Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant

Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant has anchored Grand Lagoon since 1967, when brothers Jimmy and Johnny Patronis opened a seafood house that would grow into one of the Gulf Coast’s most recognized restaurants. For decades the Patronis brothers ran the business themselves, alternating day and night shifts nearly every day of the week, a hands-on commitment that built the kind of loyalty that keeps multiple generations of the same families returning every summer. In 2026 the restaurant marks its 59th anniversary, and younger generations of the Patronis family now carry on that same day-to-day involvement in the dining room and kitchen.

What began as a modest seafood house has expanded into a waterfront destination on Grand Lagoon with more than 725 seats, among the largest independent restaurants on the Emerald Coast. Capt. Anderson’s serves more than 250,000 guests during its 11-month season, a volume that reflects both its size and its enduring popularity with Panama City Beach visitors. The restaurant does not accept reservations, so parties add their name to a wait list at the door, a Gulf Coast institution in itself for regulars who know to arrive early on busy summer evenings.

The menu centers on local seafood and steaks cooked simply so the ingredients carry the plate. Grilled shrimp, crab fingers, Scamp Imperial, and stuffed flounder anchor the seafood side, while a churrasco steak gives landlubbers a reason to visit too. Homemade desserts close out the meal, including the Feud Cake, a longtime favorite among regulars. The kitchen also runs gluten-free and children’s menus, and the restaurant’s wine program, backed by an on-site sommelier and a dedicated wine cellar, earned a Wine Spectator Award in 2025.

Recognition for Capt. Anderson’s extends well beyond one award. Southern Living has named it the number one restaurant on its list of Florida’s Most Legendary Restaurants, and Florida Trend inducted the restaurant into its Golden Spoon Hall of Fame, a distinction reserved for the state’s most consistently excellent dining rooms. The restaurant also sells its own cookbooks and seasoning blends so visitors can bring a taste of Grand Lagoon home after their trip ends.

Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant opens Monday through Saturday at 4 PM and stays closed on Sundays, at 5551 N. Lagoon Dr, Panama City Beach, FL 32408. Call 850-234-2225 or visit captandersons.com for menu details and current information. The waterfront setting on Grand Lagoon makes it easy to pair a meal here with an afternoon at St. Andrews State Park or a dolphin cruise from the nearby marina district. Because the restaurant does not take reservations, visitors should plan to arrive before the doors open at 4 PM to beat the line, especially during peak summer weeks when the wait can stretch well past an hour. For a restaurant that has spent nearly six decades earning its landmark status, that wait is part of the experience as much as the seafood itself.

Beyond the dining room, Capt. Anderson’s runs a wine club for guests who want to keep tasting its cellar selections after they head home, and the restaurant’s gift shop stocks its own cookbooks and signature seasoning blends alongside other Gulf Coast souvenirs. To-go and delivery service extends the kitchen’s reach to visitors staying in condos and vacation rentals along the beach who would rather eat seafood on their own balcony than wait in line. Private event space also accommodates rehearsal dinners, family reunions, and business gatherings that want a Grand Lagoon backdrop without leaving Panama City Beach. Visitors who plan a Gulf Coast trip around good seafood tend to put Capt. Anderson’s near the top of the list, and the crowds that gather outside the door most evenings show how well that reputation has held up over nearly sixty years.