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    The Back Porch

    3.9 (2.6k reviews)
    PriceySeafood
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    The Back Porch Photos

    Business Info

    THE BACK PORCH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Casual
    Touristy
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - The Back Porch

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    The view. Very scenic.
    Christopher S.

    Did not have a great experience here. [[HIGHLIGHT]]While the views were definitely as advertised, that was where my trip here peaked and it was downhill from there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food did not taste great at all, and felt like it was frozen to table. The fried seafood was more breading than fish, and lacked any sort of taste. The seafood boil, if you could call it that, looked as if it was boiled in water with no seasoning and served to my family. Additionally, my server was quite rude, and forgive me for not remembering her name, but seemed as though She was focused on getting through her shift instead of providing a great experience. I came to Destin on vacation, and I plan to go back, but I definitely will not be back here.

    Bacon cheeseburger
    Jackie W.

    This place was packed, we were able to sneak a corner at the bar while we waited for our table. The bartender was super nice. We waited less than what the host told us it would be. Our server took 15 minutes to just come over, overall very slow service that dragged the experience out. [[HIGHLIGHT]]View was perfect, food was pretty good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Crab cakes were better than everything else on the Jubilee plate.

    Seafood gumbo
    Karen M.

    This place is pretty popular and I'm still unsure how they seat people, but they don't take reservations and they don't give you a wait time. There is usually a long line to get a table. Plenty of public parking. Many of the tables have an ocean view. Food was okay, kind of what you would expect. Sandwiches are around $25 and fish plates are around $45. Definitely kid friendly. The seafood gumbo had a good consistency, but lacked a little flavor, in my opinion. Same with crab and spinach dip. The seafood nachos were a good portion. Key lime pie was the best part. Service was good except I know they are super busy so no one came around to refill our water. I would go back but order something different.

    Menu June 2026
    Diana G.

    This restaurant is right on the beach. They have inside and outside seating. There was a long wait to be seated. They had told us 45 minutes, but in 30 minutes we were called. Clark was our waitress and she was the best. I had the surf side sampler as a meal. It came with a good amount of shrimp and fish dip. The Mozzarella sticks for delicious and the hush puppies were worth it. For my drink, I had the coco cabana. It was a little too sweet for me, but I still drank it. For dessert, we shared the key lime pie. It was perfectly sweet and tart. Service is very quick. The view is beautiful.

    Menu
    Ethan S.

    While vacationing in Destin, Florida, we decided to try The Back Porch, a beachfront restaurant located just outside our resort. This place is always busy, so I recommend arriving early. They also have a charming gift shop that's worth checking out. The restaurant was clean, well-managed, and organized despite the crowd. We were seated within five minutes, and our table was greeted immediately for drink orders. Our server, Ethan, was excellent--attentive, efficient, and friendly throughout the meal. I ordered the Surf & Turf, featuring a 14-ounce ribeye and snow crab legs, along with coleslaw and lemon dill rice. The steak was cooked very well, though it could have used a little more seasoning. The snow crab legs were sweet and flavorful, especially dipped in the melted butter. The coleslaw was fresh and delicious, and the lemon dill rice was the perfect accompaniment, soaking up all the flavors from the steak and crab. This was the perfect spot for our group to gather after a long day at the beach. The atmosphere, service, and location made for a wonderful dining experience. Rating: 4/5 stars My only critiques would be that the prices were a bit steep and the food could have benefited from a little more seasoning. Overall, it was a great experience, and I would gladly return.

    Front of the menu
    Dianna S.

    The Back Porch is well worth the hour-long wait! The food is fresh and quick. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere feels like a family gathering on the beach![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We loved the crab & spinach dip, peel & eat shrimp, and oysters!!!!!!!

    Sangria
    Vanessa R.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place stands up to all the reviews given, good fun, amazing atmosphere and great drinks![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I had the sangria, it was awesome, crab dip- 10 stars, lots of crab meat in it, and the oysters..... OMGGGGGGGGGG these were some of the best I've ever had!!!!!! They are truly up there on the scale based on quality and flavor alone!!!!!! Service was excellent, everyone was attentive and the food came out hot and fresh! O and get the gumbo! You need it!

    Grilled snapper sandwich
    Annie M.

