Restaurants and Nightlife in Perdido Key Florida and Pensacola Florida

Dining in Perdido Key Florida

The Oyster Bar, Waterfront Dining
This local institution is a five minute minute walk from the Perdido Cove RV Park and Marina.  Enjoy the waterfront views of the Intracoastal Waterway.  We recommend the broiled seafood platter accompanied by a pomegranate martini and for dessert the Banana’s Foster. They have live music on the weekends.

El Vallarta Mexican Restaurant
Located just under  mile from the Perdido Cove RV Park and Marina.  Great place to go for authentic Mexican food with menu items made from family recipes that were passed down from generation to generation in the owner’s family.  Don’t miss the chips and salsa.  Tuesdays are a great day to go because every second entree is 1/2 price.  Margarita’s are on special on Thursdays. 

Sunset Grill
This is a great locally loved gem tucked away in Holiday Harbor in Perdido Key Florida.  Most of the tables are on the quaint deck that overlooks the scenic Intracoastal Waterway.  You can arrive by car or boat.  The restaurant lives up to it’s name and is positioned to be one of the best places on the Gulf Coast to watch a sunset.  If you’re lucky you’ll be able to watch dolphins jump as the sun goes down in a glowing red sky.  The food is good, economical and the service is fast and friendly.  Gwen Vickers, Regional Director of Operations for Innisfree Hotels recommends this restaurant.  Her favorite item on the menu is the grouper wrap.

Hub Stacey’s in Perdido Key Florida
An atmospheric watering hole at which you can arrive by boat or foot that is very popular with the locals.  Canal facing location with an outdoor deck which is shaded by the large trees which populate the parking lot.  Known for great sandwiches and wings and for lively karaoke on Saturday nights. 

The Jellyfish Bar
Voted as having the best Sushi on the Gulf Coast.  Although it’s not traditional you may choose to wash it down with one of their award winning Martini’s.  Best of all they have a daily Happy Hour.

Bella Luna Pizzeria
Located above The Reef Bar this is the place to go if you are looking for hand tossed New York and Sicilian style deep dish.  We personally recommend the manicotti and house salad. They will deliver it to your home on wheels at the Perdido Cove RV Park & Marina.

Lillians Pizza
This is a very popular local pizza place.  The dough and sauces are made from scratch. They also have specialty sandwiches; our recommendation is the Muffuletta.

Triggers Seafood
They have good fried seafood and feature a ‘Catch of the Day’ daily special.  Don’t miss their homemade bread pudding with whiskey sauce.  It might be the best dessert on the coast.

Fisherman’s Corner
This place might have the best seafood Cajun pasta and calamari on the Gulf Coast.   The food is really great, the atmosphere is casual and the patio is pet friendly. Hanging out here will make you fee like a local in the know.

Dining in Downtown Pensacola

The Fish House & Atlas Oyster House
Owned by locally loved and very successful businessman Collier Merrill, this is one of the most popular establishments in downtown Pensacola.  Enjoy great views of the Three Mile Bridge from their dining room and patio.  Expect your meal to be amazing.  They’re known for seafood but the steaks are top notch as well.  If you are adventurous try their famous Grits a Ya Ya.  Check out their awesome blog.

Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen & Tap Room
Live music, over 200 beers on tap and awesome pizza served until 2am in Downtown Pensacola.  There pizzas are awesome but best of all they have hand cut french fries fried in duck fat that will make your toes curl in happiness.  They serve a full menu every night until 2am in case you have some late night munchies. On Tuesdays drinks are $3 from 7pm to 3am.  Friday’s they have free live music.

McGuire’s Irish Pub
Very popular local restaurant in Downtown Pensacola that is known for having over a million dollars stapled to their walls.  The atmosphere is fun and the food is good.

Happy Pig Cafe
If you want to try some great authentic southern BBQ this is the place to go.  The pulled chicken and the pulled pork are truly delicious.  The baked beans are sweet and perfect.  The price is right and the service is very friendly.  Sitting on their patio in the heart of historic Pensacola is a treat.

Jackson’s Steakhouse
Occupies the ground floor of the revitalized historic building that overlooks Plaza Ferdinand in downtown Pensacola. It is located right across the street from where Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States, planted the first American flat on Florida soil.  Did you know that Pensacola was the first European settlement in the New World? The chef at Jacksons is Irv Miller and he is one of 5 local celebrity chefs that twice represented the Gulf Coast at a prestigious dinner at the James Beard house in New York.

