3 Fun & Unique Restaurants to Try in Pensacola Beach

Hello everyone! It’s good to be back after a week off for a vacation in the gorgeous Pensacola Beach area! We’ve been slowly working our way west over the past couple of years with vacations in Miramar Beach and Destin. But this time we went back to the place where I spent a lot of college days lounging on the beaches.

We were unfortunately rained out for most of the trip, which kept us indoors instead of on the beach. However, it certainly didn’t keep us from trying out some of the area’s most popular restaurants! This week, I’m excited to share 3 of those restaurants with you so you can try them out, too!

3 Fun & Unique Restaurants to Try in Pensacola Beach, Florida

The Grand Marlin

Grand Marlin restaurant by the water in Pensacola Beach — *The Grand Marlin Restaurant*

Just past the bridge and directly on the water, you’ll find the impressive Grand Marlin restaurant. It’s perfectly situated to catch sunsets on the bay and pass some time strolling along the pier while you wait for a table.

Pensacola Beach bridge and fishin piere around sunset with a heron in the foreground — *Pensacola Beach Bridge and Fishing Pier from behind the Grand Marlin*

It offers both indoor and semi-outdoor seating in an upscale dinner environment with marlins and vintage Pensacola Beach photos around the upper wall. And the menu is deliciously unique, with yummy twists on Southern and seafood classics.

Although the meal comes with a decent-sized price tag and an often lengthy wait, the food is top-notch and the portions are surprisingly large.

For starters, I highly recommend the mountain-sized serving of Blue Angel chips with Statesboro Blue Cheese Sauce or the Kale Caesar Salad.

And for the main dish, try their reimagined Shrimp & Grits, Grouper Piccata, or Chicken Milanese with Panzanella Salad!

Don’t forget to check out their gift shop for unique local-made jewelry, Grand Marlin hoodies (I bought one and it is soooo soft), and more!

Crabs on the Beach

Crabs restaurant at night in Pensacola Beach — *Crabs is right on Pensacola Beach*

If you’re in the mood for a quirky and kid-friendly environment, Crabs, located right by the Pensacola Beach Ball tower, is the place to be!

The restaurant’s aesthetic is a playful ocean them featuring crabs (of course), life rings, buoys, and a shark. Guests sit in long, brightly colored booths and chairs on a covered deck with perfect views of the beachfront beyond. And if you have little ones, be sure to ask about the hermit crab race!

While significantly more relaxed than the Grand Marlin, Crab’s menu has plenty of mouth-watering options. Choose from classic seafood fares like coconut shrimp, she-crab soup, and King Crab Legs. Or, mix it up with a reinvented dish, like Alaskan Crab Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Crab & Shrimp Tacos, and hush puppies with beer cheese.

Crabs also has a cute gift shop below the main restaurant where you can buy beach gear, souvenirs, or your very own hermit crab!

Flounder’s Chowder House

For live music and beach-side vibes, be sure to try Flounders across the street! This incredibly fun venue is a weekend hotspot, thanks to its great food and outdoor activities. Not to mention the resident parrot who greets you as you arrive!

Outside, diners can kick back to enjoy live music on their small, private stage, which features the original sailfish sign of Pensacola! You can also pose in a giant Adirondack chair and chill on the sound-side beach until as late as 2 am. Indoors, the restaurant’s multiple sections vary in style from boat-house to ship themes, all bedecked with plenty of nautical memorabilia. We ate in the “boathouse,” and the ceiling was lined with old boat motors and a Jaws 2 sign!

As you may have guessed from the name, Flounder’s star dish is their Flounder Chowder, which you can take home a quart at a time! However, don’t overlook their incredible Stuffed Flounder (another favorite), chicken alfredo fettuccini, or Cajun fish sandwich.

For appetizers, try the generous serving of Southern Fried Dill Pickles! And for dessert, you can’t go wrong with their 3-layer Key Lime Pie or a gigantic slice of Chocolate Confusion cake! Our party of 9 had leftovers from these 2 enormous desserts!

Flounder’s also has the largest and most diverse gift shop, with everything from clothes to tumblers, ornaments, beach gear, toys, and jewelry for sale! Of all 3 gift shops, this is definitely the most interesting one to check out.

*This groovy van outside Flounder’s sells Snow Cones!*

A Few Notes about Eating in Pensacola Beach

Obviously, the Pensacola Beach strip is full of incredible local restaurants to try during your visit. With so much fresh seafood and unique twists on cuisine, it’s hard to go wrong with your decision.

However, be sure to plan ahead whenever possible for meals because the restaurants are so busy. Especially on the weekends, it’s not uncommon to have a 2-hour wait for a table. When you can, call ahead or go online to make reservations. Alternatively, eat your meals at unconventional hours to avoid the rush (you’re on “beach time,” right?).

You can also cross the bridge and head back to the mainland to try the many restaurants in downtown Pensacola as well if things are too busy.

Do you have any other restaurant recommendations for the Pensacola Beach area? Drop them in the comments below!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll be back next week for a new adventure. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for blog emails and browse some of our previous adventures around the globe!