The staff here is awesome. Everyone was so polite. There was a bit of a wait, but that's to be expected with such a popular restaurant. They definitely live up to the hype. I ordered the surf and turf with steak and lobster tail. The steak was perfectly cooked and the lobster tail was seasoned to perfection. Someone else ordered the grilled crab legs and they were also cooked and seasoned perfectly. My husband got the grouper and said it was the best fish he's ever had. The adult drinks were a little expensive, but worth it as they were delicious. With them being so busy, the food took awhile to come out but we didn't mind as we understood. The service was awesome and he made sure all drinks were refilled as needed. He was polite and made sure everything was great. Will definitely be going back here on our next trip to Destin. read more

The view alone is worth an extra star! Pompano Joe's is right on the gulf. It has both outdoor and indoor seating with full views of the water and the beach. I tried the jerk chicken wings - (good, though not spicy enough for all you super hot pepper heads, so be sure to bring your ghost powder!) The normal folks will likely find the spice just right, however, and I will admit that I used my baked potato to soak up the sauce - yum! The blackened fish sandwich is definitely worth a try, (I'd get it again) and if you're polite to the wait staff they might let you sub out the black beans instead of fries so it won't bust your diet, which is nice. They have several dangerous-looking desserts available, so be sure to save room. Happy Hour drinks were a nice surprise. Besides, there's just something about a mixed drink while staring at the waves at sunset that seems to be a fitting toast at the end of the day. Our server Amy was on point - professional, courteous, and well timed. The hosts and bartender at the roadside front lot were also pleasant. There are plenty of seats, and the dress code is beach casual, which I appreciated. Hope to see you there! I'll be the guy with the ghost powder if you need some. Cheers! read more

Superb oysters. I'm still thinking about it. I also enjoyed their crab claws. I went there for lunch when they just opened. We sat outside overlooking the beach. It was awesome! Only thing is, I wish their menu had more variety. read more

On the beach, so this is a tourist trap. Get there early or be prepared to wait. There were two of us and upon arrival at 7:15 we were told 2 1/2hr wait...we decided to hang out for awhile and luckily we only waited for about 45mins....average wait anywhere in Destin for dinner. The food was excellent and the server was top notch. The view was great, but beware that their bathrooms do not get the attention they need for such a high traffic restaurant.....trash overflowing on the floor, not stocked & no A/C either. Otherwise a great restaurant if you don't mind waiting. Parking can also be a challenge because their lot is also used by the public beach. read more

Did we like Pompano Joes? Well we've been for lunch, happy hour while on the beach and are going one more time while here! We loved Pompanos! Reggae Rolls are amazing, a must get when you go here! The mango chutney that comes with them is great! When we ate for lunch we sat inside so we'd be in the shade since we were coming off the beach. The breeze and open windows were blissful! My husband and I had the fish tacos. You get three huge tacos with very generous sized fried mahi mahi inside! A few days after eating for lunch, we went back to have a quick break off the beach and had a few beers at the outside bar. Bartenders were very nice and social. The breeze again was amazing and beer prices at $1.25 were awesome! We are going back for lunch before we leave! Only thing I would not recommend are the mixed drinks, go with beer! read more

Pompano Joe's - Great location! Windows are open so whether you sit inside or out there is a wonderful beach breeze! - Seafood Near Me - Destin, Florida

3.5 Come expecting what it is, and you will leave happy. This is a great place for lunch or light dinner. Great view, right on the gulf. Good food. Everything I had tasted pretty fresh. Great atmosphere. Wait staff was nice and speedy. But lets be honest, this is just average food. Its not bad by any means though. This is part of what I call the Gulf 4. Dave's on the Gulf, Kenny D's, Pompano Joe's, and Whale's Tail. All four are great for different reasons and they are within walking distance of pretty much any place on Scenic 98. If you don't know: Whale's Tail is for breakfast, Pompano Joe's and Kenny D's are for lunch/light dinner, and Dave's is for dinner. read more

We're local and haven't been in here for several years, so we gave it a try recently. I simply had a bowl of gumbo and ice water, while my wife had a cup of gumbo, a grouper sandwich, and tea. The tab was $28 and change! We quickly remembered why we don't eat here. The food is okay, but it's easy to find better in Destin, and it's just not worth the price you'll pay here. We left feeling like we way overpaid for what we got. read more

Food was wonderful. Service was excellent. Servings were generous Looking toward to my next visit.

