Restaurant Review: Steamers Restaurant & Grill, Cedar Key, Florida
Steamers is a fun Clam Bar and Grill is on the second story of one of several buildings along the Dock Street pier overlooking Suwanne Sound on the Gulf of Mexico.
Great views of the water from the upper deck, but you are lucky to get a seat out there.
Steamers is located on the top floor above the Island Trading Post.
While there is a small outside deck with great views of the water, there isn’t much seating available for dining there. So we dined inside but still had views of the water due to the open ceiling and expansive window walls. Even though it was a busy, beautiful Saturday afternoon we got very attentive service; the wait staff and bartenders must be well schooled in customer service. The afternoon we dined there a trio of older guys were picking guitars, playing and singing some Texas country classics – Waylon, Willie, Jimmy Buffet tunes – and doing a pretty good job of it.
One of our favorite stouts, Oatmeal Stout, was on tap so we ordered a pair of steins while we waited for a table to clear. Good beer, good tunes, good views of the water (Out on the water you could watch the porpoises jumping), beautiful day, great to be retired and enjoy the good life. The wait wasn’t too long til we got seated.
Jo stealing one of my sweet potato fries!
While Cedar Key is Florida’s Capital of Farm-raised Clams, we aren’t Raw Bar fans; if we have Clams or Oysters it will be in a soup! So Jo and I elected one of our Gulf Coast seafood staples – Mahi-Mahi Grilled and Blackened Sandwich Basket with a side of Cole Slaw and Sweet Potato Fries. The Mahi-Mahi fillets were a decent size and served on a square ciabatta bun, a nice upgrade from the big hamburger bun we’ve gotten at some places. Lettuce, tomato, onions, and tarter sauce were on the side so you elect how you wanted them – in or out of the sandwich. The fries were decent, a generous serving. We thought the Cole Slaw was exceptional. Crisp Red and White Cabbage with Carrot slices in a light tangy, balsamic sauce and a decent-sized bowl. Nice contrast to the blender-chopped stuff in a heavy mayo sauce in a tiny paper cup you get some places.
The meal was great, the Oatmeal Stout outstanding, the ambiance terrific, and a beautiful day looking over the water. Hard to top. 4.5 stars. Looking forward to return visit next year.
Restaurant Review: Grayton Seafood Company, Grayton Beach, Florida
On our previous visits to Grayton Beach we’ve eaten at The Red Bar so on our most recent visit we were looking to try something new. A search on “Google” provided some positive reviews for the Seafood Company located in the main entertainment and shopping portion of Grayton Beach that is located along Scenic Highway 30A away from the beach itself. So we decided to give them a try for dinner.
A warm, comfortable, uncrowded dining atmosphere. Neat little bar area.
My Grayt House Salad topped with grilled chicken breast.
It was a little too cool for us to dine outside in their intimate patio.
We were camping in our RV at Grayton Beach State Park, about a mile walk or bike to the restaurant from our campsite so we decided to burn off some calories walking vs driving. There’s a paved bike & jogging path that runs adjacent to the highway. If you are staying along the beach in town, it’s about the same distance, a mile walk, bike, or drive to Grayton Seafood Co.
While the sign outside indicates “since 1890” the restaurant itself is of much more recent vintage (opened in 2015), although they have done a nice job decorating the interior paneling with weather-worn planks, beer signs, old photographs on the walls, etc. Owned by Kenny Griner it is a family run operation. In addition to Kenny are his daughter, his son, and his son-in-law on-site working in the restaurant. While there are some standard menu items, they pride themselves on locally sourced seafood so current catches drive the menu. They also enjoy trying new selections, often using their Sunday Brunch as a testing ground for new items. For example, through their fun experiments, they discovered customers really liked their “chicken and waffles” combo breakfast-brunch selection!
I was feeling the need for some good “roughage” so I chose their Grayt House Salad that comes with romaine & Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, carrots, croutons & cheese. I added some grilled chicken breast to the mix. The salad was terrific, nicely blend, fresh ingredients and a huge quantity. I’m generally a clean-plate guy and it was a challenge to accomplish it with the size of this meal. Jo went with the Fish of the Day recommended by our server: grilled Amber Jack, a fish she has never tried before. The Amberjack dinner was four or five fillet pieces with a choice of two sides; Jo went with the House Salad and baked potato slices. The fish was delicious and the house salad quite generous. On tap are beers from three local craft breweries: we had the Hooter Brown Ale from Oyster City Brewing Co (in Apalachicola).