Dharma Blue Cafe
Located in a renovated historic house on Seville Square this funky restaurant will make you feel happy you traveled to downtown Pensacola.   The atmosphere is urban southern funky.  The patio is a nice place to soak up four centuries of local history.

The Global Grill
Tapas menu and elegant romantic atmosphere.

Dining in Orange Beach Alabama and Gulf Shores Alabama

The Hangout in Gulf Shores Alabama
This giant theme park like restaurant on the beach in Gulf Shores is a must see local tourist attraction.   They regularly have live music and there are lots of televisions for football games.  They also have a great gift shop where you can get one of their iconic staff t-shirts saying “Be Nice or Go Home.” 

Lu Lu’s at Homeport Marina
This iconic theme park like restaurant was founded by Lucy ‘LuLu’ Anne Buffett; Jimmy’s little ‘Sista’.”  Lu Lu’s menu is laid-back and southern and highlights classic dishes like Fried Green Tomatoes and Crab Claws.  They’re most famous for their Cheeseburger in Paradise and Crab Melt sandwich made with sweet crab meat, Swiss cheese, green onions and mayo on fresh French bread.  Be sure not to pass on the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with gooey vanilla custard sauce and fresh pecans.  It might be the biggest restaurant you’ve ever visited.  It’s located directly on the Intercoastal Waterway and you can arrive by car or boat.  It’s the perfect place to loose an afternoon watching boats cruise down the canal.  There’s live music every night in the summer and cocktails aren’t in short supply.  You can read all about it on our blog.

Cobalt Restaurant
Located on the canal as you enter Orange Beach Alabama this restaurant has one of the most creative menus in the area.   It’s upscale casual dining room is beautifully decorated and the waterfront deck has a spectacular view of the canal and a small white sand barrier island that is popular with local boaters.  It is a great place for a leisurely lingering romantic dinner, especially if you are searching for a break from ‘battered and fried’ southern food.  I has a wide array of pasta, seafood, custom pizzas and steaks as well as great burgers.

Gulf Island Grill
We recommend the crab stuffed grouper, in second place is the Gulf Island Ya Ya.

Live Bait Restaurant
Fun hopping local night life as well as a decent restaurant.  Karaoke in Tuesdays and Sundays at 8pm.

Shipp’s Harbour Grill
This is place if you are looking for a romantic dinner.  They have sushi, steak, seafood and great appetizers.

Original Oyster House
Very popular place so there is always a wait.

Lambart’s Cafe – Only Home of Throwed Rolls‘
Located in Foley, Alabama it is worth the drive.  Expect to wait an hour or two for a table.  Don’t despair because they circulate free southern snacks like fried okra to stop your blood sugar from dipping to low.  Food is good down home southern cooking.  They will not bring you bread though.  Instead they throw it from across the room and you gotta catch it.  Lots of fun for families if your kids can wait.

Sea n’ Suds on the Beach in Gulf Shores Alabama
This restaurant is located on a dock perched over the Gulf of Mexico in Gulf Shores right behind the Seawind Condos.  It’s always packed because the food is simple and great.  They serve basic but yummy burgers, fries, standard array of fried seafood and a simple salad bar.  The service is friendly and the food comes out really fast – especially if you want take out.  The price is right if you’re feeding a family.

Pirates Cove
Located near Elberta, Alabama (in Josephine) and worth the drive.  Long time local favorite which has survived many a hurricane.   Feels like a well loved ‘riff raff’ kind of beach place.  Their hamburgers are to die for.  The paper bag they come in will be covered in a big ole grease stain before you have a chance to sink your teeth in.    It is also a great place to enjoy some cocktails especially Bushwackers.

Gulf Shores Steamer
If you’re looking for some a break from fried seafood then this is the place to go.  Their motto is in fact ‘no fried’.  This restaurant is well known and has been featured in magazines and newspapers such as Southern Living, Coastal Living and the New Orleans Times Picayune.  They serve delicious steamed Royal Red shrimp, snow crab legs, mussels and oysters as well as grilled fish, hand-cut steaks, grilled chicken breasts, sandwiches, and even a cheeseburger.  Great place for a big group as their specialty is combination platters that feed lots of people.

Original Oyster House
This place was profiled on the Food Network a couple of times so it must be good!