Feeling landlocked? Head for five breezy beach bars near Tallahassee

Martha Gruender, Tallahassee Democrat
·3 min read

April is when Tallahassee minds turn to the coast. In 45 minutes you can arrive at a sandy spot. When the sun gets too hot, head for a nearby beach bar.

Here's a quick rundown of five of our closest and favorite watering holes near the water.

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Alligator Point Tiki Hut

1648 Alligator Dr., Panacea; 850-570-7797; facebook.com

After a morning at Bald Point State Park, this seaside grill and bar is a welcome haven as the only watering hole on the Point. Perched next to Alligator Point Marina, where sailboats and fishing boats come and go, the Tiki Hut opens in spring and is hopping all summer until it closes in October. The casual eatery specializes in seafood baskets, burgers, wings and sandwiches. There’s live music and new bar stools. Hours are noon-10 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. The kitchen closes at 8 p.m. and live music is featured on Saturdays.

Angelo's Seafood Restaurant on Ochlockonee Bay in Panacea, shown here on March 16, 2024, has been serving seafood since 1945.
Angelo's Seafood Restaurant on Ochlockonee Bay in Panacea, shown here on March 16, 2024, has been serving seafood since 1945.

Angelo's Seafood Restaurant

5 Mashes Sands Road, Panacea; 850-984-5168; open Wednesday-Sunday all year; angelospanacea.com

Perched on pilings at the edge of Ochlockonee Bay in Panacea, Angelo's has weathered its share of storms. Built and rebuilt, with a major update after Hurricane Dennis in 2005, Angelo's has been serving fresh seafood with a Greek flair since 1945. Sit on the breezy deck with a cold beer or a margarita and watch the water ripple, it's all part of the Panhandle's Forgotten Coast charm. If you are feeling adventurous, you can try the Panacea Pain Killer, a concoction with two kinds of rum or try the Angelo's Bloody Mary. The menu is loaded with winners, including broiled heads-on shrimp, Angelo's oysters, whole char broiled snapper, grouper fingers and more.

The shrimp basket and a sandblaster served at the Blue Parrot on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.
The shrimp basket and a sandblaster served at the Blue Parrot on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.

Blue Parrot

68 W. Gorrie Dr., St. George Island; 850-927-2987; blueparrotsgi.com

Tallahassee residents are just 80 miles away from a beachy paradise. You can walk up to the breezy Blue Parrot from the beach, rinse your feet off on the boardwalk and order a margarita from the deck with a front-row view of the Gulf. Specialty drinks include an Island Girl (coconut run, pineapple juice, OJ, served on the rocks with lemon lime soda), St. George Island Breeze (citrus juices with cherry infused vodka on the rocks) or brave The Sand Blaster. It features mango, blackberry, lime and rum and comes with its own danger warning and 151 floater. "I've been Sandblasted" T-shirts are also available.

Order a dozen raw oysters or smoked yellowfin tuna dip and enjoy the salt air. Beachy fare includes conch fritters, shrimp baskets, seafood and fish platters, burgers, and the ever popular grouper sandwich. The restaurant is the host of the annual St. George Island Mullet Toss in June.

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A preview of Trident, as seen on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. The restaurant opened in 2023 in Panacea, Fla.
A preview of Trident, as seen on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. The restaurant opened in 2023 in Panacea, Fla.

Trident

107 Mississippi Ave., Panacea; open 5-9 p.m. Wed-Thurs and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri - Sun​; trident850.com

The Poseidon theme is fitting at Trident, a sea-to-table restaurant that opened in 2023 on Dickerson Bay in Panacea. Brothers Jesse and Tyler Rice, who own the farm-to-table Backwoods Crossing in Tallahassee, wanted to return to their coastal roots with a vision to showcase southern ingredients in interesting ways.

With a spectacular view of the marshy bay, the restaurants dishes up a splashy brunch with menu items like Seafood Heaven and Indecisive, Hungover, & Starving. Saturday happy hour features $3 Bloody Marys. The Rocks menu features tempting cocktails including the Shore Bird, featuring dark rum, campari, pineapple, peach puree, lime and agave. Selections from the main Rations menu include Crab Stuffed Grouper and Dirty Gator Rice.

Riverside Cafe in St. Marks, Florida.
Riverside Cafe in St. Marks, Florida.

Riverside Cafe

69 Riverside Dr, St. Marks, 850-925-5668; facebook.com/ontheriverstmarks

Watching the boaters glide by on the sparkling St. Marks River as you enjoy a beer or cocktail is the height of Riverside Cafe's coastal charm. The birds may swoop by and sometimes they invite themselves for dinner, but notice the sign: “Please do not feed the birds from inside the restaurant.” Still, it’s part of the relaxed atmosphere, along with the menu including a blackened grouper sandwich, seafood, chicken and burgers. The Riverside has a giant tiki style thatched roof and bands playing on the weekends.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Take a road trip to five favorite beach bars near Tallahassee