Service was friendly and attentive; and we didn’t have to wait too long for our food to arrive. In conversation, we discovered our server, Grayson, has Wisconsin roots – his father founded Trek & Trail in Bayfield, Wisconsin one of our favorite towns along the Lake Superior Scenic Circle Drive.
Overall we give high marks to Grayton Seafood Company, casual dining with artisinal attention to food preparation and menu offerings that “foodies” will appreciate yet at a reasonable price. In summary, very good quality food, good service, pleasing dining atmosphere, good tap beers, and we love family-run places where the owners are in the kitchen and serving customers.
Restaurant Review: The Red Bar, Grayton Beach, Florida
Our favorite Red Bar beverages. Check out the interior decoration in the background!
The Mahi-Mahi sandwich, not quite as exceptional as I remembered from previous dining visits.
Red Bar’s huge and unique blackboard menu is easy to read. Prices shown are 2016. Note cash or check – no credit cards accepted.
This was our third opportunity to dine at the unique Red Bar in Grayton Beach, Florida one of our favorite stops along the Gulf Coast Scenic Drive from Pensacola to Apalachicola. It is the nearest bar or restaurant to the actual sparkling white beach that the town’s name references, so that is one reason for its popularity. Another is its crazy funky interior decorations covering every square inch of ceiling and walls with odd collectibles and notices. It is a fun place to dine and drink and the food ain’t bad either!
My favorite adult beverage at the Red is their signature Bloody Mary, now going for $7 (2018). It is the literal “meal in a glass” having in addition to the Bloody Mary Mix and Vodka, you get a large stalk of celery, a couple of pimento olives, a few dilly green beans, a slice of lemon, and 2 kinds of sweet, mildly hot peppers. Jo had their famous Mimosa, sweet and suitably powerful.
We both ordered the Mahi-Mahi sandwich basket, one of the Red Bar’s specialties we’ve previously enjoyed. Jo found her sandwich as tasty as she remembered and would give it 4.5 stars. However, I felt mine was too dry and a little chewy. I also was surprised it was served on a rather ordinary hamburger bun and the “greens” were iceberg lettuce vs a higher quality loose-leaf lettuce. I’d give my sandwich a 3.5 rating. The service was friendly and prompt. We did have a little trouble understanding our menu options as explained by our server. (After dining at The Red Bar in three different years, it is apparent they employ guest workers or exchange students as wait staff so you can get a mixed bag in expertise in spoken English.) I’ve noticed in checking the reviews on the Zomato website that some of the more recent reviews mirror our recent less enthusiasm for the quality of the food itself.
Slide Show – The Red Bar
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Dining at the Red Bar is always enjoyable and especially when they have live music. If you’ve never been there before, it is must-experience when you visit Grayton Beach. But dedicated “foodies” may want to also check out the Grayton Seafood Company (see our review), located away from the beach along Scenic Highway 30A.
The “beach” at Grayton Beach is one of the finest along the gulf coast. Learn more about visiting Grayton Beach here.
One of Pensacola’s Best places to eat, Jaco’s is upscale casual dining, overlooking Pensacola Bay and the Palafox Pier Marina. Spacious, comfortable tables and seating with cloth napkins, lemon-slice in the water, and more substantial eating utensils give it a touch of class.
Jo getting ready to dig into her tasty Pesto Flatbread.
The overhead heaters and transparent wind screens allow customers to enjoy dining outside even in cooler weather.
Service was also classy. Competent, friendly and attentive wait staff. Refilling my water glass and stopping by frequently to check in during the meal is one of my service check marks and Jaco’s staff did well hitting these marks. My glass of Yuengling tap was served in a frosted glass and had a decent head of foam on it, another mark of quality service. Finally it was not a long wait for our meal to be delivered and it arrived hot so it had not been sitting under heat lamps for long. We give 5 stars for Jaco’s service.
I had their blackened Mahi-Mahi Taco, a dish I often use as a benchmark to compare restaurants. Jaco’s offering was a little different from many others in that it was served in a hard shell taco vs. a soft shell. I found the hard shell easier to consume without a mess of ingredients squeezing out. My previous Mahi-Taco at another dining establishment necessitated lots of finger-licking! Jaco’s Taco is nicely prepared and presented, as good tasting as I’ve had in the past. Instead of fries, chips, or hush puppies, Jaco’s Taco came with an ample combination of brown rice and beans as a side dish plus a mango salsa relish serving. Nice change of pace from the usual side I get.
