The Back Porch Seafood & Oyster House
16220 Front Beach Rd, Panama City Beach, FL, 32413
The Back Porch Seafood & Oyster House Menu
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Address :
16220 Front Beach Rd
Panama City Beach, FL, 32413 - Phone (850) 233-1750
- Website https://www.theback-porch.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Megan C.
Ate here with a group of seven which included four adults and three young children and everything was great. We got seated quickly, service was prompt and food was good. It was a terrific place to take a group with young children. We'd definitely go back.
(3)Vickie G.
We ordered an appetizer of crab claws and as soon as they came to our table our faces turned green. The stench of bad fish radiated off the crab claws, but we tried them anyway, i had one and it came right out. My BF had 3 and the 4th he spat out. We brought it our waitresses attn right away. I had changed my order cuz originally i had ordered the shrimp and crab linguine but after the taste of the crab claws i was VERY skeptical and grossed out with my order so i changed it before it was to late and she was very accommodating. My BF ordered the Blackened Grouper Dinner and he said it was delicious. I ended up with just a Cheeseburger as i was not about to attempt any type of seafood from here. The manager whom was very nice and polite kindly took the crab claws off of the bill. Only reason i will give them a 3 star cuz they accommodated us and the Pina Coladas were great!
(3)Allen T.
Had the Captain's Platter, as good as it gets for fried seafood. Don't expect to finish it in a single sitting unless you have a huge appetite. Save the leftovers for a snack reheated in a microwave back at the condo. Service was excellent. He checked back many times even after the food was served. We had no wait, due to the the lull before the rush when school let's out. The kitchen had time to not rush the order. Was there on 05/10/2013. Not the first time at Back Porch, have eaten several times at the original Destin FL location.
(4)BreAnna S.
This was the first place we ate at in panama city. The food here was very good, and very fresh. It was recommended to us by a relative I was staying with during spring break. We were seated quickly, had our drinks brought to us quickly (they have sweet tea, YES!) and the waiter was attentive and was awesome. He even asked us if we had been there before so he could help us navigate the menu. I ordered mahi mahi and my boyfriend had the crab legs. The food was fresh and the excellent waiter we had was a nice start to our vacation.
(5)Charles B.
I think that the rating this restaurant has collected is about right. The Back Porch was a very average seafood restaurant. Living here as a "local", I can say that this is NOT representative of the amazing seafood experience you SHOULD have as a visitor to our wonderful Gulf Coast. There are much better places to get fish.
(2)Martha V.
Great food and service overall. I read a lot of yelp reviews before picking this restaurant. Great location at the pier to stroll, shop and even visit Kilwin's across the street for dessert. We had the fried captain's seafood platter, super yummy with delicious shrimp, scallops and grouper, and tons of fries but the homemade cole slaw was fantastic - an option with this selection but not in other categories. Fried oysters on the platter were shriveled up to mostly nothing. Also had grilled Mahi Mahi - ok but too chargrilled with that lingering taste. Shrimp scampi was delicious. Added a half pound snow crab legs to our orders for $10 and they were yummy. Wondered where the hush puppies were because I love them and they were nowhere to be found. I'd say good prices, very good food overall, great location, attentive service and nicely decorated, clean restaurant.
(4)Deborah H.
Food was good and service attentive. The grilled flounder with beure blanc sauce and the crabbed stuffed shrimp were quite good. Serving sizes are large.
(3)D H.
Sloooow service and food was just OK.
(2)William S.
Everything we had here was very good. The two shrimp appetizers we excellent. The house amberjack fish sandwich excellent and huge.
(5)Matt F.
Nice place at the front of Pier Park. Has outside eating with good view of people coming into park or to watch the sunset. The food I had was tasty. I don't normally get seafood, but ordered the grouper sandwich and it was excellent! Probably a little overpriced, but still good.
(4)David L.
I've reviewed the Destin location, but there are some differences. The menu is the same. For the most part, it's unremarkable, slightly overpriced seafood. Also, the salads are bland and have iceberg lettuce. What saves the other place and what does not save this place is ambiance. The Destin location is smaller, open-air, and located right on the beach. This place is bigger, closed, and located right in the touristy "Pier Park." To get away from the fried food section, I had the Blackjack Tuna on my last go. This was no improvement. The meat was dry, and the dry rub was spicier than I anticipated. It was an odd kind of cayenne spicy. Perhaps I just don't like spicy fish, but I'd pass this one up.
(3)e c.
Overpriced. However, King crab legs were amazing, good corn on the cob, and perfect mashed potatoes. Good baked potato too! Blackened shrimp was cooked improperly. Fish n chips is completely bad. Don't call something Fish n chips when you're going to serve a plate of glorified fish sticks where some are nice and some are chewy/dry. It's insulting! The sides and the service were good but other than the crab legs (aka the arguably easiest item to prepare) the mains just didn't cut it. Come here if you want a nice crab leg dinner - for everything else, try some place else.
(2)Whitney M.
Chain style restaurant with chain style food, which was edible at best. Overpriced tourist trap with mediocre service. My drunk kitchen serves better food. I could've gotten better fuel at a gas station for the same price.
(1)Lo S.
We ended up here because Margaritaville had a 2 hour wait. I AM SOOOOO GLAD WE DID!! This place is equally as busy as M-ville and just as gratifying, if not more! It was my friend's birthday and while we waited on our table we went upstairs to the bar. The bartender was awesome and gave us free Washington Apples. He was awesome and easy to talk to. (Good quality for a bartender to have, I"m learning) We almost ate up there with him until the buzzer went off. We were seated outside because the weather was perfect. It was really busy so the waitress took awhile. I ordered GROUPER FLORENTINE!!! THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST PIECE OF FISH ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH! I JUST KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THEIR MOST POPULAR DISHES. My friend ordered the crab claws and they were good, as well. The only complaint I have were the kids sitting next to us being bad because their parents wouldn't control them! Great place to eat and I heard Margaritaville ISNT THAT GREAT ANYWAY! THE DRINKS ARE DAMN SURE WAY OVERPRICES! EAT AT THE BACK PORCH FOR MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!!!
