Dewey Destin’s Harborside

My husband & I are new to the destin area. Heard many good things about this restaurant, however, were very disappointed with the food. We felt the dinners were extremely overpriced so we both ordered sandwiches. I wasn’t impressed at all. First of all, the sandwich was boring… one piece of lettuce, a slice of tomato that was flavorless and no slices red onion. The fries were frozen crinkle cut fries! Not! For the prices, they could at least serve hand cut potatoes with skins or something similar. My drink was the same price as my meal & had way too much ice. This review may sound like I’m picky but honestly, I’m easy to please and a good cook. The server was awesome but neither one of us were impressed with our food. Sorry, would not go back!

Great dinner, sat in outside deck right by the boats coming in. Wife had crab legs and i had mahi mahi sandwich. Good food great atmosphere. Looks can be deceiving from the rd but walk to front and you find a great view. Great service too

Dewey’s did a great job with our large party! We had 18 people and our own fish (cook your catch). Within 15 minutes we had all the sides, the cooked fish, and our add-​ons ready. The hush puppies were divine with bits of jalapeño and fried to a golden brown. Truly amazing. The coleslaw was a bit sweet instead of sour. I typically pass on the stuff, but this was good! The French fries were hot and crisp. The only side I didn’t like was the corn on the cob. Although cooked, it came out cold. The fish was fried, blackened, and grilled. All were prepared to perfection. Our waiter was attentive and hustling to ensure we had everything we needed. This is a definite gem of a place!

Accidentally posted the review originally on their other locations link. Happened upon this place by chance and I’m lucky I did. Had the grouper sandwich without the bun and the portion size was perfect. The lunch and dinner portions would have been too much. Drinks were a little strong for me but that’s personal preference. Great find! If you want awesome seafood, great service with an even better view… GO HERE!

The hubs and I grabbed lunch here one day while waiting to meet some people at the harbor. Our waiter was fantastic. He recommended the scallop app and it was so creamy and amazing. My husband had the blackened trigger fish and I had the fried shrimp. We shared and both enjoyed our meals greatly. We asked our awesome waiter (man I wish I could remember his name) what we should do for the next hour to kill time waiting for people. He told us how to get to the harbor from behind the restaurant and encouraged us to walk along the piers. He said not to worry about our car (I imagine we only had this luxury since it was off-​season) and even got us to-​go waters!

On our last trip to Panama City we decided to stop in at Dewey Destin’s (twice) on our way from mobile and to Pensacola. The food and atmosphere here is great, it’s a one of a kind place. Although this restaurant does not have much to offer on the gluten free side (for my fiancé). I got the fried platter both times and did not regret it. It’s fried food heaven! On the second visit we tried the grit cake appetizer and hush puppies. Again, one of a kind, I could eat the grit cakes all day. The place is a little expensive but if you are in Destin, you cannot go wrong.

I’m writing this in the hopes that owners will (a) read it, and (b) care about what’s written. I’ll start by saying the fish was excellent. Grouper, Trigger, and Oysters were outstanding. My problem was with price gouging, incomprehensible pricing rules, and unhelpful staff.
Each fresh seafood dish comes with two sides. If you get it grilled, as we did, it comes with boiled potatoes and corn on the cob. Now there is a section of the menu that lists the sides that are available, and they are in 3 price groups. So, I asked to substitute a salad and grits for the boiled potato and corn. I’m told the upcharge would be $ 6. Based on the sides menu, the price difference should only have been $ 1. I point this out and am told there’s nothing they can do as this is the way the computer is set up (I hate it when they blame the inanimate object; and they can most certainly override it). I could not persuade her that the uncharge made no mathematical sense. Ok. I decide to not change things.
But then I order a drink. Their cocktail menu lists all of their liquor by category. The bourbon group lists about a dozen choices, all without prices, so I ask for a Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned. The bill comes and the price is listed as $ 8.95 for the Woodford Reserve and then an additional item for $ 2 to make it an old fashioned. $ 10.95 for the drink. I ask the waitress why, and she says that’s how they price it. I said that a 750ml bottle of Woodford is $ 40 and at a generous 2 oz pour means they are selling the Woodford for $ 100 a bottle (there are about 12 two oz shots in a 750 ml bottle). She asks me what I want her to do. I again say the drink is way overpriced. She leaves and sends the manager over. The manager asks what the problem is, and I repeat that the drink price is crazy. She says that it’s a premium brand and that they pride themselves on a heavy pour (it wasn’t a heavy pour). I tell her that that’s $ 100 a bottle, an amount 250% above retail. Then I ask why there’s a $ 2 «old fashioned» charge on top of it. She says it’s to make the drink. I say all that’s in the drink in addition to the bourbon is water, sugar, bitters, a cherry, and ice. And I ask why that costs $ 2. She then looks at me and, with a straight face, says there’s work involved in muddling. Let that sink in. $ 2 for the labor to muddle a drink. I’m thinking it took no more than 30 sec to muddle, meaning the bartender makes about $ 240 per hour. Not too shabby. And the manger said there was nothing she could do.
Nickel and dime price gouging and uncaring management can really detract from a meal. In my case, it detracted 3 stars from what was a 5 star fish dinner.

