produce, and a wide array of steamed and boiled shellfish platters. Some of the restaurant’s popular dishes include steamed snow crab, lobsters, and mussels.

Locally owned and operated, Brotula’s serves up “made-from-scratch” lunch six days a week, dinner seven days a week, and brunch from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Sundays. And the restaurant holds Happy Hour from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week, with half off several beer, wine, and cocktail choices as well as discounted appetizers.

Watch fishing boats come into and leave from the harbor as you enjoy fresh seafood and refreshing cocktails. And know that you are dining at one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants!

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - Captain Dave’s On The Gulf

3796 Old Highway 98, Destin, FL 32541

For more than 50 years, this Destin mainstay has been serving up “American seafood cuisine infused with a contemporary Gulf Coast twist,” according to its website. Floor to soaring ceiling windows offer diners sweeping panoramic views of the Gulf coast.

Menu samplings include the Hot Dang Shrimp, Homemade New England Style Clam Chowder, Cajun Redfish, Mahi Parmesan, Filet Mignon, Chargrilled Chicken, as well as Seafood Combinations and Surf & Turf, a Kids Menu, and much more.

Fresh ingredients + a beachside location = Captain Dave’s, one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants.

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - The Crab Trap Destin

3500 Scenic Highway 98, Destin, FL 32541

Sitting alongside Destin’s pristine coast in James Lee Park, The Crab Trap Seafood and Oyster Bar serves up mostly fresh local ingredients transformed into signature appetizers and dishes such as Hot Crab Dip, Bronzed Grouper, Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy, and Grilled Filet.

For variety, the restaurant also offers Alaska Snow Crab Legs, Alaska Dungeness Crab, Alaska Crab Combo, and much more. The Crab Trap also has a Kids’ menu accommodating even picky eaters.

The inviting setting features “open air windows, sun-bleached wood, local art and hand-carved seaside sculptures,” according to the website. There’s a beach bar for enjoying cocktails with a view and a beach playground that’ll keep the kids busy if there’s a well-deserved wait at this popular eatery.

The Crab Trap offers something for everyone making it one of the Destin's best waterfront restaurants!

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - The Crazy Lobster

138 Fisherman’s Cove, Sandestin Resort’s Baytowne Wharf, Destin, FL 32550

“Where indoor dining meets outdoor atmosphere!” That’s how The Crazy Lobster website describes the restaurant which offers live music, fresh seafood, and much more from its dockside dining spot along the shore of Choctawhatchee Bay in Sandestin’s Baytowne Wharf.

The menu selection is tall and wide and includes such tried-and-true items as Firecracker Shrimp, Spinach Dip, and Lobster Bisque interspersed with unique offerings such as Kurobuta Pork Belly Salad, Southern Fried Lobster & Waffle, and Pork Porterhouse. The Crazy Lobster also serves up a selection of beers, seltzers, and cocktails in a can.

Whether you’re staying in Sandestin or not, you’re invited to come enjoy The Crazy Lobster’s fare and join in the dockside fun at one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants!

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - Dewey Destin’s Harborside

202 Harbor Blvd., Destin, FL 32541

Dewey Destin’s great great grandfather, Leonard Destin, founded the world’s luckiest fishing village in 1835. As a huge nod to their ancestor, “the Destin family now honors Leonard’s love of the water by serving fresh, sustainable seafood in the family-owned restaurants in three locations along the Gulf Coast including two in Destin and one in Navarre.”

Pull up your chair and order from a lengthy array of steaks, salads, and seafood, including evolving catches of the day, Steamed Royal Reds Shrimp, Soft Shell Crab Sandwiches, Oyster Po’boys, and much more. There’s also a Kids’ menu, and full selection of libations.

Closely intertwined with Destin’s history, Dewey Destin’s is not one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants, but also a great place to dip a toe into local lore.

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - Harbor Docks

538 Harbor Blvd., Destin, FL 32541

Since 1979, Harbor Docs has been serving fresh, made-from-scratch local dishes to happy diners. In 1981--two years after opening--the iconic restaurant situated beside Destin Harbor, also opened a fresh-seafood market, further ensuring the restaurant serves only the best.

"Once our seafood is harvested from the Gulf, it is unloaded at our docks, cleaned in our market, and delivered upstairs to our restaurant. It doesn’t get any simpler than that," according to Harbor Docks website.

From House Smoked Yellowfin Tuna Dip, Gulf Grouper Parmadine and Seafood Gumbo to Fried Green Tomatoes, Paneed Chicken and Ribeye Steaks, diners choose from a swath of seafood-lovers' and landlubbers' dishes. They also enjoy the atmosphere and opportunity to see seafood as it is unloaded from incoming fishing boats, further making Harbor Docks one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants.

Destin's Best Waterfront Restaurants - LuLu’s

4607 Legendary Marina Drive, Destin, FL 32541

"Fresh Coastal Cookin'," is the way LuLu's website describes its fare. And there's plenty of fare to choose from on LuLu's menu. From Starters & Snacks, Big Ole Salads, and Entrees, to Favorites, Sandwiches, Cheeseburgers, and more, the selection is tall and wide.

Right off the Mid-Bay Toll Bridge on Choctawhatchee Bay, LuLu's serves made-from-scratch dishes created by the restaurant's owner Lucy Buffett (Jimmy's sister) ranging from "seafood favorites" to "allergy-friendly choices". And they offer a wide variety of cocktails and more ranging from Margaritas and Pina Coladas to LuLu's Rum Punch and a spectrum of beer choices.

The restaurant also features live music, hosts events, and has an arcade and glitter tattoos and more for the kids, as well as a kids' menu that's sure to please, helping make it one of Destin's best waterfront restaurants!

The Perfect Accommodations

If you've now worked up an appetite and are longing for beautiful waterfront views--as well as everything else Destin has to offer--head on down to where there's an abundance! BeachGuide has you covered if you're searching for the best place to stay, Destin Florida Vacation Rentals | Condos and Rental Houses (beachguide.com). Or call one of our friendly vacation planners at 1-888-404-2602.

Published on Tuesday, October 24, 2023