One of the nicer places on 30A. Great food and drinks. Service is attentive. Valet is fast and convenient. Will go back.

I wish I had taken photos of all the food but it was all inhaled before anyone could. I HIGHLY recommend everything we ordered. The rolls, the shrimp cocktail, and bacon clothesline for starters. We ordered the pesto pasta with shrimp and lobster and then one with chicken, and two got the steak special of the night-I think NY strip. We all shared a bit with each other and it was all sooooo good. The martinis are delish as well. We had the coolest table on the patio and the atmosphere is perfect. We had the best time and this is by far the best restaurant in 30A. There are some others that are good but not great. This was incredible. We were also pleased with the kids menu with real food options. We made reservations (5 adults and two kids) the day prior and were seated immediately. Fantastic drinks, food, and service. Even the littles ate most of their pasta with chicken and pasta with shrimp! We will come back next time for sure!!! read more

Surfing Deer - Filthy martini and the Bambi tini - Seafood Near Me - Seagrove Beach, Florida

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One of our new favorite places...will definitely come back again. everything food service atmosphere. I don't think it gets much better than this place. Love, love and more Love...thanks to Hall for running a tight ship and Fernanda's excellent service! read more

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The service and food was excellent. Very attentive staff and my glass never got half full. They had a deal on 2 appetizers, meals, desert and a bottle of wine for $89 which you can't beat that. Great location and definitely glad we had an opportunity to eat here. read more

Loved this place!!!! I'm a vegan/vegetarian! This place has delicious lovely options!!!!! Recommend 20/10!!!!!

The food and service were great. I went here on vacation with my husband, mother in law, and two sons. Everyone enjoyed their meal. My youngest (10) had a delicious petite filet. I'd love to come back. read more

food and service were amazing! scenery was soo pretty, we got a reservation on the patio and i recommended doing that. there is valet parking and we were sat as soon as we arrived. food was great, we also split a skillet cookie which was delicious. my only regret was not getting the clothesline bacon because it looked delicious. surprisingly not too pricy compared to other places as well. i will definitely be back! read more

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Wonderful establishment in the heart of 30A. From the quick valet parking to getting seated at our reservation time. We had been (drinking) at the beach most of the day, so opted for a beer starter and an order of the Pimento Cheese Hushpuppies served with jalapeño jam, spicy pickles. Crusty outside and soft in the middle - add the jam and pickles very delicious. We split the Everything Bagel Wedge - fresh, crisp iceberg lettuce with baby heirloom tomato, bacon, bagel croutons, dill buttermilk dressing, seeds and herbs. The main event (next to desert) was the Filet of Beef Tenderloin certified Angus beef, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, bacon-onion jam, demi over the top. Perfectly cooked, excellent combination of veggies, protein and potato and was just the right size for our appetite. We ordered the coconut cake for my birthday desert, which was light, fluffy and the right amount of pineapple and coconut, served with a spicy vanilla that had a pleasant kick on the end if the ice cream. They brought an additional desert of a skillet chocolate chip cookie in brown butter topped with vanilla ice cream a candle and Happy Birthday message written in chocolate. Great touch and an outstanding meal. Shout out to Kevin R. for making it a special occasion. I will be back! read more

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The food was great and drinks were delicious! Service was good as well. Cute little spot for sure. read more

Surfing Deer - Seafood Near Me - Seagrove Beach, Florida

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We had a reservation for a birthday dinner. We were seated with a beautiful gulf view. Food was delicious, service was excellent. I liked the cleanliness of the dining area and the simplicity of the decor. read more

This place is really nice inside! They have valet which is a bonus. We started with apps: the crabcake, the brussels sprouts, and the cornbread. The crabcake was interesting and okay. The Brussels and the cornbread were delicious. Two of us ordered a filet and both were overcooked. I ordered a medium and it was definitely well done. The meat had a good flavor but it was a shame for such a beautiful piece of meat to be overcooked and hard to cut. Someone else at our table ordered the salmon and loved it. The last person in our party got the scallops and she said they were very salty. For dessert, we shared the banana pudding cheesecake. It was really good but not mind blowing. The drinks were great- tried the red sangria and old fashioned. One in my party said it was one of the best old fashioned drinks they've had on 30a. Had they not overcooked my steak, I would say this place had great food. However I do not think it was one of the best on 30A that we have tried. read more

