New Seaside Restaurant?

Shades has closed and a fancier place will open there after remodel. I think the targety date was around April 1.

http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=241
http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=2617
http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=3089

I don't know of any rustic, family seafood places with views except Nick's On The Bay, which is 10 minutes west of Freeport. There is also Pompano Joe's on the beach in Destin, but I have never been inside.

Shades has closed and a fancier place will open there after remodel. I think the targety date was around April 1.

http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=241
http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=2617
http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=3089

I don't know of any rustic, family seafood places with views except Nick's On The Bay, which is 10 minutes west of Freeport. There is also Pompano Joe's on the beach in Destin, but I have never been inside.

and in Panty Bra City Beach, there is Schooner's the last local beach club, located on the east end of Front Beach Rd near Thomas Dr.

Pompano Joe's food is pretty bad. The service is also lacking. Nice atmosphere for lunch though cause they open the windows and you're right on the beach.

You could drive into Destin and go to the Back Porch. I wasn't crazy about it, but the teenagers like it. It's also right on the beach with a playground for the kids. Or if you want a great meal go to Louisiana Lagniappe in the Sandpiper Cove community in Destin. It's on the marina. Fabulous food and fairly casual. Not really a kiddie place. My hubby and I will be there at least twice next week. :clap_1:

Pompano Joe's and Back Porch are owned by the same restaurant borg, and serve the same sort of indifferent seafood. I find both of Crab Trap's locations to have that same sort of meh. Generally, most of the view restaurants seem to not bother as much with the food because it seems like they know they'll get people in for the scenery, alas.

The better chow with your scenery:

3-Thirty-1/Seabar- nice enough bay view. Watch the coal barges go under the bridge
Dewey Destin's- kind of hard to find (turn north at the absolute last road before the Destin East Pass bridge and follow the signs after that) and not much to look at but good food and a fun view of the Crab Island area
D&K's- nice view from the second floor, good fried fish sandwiches, somewhat limited menu

Old Bay Steamer! Does anyone ever make it out there? It's to die for.

Old Bay Steamer! Does anyone ever make it out there? It's to die for.

Isn't that past the Factory Stores (aka - Outlet Mall)? I never make it that far west.

Isn't that past the Factory Stores (aka - Outlet Mall)? I never make it that far west.

I know you don't. Other people do though. :roll:

The Beach Club in Santa Rosa Beach is hard to beat for the views from practically any seat in the house. Also, friendly service and easy parking if you have elderly family members along. The food is rather pedestrian, but salads and sandwiches are good. Prices not bad. The only thing is that they're not always open to the public, because it is a private club, too. Would be a good idea to call ahead, either way.

The Beach Club in Santa Rosa Beach is hard to beat for the views from practically any seat in the house. Also, friendly service and easy parking if you have elderly family members along. The food is rather pedestrian, but salads and sandwiches are good. Prices not bad. The only thing is that they're not always open to the public, because it is a private club, too. Would be a good idea to call ahead, either way.

Fantastic views yes. Theme and atmosphere like Joe's Crab Shack - not even close.

Shades has closed and a fancier place will open there after remodel. I think the targety date was around April 1.

http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=241
http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=2617
http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=3089

I don't know of any rustic, family seafood places with views except Nick's On The Bay, which is 10 minutes west of Freeport. There is also Pompano Joe's on the beach in Destin, but I have never been inside.

Speaking from a vacation slob's point of view- what is up with all the fancy shmancy places and the decline of the casual fun places? Do that many people vacationing in SoWal truly get off the beach every afternoon early enough to get all dressed up to go out and pay piles of money for dinner? What a Pain in the a$$. I can do that here.

We might actually go out more to eat if there were more places like Shades and D&K's. I would love to see funky places with fun food (not just burgers and grouper sandwiches)- good dips, breads, interesting salads, tapa-type stuff. I want to wear a t-shirt, a not-dressy skirt, and flippies. My bra may be my bathing suit top. I might have sand stuck to my feet. I won't be wearing cut-offs, but I don't want Bdarg to have to dress like he's golfing either! And please don't bring a chicken wing near me!

Isn't that past the Factory Stores (aka - Outlet Mall)? I never make it that far west.

Old Bay Steamer is even further west than that- Okaloosa Island on Santa Rosa Blvd by the fire station. There are some decent places in that area if anyone does find themselves that far west. Magnolia Grill is in an old oversized Southern home with tons of old photos, yearbooks, and the like from the area for you to look at. Summerhouse doesn't have the view it used to when it was in downtown FWB, (it moved to the Island a while back) but the food's still good. Staff's is very old school, and the decor is a bit dated, but they know how to cook fish.

Speaking from a vacation slob's point of view- what is up with all the fancy shmancy places and the decline of the casual fun places? Do that many people vacationing in SoWal truly get off the beach every afternoon early enough to get all dressed up to go out and pay piles of money for dinner? What a Pain in the a$$. I can do that here.

