Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House

Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House anchors the seafood scene in the Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin, serving fresh, locally caught fish and a rotating raw bar just steps from the boat slips along Choctawhatchee Bay. Father and son team Gary and Bryce Jarvis opened the restaurant after building a following at Sunset Bay Café inside Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, and they brought the same commitment to daily caught fish with them to Baytowne Wharf. Gary Jarvis, a longtime Destin native and former boat captain, built the restaurant’s identity around dock to table sourcing rather than passing trends.

The name is a nod to local fishing culture. “Slick lips” is the nickname anglers give the amberjack, a reef fish that lacks the large, sharp teeth of species like snapper or grouper. It is a playful, insider touch that signals the kitchen’s focus on Gulf species that show up on real fishing boats, not just banquet menus.

The raw bar is the centerpiece, with a rotating selection of oysters served raw or chargrilled and topped with options like chorizo cream and smoked gouda or a habanero bacon jam. Beyond oysters, the kitchen turns out crab cakes finished with mango papaya salsa, smoked cheddar bacon bombs topped with pimento cheese, and a bacon wrapped amberjack plated over sweet potato hash with a Creole meuniere sauce. Guests who want something off the water altogether can order the Fire Grilled 1855 Angus Ribeye or the Slick Burger, built on 80/20 certified Angus beef and dressed with smoked cheddar, pimento cheese, and bacon.

Executive Chef Jay Ammons oversees the kitchen’s daily prep, from compound butters and sauces to desserts, and Gary Jarvis has been direct about the restaurant’s philosophy. “Fresh caught, wild fish is the core of our business model, and we aim to provide customers with the real deal,” he has said of the approach. That means the fish on the plate typically left the Gulf and arrived at the Destin docks within a day or two, rather than sitting in a freezer before it reaches the table.

Slick Lips keeps the room family friendly, with an outdoor seating section that lets guests enjoy the Baytowne Wharf foot traffic while they eat, and the restaurant takes reservations for parties who want to lock in a table before a show at the village’s amphitheater or an evening stroll through the shops. That flexibility matters in a village built around foot traffic, street performers, and a nightly rotation of live music at nearby bars, since tables can fill up fast on weekend evenings.

Because Slick Lips sits inside the Village of Baytowne Wharf, visitors can pair a meal here with the rest of the free, walkable entertainment district, including a zip line and ropes course, a carousel, an arcade with laser tag, and the free outdoor performances at Baytowne LIVE. Parking is complimentary for most visitors, and the village welcomes leashed dogs, so a family or a couple can turn dinner at Slick Lips into a full evening out without ever moving the car.

The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., hours generous enough to cover a late lunch after the beach or a full dinner before a night out in the village. It sits at 138 Fisherman’s Cove in Miramar Beach, and reservations or takeout orders can be arranged by calling 850-347-5060 or visiting slicklipsseafood.com. For visitors chasing a true Destin seafood experience without leaving the walkable comfort of Baytowne Wharf, Slick Lips delivers on the promise built into its playful name, serving fish that is local, fresh, and handled by cooks who know the difference.