Elmo's Grill Serving Succulent Seafood & More for Nearly 30 Years

Elmo’s Grill has been in business in SoWal for almost 30 years now and owners Brad and Amanda Josten plan to keep serving great food for 30 more.

“We took over in May 2016 and have done a lot of tweaking to the original menu,” says Brad.

“Basically, the only item we haven’t improved upon is the Key Lime Pie,” continues Amanda. ”We realized early on that some customers were coming in here with seafood allergies, so we expanded our beef, pork and chicken offerings. We also added our massive House Salad to the mix.”

A salad was not included on the original Elmo menu, and just so you know, pretty much everything is massive at Elmo’s. When the couple took ownership they decided to offer bigger shrimp, better-quality fish and snow crab, and started hand-cutting quality steaks for their customers.

They have even enhanced their Gumbo recipe. Now, the gumbo has way more protein in it. Their handmade Crab Cakes are filled with fresh crab meat and served with homemade remoulade sauce. They also added Calamari and Gator Nuggets.

Locals (folks who live in Walton, Bay, or Okaloosa county) are in for a treat with Elmo’s fantastic Locals' Menu. Items are priced mostly at $10 and include various fish, crab cake, scallop and chicken baskets or sandwiches. The Local Sampler, priced at $15, consists of a healthy portion of fish, shrimp, cheese stix, tuna dip, and tortilla chips. Locals can order any beer for only $2.

Steamed Snow Crab Legs have been a longtime favorite at Elmo’s, but some of the newer menu items have taken over in the favorites category and include: The Ultimate Seafood Feast (a large one pound lobster, a half-pound of crab legs and a half pound of shrimp); The Ribeye Steak (14 oz. Rib Eye served with broccoli and red new potatoes); The Ribeye Pork Steak (two 8 oz.  steaks grilled and topped with pineapple mango salsa with broccoli and red new potatoes); and the Captain’s Platter (A healthy portion of fried fish, scallops, shrimp, grilled fish, peel-n-eat shrimp and crab cake).

Steamer selections (served with corn on the cob and red new potatoes) are served in a steaming  pot and can include: Shrimp Steamer; Shrimp & Crab; the Low Country Steamer (full pound of crayfish, half pound of shrimp and andouille sausage; Clam & Mussel (full pound of clams and mussels cooked in a white wine butter sauce); Crab Claw Steamer (a pound and a half of crab claws); and the Ultimate Seafood Feast Steamer  with a large one pound lobster, a half-pound of crab legs and a half pound of shrimp. The AYCE (all you can eat) selections  include the Seafood Platter for seafood lovers and the Surf & Turf for those who want to mix it up.

The Elmo and Friends Kids Menu will keep the wee ones happy and include such tasty offerings as Chicken or Fish Fingers, Corn Dogs, Cheeseburgers and Shrimp Baskets.

French Bread Sandwiches include either fish or chicken (grilled or fried) or a cheeseburger on a bun. Beverages include bottled water, soda or tea with beer (domestic or craft) and wine (by the glass or bottle) available. Dessert favorite Key Lime Pie, Turtle Pie, or Cheesecake Sampler will get you to the finish line with no room to spare!

“We set out to continue the Elmo’s Grill experience and we already had the atmosphere going. Our huge, covered, screened-in porch dining area provides the perfect laid-back feel to it and we have made sure to offer up big portions at a reasonable price for old and new customers,” explains Brad.

Located on the west end of Scenic 30A, just west Butler Elementary, Elmo’s Grill is open daily from 4-10 p.m. with happy hour from 4-5 p.m. Live music starts at 6 p.m. and keeps people hopping until 9 p.m. Currently, live music can be enjoyed on Friday and Saturday  nights with three different musicians rotating throughout the week. The Spring Break daily sessions begin in late March and go through mid-April. The daily sessions will last from Memorial Day through the Summer until mid-August.

With Elmo’s Grill having opened in July of 1990, Brad and Amanda plan on celebrating BIG with their 30th Anniversary celebration sometime during the week of July 4, 2020.

So, come as you are and let the good times roll….just make sure you bring your appetite with you! If you leave hungry from this restaurant, you better get you plumbing checked! For more information, call 850-267-2299, visit www.elmosgrill.com, oramble over to 6931 W. County Hwy. 30A. Elmo’s Grill is wheelchair accessible and accepts all major credit cards.