(5)Bianca L.
Food is nothing like expected...crab cakes were burnt and had no sauce for them. The fish was overcooked as well. The salad had browned as if old or stored uncovered. Prices are WAY too high for the mediocre food. Will not return or recommend!
(1)Brandi G.
Glamorized Red Lobster at best, in fact, I have had better meals at Red Lobster and paid half the price. Back Porch Seafood and Oyster House is ridiculously expensive, you would think you were in for some special treat! Well, think again. I find it ironic that the name of the place is called The Back Porch since that is where the food should actually be kept, tucked into a corner far, far away from your mouth. I don't even think raccoons would touch that rubbery shrimp or the undercooked twice-baked potato. Undercooked twice-baked potato? Yes, you heard me right. It was neither thick, nor creamy inside. It was hard, just as if I was eating the Toy Story star himself. I deserve a little toy for even trying to eat the thing. The service was mediocre at best. After the oysters came, we had to wait for the oyster forks, and as the back porch food made its appearance, we had to ask numerous times for silverware. Maybe they don't provide silverware because the food truly isn't made for eating. Maybe this is all a facade. If at all, I would only come here for the drinks. The Back Porch punch was refreshing and buzz-worthy, other than that, save your dollars and support a locally owned seafood joint.
(2)Steve H.
I was a little disappointed in the overall experience. The food was just ok, I've had better at other local places. The shrimp and crab linguini was very dried, the shrimp wasn't fresh the crab had shell mixed in more the most. The wait staff was attentive but the could be because the place was empty.
(3)Kim H.
Food was great, huge servings and wonderful service.
(5)Cynthia B.
We hit the Back Porch in the early evening of a rainy day. I still wish they had had the windows latched up because the ocean view was awesome. The happy hour special was $5.99 for a dozen local oysters. In California we pay that much for 3. And, they were super fresh and yummy. Their gumbo was good but not nearly as good as we had at The Red Bar. All in all, the Back Porch is one of the great spaces and a 'must visit'.
(3)Chris S.
Cool restaurant and atmosphere..BUT the food is overpriced and not that great...it feels like chain restaurant food made with no love...plenty of other restaurants around with better value $17 for a order of chicken tenders is never a good sign
(2)Wendy T.
I have been here a couple of times in the last two years, when visiting PCB, usually because Margaritaville is packed. The family loves this place, really good food, great staff, and excellent for kids. Have never been upstairs, but am hoping to get up there this summer!
(4)Brandon G.
I am unsure why they call this place the back porch.... it is not on the beach and I did not see any porches, front or back. But nevertheless this place seems to be popular among the locals but why is anybody's guess. The back porch is located in Pier Park, which is very touristy. All four of us were seated promptly but once the greeter disappeared we didn't speak to another person for about 15 minutes. After taking our food and drink order our nice waitress proceeded to wait on the table next to us.... and the table next to them. The waitress was very friendly and helpful but stretched way too thin. My one word to describe the service is...... understaffed. We ordered seafood, Grouper Florentine.... excellent, The Duo...... tasty, and then there was the tuna. My wife ordered a rare tuna steak and we weren't sure it wasn't a cooked up piece of rubber. After testing out her incisors we decided it was just too tough to eat. They replaced it without hesitation and were very courteous. The back porch is nothing special, they have a few good dishes but the location and tourist feel just didn't do it for me.
(3)Brandon W.
Shrimp wasnt fresh at all. Service was good though. Def. a tourist trap with overpriced food.
(2)Christi M.
Four stars for sure based on the service we had! We had dinner here on New Years Eve 2009. The restaurant was pretty busy, but we sat right away. We were greeted by the nicest, most sincere server ever (his name was Duvall). He was really honest about menu items and helped me select dinner. I never had to ask for a refill...he was completely on top of everything! The food was also delicious and satisfying. I started with Gumbo, then had seared Tuna (it was the dinner special). Ryan had the Shrimp Po Boy - which was fairly average and safe. We finished with the Key Lime Pie...again awesome. I highly recommend The Back Porch Seafood and Oyster House (ask to be in Duvall's section!)
(4)Cuong T.
Best fried oysters in the area that we ate. Quantity was awesome. We tried Dees Hang Out and it was a joke compared to this place for oysters. Dees only gave out like 5 pieces while this place gave like 15 pieces. Granted that it was a buck more but the oysters are huge and quantity was more than Dees Hang Out. We will be going back later today for some more.
(4)Charles E.
Excellent location, waitstaff can be a bit slack, but pretty good food. The sandwich platters are the best deals & you get a choice of two sides. Avoid the hush puppies, kinda like golf balls. The blackened Mahi is a favorite.
(3)Perry B.
Tourist trap....we ate at the Destin location a few years back....enjoyed it and hoped this would be the same. Not the same. Honestly had better quality meals at fast food fish restaurants....for a lot less money. Service was good but that was where it stopped....maybe it was a bad night for us....
(2)Michele G.
Long wait times, overpriced mediocre food and staff with an attitude - that's how I would sum up my visit to The Back Porch. If you see a great review here, it was a lucky fluke for the reviewer! My vist there is 3 hours of my life & $90 bucks I'll never get back.
(2)Kenny B.
The first time we went here, the service was horrible, but the food was ok. We made the mistake of going back, and the service was even worse than before. We finally got up and left after the server walked past our table about ten times, completely ignoring our closed menus.
(1)Liz B.
We had lunch here on New Years Eve. We were impressed with both the quality and quantity a food served, and at very reasonable prices. I had the shrimp poboy which was overflowing with lightly fried shrimp, and came with soup, fries, and cole slaw for just 8.99. The rest of the family was equally impressed. The service was also excellent. The only negative thing to mention is that they do have a problem with condensation forming on the exposed duct-work overhead (at least this time of year). My son had to move to a different chair because drops of water were falling on his head. When we let the waitress know she indicated that it was a chronic problem throughout the restaurant. Given the possibility of bacteria-laden water falling into patrons' food, I do hope the management deals with this problem in the very near future.