Jo had their Pesto Flat Bread that came with Kalamata olives, Italian sausage, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, fresh basil, spinach and Pesto Spread. She found it very tasty and filing.
Jaco’s outside dining deck had overhead heaters which allowed us to be comfortable eating outdoors on a very nice sunny day that otherwise would have been too cold and windy to eat out on the deck.
Decent quality food, top service, pleasing dining atmosphere, all for a relatively modest price. Jaco’s is an excellent value; we rate it among the best restaurants we’ve experienced in Pensacola and Pensacola Beach. And reviewers on Zomato also rate it among the top 5 restaurants in Pensacola.
A family posing with their catch from the morning’s charter fishing cruise
The Margaritaville is one of several bar-dining-shopping-entertainment venues along the Destin Harborwalk.
Destin was founded in the early 1800s as a fishing village by Captain Leonard Destin. While now home to 15,000 year round residents, it retains its connection to the fishing industry with over 150 commercial and charter fishing boats in its fleet. It is a mecca for sport fisherman as well as offering opportunities for anyone who wants to experience cruising in a charter boat and fishing in the gulf. You are not likely to come away without catching some fish.
Destin’s unique protected harbor and white sugar sand beaches made it an ideal spot for development of a gulf coast beach community. Hotels and condos line its beaches offering lots of entertainment for its guests. In addition to the hotel and condo beaches, there are about a dozen public beach access points along the Destin shoreline. There is also a popular beach front state park, Henderson Beach State Park, with over a mile of public beach front for day visitors and campers to enjoy. In total the greater Destin area offers over 24 miles of beach along the emerald green gulf coast waters.
Jo stops to view the schedule for the Dolphin Cruises.
Jo and I stopped for a pair of Bloody Mary’s at one of the many outdoor bars along the HarborWalk.
If you are just visiting for the day, the must-see place in Destin is the Destin Harborwalk village. It is built along an extensive boardwalk and walkway along the Destin’s protected harbor. All sorts of amusements and fun things to do and see are offered along the harborwalk: charter fishing, boat excursions, kayaking, paddle boards, jet skis, parasailing, zip line, dining, seafood, musical entertainment, nightlife, specialty shops are among the many enjoyable recreational pursuits.
We enjoy just walking along the quarter-mile long boardwalk with the fresh gulf air and sights and sounds of so many things going on. We’ll generally stop at one of the outdoor cafes along the boardwalk to get a bite to eat, have a beer, and enjoy the musical entertainment.
The world-famous Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron is based at the Pensacola Naval Air Station adjacent to the National Naval Aviation Museum. While the Blue Angels perform air shows all across the country their practice sessions for these shows occur most Tuesday and Wednesday mornings (March to November) at the Naval Air Station and the public can watch these practices at the Museum Flight Line north of the Museum. Admission is free.
Fat Albert, the C130 Hercules Transport, provides transport of support crew and materials for the Blue Angels shows.
The Mitchell B-25 fighter-bomber was my favorite WWII aircraft when I was a kid.
We caught one of these practice sessions in March. It was a great show. I wish that we had arrived early enough to get a seat in the bleachers (room for 1000) as they had the best views of the action plus could better hear the announcer who provided “background color” for the demonstrations. Practices typically begin at 11:30 a.m.(Central Time), and last about 55 minutes. But if you’d like to catch one of those bleacher seats, consider arriving at least an hour earlier.
Backpacks are not allowed, nor are daypacks or luggage items. Small purses, small bags for medication or diaper bags are allowed, however they are subject to search at the entrance. Visitors over the age of 16 also need some identification. If you aren’t in the bleachers you can bring your own folding chairs or can rent one for $3 at the concession area. Concessions also offer bottled water, sport drinks, light food/treats and souvenir merchandise. I don’t recall seeing any porta-potties in the exhibition area so take care of your “bathroom needs” before you arrive.
One surprise bonus of attending the Blue Angels practice was seeing a number of other vintage aircraft located on the Flight Line field.