We might actually go out more to eat if there were more places like Shades and D&K's. I would love to see funky places with fun food (not just burgers and grouper sandwiches)- good dips, breads, interesting salads, tapa-type stuff. I want to wear a t-shirt, a not-dressy skirt, and flippies. My bra may be my bathing suit top. I might have sand stuck to my feet. I won't be wearing cut-offs, but I don't want Bdarg to have to dress like he's golfing either! And please don't bring a chicken wing near me!

Those were the PAST days of our lives. Good point jdarg. I wish people would listen. I guess the people that live in the area year round want something more than just a beach club, but we tourist want a beach club atmosphere; hard to marry the two.

Thanks for all the advice on casual seafood places (sounds like there are not many options). My wife grew up in Mississippi and used to talk about "crab shack" type places all along the Gulf, but I guess those places are disappearing.

Incidentally, does anyone actually know what the "fancy" place is that is replacing Shades in Seaside, or when it will open?

Does anyone know what's going in the old Fermentations spot? They're working on renovations and I heard that it might be a food place.

DBUCK - I can't speak for all the full-time residents, but count me as one who would cheerfully trade a couple of high-end fine dining places for a couple of cheap, funky, casual, old-fashioned seafood joints on 30A. I'm worn out with $50 to $100 tabs for a quick dinner after a long day of work and no time to cook. The recent losses of Shades, Wheel House, and Luna del Mar are biggies to us. Much as I like Harbor Docks in Destin and Dusty's in PCB, they're a little too far from Seagrove for a quick weeknight dinner. Even 331 is a stretch if you're not making an evening of it.

Envying those of you in Blue Mountain, you've got Goatfeathers and Snapperheads. I'm wishing in vain for something in the Seaside to Rosemary stretch.

<Rant mode off>

I realize this is quite obvious, but you can forget about an rustic, inexpensive eateries coming to SoWal- land prices wont support it- its going the other way, unfortunatley. If you drive East to the Carrabelle, Apalachicola area there are still some joints....probably soon to be replaced with a Red Lobster. Thats the flip side of price appreciation....

DBUCK - I can't speak for all the full-time residents, but count me as one who would cheerfully trade a couple of high-end fine dining places for a couple of cheap, funky, casual, old-fashioned seafood joints on 30A. I'm worn out with $50 to $100 tabs for a quick dinner after a long day of work and no time to cook. The recent losses of Shades, Wheel House, and Luna del Mar are biggies to us. Much as I like Harbor Docks in Destin and Dusty's in PCB, they're a little too far from Seagrove for a quick weeknight dinner. Even 331 is a stretch if you're not making an evening of it.

Envying those of you in Blue Mountain, you've got Goatfeathers and Snapperheads. I'm wishing in vain for something in the Seaside to Rosemary stretch.

<Rant mode off>

Treefrog, count me in right in your camp. We too live here full time and am sick and tired of the unneccessary high $$$$ for casual dinners. We try to go to Snapperheads whenever we can or Amore but we live close to Rosemary and are dying for some cheaper eats nearby. Shades by the loop is OK but I feel I have gone in a hundred times since it opened, and unfortuantely Seacrest Caft makes me feel like I am back in college eating in a cafeteria!

What is truely missing are all the wonderful ethnic foods that other citites have: Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian) where you can be assured a good meal anf not have to put down $50 meal

The Beach Club in Santa Rosa Beach is hard to beat for the views from practically any seat in the house. Also, friendly service and easy parking if you have elderly family members along. The food is rather pedestrian, but salads and sandwiches are good. Prices not bad. The only thing is that they're not always open to the public, because it is a private club, too. Would be a good idea to call ahead, either way.

Is the beach club open to the public????

Does anyone know what's going in the old Fermentations spot? They're working on renovations and I heard that it might be a food place.

cafe rendez-vous is opening a second location there. wine bar with tapas and salad, and ???

Is the beach club open to the public????

most of the time, it is open to the public. Great views, good service, food is okay.

cafe rendez-vous is opening a second location there. wine bar with tapas and salad, and ???

Thanks! Where is the first location? Is it good?

most of the time, it is open to the public. Great views, good service, food is okay.

Better for lunch or dinner? And thanks for responding so quickly!!

Better for lunch or dinner? And thanks for responding so quickly!!

Since I think the food is average, I recommend going for lunch to get the view. Don't try to compare their burgers to Snapperheads. Just enjoy the view. ;-)

I noticed Shades is no longer on the Seaside website, and have read that it may have moved and is being replaced by something else. Can anyone confirm this? Does anyone know what kind of place is taking its place, and when it will open (we are going back in May)? It was already pretty tough to get a table in Seaside without the options becoming fewer, and Shades was a pretty fun place.

Also, can anyone recomend a good, casual, family seafood place in the Seaside area that has some rustic charm to it, preferably with a view? I'm thinking of something like the dive that probably inspired the Joe's Crabshack Chain (I hate chains).

Thanks.

I have two friends who are to start working at the new restaurant in Shades place. It is to be white linen - so...