Boathouse Oyster Bar

Long before it became one of the most recognizable restaurants on Destin Harbor, the Boathouse was exactly what its name suggests: a bait and tackle shop that opened on the harbor in 1986, selling shrimp, ice, and gear to local anglers who would often leave cash on the counter for what they took, an honor system typical of the small fishing village Destin used to be. The bait shop gradually gave way to a full oyster bar and restaurant by the 1990s, and it has now operated on the same stretch of Harbor Boulevard for more than 30 years. Current owners Missy and Chris Schofield took over the business in 2018 and have kept the same easygoing, harbor-rat character intact.

That character shows up the moment you walk in. Dollar bills, left over the years by regulars marking a birthday, an anniversary, or just a good day of fishing, cover much of the wall and ceiling space. More than a dozen TVs keep every table within sight of a game, and staff who have worked the floor for years know plenty of customers by name. Seating spills out onto a dock overlooking the harbor, and live music plays nightly, keeping the bar loud and lively well past dinner. It is a casual, come-as-you-are kind of place, a deliberate contrast to some of the more polished restaurants nearby on the harbor.

Oysters are the reason most people show up. They are shucked to order and served raw, steamed, or baked, with baked preparations that range from the butter, onion, bacon, and mozzarella “Action” oysters to the wasabi and kimchi aioli “Oishii Ollie” and the collard-green-topped “Redneck Rockefeller.” Ms. Wanda’s gumbo, sold by the bowl at the table or packed to go by the pint or gallon, has built its own local following over the years. Beyond the raw bar, the kitchen turns out smoked tuna dip, tuna tataki, shrimp ceviche, peel-and-eat shrimp, sauteed crab claws, mussels, Cajun pasta, and shrimp and grits, along with tiered “Slap Full Buckets” seafood platters meant for sharing, hand-pattied burgers, prime rib sandwiches, and a flat iron steak used in both sandwiches and tacos.

Because the Boathouse leans into its role as a neighborhood hangout as much as a restaurant, it hosts a running calendar of community events, including monthly “Locals on the Harbor” gatherings and summer fishing tournaments like the Summer Slam and the Ding A Ling Cobia Tournament, which draw crews back to the dock to weigh in their catch and celebrate at the bar afterward. Most of the menu is also available to go, useful for anyone renting a boat out of the harbor or staying at a nearby condo who wants seafood without a sit-down wait.

The restaurant is open daily from 11 AM until late at 288 Harbor Blvd, directly on the Destin Harbor boardwalk. It sits close enough to the water that diners can watch charter boats come in with the day’s catch, making it a natural stop either before an evening out along the boardwalk or after a full day on the water. Given the crowds it draws for both the oysters and the live music, arriving early for dinner is the simplest way to land a seat on the dock rather than waiting inside.