(4)Casey W.
This gets three stars because we did have a good server. He was very attentive and kept our table clean and our drinks refilled. This restaurant, however, was nothing like the Backporch in Destin. The one in Destin gets five stars, this one though fails to impress. I ordered the grilled shrimp, which came out tasting like the cook had seasoned them with the salty seasoning inside a package of Ramen noodles. The sodium was overpowering and took away from the fact that I was eating fresh gulf shrimp. My husband ordered the Seafood nachos, the ones that we love in Destin, only to find them lackluster and drowning in jalepenos. The crab claw appetizer was decent, but could have used a bit more flavor. Overall, we felt that the high price+quality of food didn't meet the standards we had set for a Backporch restaurant. Next time, we'll just make sure to go to the original.
(3)Ed G.
We visited Panama Beach recently and we were excited to see they had a Back Porch restaurant. Their location in Destin is one of my favorites and we assumed the quality and service would be similar. We were wrong. The service was horrible! Appetizers arrived after the main course and everything was very slow. When we needed anything like a drink or condiment, it took forever to get anyone's attention. The food was mundane and inferior to what we'd experienced in Destin. Sadly, the prices were higher than Destin. I had broiled shrimp that were rubbery and undersized. The salad was nothing special and the (alcohol) drinks were underpowered and overpriced. All in all, I cannot recommend this restaurant based on our experience.
(2)Tom W.
Overall pretty good. The grilled shrimp and scallops were spicier than the blackened fish. The corn medley was not good and surprised to have beans in it. The twiced baked potatoes were good. The fish was very tasty
(3)Deborah L.
We stopped here for lunch based on a recommendation from a local. Tried a tasty blue rum drink and yummy seafood nachos. Service was good, food was prompt, and would definitely consider returning if there weren't so many other places we have yet to try.
(3)Darren S.
Great casual seafood restaurant located across from the beach in Pier Park, this is the second location (the original one is in Destin). Stopped in here on a whim and started with Shrimp & Crab Gumbo (full of flavor, tasty crab meat) and for entrees had the grilled amberjack (this is their specialty, and it came out really tasty) and grouper florentine (stuffed with crab and spinach, sauce a bit creamy and not much crab to taste, but still good). There were many other choices on the menu - i.e. crab claws - and interesting options such as adding lump crab to your entree, and some other tempting appetizers such as oysters and crab cakes. Atmosphere and service is fairly casual, but food came out tasty, so if you are looking for some good local seafood this is a great spot. One drawback was that the wine list was really weak, but this place is all about the food, not about ambiance or wine.
(4)Donny C.
Visited this place twice while in PCB and was satisfied both times. Great broiled seafood. The downside is the high prices and the wait times.
(3)Major W.
Corporate chef fare not dissimilar from the nearby institutional restaurants at the entrance to Pier Park. But the outdoor seating on a lovely spring day broke some of the menu mediocrity. The Smoked Tuna Dip is allegedly famous if not unimaginatively presented, and not a bad start for lunch. The Bloody Mary was poor, and made without pride, even at the request to make it spicy. I had one of the baked oyster dishes with crab meat and cheese. It was heavy and I could only manage four of the half dozen served. Service was polite and attentive and I have to give our server five stars for putting up with two unhappy, fat and obnoxious women next to us who complained about everything, even ordering more fries because their first servings were cold, then scarfing down all of them before refusing to pay their tab. These women personify the reason I no longer work in the restaurant business. All in all, a solid 3 star experience.
(3)Samantha H.
I was kind of against this place as I think it's a bit of a tourist trap. But nevertheless, we ended up eating here as our other options were mediocre at best. I'm surprised how much I ended up liking it! And this is even after I found out the team I picked to win the entire NCAA Championship for 2014 had just lost in the 2nd round, not even making it to the Sweet Sixteen. If that wasn't going to leave a bad taste in my mouth, I don't know what would have. I got the grilled mahi-mahi with a twice baked potato and their corn medley. We also ended up getting a dozen oysters and a basket of fries (what else is new). I actually really liked their mahi-mahi. Like other white fishes, sometimes it runs into the problem of being bland and overpowered by other flavors on the plate. I thought Back Porch did a good job of bringing out the natural fish flavor (without it being too fishy); and it paired well with the corn medley that gave the palette a hint of sweetness. The twice baked potato was an odd component and I wish I didn't get it. Not only was it incredibly dry, but also just wasn't a great accompanying side for the fish. I've had better oysters, but these were not bad for their price point (I believe, $13 for the dozen). They were all pretty meaty and tasted really fresh. The fry basket tasted like your run of the mill Ore Ida fries. Also wish we didn't order these, but sometimes you just have to fill a craving.
(4)Paige A.
Always a must-stop when in town, mainly for their Amberjack sandwich (the angry amberjack is awesome if you want to go spicy!). Have always had good food and good service here. Great casual atmosphere. Can get very crowded during peak times, especially in the summer months. Plan ahead!
(4)Dan T.
This place is in Pier Park - basically an open shopping mall. Grouper and shrimp are good choices and everything seems fresh. It's best to get there early because the waits can be long - especially in peak season.
(4)Hilary K.
My husband has a food allergy and cannot eat nuts. He ordered a grilled chicken salad not realizing it had nuts. When it came he said he couldn't eat nuts they made him pay for it as well as the new salad ... Needless to say had they wrote off the $15 they might have repeat business.
(1)Fran W.
My sister and daughter went here for lunch the day before and loved it, so we decided to go there the next day for dinner. There was an hour wait, which was common at all restaurants during spring break, so while we put our name in, we decided to wait at the bar thinking if we could be served quicker there, that would save us some time. The 20-25 minutes that we sat at the bar (there were 5 of us), the bartender(s) did not acknowledge us once! No drinks, no appetizers and didn't even wipe down the counter in front of us and there weren't that many people sitting at the bar. We finally gave up waiting and complained to the manager, but decided to stay because our name got called for a regular table. When we got to our table (outside, which we liked) a different manager came up to us and said that he heard about our problem and offered us appetizers on the house. We did not expect that at all and it definitely left us feeling a lot better about this place than how were were feeling a few minutes before. We ordered drinks and appetizers and it was very good and our waitress was great. We thank the management staff for stepping up and turning a bad experience into a positive one. Thank you.
