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No visit to Pensacola, Florida is complete without visiting two locally owned restaurants, McGuire's Irish Pub on E. Gregory St. and Flounder's on Santa Rosa Sound. As fate would have it both are owned by the same people. We visited McGuire's a few month's back so now we'll focus on the beach-side eatery with its own volley ball court.
Calling Flounder's an eatery is like calling New York a city. Technically it's right. But to say that definition is an understatement would be an understatement. Flounders is a complete seaside cultural adventure.
If you are into nightlife then Flounder's is the place for you. They have live entertainment every night during the season and weekends off season. The stage features a true Pensacola icon, the original sailfish sign that lit the way to Santa Rosa Island since the 50’s. They even have an outdoor bar slingin' the drinks.
Are you into play time? Then Flounder's is the place for you - the aforementioned sand volley ball court is the stuff of legend. People watching, water sports, shopping? Then Flounder's is the place for you. Into boats? Dito. But what about the food.
The great thing about living on the Third Coast is that you can go pretty much anywhere you go has stellar fried shrimp. But there is just something about Flounder's fried shrimp that makes it better than anywhere else on the Gulf. I think have figured out the secret to their super crunchy batter, but I'm not sharing.
Sure, you'd expect a seafood restaurant on the Florida panhandle to have great fried seafood but a decent chowder? Not so much. There's where you would be wrong. I love chowder; it is one the few gastronomic gifts of the US' eastern seaboard. Floyd Flounder’s Phenomenal Flounder Chowder (Winner of the Great Florida Chowder Cook-Off) is the best, by far, that I have ever tried.
Other popular menu items include Seafood Nachos, steaks cooked over an oak-fired grill, Firecracker Shrimp, fresh flounder cooked virtually any way you can think of and don't forget the state pie, Key Lime made from a more than 30 year old recipe. Flounder's Chowder House is located at 800 Quietwater Beach Road on Pensacola Beach. They are open Monday-Thursday Noon until 10 PM, Friday Noon until 2AM and Sat & Sun 11AM until late night.
If you are into nightlife then Flounder's is the place for you. They have live entertainment every night during the season and weekends off season. The stage features a true Pensacola icon, the original sailfish sign that lit the way to Santa Rosa Island since the 50’s. They even have an outdoor bar slingin' the drinks.
Are you into play time? Then Flounder's is the place for you - the aforementioned sand volley ball court is the stuff of legend. People watching, water sports, shopping? Then Flounder's is the place for you. Into boats? Dito. But what about the food.
Sure, you'd expect a seafood restaurant on the Florida panhandle to have great fried seafood but a decent chowder? Not so much. There's where you would be wrong. I love chowder; it is one the few gastronomic gifts of the US' eastern seaboard. Floyd Flounder’s Phenomenal Flounder Chowder (Winner of the Great Florida Chowder Cook-Off) is the best, by far, that I have ever tried.
Other popular menu items include Seafood Nachos, steaks cooked over an oak-fired grill, Firecracker Shrimp, fresh flounder cooked virtually any way you can think of and don't forget the state pie, Key Lime made from a more than 30 year old recipe. Flounder's Chowder House is located at 800 Quietwater Beach Road on Pensacola Beach. They are open Monday-Thursday Noon until 10 PM, Friday Noon until 2AM and Sat & Sun 11AM until late night.
