Oysters are a way of life on the Emerald Coast. Raw on the half shell, baked with garlic and cheese, chargrilled or fried in a po’boy, they’re on the menu everywhere from harbor dive bars to wine bars on 30A. Fall is a great time to go: the water is cooling off and many oyster bars keep a raw bar going year-round. Here are the best oyster bars on the Emerald Coast, from Perdido Key to Panama City.
Quick answer
- The classic: Hunt’s Oyster Bar & Seafood in Historic St. Andrews, shucking since 1966.
- On the Destin Harbor: AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar or the Boathouse Oyster Bar.
- On 30A: Hurricane Oyster Bar & Grill in Grayton Beach.
- Chargrilled: Salty Pearl Raw Bar on Perdido Key or Doc’s Oyster Bar in Valparaiso.
- With wine: Black Bear Bar Room in the Shops of Grayton.
Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key
- Peg Leg Pete’s: a pirate-themed seafood restaurant and raw bar on Fort Pickens Road, and one of Pensacola Beach’s longtime hangouts.
- The Wharf Fish & Oyster Company: an oyster bar on the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk, on the sound side of the island.
- The Grand Marlin: a waterfront seafood and oyster bar with a deck on Santa Rosa Sound.
- Salty Pearl Raw Bar: a locally owned raw bar at the base of the Theo Baars Bridge on Perdido Key, with fresh-shucked and chargrilled oysters.
- Flora-Bama Lounge, Package & Oyster Bar: the famous beach bar at the Alabama line, open since 1964. Read the history of the Flora-Bama.
Fort Walton Beach and Niceville
- AJ’s Oyster Shanty: the casual Okaloosa Island outpost of the AJ’s family.
- Doc’s Oyster Bar: a New Orleans-style seafood shack on Tom’s Bayou in Valparaiso, with close to ten oyster preparations, raw and grilled.
- Willingham Seafood Company: not a restaurant but a waterfront market on Boggy Bayou, where you can buy oysters and shrimp straight off the local boats.
Destin and Miramar Beach
- AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar: started in 1984 as a trailer selling cold oysters and cold beer on the Destin Harbor. After dinner, the same deck turns into the late-night AJ’s Club Bimini.
- Boathouse Oyster Bar: a 1986 bait and tackle shop that became a harbor oyster bar with live music.
- Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House: Southern, Gulf-to-table seafood on the harbor.
- The Back Porch Seafood & Oyster House: on the Gulf since 1974, and the place that claims to have invented the amberjack sandwich.
- Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House: a rotating raw bar at the Village of Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin.
30A and Walton County
- Hurricane Oyster Bar & Grill: a Grayton Beach favorite that bills itself as the place where locals eat. No reservations, so go early.
- Black Bear Bar Room: natural wine, a raw bar and shared plates next to Black Bear Bread Co. in the Shops of Grayton.
- Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar: a low-key raw bar with live music on County Road 393 in Santa Rosa Beach.
- The Oar House Pub & Oyster Bar: a family-run oyster bar on Black Creek in Freeport, where boaters can tie up and walk in.
Panama City and Panama City Beach
- Hunt’s Oyster Bar & Seafood: a bright yellow Beck Avenue landmark since 1966, with oysters that come from its owners’ own seafood market. Closed Sundays.
- Dusty’s Oyster Bar: a lively, dollar-bill-covered dive bar on Front Beach Road since 2012.
See more in our guides to Historic St. Andrews and the best restaurants in Panama City Beach.
How to order oysters like a local
- Raw: on the half shell with lemon, cocktail sauce, horseradish and saltines.
- Baked: topped with garlic butter and cheese, sometimes with bacon or jalapeño.
- Chargrilled: cooked in the shell over flame with garlic butter and Parmesan until they bubble.
- Fried: in a basket or a po’boy, a good start for first-timers.
Oyster FAQ
When is oyster season on the Gulf Coast? Oysters are served year-round, but many people prefer them in the cooler months, roughly fall through spring.
Are raw oysters safe? Raw shellfish carry some risk, especially for people with liver disease, diabetes or weakened immune systems. If that’s you, choose cooked oysters.
Where can I buy fresh oysters to cook at home? Seafood markets like Willingham Seafood Company in Valparaiso and Destin Ice Seafood Market & Deli sell fresh Gulf seafood.
Featured photo: Hunt’s Oyster Bar & Seafood.