(4)Terry M.
I had the grouper stuff with crab, twice baked tater and corn. It was tasty. Daughter had crab legs. They didn't look as fresh as we had at previous other restaurants that week. Others in the party were so-so about their food. Service was slow, she couldn't seem to remember requests. But it was busy. I may go try the Destin location but probably not the PCB location.
(2)Lara M.
Went to lunch early on a Monday. No lines. Very friendly and fast service. The shrimp poboy was stuffed full of crispy popcorn shrimp and the remoulade added another delicious layer of flavor. We had the fried pickles, which were the best we've ever had. Finally, the baked oysters were full of cheesy crabby goodness. The only reason I didn't give a full five stars was because the prices were very expensive. This was an all around excellent experience. Wow, try the orange cake while you're there, to die for!
(4)Jamie W.
We ate here for lunch and the food and service was GREAT! the menu seems a little pricy, but the amount of food you get is well worth it!
(5)Jackie H.
We called a few days ahead of our trip to make sure they had the heads up that we were bringing 30 people with us knowing that they do not accept reservations. We ended up only having 27. They did have us set up and ready to sit as soon as we got there. When I walked in to the front door to check us in there were 3 hosts/hostesses standing there that looked less than thrilled to be there. None of the three even smiled. I waited to be addressed with a can I help you then told all 3 that they all looked like someone kick their kitten. That made all 3 change the attitudes a little but it did set me on edge a little that this was the representation they are giving to first timers in their establishment. We were seated at 2 tables side by side which is fine. We requested upfront at host stand, on phone with gen manager and with first server to be on one check with the same server. We had 2 servers. We had 2 checks. As a company outing this was a bit inconvenient as we needed to pay all at once. Our server for our table didn't miss a beat. We had our drinks, apps and dinner pretty quickly. We had even ordered dessert before our other table even got dinner. Then we paid our check and had to wait for the other table to eat then order dessert. Again it was our server who got down to it and went to help the other table. I really wish I could remember his name because he deserves some credit here. He is the sole reason I don't give this place one star. Let's talk about the food. No, just no. I ordered the crab stuffed Mahi Mahi, it was only warm, dry and seriously lacking flavor. My twice baked potato was also not hot and dry. My husbands fried seafood platter was huge and seemed to have more flavor but it's fried and it's hard to mess up fried food. All the plates had lots of food. Definitely a lot of food for the money but most of us would rather quality over quantity. We take a yearly trip to PCB and I don't think this place will be revisited.
(2)Jessica N.
I pride myself on not being picky when dining out since I am a server and hostess for a restaurant. But with the prices that we paid for the food, my experience shouldve been better. 1. The menus were DISGUSTING. I opened it and there seemed to be mold growing beneath the plastic. I proceeded to open a different menu and there were crumbs and sauce on it? It was super sticky and gross. Third menu was sticky but was readable. Don't your host staff clean the menus? Seriously. 2. The server was prompt and quick to greet, but when asked for our drink order gave us no more than 10 seconds to decide before saying she'd come back later. There were 12 of us and we had just sat down. We werent even situated yet and only 10 secs to decide what to drink? Ok. Then we had to call out to her as she was bolting off to order 2 calamaris since we were all hungry. 3. No app plates from our server. No drinks until after apps. What? The only reason why I'm giving 3 stars is because my food was delicious and the stoner food runner was AWESOME. Seriously, this guy was friendly, very helpful and attentive. Before you say our server was busy, she had one other table when we were sat that already had their food and got sat 2 other times after us with plenty of time in between tables to be attentive.
(3)Cathy P.
Unimpressed with their award winning gumbo. It was awful. And others in out party tried it and had the same face. It was awful. Also , the oven baked oysters were terrible. Why smother An oyster in crab dressing and then bake it. It was like attempting to eat a damn casserole. Keep it simple people. Grilled oysters in garlic butter and fresh Parmesan are simple and WAY better than what you are serving. The front hostess was awful. Like they didn't want to be at work. Bill our waiter was patient and very helpful. Overall over priced and food was not even close to appetizing.
(1)Jeff C.
Been here a few times, and it's just not super great. My first time here, I got the gumbo, and it was great. Second time, one of the appetizers as an entree. It was lukewarm when I got it. The other day my wife and I tried it again, and it was lackluster. Her mahi mahi sandwich was overcooked, and only at that little warm. The size of this place makes me wonder if their staff has the ability to do their customers right. My fish and chips tasted good, after dousing it with the malt vinegar the waitress offered, along with a healthy dose of the Cajun seasonings on the table. Without that, it would've been kinda bland. I know those sound like picky things, but hey, Back Porch is expensive, and kind of slow. The food at Chili's could've give this a run. Or Zaxby's. Or better yet, something local, and not a chain.
(2)Eun Bin Y.
We came here for a lunch today and was pretty disappointed with the quality of the food. It's pretty pricey for unimpressive quality of the meal. The service was great our server Jordan was very pleasant. They also have gluten free menu which is a plus. I paid $45 including the tip for myself for crab stuffed mahi mahi and sunset margarita. We were one of the first customers of the restaurant and felt if the food was left over from last night. Also, margarita was pretty tasty but, it was very weak.
(2)Steph S.
Awesome food, atmosphere, and service. We started with fried pickles - which is an app I love - and they were the best fried pickles I've had. My husband and I split the pick 3 platter - scallops, shrimp and snapper. It was SO MUCH food. We could have done the pick 2. This is a touristy place, but considering we are tourists - we left satisfied!
(5)Dana H.
I enjoyed my meal! I had the crab cake sandwich. I didn't eat the bun. We had a couple dozen raw oysters which were really good. We had a few margaritas which were pretty good. Our waiter was super friendly and helpful. My sister got mashed potatoes and they were on point!!