What I Ate - Reggae Rolls - Seafood Gumbo - Garlic Crusted Grouper w/ Lobster Would I Go Again? The best part of this restaurant is its beautiful location on the beach. The view of the beach and ocean along with the nice ocean breeze is almost enough to get me to go back; unfortunately, the food is average and the prices are expensive. The Reggae Rolls were pretty good--what's not to like with chicken, bean, corn, and tomato rolls that are deep fried?! The chutney gave the rolls a decent flavor, but I thought even with the chutney the rolls were rather bland. The seafood gumbo was pretty decent. It may have had a little too much flavor for me, but I think it was an overall good dish. The garlic crusted grouper with lobster tail was just okay. Again, it was somewhat bland, and the garlic-basil cream sauce tasted more like watered down olive oil. The meat was tender, but it certainly didn't suffer from the ailment of "too much flavor" like its seafood gumbo companion. I admit that I had a very enjoyable dinner here with my family. However, that enjoyment stemmed mainly from my family, the location, and the view instead of good food. For that reason, I think I would look elsewhere next time for a good beach restaurant. read more

This is a popular place in Destin Florida They are right I On the beach with a beautiful view of the water and pure white beach For our dinner we elected to sit outside by the beach under the umbrella drinking one of their specialty drinks and watch the beach volleyball game going on The food and service were great I will definitely return read more

I ate there yesterday. They have a special menu that starts at 4.00. The food was excellent . I had fish and eggplant and my wife had fish and scallops. Also had egg rolls for appetizer. Everything was good. Nice view of the ocean and the drinks are reasonable. They give you a full glass of wine if you like wine. We shall return read more

Super awesome service!! Food is really good too, but it's like your typical seafood restaurant nothing too fancy. It was also nice that they have a bar outside for when you're waiting! read more

It's right of the beach. Great view . The food is okay. Not my kinda food, but it's a good spot to come an check out. The service was good. The food didn't take long. Like I said , I don't like this kind of food but everybody seemed to enjoy it. I wouldn't come back to eat but would come back for the view & a beer. read more

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Great view, great drinks and the food is delicious. I'll definitely go back! The only negative thing I can say is that it took me and my husband almost 20 minutes to find parking because it's packed with people going to the beach. read more

Really good food for a busy joint by the beach. The food was good. There is always wait. There is a curve grading here because of the wonderful location this restaurant is located in. Stick with gumbo and blackened grouper. read more

Food was good. Grouper a little like chicken, so it definitely wasn't fresh. Great beans and rice. Good drinks. We sat on the patio with the pups and a great view. The inside was very cute... I would definitely come back next time I am in town and stay awhile. :) read more

Good food. Decent price. Ambiance is nice. Christmas Tree and Snowman on Brach are a nice touch.

Is it the greatest seafood joint I've ever been to? No. However, never had a bad meal here either. This is an open air resto with great views of the Gulf. This place always seems to have a great breeze running through it. Has all your typical grilled, fried and steamed options. Very good drinks and dependable service. This time I went for the Snow Crab, which was very good but not many ways you can really screw up this one anyway. My wife had the blackened grouper which I thought was very tasty. Fish was fresh and not overcooked, but the blackening was on the salty side. Everyone else enjoyed their meals which included grilled shrimp and crab cakes. Overall, a decent spot in the Destin area that is consistent with their menu, and one of the better table views as well. 3.5 stars rounded up. read more

Server was excellent and on point. Didn't have to ask for anything. Food was ok. Seafood was not fresh. Kind of expensive for a beach restaurant read more

This place is mediocre. Great for beer and clean bathrooms. Not the best food but by far not the worst. If I was laying out on the beach close to this restaurant I would definitely stop in for lunch but this is not the location for an amazing seafood dinner We had the grouper rueben and sent it back to the kitchen (not tasty) and the fried seafood platter (PJ's platter), which was good. Oysters were gritty. Wouldn't order those again. Overall ok. Wouldn't make a special trip to go back. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Destin. I *love* Pompano Joes. We went over Labor Day weekend and shockingly didn't have a wait when we went in on Friday around 5pm. We sat outside, but even sitting inside is nice when the windows are open. I love the atmosphere. You've gotta get a drink while you're here, and specifically, you need to order a Big Ed. There isn't a good description on the menu, but you should order it anyway. It's fruity and tropical and strong and I could totally go for one right now. Seriously, treat yo self. I love the Caribbean inspired menu... this time I had the Amberjack Antigua and it was SO. GOOD. Coconut crusted fish topped with sauteed bananas and mango chutney. Oh my gosh it was good, and you get a huge portion. The Caribbean black beans and rice were the perfect accompaniment. However, I have never had a bad meal here... EVERYTHING is good. We had a great waitress this time, too. Her name was Mary, she is a New Jersey native and she was just a doll. Great recommendations and a hilarious personality. read more

