Why do most people visit Panama City Beach? Because of the Beach! When a city has “beach” in its name then the beach must be a pretty popular place, which is definitely the case with Panama City Beach, Florida. There are a ton of great places to eat in Panama City Beach, but there are just a handful of Panama City Beach restaurants on the beach where you can see the water, sunset, beach activities, dolphins, etc. The restaurants and places to eat on the beach range from old, local dives where beachgoers walk up from the beach for a quick bite or drink to fine dining with steaks and wine. There is something for everyone with the PCB restaurants on the beach that are available!
We have put together this ultimate guide for Panama City Beach restaurants on the beach to help you see what is available and where to find these places to eat. Advice is also provided whether the location is appropriate for kids or not since some places have a more “bar-like” atmosphere with live music, drinks, and dancing. So whether you’re looking for a place to eat on the beach while spending the day on the beach or you’re looking for a nice place to dine while watching the sunset over the Gulf, you’ll find what you’re looking for in the Panama City Beach restaurants on the water.
The first part of this list is beachfront Panama City Beach restaurants on the beach meaning you can basically walk off their back deck and be on the actual beach. The second half is excellent Panama City Beach restaurants on the water mostly in St Andrew Bay. While these restaurants aren’t on a “beach”, they do sit next to the water and provide great views, atmosphere, and incredible dining. They are especially great for getting away from the beach crowds and winding down in the afternoons and evenings for dinner.
Panama City Beach Restaurants on the Beach
Pineapple Willy’s
Pineapple Willy’s is among the most popular Panama City Beach restaurants on the beach in PCB Florida. Chances are that you have seen a Pineapple Willy’s t-shirt worn by someone in your hometown as they are extremely popular with visitors. Pineapple Willy’s claims to have the best ribs on the beach and many visitors agree! Because Pineapple Willy’s is among the most popular Panama City Beach Restaurants on the water they tend to stay quite busy…especially on weekends so be aware if choosing to dine on weekends or with groups larger than 6 as wait times can be longer.
Pineapple Willy’s Menu: http://www.pwillys.com/Menus.html
Address: 9875 South Thomas Drive | Panama City Bch, FL 32408 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 235-1225
Website: pwillys.com
Spinnaker Beach Club
The Spinnaker Beach Club is a popular restaurant by day and a happening club by night with live music, dancing, drinks, and munchies. Spinnakers is extremely popular with college crowds due to the various activities offered along with the beach/ocean sports available right off the back deck including beach volleyball, jet skis, parasailing, banana boat rides, and more.
Spinnaker Beach Club Menu: http://www.spinnakerbeachclub.com/paradise-grill-menu
Address: 8795 Thomas Drive | Panama City, FL 32408 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 234-7882
Website: spinnakerbeachclub.com
Schooners
Schooners Menu: http://schooners.com/menu/
Schooners Beach Club on Panama City Beach claims to be “The Last Local Beach Club” and is famous for shooting off a canon each night when the sun dips below the horizon. Locals and visitors alike walk up from the beach to grab a bite to eat and something to drink at Schooners and there seems to always be something going on with live music, festivals, and other events. Schooners is worth checking out if you want that original, laid-back beach bum vibe with good food, drinks, and live music in an open-air environment.
Address: 5121 Gulf Drive | Panama City, FL 32408 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 235-3555
Website: schooners.com
Barefoot Beach Club
The Barefoot Beach Club is another Panama City Beach restaurant in the beach with an open air deck located between the Legacy By The Sea hotel and the Beachbreak By The Sea hotel. They serve up a variety of seafood, sandwiches, burgers, and drinks while overlook beach activities with live seasonal music. Kids love the kid’s meals which get served on souvenir frisbees! Barefoot Beach Club is one of the few, true beachfront restaurants in Panama City Beach and is worth checking out…especially if you’re walking the beach nearby with an appetite!
Barefoot Beach Club Menu: http://barefootpcb.com/our-menu/
Address: 15405 Front Beach Road | Panama City Bch, FL 32413 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 249-2031
Website: barefootpcb.com/
Breakers Restaurant
Breakers Restaurant on the beach in Panama City Beach has a glassed-in dining area where every table overlooks the Gulf of Mexico. Live music is available Wednesday through Sunday nights while serving up steaks and fresh seafood. Reservations are accepted and we suggest taking advantage of it especially on weekends.