(4)Terri S.
Started out with a 40 minute wait when we were told 15. Seems that the hostess seated someone else in our spot. We were standing by the hostess or right outside the door the entire time and did not hear them call our name. The drinks were good and the Back Porch beer was good. The seafood nachos are a bargain in this expensive restaurant.
(3)Shannon A.
We started our evening at The Back Porch waiting.... and waiting... AND WAITING for a table that seemed like it would never come. It was as if they were purposely delaying our table. Once we were finally seated, the waiter seemed very disheveled and unorganized. While we were waiting for our food to arrive, the waitress for the table next to our's spilled an entire tray of water on one of the young girls at the table. At this point we were joking amongst ourselves about how horrendous the service was at this establishment. The food then began to arrive, tray by tray. When the trays had all been emptied, we all noticed that only one side of the table had received their food. Expecting the rest of the food to be on its way, we all began eating. This was not the case, however. It was more than 15 minutes until the rest of our table received their food! Again, a laughable circumstance. I gave 2 stars because the food was good but the management and customer service were absent in this restaurant.
(2)Kayla S.
This is pretty good. We had a coupon for a free smoked tuna dip and it was delicious! Our waiter was very nice. My daughter got a frisbee as a plate and she enjoyed it.
(4)Kristy T.
My favorite meal the entire vacation was here. Shrimp & scallops, twice baked potato, yum yum!! It was perfect. The service was excellent. We sat outside for dinner then met friends inside at the bar for drinks. The bartender was was fun!! I bought the softest t-shirt ever in the gift shop.
(5)Barb D.
We got here around 10 pm on a saturday night. Quick appitizers, nice server, fun atmosphere. It was kind of dead. Those who ate, enjoyed their meals. Food was hot. A little expensive but what would you expect from a touristy area.
(4)Todd S.
Food was really good (just pricey like everything else in PCB). Had to wait almost 15 minutes to get waited on and order our drinks. The bartender, Chris, saw we haven't been waited on and served us. We tipped him well because we had great service from him while our real server was non-existent.
(3)Kelsey S.
I came here last year while vacationing in Fort Walton, and also this year while in PCB. No complaints. The food was wonderful, service was quick, and I will definitely be back!
(5)Jason M.
Not good at all... I ordered the fish and chips, when they arrived they looked like popcorn chicken, I tried the first one and it had a small bone in it, the next one was super chewy.... I told the waitress I did not like it and she sent the manager to talk to me, he explained he was sorry I didn't enjoy it, and that they make there fish and chips from the scraps leftover when they cut the amberjack and mahi mahi so it may have bones and scales in it... Gross don't go there
(2)Amber S.
Was OK. Service was fine and so was the food. Not a meal or experience to remember. Had the broiled crab claws, was super salty, I would try the fried next time.
(3)Zachary C.
The food was absolutely delicious. I had the grouper and my fiancé had chicken and the amount of food was huge. Definitely will visit next time we come down!
(4)Vinay P.
Ate here on vacation and it was TERRIBLE! Super over-priced (~$23 for grilled tuna that's the thickness of sliced deli meat) and every single person in our group got sick even though none of us even ordered the same thing! There was a customer dry heaving into the bathroom sink as we left too which was a good indication of what the food here contributed to our evening. Ordered the "tuna dip" appetizer and it was a pile of canned tuna mixed with mayo served with a stack of prepackaged crackers like you get with soup- and it was like $12 dollars!! The service was fine and the drinks were good (don't get wine), but the food was so bad I'm just glad we all survived it.
(1)Mark C.
Service was excellent, try the spinach/crab dip with chips, its phenomenal. Place is in a good location right across the street from the beach, tucked away in pier park. Will go here when I visit Panama again
(5)Leo K.
Dropped by this place for dinner during a Panama City Beach trip with my cousins and family friends. It was a late night and the adults had gone off to eat on their own, and there weren't many options of places to choose from, so we ended up here. I can pretty much sum up this place in one sentence: It was the most average food you can find. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. The place was huge, but it was still pretty empty for a weekday night. And I say pretty empty because Panama City Beach was a tourist/vacation spot so I would expect a crowd even on weekdays. The menu was mostly seafood (hence the name of the restaurant), which I was not a big fan of, but I still decided to get some fried oysters to go along with my chicken tenders. The oysters, tenders, and fries weren't bad at all, but I've had much better, and would've rather grabbed some fried chicken from KFC or something haha. A major turnoff was that the pricing was a bit on the high end for such an average restaurant.
(3)Ryan C.
My wife wanted seafood and I begged her not to go to a no name chain. Unfortunately I was right. Atmosphere was that of a red lobster with the smell of wet mats in the air. The burger was not worth $12. Grouper was overlooked and bland. Everything was just un flavorful. But service was great. I won't be back.
(2)Marlene S.
Food and service excellent!!! Had the Seafood jubilee, was excellent! You will not leave hungry that is for sure!
(5)Brittani P.
Food was EXCELLENT. Crab claws and crab dip are my favorite! Perfect location and atmosphere! We sat outside with the beach in view. Will definitely go back.
(5)A R.
Great seafood but very expensive for what you get. The crab stuffed shrimp and pineapple rice was awesome. The kids' pizza was not great but they liked the souvenir frisbee plate. Service was good.
(4)John L.
We go to the back porch every time we come to PCB. The only reason is habit, because the food isn't anything special. There are much better restaurants in PCB.
(3)Bobby M.
We just finished a great meal! I had the fish and chips and my wife had the grouper sandwich. Both were great! We also had the fried pickles and hushpuppies - both great! Rachel took good care of us. She was friendly and attentive. Definitely ask for her!
(5)Christie F.