Outrageously Good! One of the best dining and food experiences I've had down on 30A period. The wife had to cut me off from ordering an unprecedented third round of the Ahi Tuna Tostados (see below). This is another place we've passed dozens of times over the years and finally decided to stop in; I think we thought it might not be kid friendly....but that was our mistake....kid menu was confirmed and def kid friendly... even for my second child....nuff said). In any event, we are going to be making sure we stop in every year now, maybe twice. The food was amazing. Check the pictures out and you'll see. Again those freaking Ahi Tuna Tosdados....I'm ready to drive the 600 miles back just to get those for Football Sundays this fall to ease the pain of seeing the Texans get blown out every week. I wonder if they can pack them on ice and ship them to me overnight on Saturdays?......yeah that good. Maybe the best scallop dish I've ever had and the gluten-free skillet brownie melted this Celiac's heart. Service: Impeccable. Cost: Worth it. Big thanks to the management and our server (Derek) for being so accommodating around celiacs and making gluten-free options easy and abundant. For my fellow celiacs, it's clear they take providing a gluten-free experience seriously, from the clearly labeled menu that is marked, to the sheer # of gluten-free options, to the knowledge and care that the staff displayed. I can report I had a very enjoyable experience and did not "pay" for it later. read more

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The overall ambiance was on par with the expectations set for The Surfing Deer. The host team was extremely busy, considerate, and friendly, and they made every effort to accommodate us despite the thunderstorm that was actively taking place. After being seated at our table, we were promptly met by a service assistant who provided water while we waited for our server. Unfortunately, that was where the positive experience ended. After 15 minutes, we were finally greeted by Lindsay, who looked at me and my closest friends as if we were insignificant. I understand that serving a table of young adults may not be every server's preference. I've worked in the industry for years myself. Still, that's no excuse for being completely disregarded based solely on our age. I say this from personal experience, as I'm a business owner who is regularly overlooked for the same reason. After finally placing our drink and appetizer order, we were disappointed by the pimento hushpuppies, which were gummy and seemed to have been sitting under a heat lamp for an indeterminate amount of time. After appetizers, we were again visited by Lindsay, who returned with what could only be described as a fed-up, monotone display of disappointment at having to serve our table. At that point, we were allowed to place our entrée order: the filet, the crab cakes, and the pesto pasta with chicken. When the entrees arrived, referred to on the menu as "feasts," the reactions were mixed. The filet was beautifully cooked and paired with a well rendered béarnaise sauce, broccolini, and surprisingly good whipped potatoes. My companion and I hoped our dishes would be just as good, but we were quickly shown otherwise. The crab cakes were barely warm and gave off an overwhelming smell of fish and iodine. They were served alongside what could only be described as freeze dried chorizo. The remesco cream sauce did add some much needed flavor to the plate and was a refreshing component. I had the pesto pasta, which, unlike my companions' dishes, did arrive warm. Unfortunately, the chicken had been incinerated, as I discovered after one bite, which left me feeling as though I was receiving an on-the-spot education on the symptoms of chronic dry mouth. Aside from the protein, the sauce itself was flavorful and well-balanced, but the pasta was severely undercooked and oddly, there were remnants of several different pasta types mixed in. Once we completed our voyage through mediocrity and returned home, my companion was unfortunately met with a bout of food poisoning, presumably from the crab cakes, which made a rapid and dramatic exit from her system. Excluding our server, every other staff member we interacted with was amazing and genuinely friendly. Unfortunately, after anticipating this meal as the highlight of our trip, the experience we had fell far short. We will not be returning to The Surfing Deer anytime soon. However, we do hope that when we eventually build up the courage to give it another try, we're met with a different attitude toward our table and a much higher standard of culinary consistency. read more

Surfing Deer is a unique spot for your fine-dining needs located right on 30a in beautiful Seaside, Florida. This was our first time here and we sure left satisfied! The ambiance was intimate and romantic with waterfalls and even moats between some of the tables! The restaurant is very spacious with large windows to view the sky as the sunset turns it to pink and orange. The staff were very friendly, accommodating and efficient, and met all of our needs! Lastly and most importantly, the food was made to perfection and beautifully plated. We will definitely be back! read more

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We sat at the bar and had great service. We had the steak and the elk. Both were wonderful! Expensive place! Our bill for 2 was $200

My new favorite!!! Food was AMAZING! We sat outside on the patio during a thunderstorm. The ambiance was trendy, yet romantic! Loved every sip and bite. Our server Kevin was awesome and attentive! This has to be our number one seed next time we visit! read more

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My husband and I were staying in Destin and just looking for something a little bit more upscale so we drove all the way in and it was well worth it this restaurant was fabulous. The food was excellent, and the patio was gorgeous. Our waiter was very kind. It was definitely worth the drive and we will be back. read more

All of the food was amazing. Great service, very attentive, great non-alcoholic options on the menu and wheelchair accessible.