    This is one of our top restaurants in Destin because they have an array of grilled options & are a good value for what you get in Destin prices We got for 2 adults & a toddler: 1/2 dz oysters $13 Snapper sandwich $26 I think Snow crabs 1 lbs ~$50 We ended up eating everything but the sides and took those with us We got the rice but didn't love it. It was too dry but we were hoping our toddler would eat it. The green bean medley was good as just a simple veg side. It's long beans with mushrooms and onions. The onions and mushrooms i could've passed on but it wasn't over seasoned which is what I needed The twice baked potato was good, very cheesy and I think it has bacon in it The grilled fish sandwich was great. Nice sized fish & the Cole slaw is good here, almost fruity. It came with a ton of fries that were cooked well. The bread is soft & the tartar sauce went well with it The crabs were cooked perfectly and so sweet. I almost wish we'd have gotten an extra cluster for $18. It's always busy at this place. They told us 35 mins for the wait but it took maybe 20. It filled up as we left though. They have a gift shop and beach access to entertain you while you wait + a loud speaker so you can hear them call for you. The lot is across the street and it fills up as there's other businesses here but usually someone leaves within 5-10 mins so just have someone get on the wait and then go find a spot if you have more than 1 person

    Garden Sakad
    Raul P.

    We are on vacation and wanted good seafood. Here is the place in Destin. The Maui Maui was excellent. The other had a PoorBoy Shrimp and a shrimp . The service was very good and friendly. The place was clean with a 10 minutes wait. Got ther at 4:30 pm.

    Jalapeño oysters
    Rachel J.

    Tried this place for the 1st time and it was just ok. The food was a little bland and under seasoned. I got the paradise chicken with the twice baked potato and green bean melody. Our waiter Clarke was amazing and so sweet! She seemed to really enjoy her job. This place got packed super quick for dinner so if you go around 6pm prepare to wait. It was nice to walk out onto the beach after eating.

    Seafood Boil
    Kevin T.

    Wow!! 24 hours later and we are still talking about our food experience at the back porch. The seafood boil was outstanding. Perfectly seasoned. Snow crabs were on 10 chef kiss. My blacken grouper sandwich was cooked perfectly. Seasoned to perfection. Our server Carol was outstanding. Great suggestions and overall excellent customer service. Tons of beer & cocktail options. Plenty of seating. We will definitely be back next time we are in the city.

    Shannon W.

    The best frozen drinks and hush puppies! I love the bar on beach. It gets crowded but they have a lot of seating and a fun bar.

    Fried Grouper and shrimp combo with green bean medley and twice baked potato
    Candice P.

    I came here to meet some family in town for the summer and let me tell you this place was PACKED. There were so many people waiting for a table inside and out of the restaurant. People were sitting down on the benches and some were even standing up waiting. I just knew the wait was going to be at least 2 hours. I was wrong! The wait was 45 minutes. One thing I like about this restaurant is they call multiple tables at once to be seated. They are good about getting people in and out in a reasonable amount of time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]My party was sat upstairs near a window. The summer breeze and view of the beach was really nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The table ordered fried pickles, firecracker shrimp and jalapeño baked oysters. The fried pickles and firecracker shrimp were good. But those jalapeño baked oysters were fantastically delicious. I have had oysters without the shell before and I believe that's my favorite way to eat oysters. These jalapeño baked oysters were so delicious I ate them so fast and immediately wanted more. The cheese, and bacon were baked to perfection and the jalapeño added just the right amount of kick that I like. I appreciated the fresh jalapeños. My husband and I ordered the same thing for our entrees: the fried grouper and shrimp combo. I ordered the twice baked potato and green bean medley for my sides. I did not care for my baked potato and asked what was in it and was informed it was sour cream. I can't have sour cream and after I mentioned that, the server asked if I wanted another side. I said no it was ok but she was very nice and brought me a side of lemon rice and fries. My husband ordered fried onions rings and slaw for his sides. Both of our plates were so delicious and we enjoyed the potions they served for this combo. We will definitely be back to make this a regular dinner spot in the summer.

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    The Back Porch Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Back Porch

    Do you take reservations?

    No first come first serve only

    Is it pet friendly?

    No, try Boshamps

    Do they have happy hour?

    Yes, from 3-5 daily

    Do you have a waitlist?

