Posted on 9/15/2014By the Ocean Reef Editorial Team
In addition to the beautiful beaches of Northwest Florida, many of our Ocean Reef Resorts guests enjoy experiencing wonderful dining destinations along the Destin Harbor. Besides the great food and fresh caught savory seafood fare the atmosphere along the vibrant harbor is terrific. Many of these water-side restaurants have vivid views of the glistening gulf in the background along with the fleet of charter fishing boats and big private yachts that cruise in and out of the docks located at the Destin Marina near Harborwalk Village. The following 3 Destin Harbor Restaurants provide a popular rendezvous point to relish fabulous food and ambience.
One of the most popular seafood restaurants in Destin is Harbor Docks and they take great pride in only serving fresh fish caught by local fishermen in the gulf. Local resident Charles Morgan started Harbor Docks as a simple "Oyster Shack" in 1979 that had a few picnic tables and served cold beer. Harbor Docks greatly expanded over the years with air conditioning, a full bar and even valet parking, but the picnic tables as well as the casual friendly atmosphere have remained. Appropriately enough, this Destin seafood restaurant overlooks the "harbor docks" with southerly views across Holiday Isle as well as the gorgeous gulf in the distance. Besides serving locally caught fresh seafood from the gulf, all of their food is made from scratch for a very delicious down home taste. Due to established connections Harbor Docks Seafood now sells fish to other Destin restaurants but you can probably guess who gets first pick. Besides lunch and dinner Harbor Docks now serves breakfast. They even have a Sushi Bar which has become quite popular!
Another fantastic popular restaurant along the Destin Harbor is the legendary AJ's Seafood & Oyster Bar that started as a simple oyster shucking spot right on the docks thirty years ago. AJ's overlooks the marina where the private charter fleet unloads their catch of fresh fish daily. Over the years AJ's expanded by popular demand due to the awesome location and savory seafood served. The main dining room is dockside below while a giant partially covered Tiki Hut and open deck upstairs is now known as The Oyster Palace at Club Bimini. Delicious oysters and cold beverages are served here along with regular fare and live bands rock the night away almost every evening. Their varied menu has an extensive choice of seafood for lunch, dinner, and delicious late night Club Bimini appetizers. Steaks and burgers are also available for the "landlubber" crowd.
One of the newest Destin seafood restaurants to open is called Boshamps which sits high upon a sand dune overlooking the harbor. Their "Gulf to Table Southern Cuisine" is served in a relaxed family friendly setting. This popular location was recently extensively remodeled from the original Flamingo Cafe site and now has four decks that tier down the dune providing multiple panoramic views of the sensational watery scene. A sandy beach below serves as a fun kid's playground which accentuates the wonderful casual atmosphere. Their chef Andi Bell specializes in cuisine that combines gulf caught seafood with some Caribbean accents and a flair for favorite Southern styled cooking. Besides fresh gulf caught seafood they also proudly serve savory meat, poultry and vegetables that are locally grown in the southeast. Bon appetite down on the Destin Harbor to all our visiting Ocean Reef guests!
Keep reading: Why is Destin so popular?
The Ocean Reef Editorial Team leads the market in vacation rental, real estate, and coastal lifestyle content, with decades of Destin & 30A expertise behind every story. As the area's largest locally owned and longest continually operating vacation rental company, we welcome over 200,000 guests each year and reach millions who dream of the beach. Our guides serve travelers, homeowners, and locals alike, sharing authentic knowledge you can trust-because this coast isn't just where we work, it's where our story began, and where we'll continue to welcome generations to come.