I had dinner with my wife and another couple on Thursday 12 November. We arrived early at about 5:30PM and were seated immediately on the outside patio.
I ordered a bowl of Dewey’s Seafood Gumbo and the Fried Mate’s Platter that included shrimp, scallops and fish with fries and hush puppies. The gumbo was very good — but needed the addition of a little hot sauce, then it suited my taste.
The Mate’s Platter was a large serving and I began to regret having a bowl rather than a cup of gumbo. There were 3 good size pieces of fish, three scallops and about 5 shrimp all served over an ample mound of fries.
Others ordered the Grouper Parmesan, Bronzed Grouper and scallop basket. All enjoyed their meals and thought Dewey Destin an easy recommendation for seafood dining in Destin.

Wow! The food! I’m purposely very stingy with the fifth star but this place gets it when the food and service is so good.
I was down on business and went with a couple of co-​workers. One of them had been before and we came on his recommendation.
We asked to sit on the upstairs deck. It overlooked a quiet marina with mostly fishing boats in the slips. It was a very nice November night and around 75 degrees so basically, perfect weather. The atmosphere was excellent with planes flying by and ships and boats off the coast line.
Our server was extremely attentive while also being from what I could tell extremely busy. I wish I could remember her name to put it in this review… She was very spot on with food recommendations and how one of my co workers should order his margarita.
We ordered the warm crab dip and the crab claws for an appetizer. Less than 5 minutes later the crab dip came out and a few minutes after that came the crab claws. The crab dip was the best I ever had, yes, the best I’ve ever had. The crab claws were fried to perfection and were plumb and juicy. Absolutely perfect appetizer choices!
For dinner 2 of us ordered the blackened grouper over a bed of cheese grits with shrimp creole poured over the top of it. HOLY MOLY there was so much going on in my mouth I couldn’t stand it. I kept getting the hints of the blackened seasoning off of the grouper and the green peppers from the shrimp creole were just enough to give it a good spicy kick. The grits soaked up a lot of the other flavors and were exquisite while the shrimp were quite big and were cooked to perfection. I opted to add 5 fried shrimp to my order to share with the other guys as well and they were excellent. Very big shrimp. My meal was absolutely perfect and a seafood meal that ranks in the top 3 of best ever for me.
This place was so great and I only wish it was in my hometown as I would come back very, very often. I can say for sure that this place is a must stop each and every time I find myself coming through Destin which I see happening a little more often now that I’ve found this place. Wow!

When I checked in to our condo, I asked the young lady at the desk where she would eat. This is where she sent us! The restaurant has a great view! Love the food! Our waiter was wonderful! And very helpful! I ordered the crab cakes. But when he offered them grilled and not fried! (No one anywhere has ever offered the grilled before!) I thought I was in heaven! Though I shouldn’t have, I had the Lava cake. It was very good! I will return!