Absolutely no reason to go here. We used to go to the back porch in Destin every year and the food was better - not amazing, but definitely better. The atmosphere was what made the one in Destin - right on the beach. We could get drinks, hang out on the beach while we waited for a table & let the kids play. The back porch in Pier park has zero atmosphere - just in a mall area. Food: bland, boring and just awful in that order. My 13 yr old son (who will eat ANYTHING because he is always hungry!) ordered a crab cake sandwich and it was so bad he only ate half. We tried it and I guess they were expecting us to drench it in what they called remoulade but tasted nothing like real remoulade sauce, because the actual crab cake had zero flavor. My husband said the grouper sandwich was ok, my younger son had fish "toes" - gross. Basically just fish nuggets instead of chicken, but not good. I ordered fish & chips. Guess what it was? Wait for it.... A larger portion of fish "toes" - not kidding. The menu did not specify this. I have ordered fish & chips many times in my life and it is always one or two large pieces of fish. Yuck. Drinks: well, you can't mess up beer, so my husband was set. I had the raspberry margarita - margarita with chambord. It was just ok. Not great but not awful. I didn't order a second one. Save your time and money (it is expensive for such bad food) and go somewhere else.
(2)Erica R.
We come here every time we drive down to Panama City for the oysters. They are good ole Appalachian oysters, salty and cold! Another favorite dish is the crab claws. The drinks are also very good. The food is good not spectacular, but it is a great place to get out of the sun for a while and watch the game. We've only been during the day, it was not crowded and the servers are always great.
(3)Amie S.
Wanted to eat here for years, but it's always so crowded. Finally did and it was worth the wait. Everything we had was delicious! I personally had the sunset chicken with pineapple rice and a twice baked potato. Wonderful and flavorful! Plenty of food to take a lot to go. Could go back and eat it again every day of the trip. Also tasted the hush puppies and crab legs and they were excellent. Server was friendly and attentive. Kitchen was slow. Price was definitely a little high though, around $40 per person, and no alcohol or special drinks were ordered.
(4)David T.
Thoroughly enjoyed the Seafood Nachos. Big enough for 2-6 for appetizers. But I had them by myself and it was a little much. Had to walk and shop down the Pier Park.
(4)Fashionista I.
Great place!!! One of the meals wasn't made on time and manager came out and personally apologized and said that my meal will be on the house and offered all of our deserts for free. Great atmosphere and great place to eat. I ordered mahi mahi stuffed with crab meat and mashed potatoes and it was absolutely delicious!!!!our waitress Jennifer was amazing too
(5)James F.
This place.... ohhh this place. From the affable yet average waiter to the edible unenjoyable food.... So many surprises awaited us. If hungry, you will be fine. if you are an arbiter of taste and cuisine then you may be underwhelmed by pcb's rendition of lean cuisine seafood palace... From sam the singer to cocktails served in plastic wear... only the most average experience for the above average connoisseur. Ambiance and company were spectacular however. If you have never been to new Orleans, Baltimore, Seattle, myrtle beach, your local fish market or any other seafood haven you might enjoy this local attempt at seafood. Let's call it seefood, in fact.
(2)Scott W.
Service is the issue here. Starts from the rude hostesses to our awful 1st server. I will continue on later with all of the details.
(1)Suzanne S.
Not too bad for a beach magnet spot. Prices about right for the quality. Service is decent.
(4)Phillip D.
The food is great here. Get the tuna dip as am appetizer and sit up in the top porch for great views. I ordered a sampler plate with scallops, shrimp, and mahi-mahi. My only complaint with the food is the corn medley that comes with everything. Blech! It is nasty! They will let you trade it out; do so. The price is a bit high, but it's a touristy area and is right on the beach. If prices were a bit lower (everything $5 cheaper), I would bring a big group. However, it remains a treat place so we only take a small party.
(3)Socal 2.
Food is bland! Great server but the food is not. The broiled jubilee was just bland and the pineapple rice would have tasted better if fried. Gumbo was nasty!
(1)Cote W.
Bar is cramped in next to a wall. It's pretty slow business for them but yet it's still 10 -15 mins before I see a bartender or waitress. Seen a couple customers ask for a drink and they either didn't know how to make it and didn't want to look it up or either didn't have the liquor. The food was pretty nice and and the prices wouldn't have been that bad if the service was better.
(2)Tony B.
Surprising!!! Well, we made at last minute decision to try this place since it was across the street from the condo we were staying at and the wait was only about 15 minutes for a table of 7 at 8pm on a Sunday night. Waitress was great. The food was great. I think the Crab Cakes were the best and made me even think about ordering some to go if we weren't so full. We will be back at least one more time this week. The Stuffed Shrimp, Shrimp Po Boys were also very good.
(4)Danyel B.
Vacationing down in Panama City, we was looking for a great seafood restaurant and I use yelp to find this spot, Well let me tell you the food was amazing!! We order a varieties of appetizer. Shrimp, spinach/crab drip but what caught my taste bud was the TUNA yes the tuna. This tuna was the best I had every had. I was so impressed with the tuna I had to ask what was in it. Andrea (our waiter) was not to forth coming with this recipe.. I asked her several times to find our what was in it. She would tell me the basis mayo salt and pepper. I told her no there is something else I taste it again and found celery seed. Finally the Chef came out and told me the secret. ( sorry can't tell it). I highly recommend the Tuna.
(5)Emma E.
This is a big touristy restaurant in Pier Park. It is not bad but it isn't great either. We ordered sandwiches - grilled fish sandwich, fried oyster sandwich, and a crab cake sandwich. Price is reasonable for the area. The oyster sandwich was good. I ate all the oysters (plenty) and did not touch the bread at all. I fries and coleslaw and it was satisfying, but not memorable. My son enjoyed the crab cake sandwich and my husband raved about his fish sandwich. So overall it is a B+
(4)Sam L.
This place has great service from top to bottom. Our waiter made great recommendations and what not to order. Odd but honesty goes a long way with me. Smoked tune dip is a great starter and the crab dip. Stuffed shrimp with crab meat was a great entree. Ask for Richard for your waiter. He has been there since they opened and you can tell this is not his first rodeo.
(5)Dean W.
Have been coming here for years. Food is always delicious and good value. Best seafood on the strip for sure. Much better than any other Pier Park restaurants also3. Great service every time. Melinda is our favorite server there.
(5)Vicki L.
