Pompano Joe's

"Perfect! So great we ate here twice this trip. We used to grab some crab legs at the Crab Trap and it went completely downhill and foodie locals said Pampano Joes brings in their own fish daily and this is the local's pick for seafood. So we decided to try it. We first came for lunch and it was incredible. My husband got gumbo and it was fresh and from scratch and came with 2 homemade seafood egg rolls which were incredible. Also came with coconut shrimp that were huge and rice for the gumbo. All perfect. I got a fried fish and shrimp plate. Although the fries were not that hot, the rest of the meal made up for it by far, with extremely fresh and delicious seafood and scratch made. The service was as great as the meal, best server of our trip was Kathryn and she checked on us several times and tended to any needs. Very friendly and conversational and, even though it was very busy, she provided exceptional service as though we were her only table...she shared with us their crab leg special when she heard us talking about where to grab crab later in the week. Because of that we did return a few nights later. So we did return for the crab leg special as this is something my husband and I love, and try out in several cities. This is by far the best one we have had in years as far as options and flavor and oddly it was the cheapest too! We started with a salad and to our shock, the blue cheese dressing was scratch made, with big thick chunks of blue cheese and everything in it was fresh and delicious and it was a big serving too. The crab legs were served with lots of veggies too that are all low carb in case someone is choosing the crab option for that reason (keto) but we were not so we paired it with two twice baked potatoes that were amazing. It came with hushpuppies and those are nearly impossible to find made from scratch, but sure enough, they were as well. The crab legs were meaty and sweet and the butter was perfect. We had more than we could eat! Roman was our server for dinner and he was friendly but seemed rush and some service lacked. For example, we needed another wipe packet but he ran by and just dropped the bill on the table without checking if we needed any other drinks or needs or were ready. But the dinner was great and he was friendly enough initially, just lacked the checking in on us that we had received earlier. We will be back for sure. It will be one of our new Destin staples and we highly recommend it. Overlooks the beach tool"

"Our meals were great, Taste of the Islands and Cuban Sandwich. The only thing that was not stellar was the pineapple slaw with the Cuban, and it wasn't bad at all, just not our taste. The Gumbo is the best this little gal has had in a long while. Great experience."

"The food is fresh and also good. Grilled/ done to perfection, with a nicely flavored sauce on the side of my grilled seafood sampler. The servers are busy, so be sure to ask for condiments, extra napkins, etc. when your meal arrives, because if they come back to your table even once after your food comes, you're fortunate. We felt a bit rushed because of the hustle and bustle of the place. The table was a little sticky, too. Those two things combined to make me deduct a point. The atmosphere is casual, fishing/beach themed, and set on the beach with beautiful views of the white expanse of sand leading to the Gulf, and a great place to watch the sun set during the right time of the year. The seating is nicely tiered to give as many customers as possible a nice view. This place is a hotspot for tourists and often busy from 4 PM or so during summer (more like 5:30 in fall), and you'll likely have to wait for a table. The bar drinks are good but pricey. Their signature drink is $23, but you get to keep the tall (18 oz?) souvenir "glass." I really enjoyed the flavor, but not enough to buy a refill."

"Everything was amazing! My waitress was very professional, prompt, & thorough. The food was fresh and arrived quickly. The happy hour specials did not disappoint. The atmosphere was refreshing as I sat on the patio on the beach. I will definitely return on my next visit to the area! Great job."