Overrated and over priced. I only dinned here because of recommendations from the seasoned locals that this spot has seafood that’s prepared properly and the food is great. Maybe I should’ve went there hungry instead of content so I would’ve enjoyed the food more, but it was not what I was expecting. We ordered the jack scallops, crab claws, pecan grouper, and the parm grouper. Scallops were delicious, everything else was mediocre. Why the bill came out to be $ 180 I’ll never be able to wrap my head about that. We didn’t have any drinks or desserts. I guess that’s the price you’re suppose to pay for seafood in Destin.

HORRIBLE SERVICE!!! Couldn’t even leave the parking lot without writing this. Just spent $ 70.00 and three hours of life wasted. Food so-​so, service unacceptable, and prices are way too high. Only thing this place has going for them is the view but get ready to sweat since there are NO FANS in the deck seating. For the money they make, a little giving back to the customer would be nice. BEWARE!

A hole in the wall, slightly difficult to find, slightly dingy seafood restaurant. It appears to appeal to folks looking for a decent but not too expensive seafood meal. The place is casual as any hole in the wall should be. I’m guessing that if you drop in for a basket of shrimp — literally a plastic basket with paper liner — and a beer; you are probably going to be happy.
We stopped in hoping to find a seriously prepared seafood dinner. Not necessarily fine dining, but great food. We didn’t find it. My wife had a grouper dinner and I had salmon. We ordered a salad ahead of the fish. The salad was a complete disappointment with wilted greens what appeared to be grocery store shredded carrots, etc. Not imaginative or even average… The fish came out. The first impression was that we were each served huge portions. Two very large but thin slices of fish on each of our plates. The fish was overcooked and over spiced.
I noticed later that some reviewers mentioned the great hot dogs. That should be a tip-​off.
The views are great. Excellent position for nice sunsets…
Mediocre seafood with a gorgeous view.
I will go with 2 stars since I paid about $ 90 bucks for a meal that should cost $ 45. If it were less costly I would have given 3 stars for a more-​or-​less average hole-​in-​the-​wall meal.
You can find an excellent restaurant serving fine meals for just a few dollars more. Why waste the cash here?

Great grilled snapper with red potatoes and corn on the cob. The sides were ok but the fish itself was done right. All dishes come with a tasty side of coleslaw. Service was excellent. Overall, a solid find.

I have to say, Dewey’s gets an awful lot of type in the Destin area. Almost everyone and their mother that we talked to had been there while vacationing in Destin. I guess we had to follow the heard to Dewey’s, and we chose Harborside.
I’m not much of a seat fanatic when it comes to dining. If you sit me in a dark corner, as long as the food is good, I will have a great experience. Because of this we were sat fairly quickly because we took first available. We sat down and read a few of the pictures on the wall about the history of Dewey’s and their affiliation with Destin. An institution with that tenure certainly deserves respect.
My husband and I decided that we would share two dishes. One fresh, one fried. I chose the fried shrimp, and my husband got a grouper special. We received our meals and we indulged. The fried shrimp were so dang fresh that it was hard to stop at half of them. In addition, the hushpuppies pretty much knock it out of the park. When it was time to switch… let’s just say I wish I hadn’t. I’m not sure what was wrong with my husband’s dish, but the fish tasted sour and some of the flavors on the plate did not go to gather very well.
It literally soured my experience. This place is so well favored locally that I thought it would blow me away. Sorry to say that if I come back to Destin, I’ll most likely pass on Dewey’s.

Sorry, but I just didn’t feel the love that a lot of Unilocalers on here do. It’s basic seafood, in a basic, small building, on the harbor. The courtyard area, while you wait, was pretty cool, and they have a window to get drinks. Albeit a gouge on the drink prices, it was nice having this option.
Our group of 4 sat outside (harbor side), and we ordered the following:
Todd S. ( Unilocal’s Golden Boy) and I had the Cobia. Both of us left somewhat disappointed. The Mrs. Todd S. had the crab legs, and she seemed to enjoy, hence the Kool Aid smile on her face throughout dinner. But, the Mrs. Scott B. seemed to be the Dewey’s lottery winner, as all of us sampled her Snapper, which was damn good.
The service was good, prices are steep, compared to other restaurants of this quality, and the food (in our group) was a hit or miss.
I may return. Or, I may not…