Meh. So if I rated the server 5 stars. As far as food goes he didn't have much to work with. We ordered appetizers because on first impression the menu was over priced. Nachos no. Gumbo. No. Firecracker shrimp meh. Ok. .
(1)Leeanna L.
Location is the best thing they have going for them. The food tasted out of a box. Asked for a view, got an obstructed view. The service was ok. This was my first stop once I arrived in PCB. Skip it! I wish I had.
(2)MG S.
When I went to this place it was very busy, we had to wait a while, but once seated, the service was spot on. Our waiter didn't act frustrated or too busy for us. The food is very good, actually, and it comes in big portions! The appetizer shrimp (it's fried in spicy sauce) is ridiculously delicious and I have had this on another occasion as my dinner! All in all, I like the place but don't visit often because it is pricier than I would like for the place, but it is a touristy place right by the pier in Pier Park. I would go back and I would recommend it.
(4)Bill P.
Visited for lunch on 8/18/14. Where to begin? I will say that the hostess was very nice. It went down hill from there. It took our waitress about 10 minutes to acknowledge us. When she did, it was with a half "I don't want to be here/ I don't want to wait on you" attitude. (Full disclosure, two kids and two adults.) Once she arrived and finished rolling her eyes, we placed our order. The Seafood Nachos - the concept was good, but the execution was poor. It arrived only luke warm. We didn't send it back as we feared it would take another 25 minutes. There was a mound of shrimp and crab in the middle, but it was ice cold. Only the cheese was luke warm. Kid's meals - we ordered two chicken finger baskets. They looked normal and I have to say that our kids are chicken finger connesuirs (sp?); however, they didn't like them. They came with 5 along with a healthy serving of fries. I will say that the fries were EXCEPTIONAL. It would have been nice if the waitress had told us that the kid plates were actually frisbee that we could take home. The manager told us as he was clearing the table (which the waitress never did). :( Snapper sandwich (blackened) - decent. Actually better than decent. My wife enjoyed it. It was a good sized piece of fish, so much so that she only ate half of it. Oyster Po Boy - the bread was very fresh, and the bread was fresh. Seriously though, the bread was the star of the dish. The oysters were ok, but the seasoning was bland and they were really, really small. Finally, this was a $70 lunch, before tip. No...where...near...worth...it. In summary, this is a tourist trap. I expected as much but this is still bad. If you are visiting Pier Park in Panama City, visit the other option.
(2)M S.
Our waitress was great but the food, eeehh... We ordered the crab stuff Mahi Mahi and it wasn't good. We also came here last year and we weren't impressed. Thought we would give it another try but for the price and quality we will not be back again. Def better places to eat in pier park!
(2)Jessica D.
Almost forgot to review this place lol. Here's the run down: 1. The food is great. The unlimited fish & chips is a great deal (same price as just a regular order of fish & chips). The couple of us who ordered it could only finish one plate each, but the waitress was kind and gave us another plate to-go. - The crab claws were something new to me, but we all liked them, both the deep fried and broiled in garlic butter sauce. If you've never had crab claws, you gotta try it! - We all ordered some sort of seafood, of course, since we were in Florida, and everything was very fresh. - Drinks were good. I recommend the Paradise Punch and the piña colada. 2. Service was top notch. It is off season, so there weren't that many other customers in the restaurant, which made it better for us. 3. The place was clean, and everyone was friendly.
(4)Scott S.
I would say this place is about where it should be on the star scale at 3.5. Nothing memorable, mostly the franchise taste and feel you will get from any other restaurant on the strip. Service was good and timely even at peak dining hour, food average to good, nothing unique about it.
(3)Bethan J.
A total tourist trap but the menu looked good so we went for it. We were told there was a 20 minute wait tops for a table so we headed to the bar for a few aperitifs. Great bartender who was really prompt and helpful. THIRTY minutes later we were finally ushered to our table. Thankfully our server took our order quickly. We had the crabs leg starter. Tasty but not what we'd expected. However before we'd finished our entree arrived. If we'd had one each and not one to share it'd gotten cold. I'm used to having a shirt break between courses not having them simultaneously. We both ordered chargrilled fish and the double baked potato. Fabulous! Throughout the meal the server was excellent checking up on us and answering questions.
(4)Lisa A.
Great view if you get to eat upstairs! Crab legs were delish! Twice baked potato side is incredible!! Corn medley side YUM!!!!! Great staff, very friendly!!
(5)Denise W.
We sat at the bar and had Excellent service! I ordered an appetizer, the crab and spinach dip which was excellent! Hubby ordered fish and chips and he said it was the best he'd ever had. The key lime freeze drink was delicious too. Been to the location in Destin many times, so glad there's one closer.
(5)Chris H.
We had the seafood gumbo and shrimp chowder and both were great appetizers. We shared the seafood platter which consisted of fried shrimp, oysters, fish and scallops. It was excellent. It is a bit touristy, but overall, a great place to eat.
(4)Rick I.
Yes touristy, you are in PCB. Went just before the dinner rush, no wait! As we were leaving the line began to build but seemed to flow as there was plenty of seating on both floors! Food was great! Our waitress was better! Only thing with the food, rethink the baked oysters with crab, topped with cheese, would have been just as good asking for a side of mayo because that is all you could taste, we eat a lot of oysters and these were horrible. Had a large party and everyone's food, other than the baked oysters, was fantastic. I will call her out by name! Mia was superb! The team work was excellent, there were no delays, if Mia wasn't there with our order there was another server filling the gap. Great experience...other than those servings of mayo, err, I mean baked oysters.
(4)Leaj J.
Back porch oyster are amazing!! Our waitress was very nice. Her name was Olivia and the host Miranda was very sweet! I'd defiantly be back. The grilled grouper was good, cole slaw was amazing, fried shrimp and scallops were great also. We didn't have to wait long for a table which was a plus because I was starving. I love the face this restaurant started in Destin and now is a bigger place to go!
(5)Julie G.
