Updated at: 28-10-2023 - By: John Lau

Destin, Florida is a popular vacation destination known for its sugar-white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and breathtaking sunsets.

In addition to its natural beauty, Destin is also home to a vibrant bar scene, with a wide variety of options to choose from.

In this article, we will explore the best bars in Destin, including local favorites like McGuire’s Irish Pub and The Craft Bar, as well as hidden gems that you won’t want to miss.

Top 16 Best Bars In Destin

Jester Mardi Gras Daiquiris – HarborWalk

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Jester Mardi Gras Daiquiris is a restaurant chain that originated from Bourbon Street in the French Quarter and now has several locations, including one in Destin, Florida.

The Destin location is situated at 34 Harbor Blvd., Suite 106, in HarborWalk Village.

The restaurant is known for its signature drink, The Jester, which is made with a blend of secret premium ingredients that include Strawberry Kiwi, Everclear & 151 Dark Rum.

If you’re planning to visit the Destin location, you can expect to find a variety of daiquiris and pizzas on the menu. The restaurant has a health score and is known for its friendly staff.

Additionally, the location is close to several nearby attractions, including Destin Harbor, HarborWalk Village, and Destin Harbor Boardwalk.

 Boathouse Oyster Bar and Grill

The Boathouse Oyster Bar and Grill is a restaurant located in Destin, Florida, on the harbor. It has been a staple on the Destin Harbor for over 30 years.

The restaurant serves oysters, seafood, burgers, wings, and more. The menu has been updated and revamped with new items.

The restaurant has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 on Google Maps, with a total of 1637 ratings. On Tripadvisor, it has a rating of 4 out of 5, with 587 reviews. On Yelp, it has a rating of 4 out of 5, with 461 reviews.

The restaurant has a full bar, and beer, wine, and cocktails are available. The restaurant is known for its award-winning gumbo. The restaurant has a small seating area and a good-sized bar.

The restaurant is located on the water, and there is a parking lot available. The restaurant is open daily seasonally from 11:00 AM to close.

The restaurant has a unique feature of dollar bills and bras hanging from the ceiling.

East Bar

East Bar is a cocktail bar located in Destin, Florida. It is known for its fun and friendly vibe, and the servers and bartenders are said to be in a great mood, providing superior drinks and wine at fair prices.

The bar is attached to a high-end steakhouse, but it has a classy and mellow vibe that doesn’t feel stuck up.

The bartender, Jason, is often mentioned in reviews as being cool and knowledgeable. East Bar offers tasty seafood and delicious wine, and prices are reported to be good.

The bar does not take reservations, but it accepts credit cards. Visitors can enjoy reduced price food or go big from the menu. Discount Watersports is located near East Bar.

The Village Door

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The Village Door is a full-service restaurant and award-winning nightclub located in Destin, Miramar Beach, and Sandestin.

It is a family-friendly casual restaurant that offers the best local food, including seafood and barbecue.

The Village Door Dockside Restaurant is the perfect place to experience tasty seafood and barbecue in a comfortable atmosphere.

The restaurant also offers catering and special events services, making it the perfect place to cater your next corporate or special event and wedding receptions.

The Village Door is also an award-winning dance club that has been voted “The Best Place to Dance on The Emerald Coast” by Destin Magazine.

It is open from Thursday to Saturday and offers free drinks from 8:30-9:30 pm. The dance club has the top DJs and live music, making it the perfect destination for those who love to dance.

The Village Door Dance Club now offers Express Entry Passes, allowing you to skip the line and get right to the party. The club is also the #1 bachelorette party headquarters in the area.

The Village Door has a full menu that includes the best fresh and local seafood and the most delicious BBQ in Destin, Miramar Beach, and Sandestin. The menu is available on their website.

The restaurant also has live local music every day and night of the week, making it a great place to enjoy good food and entertainment.

The Funky Blues Shack-Destin

The Funky Blues Shack is a live music venue located in Destin, Florida.

It is part of the Graffiti Restaurant, which is a family-friendly restaurant that offers a variety of music genres, including blues, reggae, rock, alternative, and zydeco.

The venue has won the Best Live Venue award for three years in a row. The Funky Blues Shack has two fully stocked bars with 28 beers on tap and a highly trained staff that is ready to offer a great time to its customers.