We came here for our anniversary dinner. The food was good, but some of the food didn't wow us especially for being a more upscale of a restaurant. There is not a lot of parking on site - it wasn't very busy when we came but I can only imagine it must be a nightmare to find parking. The ambiance was nice and clean. We had a few different items from the menu: clothesline bacon, cornbread, brussels sprouts, caesar salad, beef short ribs with french onion risotto, key lime pie, and seafood acadiana. The clothesline bacon was interesting. I felt like it was more interesting to look at and not as interesting to eat and it was a random assortment of different things together. The brussels sprouts and caesar salad were fine. The beef short ribs and french onion risotto were fantastic as was the key lime pie! My husband did not really enjoy the seafood acadiana and said it tasted very "fishy". It seems like their menu changes often and they have different offerings for each season. read more

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Fantastic experience. Food, service, ambiance all amazing. We went back for another meal during our stay.

Had reservations and enjoyed dinner with the girls. Service was attentive and friendly. Food and drinks were superb. We had spare ribs and filet for the main and clothesline bacon for appetizer which was unique and so delicious. Cocktails were also amazing. read more

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The exquisite quality of food, service and dining experience at Surfing Deer is the most beautifully unique you will find on 30A! From the moment you walk through the door, you are warmly greeted with smiles by the friendly hostess and staff. We arrived earlier than our reservation, expecting to wait but our party of five was fortunate to be seated right away. Such a well thought out "Instagram worthy" decor...you will not only enjoy the elegant vibe and delicious menu selections...you'll want to capture the scenery both inside and outside! This restaurant will be on repeat for our future 30A vacations! read more

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Found this place while spending spring break in the area and was throughly impressed with the whole experience. Had a delicious meal with impeccable service. Everybody was friendly and attentive. The restaurant is spacious, well lit and comfortable. It felt luxurious but not stuffy. Try the vegan wings, and the calamari, skip the bacon. The burrata salad is very good and so was the gumbo. The short rib is a must, I do not recommend the mashed potatoes or the brussel sprouts as a side. For Dessert we tried the key lime (wow) the Chantilly cake (great!), the brownie (good) and the banana cheesecake (also great) They have a good sized wine list. Overall this was one of those places that so surprised me that I plan to make it one of my go-to spots whenever I am in the area. We got lucky and got a table fast, but I suggest making a reservation. read more

Fernanda was excellent!!! She was so attentive and caring - she probably spent five minutes making sure we each had an equal amount of wine from the bottle. Solid ambience, real classy beach-town-seafood-white-table-cloth kind of place. Food was great. Nothing out of this world but every dish was well prepared and super tasty. I've never had scallops and chorizo before but I loved the combo. read more

We just ate dinner to celebrate a Bday. Our waiter, Doug, was incredible. He made sure we felt welcomed and he was attentive to every need. Our food was fabulous. He even made sure the Bday girl had a special dessert. It was an incredible evening and we will definitely be back! read more

It's always amazing to me to read horrible reviews and then go experience a wonderful meal at the place that was slammed in some reviews. Let's be honest. Every place, everyone, everything has off days but tonight Surfing Deer really did a wonderful job. Spring break and a packed reservation list. Food was really great, service top notch. The wines by the glass menu is really nice, Far Niente, Duckhorn, and Belle Glos by the glass. Usually reserved for bottle only. Anyway. Worth a night of your trip. Solid all around. read more

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For a high-end restaurant, the service was shockingly subpar. From the moment we arrived, it felt like we were an inconvenience rather than valued guests. We waited far too long to be greeted, our server was inattentive and borderline dismissive, and basic requests were either forgotten or ignored. At this price point, exceptional service should be a given--not something to beg for. The food may have been fine, but it was completely overshadowed by the lack of professionalism. Not worth the splurge. read more

Everything, great food, great service, valet parking, we are vacationing and will come back wonderful time!!

We were looking for a dinner spot that offered great cuisine, Gluten Free options and something more than just a casual touristy spot. One of our party found the Surfing Deer. Strange name, cool backstory. The founder of Sea Grove had a pet deer who played with him in the morning surf-hence the name. We rolled in, stopped at the Valet parking and made our way in to check in-we were very pleased to learn that we'd been moved inside due to the threat of rain-the patio is really big and the rain held but it was nice to be inside with the AC. Doug our server was friendly, helpful and you could just tell he was an old pro-he offered his suggestions, answered our questions and was fun, courteous and polite. Our party of five ordered the cloths line bacon-which you must get!! The bacon is fabulous and the bean/pea mix at the bottom of the wooden boat is, AMAZING!!! We wanted more! Our entree line up included Swordfish-rated excellent Salmon-wife said it was the best she'd ever had Filet-rated excellent Scallops-rated excellent We opted to not get the dessert but enjoyed casual un-rushed conversation after the meal. The ambience was cool, trendy and modern, the wait staff was great, dress ranged form dressy beach casual to shorts and t-Shirts. I recommend making an experience of it and going dressy beach casual. If you are looking for something above the normal and are okay with class and price-check out the surfing deer. read more