Happy Hour! My friends and I came here after some beach fun across the street and we didn't want to drive anywhere. With starving stomachs we sat down and ordered appetizers and drinks. Cocktails were only $2. The waiter accidentally gave me the wrong drink (which I drank half of), but quickly brought out the right one. My friend ordered the crab and spinach dip which was on the happy hour menu & it was delicious. For $5, it was plenty enough. I ordered a cup of gumbo and half a dozen oysters. Both were fantastic--the gumbo was chock full of meaty & seafood deliciousness, and the oysters were very refreshing! The only negative aspect about this place is that the portions for the pasta was small. My friend ordered the shrimp scampi. Now let me tell you, she is a tiny person who usually never finishes her food and always has to to-go the rest of her meal. She ate all of it including some of our food. For how much it cost, it wasn't worth ordering.
(4)Cameron T.
This place has some great deals on appetizers. During normal price times, myself and two other adults split the seafood nachos and they were so large we didn't have to order anything else to eat afterwards! Later, we went during their half price app time and got their crab dip and onion rings. The crab dip was just okay for me, but their onion rings were delicious.
(4)Vanitha S.
So disappointed in this place. Only good thing is that it is in the Pier Park so the location is convenient. Service was super friendly and kind, so that is the one good thing. However, the restaurant is decorated tacky, the food is way overpriced and everything is smothered with lots of butter and oil. Nothing tasted fresh to me. Use your yelp app to find a more local seafood joint!
(2)Stacy H.
This place was awesome! Food was excellent, atmosphere was excellent, server was excellent, experience-EXCELLENT!!
(5)L. Y.
It was terrible, just terrible. How has the wonderful Back Porch sunken so low? Everything they serve now seems like Robert Orr Sysco boxed frozen food. I remember going to the one in Destin just a few years back and having the freshest food with real, sweet corn on the cob, baked potatoes...what they serve now is overpriced and not good. Just not the same quality. What have they done to this once fabulous restaurant?
(1)Patty W.
Huge fan of this place! We visit Destin every May and the Back Porch is always on our list of places to go for dinner. Chicken Sunset is fabulous. Seafood the main draw, is outstanding. Fruity drinks (strawberry daiquiri) are terrific. The view, the view, the view!!! Simply love it.
(5)Angie C.
Best Saturday morning happy hour around. $5 Smoked Tuna Dip and $2.75 Bloody Mary's! Great Place to belly up for a nice brunch/lunch.
(5)Maile O.
The Grouper and shrimp was over cooked. Sent it back then changed my order to grilled Mahi Mahi and that was tasteless and still over cooked on one side. The poor waitress felt so bad she was trying extra hard to make up for the bad food. The manager did the right thing by coming over to apologize then removing the plates from our bill. Overall save your money and don't eat here.
(2)Sundi P.
We came in here for dinner after walking around the mall and the pier. The servers and hostesses were very nice. We didn't have to wait long for a table; but I'm sure in warmer months, that would be different. The food was excellent. I had the shrimp blackened with the corn and the twice baked potato which I was too full to eat. My husband had the Amberjack fish, rice and corn. He liked it too, but thought the seasoning overpowered the fish a little.
(4)Tim F.
We had our first visit on a Wednesday evening. There was no wait. I would go back now that I know what to order. My wife had the crab stuffed shrimp, which was very good and the portions were generous. My daughter had the jumbo gulf shrimp and it was too spicy for her. I had the grouper Florentine. The grouper itself was great and so was the cream sauce. I just didn't care for the crab meat and spinach stuffing. I thought the grouper would have been much better with the crab cake stuffing that was used in the crab stuffed shrimp. The waiter was friendly and did his job well. The only other issue I had was that we ate outside and the live music next door at Margaritaville was overpowering the music played at The Back Porch.
(4)Colin M.
Every thing was Okay... Nothing great. I would only go back to get oysters since I fish at the near by pier, it's convenient.
(2)Jerry M.
The service was terrible. We sat upstairs on the porch. Waited over an hour for our food until I complained. People were being served all around us that were seated long after we gave our order. Was told we were a large party of 11 and that large parties take longer. Food was cold when it arrived. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.
(1)Erika L.
Seafood nachos? Just take my money NOW.
(4)Chloe W.
I came in with my 10 year old and 7 year old. Sometimes servers thumb their noses up at having to take care of a "kiddie" table, but our server was wonderful. Besides, my son orders an adult meal and eats like a man! We had peel and eat shrimp and oysters for an appetizer. My only complaint was that the oysters were a little small. I had the crab legs with mashed potatoes and cole slaw (both were good but I could barely eat them because I was trying to finish my huge portion of crab). My son had the grilled shrimp with fries and southern? corn. It was a mixture of corn and lima beans, and all were delicious. He inhaled the shrimp. My cocktail was the Key Lime Pie Daiquiri, it was adult dessert heaven. The location is good, not right on the beach but across the road from it. It was a bit pricey but I was not disappointed. I would go back.
(4)Elizabeth P.
The stuffed shrimp were very good! The staff was very friendly! Best food I've eaten while here at Panama City Beach!
(5)Sunny B.
I like seafood, but I have to say the crab spinach dip was nasty. The place is right on the water so it's not a total don't. The lovely young waitress (Emily) was awesome! Vodka lemonade was tasty.
(2)Evelyn H.
It was pretty good. Our service was bad, but the food was good though. If you don't mind having the waitress ignore you a bit and are just going for the food, then it was great.
(3)Tony B.
After a disappointing dinner @ Hammerhead Fred's for some seafood, we decided to try another place. After looking at the reviews & seeing the place we decided The Back Porch would be a good idea. We couldn't have been happier w/ our choice. Stuffed shrimp was excellent! The broiled jubilee was great! Crab cakes were excellent! We were seated right away. Great service from our waitress Breslin. It's seems its priced a little high, but it was good enough to be worth it. I highly recommend this restaurant. Excellent location with great views. Located @ the front of Pier Park. Hope you enjoy!
(4)CAITLIN T.
The food and service was great. I was really surprised since Dick's Last Resort was a huge disappointment. Glad we were able to check this place out.
(4)