The venue offers live music every night, and its monthly schedule of events and specials can be found on its Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. The restaurant is permanently closed, according to Yelp.

 Emerald Grande Bar

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The Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village in Destin, Florida has a signature restaurant called Grande Vista Bar & Grill, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

The restaurant offers a range of food and drink options, including fresh, locally caught seafood, select steaks, scrumptious sandwiches, and the best burgers in town.

The inside and poolside bars also offer a full range of mixed drinks, local and imported beers, and select vintage wines for you to enjoy by the pool or with dinner.

Weather permitting, you can even dine poolside if you wish. The restaurant is located on the GV Level of the Emerald Grande.

McGuire’s Irish Pub of Destin

McGuire’s Irish Pub is a restaurant located in Destin, Florida.

It serves Irish cuisine and has a menu that includes items such as Irish stew, shepherd’s pie, and corned beef and cabbage.

The restaurant has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Tripadvisor and 4 out of 5 on Yelp.

Fudpucker’s Beachside Bar & Grill

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Fudpucker’s Beachside Bar & Grill is a restaurant located in Destin, Florida. Fudpucker’s Beachside Bar & Grill is located at 20001 Emerald Coast Parkway, Destin, FL 32541.

Fudpucker’s Beachside Bar & Grill serves lunch and dinner, and their menu includes seafood, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and more. They are known for their creamy smoked gouda cheese grits.

Fudpucker’s Beachside Bar & Grill is a family-friendly restaurant with live alligators, family entertainment, and teen nights.

They have a playground and lots of space where kids of all ages can write their names on the walls. They also have an arcade and a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs and “World Famous” t-shirts.

Fudpucker’s Beachside Bar & Grill has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Google with a total of 13,700 ratings. On TripAdvisor, they have a rating of 4 out of 5 stars with over 3,100 reviews. On Yelp, they have a rating of 4 out of 5 stars with over 900 reviews.

Fudpucker’s Beachside Bar & Grill has an Instagram account where they post pictures of their food, alligators, and customers. Customers can tag their photos with #fudpuckers for a chance to be featured.

Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House

Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House is a restaurant located on the beautiful Destin Harbor in Florida.

Boshamps serves locally sourced Southern-style seafood in a casual setting with ocean views and two full bars.

Some of the dishes on the menu include roast garlic, Spanish Mahon cheese grit cakes, sautéed Gulf shrimp and crab, mild habanero butter, cornmeal fried oysters, raw “nekkid” oysters, oysters Boshamp baked with caramelized Vidalia onion,..

Boshamps is a family-friendly restaurant that encourages guests to be as casual and comfortable as possible while enjoying the finest dining experience on the Destin Harbor. The restaurant has a casual setting with ocean views and two full bars.

Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House is the culmination of over 40 years of dreams, ideas, and experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

The restaurant was opened in 2013 after almost 30 years of being Destin’s finest white tablecloth restaurant, The Flamingo Cafe.

Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House has received many positive reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp, with many customers praising the quality of the food and the beautiful location.

Louisiana Lagniappe

Louisiana Lagniappe is a restaurant that has been serving Gulf seafood with a Creole flair for over thirty years.

The restaurant is located in Sandpiper Cove condominiums in Destin, Florida, and is open year-round for dinner every evening at 4:30 pm.

The restaurant offers an upscale waterfront dining experience for the entire family, and the attire is casual.

Louisiana Lagniappe is consistently ranked in the Top 10 restaurants on TripAdvisor and wins the Award of Excellence every year.

The restaurant’s menu features appetizers such as Lobster Rangoons, soups and salads such as Cajun Seafood Gumbo, and chef’s selections such as seafood and steaks served with homemade hushpuppies, house salad, and twice-baked potato.

The menu varies slightly between the Destin and Orange Beach locations.

Louisiana Lagniappe has a second location in the SanRoc Cay Shopping and Marina Complex in Orange Beach, Alabama, which offers the same fine Louisiana seafood with a Creole flair as the Destin location.

The Orange Beach location is also open year-round and provides an upscale waterfront dining experience for the entire family.

The Red Door Saloon

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The Red Door Saloon is a local bar located in Destin, Florida, steps away from the harbor. It is recognized by its American flags and purple railing.

Although it is not located on the edge of the water, it is a great little bar that is popular with the locals and visitors to Destin. The bar top is implanted with thousands of pennies, which is a unique feature.