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet flown by the Blue Angels has served them since 1987. It is a naval strike fighter introduced in the mid-1980s. “Equally at home in air-to-air or air-to-ground missions, the aircraft is highly maneuverable and instrumented to optimize single pilot control of numerous weapons systems.” Although the F/A-18 can reach speeds of 1400 mph, the fastest speed flown during an air show is about 700 mph and the slowest is about 120 mph.
Attending the Air Show practice is neat experience, one I’d recommend to any visitor to Pensacola. On our next visit, I’ll plan to arrive early in the hope of getting a bleacher seat. If I do get one I can take some better pictures and video than I have here.
The Best Small Town Beach Community along the Florida Gulf Coast
Number 1 in Grayton Beach attractions is the “Beach” that fronts the village and the adjacent Grayton Beach State park. This beach is regularly voted among Florida’s top beaches. And according to beach aficionado Dr. Beach, who is also Professor and Director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, Grayton Beach is one of the top 10 beaches in the World! In his annual ranking of Best Beaches World-Wide based upon 50 criteria, Dr. Beach has ranked Grayton Beach tops for 2020.
Along with Apalachicola, the village of Grayton Beach is our favorite small town resort communities along the Florida Gulf Coast Scenic Drive. In contrast to slickly landscaped condo communities in South Florida, created by a myriad of developers, little Grayton Beach has retained it’s character of quaint cottages, some of which are over hundred years old. Aided by a community of artists and artisans, the town retains a unique character and whimsy. As the town’s website says “Grayton Beach is a state of mind. Our town is a funky little beach town full of free-spirited folks with a laid-back attitude. The narrow roads are shaded by southern magnolias, towering pines and moss-draped oaks. The salt air is ever present and so is the fine white sand covering the worn floors of our old beach cottages.”
Jo finds a bench to empty the sand from her shoes after a stroll on Grayton Beach’s famous beach.
One of Florida’s Top White Sand Beaches. The beach itself is a treasure, especially for those who have the special beach passes that allow them to drive on the beach itself. And since the town is actually surrounded by Grayton Beach State Park, there’s always plenty of room on the beach. (see Beach Scenes of Grayton Beach beaches here)
Best Grayton Beach Restaurants & Bars
The funky Red Bar is the lynch pin of Grayton Beach’s tiny downtown.
There are two bars near the beach, The venerable Red Bar (see our review), with its crazy interior decoration motif and signature blackboard menus, and the recently remodeled Chiringo bar down the street. In 2015 we were introduced to the Red Bar, its fantastic Mahi-Mahi basket, signature Bloody Mary, and super-service from the Wait Staff. We also caught some great musical entertainment. The Red is a very popular place and if you can’t get a table right away, rather than wait in line, I’d give its neighbor Chiringo Bar down the street a try. Looks like it would be a fun place. We hope to do a review on our next visit.
Slide Show – A few of Grayton Beach’s Unique Cottages
Their tongue-in-cheek “Grayton Beach: Nice Dogs, Strange People” bumper sticker misleads a little bit because the people are also really friendly. As their website says “Grayton Beach is a state of mind. Our town is a funky little beach town full of free-spirited folks with a laid-back attitude.”
Grayton Beach Visitor and Travel Links:
The Red Bar Restaurant Review – See our review from our third visit in 2018 – still a great Bloody Mary & Funky interior, but the Mahi Basket slipped a little.
Grayton Beach State Park. The state park, Grayton Beach State Park, actually surrounds the town and provides cottages for rent, excellent camping for RVs and tents, hiking trails, biking trails, and canoe, kayaking, and paddle-boarding on its coastal dune lake.
Tourist and Travel Interests in Historic Pensacola
In the early spring we like to escape the cold Wisconsin winters by traveling to Northern Florida and the Florida Panhandle.
One of our favorite places to spend some time is in Pensacola and Pensacola Beach. Since we travel by motorhome, we stay at RV parks and prefer state and national parks for their wilderness settings and hiking trails.
On our first visit to the area we stayed at the Fort Pickens Gulf Islands National Seashore Park campground on the far western end of Santa Rosa island. The island is a gulf barrier island that is mostly within the Gulf Islands National Seashore but also includes the resort town of Pensacola Beach. The Fort Pickens campground and recreation area is about 6 miles west of the busy resort town and is a quiet and low-key contrast to the resort atmosphere.