I have to say how disappointing it is to look forward to going to a restaurant after seeing great reviews and pictures, only to be miserably let down.
Good:
1. There was no wait at all and we were sat outside right on the edge of the patio, which was really nice. The view was very peaceful.
2. Our waiter was nice, especially after we expressed our disappointment in the food.
3. Hush puppies. I love hush puppies and these had bits of jalapeño in them. It was so unfortunate to only get 2 with a meal.
Bad:
Just about everything other than the above mentioned.
1. We ordered the bacon wrapped, crab stuffed shrimp after seeing the pictures and thinking how awesome they sounded. Well I didn’t taste any bacon. I tasted a bland crab cake flavor. Very disappointing.
2. We also ordered the lobster, which came with some sort of crab stuffing that was comparable in looks to vomit. I didn’t even want to eat that part because it looked so yucky. The lobster was both overcooked and undercooked at the same time! How can that be? Getting the meat out of the tail was like trying to pull teeth. The meat in the body looked like clear, raw meat you would get in sushi.
3. Potatoes had no flavor at all. It was just a boiled, whole potato.
4. Corn was mushy. Seemed like it had been in boiling water way too long.
So, after we sent that lobster back, we ended up getting trigger fish. It had a nice honey glaze, but was still nothing special. To me, it tasted like very bland grilled chicken. It also came with the same mushy corn and bland potatoes.
I would never go back and I would never recommend. Way too expensive for below sub par food. Go to Louisiana Lagniappe for legit seafood.

We wanted to go out for some awesome seafood, but we weren’t particularly in the mood for anything fancy. Dewey Destin’s was a perfect fit!
The Harborside location seems to have a more extensive menu, plus I like the views from there better anyway. A table for two at 7:00pm on a Monday night (first available) still meant a 45-​minute wait. Ugh, hopefully it would be worth it. We got some cocktails on the patio to pass the time. The Pirates Punch (Captain Morgan, 151, coconut rum, grenadine, pineapple juice, orange juice) was really good and really stout. No weak pours here, that’s for sure.
The Hot Crab Dip looked fantastic, so we got an order for our appetizer. It’s basically Ritz crackers and crab dip, but it’s pretty delicious. The dip is super creamy and comforting. I don’t know what’s all in it, but I loved it nonetheless.
For my entrée, I went with the Steamed Snow Crab Legs, which comes with 2 clusters, fries, and hushpuppies. The fries were of the basic crinkle variety. They were ok, but not special by any means. The hushpuppies had a slight sweetness to them, which went well with the jalapenos. The batter was also nice and crispy. Crab legs are one of my favorite seafood items, and these were spectacular. The mild seasoning was just spicy enough. I was in such a hurry to scarf them down that I was flinging crab juice at my wife the entire time, mostly unintentionally. I loved every bite.
My wife ordered the Stuffed Shrimp plate, which is five large shrimp stuffed with crabmeat, wrapped in bacon. Uh, yum! You can get them fried or broiled, and she correctly picked fried. She was gracious enough to let me try one, and it was phenomenal. I’m sad that I only got to eat one though.
This is definitely a great option for some casual seaside dining.

My first taste of Bronzed Grouper, and it was delicious! Next time, I will ordered it blackened. I also had my first hushpuppy. I’m not a donut fan, but this was probably the best «donut» I’ve had, probably because they’re made of corn instead of wheat. Mmm tasty. The corn was overcooked to my tastes, but I won’t hold it against them.
My favorite part of having lunch here was being able to order a lunch-​sized portion, because it was just the right size for me. I loved that they offer a variety of fresh catches and then several ways in which to prepare them: fried, grilled, bronzed, blackened, then lunch sized, sandwich, or full sized. I wish more restaurants would do this because it makes having lunch out so much more enjoyable — truly.
I loved being able to sit outside and enjoy the sites. Even though they were busy, our server took good care of us and was super sweet. Thank you!

Amazing seafood by the harbor!
We had one of the best waiters I’ve seen in awhile too.
I’d definitely recommend the bronzed scallops!
Very worth trying this place out!