Casual Recommendations?

I recommend you leave your shirt tail out and eat where ever you want! Have a great trip! We look forward to your beach blog!

Sorry to beat everyone down with the same old lame post, but I leave for SOWAL in a few hours and don't have time to do a proper search. Looking for something in the vein of Red Bar and the old Shades food and price-wise. For upscale, we go Cafe 30A, and B&A. Borago always seemed a little too fancy for me - like I needed to tuck in my t-shirt. Nope, its Red Bar/Shades feel that I'm looking for here, and need a couple of suggestions, especially anything thats opened in the last year or two that we've missed. Also, did I read that something similar to Fermintations has opened, and is it also true that I can't get my oyster fix at Hurricane's anymore?

We haven't found a substitute for the old Shades. It's not that we don't like the new one, it's just that it has a totally different ambiance -- very slick and noisy, as opposed to laid back and beachy. The prices on the menu have increased, and the portions have decreased. For example, the fish sandwiches no longer come with cole slaw, and the piece of fish is smaller. If you get a salad with their house dressing, they add the dressing themselves, rather than placing the plastic squirt bottle on the table. (Maybe that's because too many bottles of that awesome dressing were stolen ... I actually only stole one ... on closing night ...and that was with permission).

I love Red Bar for lunch, and I know that this is blasphemous to say on this board (I'm waiting for the hate mail as I submit this reply :funn: ), but I've never liked the dinner menu at Red Bar. I'd rather have a burger or salad (it fits the ambiance better), but as you know, they don't serve that at night.

So, as a result, we've been cooking a lot. We'll buy fresh fish or steamed shrimp from Goatfeathers, grill the fish (with EVOO, garlic salt, and pepper) on the George Foreman with removable grates (easy to clean, fast, and don't have to stand over a hot outdoor grill), and add a Dole boxed salad (stays fresher longer because the greens don't get bruised as they do in the bags) and maybe some corn or another veggie. Salad dressing - just a little EVOO and vinegar with a touch of garlic salt poured directly over the greens and tossed.

Why don't you give the SeaBar a whirl? It's right across the street from 331. They have some awesome entertainment! I don't think they'll let you in if your shirt tail is tucked in! It's about as casual as you can get. ;-)

We will. Thanks for the recommendation!

Although I hear its days are numbered due to the widening of 331.

Where are the raw oysters now that Hurricanes is history?

Haven't heard of Seabar before. Will need to look into it. And is there a restaurant called 331? Seems I've seen it come up before, but I can't place it. Is it the place at the foot of the bridge at the bay that's run by the Red Bar or Shades people?

Haven't heard of Seabar before. Will need to look into it. And is there a restaurant called 331? Seems I've seen it come up before, but I can't place it. Is it the place at the foot of the bridge at the bay that's run by the Red Bar or Shades people?

Yes, that's where 331 is and Seabar is across the road. Both are run by Oli of the RedBar.
Here's a link http://www.the3thirty1.com/

My daughter thinks that Oli is so HOTT! I didn't know that he owns/runs both establishments, as well as Red Bar.

Sounds like I've nearly filled up my dance card for lunches/dinners. Thanks everyone! And what the heck happened to Hurricanes? Is something else there? I used to sit there with a Red Stripe while my girls hit the little shops. It's always so sad when a bar goes away and you feel like you should have gotten closer.

My daughter thinks that Oli is so HOTT! I didn't know that he owns/runs both establishments, as well as Red Bar.

Your daughter and I have something in common!

Thanks for posting this - we leave Saturday and I have the same question!
We need places to eat that aren't too expensive. We plan to splurge a couple of nights but we can't do it every night.

Thanks for posting this - we leave Saturday and I have the same question!
We need places to eat that aren't too expensive. We plan to splurge a couple of nights but we can't do it every night.

Easy for us to wobble on tangents, isn't it? Here are some of my casual picks that will not break your budget-Spicy Noodle(Inlet Beach), Donut Hole(Hwy 98 on way to Destin...breakfast or lunch-cash only), Wild Olives (Rosemary Beach believe it or not), Amore(on 30A west of Grayton, in a shopping center called ?Gulfplace?), Snapperheads(somewhere west of Grayton on 30A), Shades at the Loop(where 30A meets 98 on the east side of 30A...yeah, kinda bar food but clean and tasty).

Where are the raw oysters now that Hurricanes is history?

Captains Table in Panama City (Beck Ave).