The Spanish architecture of the Florida State Museum is fitting since it is built on the site of the old Spanish fort
US Customs House & Post Office – 1887 – is now the Escambia County Courthouse. One of many historic government and commercial buildings in the downtown Palafox Historic District.
While Pensacola has many beaches that face Pensacola Bay and has beaches on protected lagoons, only Pensacola Beach and Santa Rosa island have beaches that are actually on the Gulf of Mexico. So when Pensacola residents say they are “going to the beach” they are talking about Santa Rosa island’s lengthy and un-crowded beaches facing the Gulf. Many of these beaches, since they are part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore Park, are quite secluded because they have no hotels or structures fronting the beaches.
Things to See and Do in Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, home of America’s first new world settlement (1859), is known for its military and cultural history, its southern cuisine, and its sparkling sugar-sand beaches. We sampled some of the Pensacola’s military history at the National Naval Air Museum, Fort Barrancas, and at Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa island. The Naval Air Museum (with over 150 planes on exhibit) and the Blue Angels Flying Squadron is by far the most popular Pensacola attraction. We spent several hours there on several return trips and there is still more to see. The actual restored Fort Pickens (the “fort” itself vs the park with the same name) is also a top Pensacola attraction. In 2020 there will be a ferry service from the mainland to the fort which if you are staying in Pensacola itself will save about 50 miles round trip you would normally take by auto to visit the Fort.
Pensacola Historic District Walks
There are two historic districts in the downtown area. Closest to and technically a part of downtown is the Palafox Historic District. The center-piece of this district is Florida’s State Museum which is built on the site of the former Spanish Fort San Miquel, Pensacola’s first settlement. Palafox street itself contains many historic buildings as well as interesting pubs, restaurants and entertainment venues, many with sidewalk cafes. This area has a New Orleans Bourbon Street feel to it. Nearby downtown is the Seville residential neighborhood, also a historic district, with a number of carefully restored and cared-for homes from the 1800s and some from earlier eras.
Within the Seville neighborhood is the Pensacola Historic Village, a complex of unique museums, with restored pioneer homesteads, structures, and artifacts. There are self-guided and directed tours. During some hours the village is populated by costumed interpreters recreating artisan crafts from the 18th and 19th centuries.
See the Slide Show below of historic homes
One of the many restored historic register homes in the Pensacola Palofax-Seville Park neighborhood.
Pensacola's Moreno House 1879
Hendrix House - 1879 - is an example of a southern style of house popular in the 1800s named for its narrow profile and alignment of one room after another without any hallways.
Tuttle House - 1850 - is an example of a "double-barrel" shotgun house, two shotgun houses sharing a common wall between them.
Lear-Rocheblave House 1890 is one of the community of homes and structures in the Pensacola Historic Village museum that can be toured.
Pensacola Dining
Carmens Restaurant, Pensacola
Within the Pensacola historic districts are a number of interesting pubs and dining places.
One of the observation decks along the boardwalk at Pensacola’s Bluff Park
We took a drive along the Pensacola Scenic Bluffs Highway that was advertised in a brochure we picked up. We expected to see quaint cottages, unique restaurants, secluded picnic areas, and bluff-top vistas of Escambia Bay. These bluffs are reputed to be the highest points along Florida’s entire oceon coastline. The scenic drive begins near the Pensacola Visitor & Welcome center (take 17th avenue to East Cervantes Street – also US 90) and ends 11 miles later when US 90 crosses the Escambia River. Bay Bluffs park has an interesting boardwalk trail with some good views of the bay but after that the drive offers little to be called a scenic drive. Unfortunately for us the actual experience fell short of the promotion.
Camping & RVing in Pensacola
In addition to some private parks and campgrounds, campers and RVers can chose from a Florida State Park Campground and a National Park Campground. Both offer beaches on the gulf, some decent hiking/biking trails, modern campgrounds with electric hookups, canoeing and kayaking and in the case of Fort Pickens some impressive historical exhibits.
One of your first stops in visiting Pensacola should be at the Pensacola Visitor Center, conveniently located at the mouth of the Bayou Texar and at the base of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. Convenient parking, helpful staff, lots of maps and brochures, and hot coffee or chocolate. include map on location.
US Naval Aviation Museum. The largest naval aviation museum in the world! Just about anyone, including those interested in naval aviation history, will enjoy. You can spend days there.