"Blacken Grouper or Fish Tacos w/ the pineapple coleslaw is a must!!!" The location right on the beach is AWESOME, but It can get busy and finding parking is next to impossible. The food is great, but the drinks and service is just okay and portions can be small... Worth the wait if you're a fan of seafood... A staple every year for my family when we are in Destin... read more

I'm gonna be completely honest here...we don't come to Pompano's for the food. We come for the atmosphere, the view, and the libations! On Saturday, we went mainly to check out whether the Spring Breakers had arrived. The parking was crowded, but we found a spot way down at the opposite end of the lot, and enjoyed watching a pod of dolphins leaping through the surf as we walked along the boardwalk! The food is about what I expect for a typical tourist destination on the beach. My husband had the fried seafood combo platter, which was crispy and fresh. I had the Taste of the Islands: Coconut shrimp, gumbo, and reggae rolls. Loved the gumbo! The coconut shrimp was tasty, but the coconut overpowered the shrimp. I ate one bite of the reggae rolls...meh. But the view, the caribbean colors, the cheerful staff, and a few stiff drinks leave you with a feeling of absolute happiness for being on this earth, in this little piece of paradise! read more

We tried the crab cakes, blackened ribeye, red snapper, a corn dog, and grilled shrimp and everything was delicious.

Had a fun fruity drink at the outside bar before sitting. Food was good, overpriced for what it is but it seemed like a good choice for our first night when we were tired and just wanted to eat. Very loud atmosphere. Lots of large families. Beautiful beach out front. Liked that you could be out there and they text you when your table is ready. read more

Very disappointed in our experience here. Such a tourist trap but we were recommended by a couple of locals to go. The drinks are overpriced - using the cheapest liquor possible. Food quality was less than awesome overall. Wished we hadn't wasted our time and money (waited 2 hours for our table.) Tip: if you are thinking about going here, think again and try somewhere else. read more

We had the best crab claws-- not on the menu, but get them sautéed. A little Cajun spicy but SO GOOD. AND 2 dozen Apalachicola oysters. HUGE. And fresh and delicious! Our server was fast and clearly knows what she is doing. read more

Ok Memorial Day weekend:) good luck with finding a parking space.. I had to circle the parking lot for 20 min and couldn't find one.. so I had to park by someone's house:( hoping I don't get towed.. Craving for seafood;) the party of 7 got a seat right away w/o any reservation, which was very surprising.. And luckily we were seated by the open window by the beach... And before food even comes out u can feel the cool breeze passing through the open window with a beach front view, which made us feel good. Awesome atmosphere.. For appetizer we ordered the fried calamari and reggae egg-roll..which were pretty good.. For main we ordered from lunch special (which ends at 3pm) fish tacos, tuna sandwich, and 3 different seafood platters ( two choices; fried shrimps, scallops, and oyster, and chicken fingers) along with sides: fries, cole slaw, hush puppies .. Everything was good but nothing out of the world.. But cole slaw with pineapple was first time for me and I really liked it:) Our service was decent considering they had a very busy lunch hours.. Our waitress kept a smiling face along with good attitude, which is very important to me. As we near end of our meal I thought my car was towed for sure, but it wasn't.. And even if it was towed.. Pompanos joe was worth it:) read more

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Fantastic crab claws, reggae rolls, gumbo (although a little too spicy for some in our group), delicious mahi mahi and grouper! We had a super friendly waiter and really enjoyed ourselves! Make sure to put Pompano Joes on your list over some of the tourist traps!! read more

Ate there last night with our family. We got there at 3:00 and waited 45 minutes. Not bad this time of the year. We had a great waiter and enjoyed our meal. There are plenty of places to hang out and wait on your table. I really wanted a shirt but there was a very sparse selection. read more

grouper reuben split wish they had crawfish tails still great view and surf spot Let's be real here: there is nothing local about Destin, Florida. It's a vacation town, with vacation stuff. That being said, there is something homey I find about Pompano Joe's. Maybe its the (at least) dozen times I've visited for vacation with the fam. Maybe it's the It's in a sweet location, beautiful views, and open windows when the weather's cooperating. It is one of my favorite places to eat on the beach in Destin--and I've only had like 5 things on the menu; boiled shrimp, fried crawfish tails, gumbo, grouper reuben, and lobster tail--all perfectly satiating, splittable, and affordable. Sadly, there are no more crawfish tails... This place isn't MINDBLOWING food. It's more about the atmosphere and location. Make a reservation, and take a family photo afterwards. read more

