One of the best parts about living in—or visiting—Panama City is that a great meal can come with a pretty incredible view.
Around Panama City and Panama City Beach, you can find everything from oysters in Historic St. Andrews to fresh seafood overlooking Grand Lagoon, casual lunches directly on the sand, and restaurants made for sunset dinners.
The local dining scene isn't just seafood, either. You'll find steaks, sushi, Cajun food, brunch, cocktails and plenty of casual Florida favorites.
So, where should you eat?
Here are some Panama City and Panama City Beach restaurants worth knowing about.
If you're looking for something that feels distinctly local, start in Historic St. Andrews.
Hunt's Oyster Bar and Seafood is a casual Panama City institution centered around oysters and classic Gulf Coast seafood. The restaurant serves oysters raw, steamed, baked and fried, along with seafood baskets and other coastal favorites. Its official site places it at 1150 Beck Avenue in Panama City.
This isn't the place where you need to dress up for dinner. It's the kind of spot to visit when you're craving oysters and want a relaxed, old-school local seafood experience.
Good for: Oysters, casual lunches, seafood lovers and experiencing Historic St. Andrews.
Just around the corner, Uncle Ernie's combines food with one of the things Panama City does particularly well: waterfront sunsets.
Located on Bayview Avenue in Historic St. Andrews, the restaurant has indoor and outdoor waterfront views, live entertainment and a menu that emphasizes fresh seafood. Uncle Ernie's says its Gulf grouper is wild-caught, never frozen and delivered daily.
This is the kind of place we'd choose when the setting matters almost as much as the meal.
Go around sunset, ask about outdoor seating, and give yourself time to enjoy the view.
Good for: Waterfront dinners, grouper, sunset, date night and showing out-of-town guests around Panama City.
For something more casual, there's Bayou Joes Marina & Grill.
Located directly over Massalina Bayou near downtown Panama City, Bayou Joe's has the kind of laid-back waterfront atmosphere that fits perfectly into a Florida afternoon.
It's a good option when you want seafood or casual American food without turning lunch into a formal occasion.
Good for: Casual lunches, waterfront views and a relaxed local atmosphere.
Cross over toward Panama City Beach and the dining options expand quickly.
For a nicer night out, The Grand Marlin overlooks Grand Lagoon and focuses on fresh seafood and local ingredients.
The restaurant says its seafood menu changes to take advantage of the fresh catch, and it also features an oyster bar, steaks, cocktails and an extensive wine selection. Its Panama City Beach location opened in 2016.
Upstairs, The North Drop Bar adds another option for enjoying the lagoon setting with a cocktail.
This is one to consider when you want dinner to feel like an occasion.
Good for: Date night, fresh seafood, oysters, cocktails, Sunday brunch and special occasions.
Some Florida restaurants have a water view.
Schooners is actually on the beach.
Calling itself "The Last Local Beach Club," Schooners sits on Gulf Drive and serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. One of its best-known traditions happens every evening, when the restaurant fires a cannon at sunset.
It's casual, lively and very much a Panama City Beach experience.
Go for lunch after the beach or time dinner around sunset.
Good for: Beachfront dining, casual seafood, sunsets, drinks and a fun Florida atmosphere.
Another option for putting dinner and the beach in the same place is Runaway Island.
Runaway Island has two levels of indoor dining plus an outdoor deck and a boardwalk extending toward the white-sand beach. The restaurant focuses on local seafood, drinks and live entertainment alongside its Gulf-front setting.
This can be a particularly good stop when you're spending the day around Panama City Beach and don't want to leave the Gulf behind just because it's time to eat.
Good for: Gulf views, seafood, lunch, sunset dinner and live entertainment.
Not every Panama City Beach dinner needs flip-flops and a picnic table.
Firefly describes its atmosphere as "casual elegance" and has built its menu around fresh Gulf seafood, steaks, sushi and cocktails.
It's a very different atmosphere from the beachfront restaurants on this list, which is exactly why it belongs here.
Save this one for the evening when you want to get dressed up a little, order a bottle of wine and turn dinner into the night's main event.
Good for: Date nights, anniversaries, steaks, seafood, sushi and special occasions.
When you've eaten enough traditional Florida seafood and want to turn up the flavor, try Dat Cajun Place Cafe.
The menu leans Cajun and Creole, with a strong seafood influence, including oysters, po' boys, seafood boils and Louisiana-inspired comfort food.
It's also known for a livelier atmosphere than many traditional seafood restaurants.
Good for: Cajun food, oysters, brunch, groups and a lively night out.
Back in Historic St. Andrews, Captain's Table Fish House Restaurant offers another version of the Panama City seafood experience.
This is more of an Old Florida fish-house atmosphere, with Gulf seafood, oysters and traditional fried and grilled seafood dishes.
It's a good reminder that you don't necessarily have to cross the bridge into Panama City Beach to find great coastal food.
Good for: Families, traditional seafood, local atmosphere and casual dinners.
It really depends on what kind of meal you're looking for.
For oysters and a casual local experience, start around Historic St. Andrews. If sunset and waterfront views are the priority, Uncle Ernie's is worth considering. For a beachfront lunch or dinner, Schooners and Runaway Island put you right by the Gulf.
If you're celebrating something—or simply want a nicer night out—The Grand Marlin and Firefly offer two very different upscale experiences.
And that's really what makes eating around Panama City interesting.
There isn't one single "Panama City restaurant experience."
You can eat oysters at a neighborhood seafood joint one afternoon and have a beautiful waterfront dinner the next night.
If you're visiting Panama City Beach, it's worth making the drive into Panama City rather than spending the entire trip along Front Beach Road.
Historic St. Andrews has several restaurants concentrated around the waterfront and Beck Avenue, including Hunt's and Uncle Ernie's.
Walk around before or after dinner, enjoy the marina and experience a part of Panama City that feels different from the resort areas across the bay.
Likewise, Panama City residents shouldn't forget how many great dining options are waiting across the bridge.
Sometimes being a local means remembering to enjoy your own backyard.
The beaches may bring people here, but food is one of the things that makes people want to stay awhile.
Fresh seafood after a day on the water.
Lunch overlooking the bay.
Oysters with friends.
A cocktail while the sun disappears over the Gulf.
Those simple experiences are a big part of what makes Panama City and Panama City Beach special.
At Panama City Storage, we're proud to be a local Panama City business and part of this community.
So get out, try somewhere new, support local businesses—and enjoy everything our corner of Florida has to offer.
Panama City Storage
1920 Sherman Ave
Panama City, FL
Call or text: 850-771-7676
Secure. Simple. Local.