    There is always a waitlist during peak season, but plenty to do around the restaurant while you wait.

    Is there Beach access?

    Yes

    Do they do same day reservations?

    They do not take reservations

    Do you allow dogs on your patio?

    No pets are allowed at all.

    What do they fry their items in? We have a peanut and treenut allergy

    I believe it is vegetable oil. My son has a severe peanut allergy as well and has eaten there. Always best to double check just to be safe.

    Is this place kid friendly? We have a 2 year old, kinda a picky eater.

    I know the atmosphere definitely is, on the beach, my daughter absolutely loved it! I have never had a bad meal myself at the Back Porch, never heard my daughter complain either so I would highly recommend giving it a try!!… 

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Louisiana Lagniappe

    Louisiana Lagniappe

    4.3
    (1.1k reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$$

    This was recommended to me by a friend and did not disappoint. One of my favorite seafood…read morerestaurants I've been to. The menu has a lot of great options. I got the Daily Special (which was a Red Snapper stuffed with crab) and was great. I also tried the Destin Snapper, the Crab Cakes, and some of the Seafood Gumbo. All of which were very good. The Daily Special was my favorite. We had a larger group and did not have to wait at 7:00. The setting was great. Outdoor seating is along a bay, a great spot to view the sun setting. It does get hot out there if you go too early, we were there in July. Parking is extremely limited and they do have valet ($9 as of 7/2026). The line for the valet was very long. We got lucky to find a parking spot, but plan on waiting for parking in one way or another.

    We came here on 01/23/2026 for dinner at about 6pm with a party of five. This was my first time…read morehere; however, everyone else in the party has previously been to the restaurant. The restaurant is very large with indoor and outdoor dining areas, and it is casual, but classy. Overall, we had a great experience. The host was fine; however, lacked empathy and customer service skills. He was a full 30 seconds ahead of us, and if we wouldn't have been tracking him with our eyes, we wouldn't have known where to sit. By the time we got to the table, he was nowhere to be found; however, the menus were in a pile on the table. Our server, on the other hand, was very pleasant. He was kind, caring and kept us informed and checked in on us frequently. The table shared the crab cakes and the blue crab claws, both of which were very good. Of course, the complimentary hush puppies are definitely a hit as well. For my entree I had the Grouper Louisianne. It was a tasty piece of fish, that came with a great side salad and a super delicious twice baked potato. Other than the host, the other reason for the minus one star, was the unusually long time it took between the salad course and the main course. It was a full 20 minute wait, after we were done with our salads, for the main course to arrive. Otherwise, I would likely try the restaurant again at a future time, if something brought me back to the area.

    Photos
    Packed
    Packed
    Grouper Pontchartrain
    Grouper Pontchartrain
    Back deck while you wait.

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    Back deck while you wait.
    Pompano Joe's

    Pompano Joe's

    3.9
    (2k reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    First, we have been getting drinks at the beachside bar all week and have had just the best…read moreservice. Bartenders are kind and friendly. Second, we went with 14 people for supper and were treated very well from the get go. Sometimes with a big group we get eye rolls and obvious annoyance and we were not treated that way at all. Aaron was a great server and our food was really good. All in all it was a great experience. Thank you!

    This place is a classic. Right on the beach in Destin, you cannot beat the views. Keep in mind that…read morethis is essentially an outdoor dining experience. The whole place is open air, so you won't be escaping that panhandle humidity. The place is also super popular! So come early or be prepared to wait. The tables also tend to be very close. I can't say it's the most relaxing dining experience. But the food is good. I've always gotten the coconut shrimp and the servings are huge! The hush puppies are also so good. The slaw wasn't my favorite though. I also got a yummy virgin banana daiquiri. They also have lots of fun tropical adult beverages and they have a bar out front so if you do have to wait for a table, you do not have to wait for a drink! Our server took care of our party of 8-4 kids and 4 adults--masterfully, never getting flustered by my screaming toddler or our many and varied requests. Great job to him. Also the kids meals are served on a frisbee you can take home--a fun little souvenir. Like I said, this place is a classic and a must go at least once while in the area. The coconut cake is also delicious!

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    Pompano Joe's
    Popcorn Shrimp
    Popcorn Shrimp
    Delicious drinks

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    Delicious drinks

    The Back Porch - seafood - Updated July 2026

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