The Red Door Saloon serves sandwiches and bar food, and there is no music. The bar has its own parking lot and boat access.

The Red Door Saloon has received positive reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp. It is described as an all-out dive bar that offers good food, ice-cold beer, and well-mixed cocktails.

The drinks are nice and cheap, and there is a weekday happy hour and a two-for-one drinks special on the weekends. The bar also offers a small but sturdy brunch menu, including Chicken & Waffles, a breakfast burrito, and French toast.

Some specific standouts on the Red Door Saloon menu include Chili Cheese Fries and the Red Door Saloon Bloody Mary.

The patio bar at the Red Door Saloon is smoking-friendly, so if you’re sensitive to cigarette or cigar smoke, you may want to steer clear.

Coyote Ugly

Coyote Ugly is a saloon located in Destin, Florida. It is open seven days a week and offers a variety of drink and shot specials.

The saloon is known for its lively atmosphere, dancing, great music, pool tables, and beer pong tables. It is inspired by the movie Coyote Ugly and features a staff of bartenders known as “Coyotes”.

Here is some additional information about Coyote Ugly in Destin:

– Location: 100 Harbor Blvd. Destin, FL 32541

– Phone: 850-460-7065

– Hours:

– Sunday: 7pm-2am

– Monday: Closed

– Tuesday: Closed

– Wednesday-Saturday: 7pm-2am

– Specials: Drink and shot specials are available

– Activities: Dancing, pool tables, and beer pong tables are available

– Staff: The bartenders are known as “Coyotes”

Overall, Coyote Ugly in Destin is a popular spot for those looking for a lively atmosphere and a good time.

1835 Porch Bar

1835 Porch Bar is a bar and restaurant located in Destin, Florida.

According to a Yelp review, the atmosphere of the bar is “loveable”. The bar is located in one of the oldest houses in Destin, which adds to its charm.

The bar serves creative cocktails, craft beer, and delicious bites. Restaurant Guru provides a menu for the establishment.

The bar is a satellite bar of Dewey Destin’s Harborside. The bar has received positive reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor.

Rick’s Sand Trap Beach Bar & Grill

Rick’s Sand Trap Beach Bar & Grill is a restaurant located in Destin, Florida, right on the sand with stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico.

It is a family-owned restaurant that has been feeding Destin diners for more than 20 years. The restaurant serves fresh local seafood, steaks, and pasta, which are all specialties of the house.

The menu is available online and includes a variety of delicious food options. The restaurant has a rating of 4.1 out of 5 on Google Maps with a total of 86 ratings.

It is located at 775 Gulf Shore Dr, Destin, FL 32541. The restaurant’s phone number is (850) 837-9121. The restaurant’s hours and health score are available on Yelp.

Salty Duck

Salty Duck is a brewery and bar food establishment located at 209 Ferry Rd SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548.

It is known for its relaxed atmosphere and wide selection of beers, with 40 beers on tap and many more in bottles.

The establishment is popular among beer enthusiasts and has a reputation for bringing new and different brews to the local crowds.

Salty Duck has a menu that includes bar food, and visitors can check the menu on MenuPix. The establishment has a health score and accepts credit cards.

SkyBar at Edge Seafood

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SkyBar at Edge Seafood is an adults-only rooftop harborside bar located directly above The Edge Seafood Restaurant in Destin, Florida.

It offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Destin Harbor, East Pass, and Gulf of Mexico. The bar is open daily starting at 11 am and is home to many special events, celebrations, and live music.

Happy Hour specials on cocktails and small plates are available every night from 4-6 pm.

The downstairs dining deck of the restaurant offers plenty of seating right in the heart of the action on the edge of the Destin Harbor Boardwalk, with excellent opportunities for both sightseeing.

According to Yelp, SkyBar at Edge Seafood has great drinks, great food, and great views. The rooftop bar is a modern venue on the Destin Harbor for cocktails, small plates, and the best sunset views.

It was opened in May 2022. SkyBar at Edge Seafood has an Instagram account where they post photos and videos of their cocktails, coastal cuisine, live music, and views.

The Edge Seafood Restaurant & Skybar features a modern take on authentic Floridian cuisine, and their menu uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, including fish from their local fisheries.

They also offer family-style cooking for fresh catch brought in after a day on the water or signature seafood dishes offered on their menu.