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Had an amazing dinner. Great service and attentive staff. Comfortable setting. Overall fantastic experience. read more

Surfing Deer - Crispy Vegan Wings - Seafood Near Me - Seagrove Beach, Florida

We had a group dinner in the back dining area. Very nice decor. The waiter was wonderful. No one liked their various cocktails, so we stuck with nice bottles of wine. Dinner was good. The steak was underwhelming, but we all enjoyed the restaurant and the service. If you're visiting and want to order an Uber or Lyft - good luck. The entire town is lacking in transportation options. You have to try the hanging bacon appetizer. read more

Surfing Deer - Hanging bacon appetizer. - Seafood Near Me - Seagrove Beach, Florida

The food at Surfing Deer is delicious and the ambiance is great. Sit outside if possible! We got the Havana Grouper, Seared Sea Scallops and Thai Skillet Salmon; they were all very favorable and perfectly cooked. The only negative is the tap water flavor, so we ordered bottled. read more

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Delicious food, nice semi-upscale ambiance and fantastic service. We had the bacon, scallops and tenderloin. All were on point and the sides it came with, as well. Drinks were a good pour and well made. Whiskey sour and vodka and tonic. We made reservations for 8:30 on a Tuesday and did not wait. There were seats at the bar and some tables empty. There was no one there waiting. Go here!!! read more

Surfing Deer - Clothesline Bacon. Perfection!! - Seafood Near Me - Seagrove Beach, Florida

We enjoyed the ambience here but the food was a toss up. We arrived around 5:30 for a birthday dinner and had 7 people. The Caesar salad was excellent. The tuna tostadas and hush puppies were pretty good. Then came the entrees. The scallops were cooked well but the chorizo sauce was like throwing ground beef on top of a perfectly good risotto and scallop dish, it just didn't mix well and I had to dig around to get the risotto out. Everyone else in our party ordered grouper in some capacity and it was so tough they couldn't eat it, and one person couldn't even cut it with a knife (grouper should fall apart with a fork). The service was good and they comped a couple of the dishes that weren't edible but overall we won't be back. I rarely post anything negative but for this upscale of a spot in an upscale area, they need to assess who is in the kitchen with that precious grouper. (Presentation was beautiful! And again, we loved the ambience). read more

Convenient location with a easy walk from Seaside. Ahi Tuna Tostadas and Pimento Cheese Hush Puppies are two excellent starters. Pesto Pappardelle with shrimp is exceptional! Service was efficient, we never had dirty plates on the table or empty water glasses. Great for a family dinner or a night out with friends. read more

Surfing Deer - Pesto Pappardelle - Seafood Near Me - Seagrove Beach, Florida

One of my favorite restaurants on 30A. The service here is second to none and food is even better.

Food was solid. We posted pics of the dishes we got, scallops, seafood dish, hanging bacon, tuna tacos, and key lime pie. Also- food was lightning fast - we barely got our order in and had a glass of wine started and apps were already out. We finished those and dinner was riggt up. For a date night it might have been a bit better to not be sooo fast, but it worked for us as we were able to eat quick and get back home to our baby quicker. Table top around bar is a nice fast casual way to go, but it looks like there are more private indoor and outdoor areas for many types of seating. Def recommend here. read more

Surfing Deer - Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Seagrove Beach, Florida

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Delicious! Hands down the best meal we've had here on 30A. Great atmosphere, very attentive staff. Will be back read more

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The service was great. The food was amazing. I had a vegan appetizer and vegan entree Both delicious read more

Surfing Deer - Cauliflower - Seafood Near Me - Seagrove Beach, Florida

Food was wonderful. Clothes line bacon was a memorable and yummy dish. We had scallops, steak special, and the everything wedge salad. All were very good. Docked a star for service. That aspect of this visit was quite off. We had a 630 reservation and were seated about 625 after a short wait. The server came by and took a drink order fairly quickly but after that we sat for a half hour before they came back to get our food order. From there the service was adequate but an after thought it seemed. We ordered dessert and an espresso but the espresso never came. It did however appear on the bill but was removed when pointed out. I'd go back but the service was disappointing tonight. read more

Surfing Deer - Clothes Line Bacon - Seafood Near Me - Seagrove Beach, Florida