The Back Porch - Destin FL

The Back Porch Restaurant
1740 Scenic Highway 98
Destin, FL 32541
850-837-2022

Hours:
Daily: 11AM - 10PM

Website: The Back Porch - Destin

Description:

The Back Porch was highly recommended by previous visitors to the area.  The prime location is right on the beach offering multiple levels of oceanfront dining.  It started as a small A-frame building in 1974 and made a name for itself by serving excellent seafood straight from the Gulf with spectacular beach front views.

we arrived early (5:00 PM) and were immediately seated upstairs overlooking Destin beach and the Gulf of Mexico.  I ordered a refreshing draft beer and was disappointed as it was delivered in a small plastic cup instead of a frosty pint glass.  The menu featured Gulf to table seafood which all looked incredible.  They offer Grouper, Snapper and have perfected a char-grilled Amberjack sandwich. I chose the Golden Fried Sea Scallops with french fries. They were extremely tender and cooked to perfection however seeing some of the selections on the "From the Chargrill" and "House Specials" sections such as the Mahi Mahi, Yellowfin tuna or Grouper Destin, I regret staying in my dining comfort zone with the scallops.    

The Back Porch took time to include seafood selections on their kids menu with Popcorn Shrimp, Fried Fish Toes and Grilled Fish. It was nice to see more than just chicken tenders and a slice of pizza available.  Each kids meal is served on a souvenir take home Frisbee.

Upon exit the parking lot was full and dozens of guests patiently waited for their buzzers to flash as they took pictures in the large Adirondack chair.

Star Rating: 4.5
Price Range: $$$
Menu: Dinner Menu

Cheeseburger in Paradise - Mirimar Beach Fl

Cheeseburger in Paradise 
10562 US 98
Mirimar Beach, FL 32550
850-837-0197

Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 11AM - 10PM
Friday - Sunday: 11AM - 11 PM

Website: Cheeseburger in Paradise

Description:

I've been procrastinating on creating this post entry searching for the right words to describe my experience and digging deep for something positive to share. The restaurant is located in the parking lot of the Destin Premium Outlets and I was drawn by the catchy Cheeseburger in Paradise name thinking this would be a Jimmy Buffet themed experience. My hopes were immediately crushed as I entered, saw the tacky wall hangings and standard restaurant furniture and the realization that I was in a cookie cutter chain restaurant and I wasn't going to have the Cheeseburger in Paradise I'd hoped for.  I would consider it a scaled down Applebee's but wouldn't want to insult Applebee's with the association. Perhaps a glorified tiki-bar would be the better description. The Cheeseburger in Paradise chain is owned by Luby's Inc (same owners ad Fuddruckers) and has a total of seven locations across the U.S.

The menu was fairly standard with a minimal selection. Being at a restaurant that specializes in Cheeseburgers and I was craving a bug warm bun with a huge hunk of meat I went for the Paradise Sliders described as four mouth-watering beer sliders topped with cheese, pickles and caramelized onions.  Upon receiving the plate with a kosher pickle and cold draught beer I though I'd just steered to a White Castle.  The burgers contained very little flavor and reminded me of the menu at a Holiday Inn.

I'm giving it a one star rating because I did enjoy the cold draught beer.

Star Rating: 1
Price Range: $$
Menu: Dinner Menu

McGuire's Irish Pub of Destin, FL

McGuire's Irish Pub

33 East Highway 98
Destin FL 32541

Hours:
Monday - Sunday: 11AM - 4PM for lunch, 4PM to (usually) 2 AM for dinner and the bar
Closed on thanksgiving and Christmas

Website: McGuire's Irish Pub

Description:

McGuire's Irish pub has locations in Pensacola and Destin, FL. This review is for the Destin location.  The draw to this location is that they have over 1.5 million in signed dollar bills hanging from the ceiling and walls of the pub.  After our visit the tally increased to $1,500,001.  The Pensacola location first opened in 1977 and in 1996 expanded to the Destin location overlooking Destin Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico. The original owner Molly McGuire signed her first dollar tip and tacked it to the Back Bar for good luck. Friends of McGuire’s Pub added to the collection and today you see over One Million dollar bills signed by Irishmen of all nationalities, covering the ceilings of each room. Each donor is now welcomed into the McGuire family amid much fanfare and receives a card declaring him an official Irishman.

A few of the bills hanging from the ceiling

Dollah, dollah bills

Our Contribution

Seating for the rich

McGuire's brews Ales, Stouts and Porters on site with a selection of five regular beers and a rotating seasonal. The traditional line up includes:

McGuire's Old Fashioned Ale: A full flavored all served in all traditional Irish Pubs - 4% ABV
McGuires Irish Pale Ale (IPA): Brew-masters added a 'wee bit' more of Irish green hops to make this IPA stronger and hoppier - 5.6% ABV
McGuire's Irish Red: A full bodied beer that pairs well with most food on the menu, particularly McGuire’s Great Steaks. The pride of McGuire’s. - 4.5% ABV
McGuire's Porter: A distinctive full hop flavor that is ruby chestnut in color, but not as heavy as the stout. Goes well with McGuire’s Black Angus Steaks. - 5.3% ABV
McGuire's Irish Stout: considered a Meal in itself! 5.2% ABV

 McGuire's Root Beer - A very popular draft root beer straight from the keg. Brewed from the purest natural Sassafras Root. Alcohol 0.00%.

Brewery tours are available. for more information on the brewery click here: http://www.mcguiresirishpub.com/brewery.php

The Menu:

McGuire's offers a diverse menu of Seafood, Pasta, Steaks, Burgers and Traditional Pub Fare.  They offer an $0.18 (that's right 18 cents) Senate Bean Soup that was served to the 1977 U.S. Senate.  The price hasn't changed at McGuire's, the senate cafeteria has raised the price to $6.00 a bowl.

I ordered the Fish and Chips off the Traditional Pub Fare section described as free range fresh fish caught daily in the Irish Sea by McGuire's cousin Nathan and battered in McGuire's Red Ale. It is served with house french fries and cole slaw.   The meal received a thumb up from me as the fish was lightly breaded and flaky.  I was a disappointed in not knowing the type of fish I was eating and the thin breaded ends of the fish were slightly over cooked making them extra crispy.

Star Rating: 2
Price Range: $$
Menu: Dinner Menu