This place was in walking distance of a house we rented and friend recommended it... So far it is the best restaurant we have eaten at. We went for lunch on a Saturday and there was no wait for 7. The weather was fortunately brilliant and so we sat in their open air dining room overlooking the ocean. I got the fried combo basket with shrimp and scallops and it was YUM. I also got a piece of key lime pie which was fantastic. It has a great atmosphere and service for a beachside restaurant. read more

I'm not sure why this place was so packed. Nothing about my experience was very memorable. We asked to be seated outside and were simply told "we couldn't", no real explanation. Odd. $70 later, I had a fish fillet and my boyfriend had a platter of fried stuff. Definitely not worth the ridiculous tourist prices. It was like an over-priced Red Lobster. I recommend going elsewhere. read more

Fast accurate service for such a large group. We called ahead to find they had a 1.5 hour wait. So we hung out on the beach for 45 mins while we waited for the text to go to the hostess. The gumbo is perfect. We had the PJ platter which is enough to share. The jerk chicken rolls were also delicious. Skip the over priced fruity drinks and get your favorite well & mixer. They are larger than most and more bang for your buck. read more

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Really wish I could give 3.5 stars. Let me start off with the negative here - they seem to really cater to large parties and ignore couples and other small groups of diners. Went with my mom while on vacation. It was a Saturday night so we expected a wait but were shocked when we were told it would be 1 and a half hours. We figured we would look around their store and get a drink while we wait and it would be ok. But we were quickly annoyed by how many large groups - parties of 8, 12, 16 etc - who arrived after us were being seated before us. They have very few tables for parties of 4 or less which is a bit ridiculous. We are all customers. Fortunately our wait was not as long as projected and the rest of the night went smoothly. We opted not to get cocktails - at $8 a pop and in small Chinsey plasti "souvenir" cups they didn't seem worth it to us. We decided on an appetizer instead. Started with the calamari - huge serving and chunks of squid. The breading was light and tasty and I loved the sauces it came with. For entrees I got the crab cake with veggies and a baked potato. These are some of the best crab cakes I've had in a while. They were filled with large pieces of crab and not too much filler. I also appreciated that they're broiled. The veggie assortment was yummy and not overly cooked. My mom got the blacked shrimp with mango chutney. The blackening seasoning was spicy but flavorful and she loved the mango chutney which was sweet but spicy. The portions of both dishes were humongous. No room for dessert unfortunately because they all looked and sounded delicious. read more

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The location is what gave this restaurant 2 stars and the staff gave it an extra one. . It was very beautiful. The food however was a deal breaker. I ordered the coconut shrimp and they wre huge and cooked well, but weren't anything special. My husband got the boiled combo and the oysters were AWFUL! They were dirty tasting and chewy. It wasn't anything special. I would save your money and head somewhere else. read more

I don't understand how this place rates a 5 star and I don't understand how no one has mentioned the infestation of Palmetto Bugs ( flying roaches ). They were every where and the waiter acted like it's normal. Being on the beach and a restaurant built with wood. That attracts those dang palmetto bugs. So you would think they would put screens on their windows. I can't rate the food because we didn't get that far. In the 5 mins we sat at the table, we killed 6 bugs. HUGE BUGS. Days later, I'm still traumatized. read more

Came by here earlier this year in August, and it was just alright. Typical beach fare at fairly high prices for the quality of food served and a bit of a touristy ambiance. Myself, I had the fish tacos, and they were tasty, but, again, nothing to write home about. One of the things I really enjoyed about Pompano Joe's was the open air seating and the great views of the beach. read more

My family visited while on vacation in Destin after reading the reviews of the place. The wait was almost an hour and with two young kids, I questioned waiting. I'm a little glad that we waited but we should have gotten there earlier (and we were traveling before peak season, May). The food was good and the service was good and the views are AMAZING. However, it took the server longer than expected to come back with the check and my youngest was tired...which led to him having a crying fit. I would go back but for lunch especially if traveling during peak vacation times because the wait time is long. read more

I went here during my vacation stay at Destin, and I am so glad I came here! The place IS pretty crowded usually so I recommend CALL IN TO RESERVE A TABLE! Although we had to wait a few minutes, it was still nice to look along the beach or listen to live music downstairs, or go into the t-shirt shop that they have. Our server was VERY nice and he came to check up on us, give us new plates, clean the table up regularly. You would think a restaurant PACKED with people, you would have to wait for your food very long right? Not the case here, the food actually came out pretty fast to me! I ordered the Reggae Rolls as my appetizer and it was so good! If you don't get these rolls at your next visit, you WILL regret it! As for my entree, I got the chicken fettuccini pasta and that too was very good! Not into pasta? The seafood sampler if definitely the way to go! I will definitely come back here when I come back to Destin, FL! read more