Breakers Restaurant Menu: http://www.breakerspcbeach.com/menu.html
Address: 12627 Front Beach Road | Panama City Beach, FL 32407 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 234-6060
Website: breakerspcbeach.com
Sharky’s
Sharky’s has become a very popular beachfront restaurant in Panama City Beach with its selection of food, drinks, live music, activities, and location. Locals and visitors love to visit Sharky’s Beachfront Dining in PCB and it’s also a popular venue for Spring Breakers as well.
Sharky’s Menu: http://sharkysbeach.com/our-menu/
Address: 15201 Front Beach Road | Panama City, FL 32413 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 235-2420
Website: sharkysbeach.com
Panama City Beach Restaurants on the Water
The following restaurants are not exactly located on the “beach”, but they are on the waterfront near boat docks mostly in nearby St. Andrew Bay. The food at these locations and the views are fantastic and we wanted to include these for those of you who don’t necessarily want the “party on the beach” vibe as some of the beachfront restaurants and clubs have. These few tend to offer a bit more of a “dining” experience rather than swimming trunks, loud music, and burgers. These are in no particular order as they each are great and have their own selections of excellent food and are among the best Panama City Beach restaurants on the water in PCB Florida.
Uncle Ernie’s Bayfront Grill
Uncle Ernie’s was one of the best-kept-secrets among locals for years, but has quickly become incredibly popular with visitors as it has amazing food served on an open-air deck with a gorgeous sunset view from every table. Live music is often played at night on the top deck as well. The food…oh my, the food. Their crab cakes are among the best in the world. Seriously. The seafood is amazing and is among the best seafood in Panama City Beach, FL. The history of Uncle Ernie’s is just as fascinating as the food so be sure to check out the link below for more info!
Uncle Ernie’s Most Popular Dishes: http://uncleerniesbayfrontgrill.com/welcome/fine-dining/
Address: 1151 Bayview Avenue | Panama City, FL 32401 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 763-8427
Website: uncleerniesbayfrontgrill.com
Boatyard Restaurant
The Boatyard Restaurant is among the most popular Panama City Beach restaurants on the water for visitors of PCB. It stays busy and serves up great food, drinks, and desserts in a unique restaurant atmosphere. The Boatyard Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and we definitely recommend them for either one.
Boatyard Menu: http://boatyardclub.com/menu/
Address: 5323 North Lagoon Drive | Panama City, FL 32408 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 249-9273
Website: boatyardclub.com
Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant
Captain Anderson’s is a fantastic seafood restaurant on the water in Panama City, Florida and has been a popular dining option since 1967. Captain Anderson’s is only open for dinner and is closed on Sundays. They stay fairly busy so plan ahead accordingly. Many visitors feel that Captain Anderson’s offers some of the best seafood in Panama City Beach.
Captain Anderson’s Menu: http://www.captanderson.com/menus/
Address: 5551 N Lagoon Dr | Panama City, Florida 32408 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 234-2225
Website: captanderson.com
Shrimp Boat Restaurant
The Shrimp Boat restaurant is a restored Panama City Beach restaurant on the water that serves up fantastic seafood and desserts. It’s mostly enclosed dining, which reduces your chances of getting a table with a view of the water, so be aware as the options above may offer better views. The food, though, is excellent and is on par with the waterfront restaurants in PCB listed above.
Address: 1201 Beck Ave | Panama City, FL 32401-1458 | Map & Directions
Phone: (850) 785-8706
Website: theshrimpboatrestaurant.com
Final Thoughts about Places to Eat in Panama City Beach
If you have eaten at any of the Panama City Beach restaurants on the beach or water then please share your comments below! If you know of another great places to eat in PCB on the water then please share that as well.
Be sure to also check out our list of the best places to get printable Panama City Beach restaurant coupons and our guide of Panama City Beach coupons and discounts page to find Panama City Beach restaurants coupons as well!
Our family which consists of 4 kids ages, 12 to 20 loved P-Willey’s it was the best. We had a great server and wonderful service. The food was excellent and they had a great band. The atmosphere was awesome. Our visit was during April 2013 – Spring Break. What a great time!
We need some coupons for restaurant and activities
This needs to be updated. Boatyard and Breakers no longer exist!!
While driving around the town, my family noticed the huge open mouthed shark head and had to go!
SO GLAD WE DID!!! Being out by the water, having the ocean breezes blowing and listening to the live music….it was heaven! Definitely one of the highlights of our trip! Oh, by the way, the food was great too!!!