I am currently in Pensacola Beach for vacation and have  gone there twice this week. Others in my party ordered fish that was listed as the special and said it was incredibly fresh and amazing.  I ordered the Philly Cheese Steak, this was also great.  Our server Jewels was awesome, ask for him if you go. You will not be sorry! He tells you all of his recommendations and when you ask a question he answered honestly.  He was also extremely on top of everything!  Our other server was not where near as good as he was.(however jewels was off that day).
Food
Overall, jewels gave great services  and excellent food was served! The only reason I did not give them a five star rating is because none of the condiments were refrigerated. This wouldn't have been an issue except I wanted Mayonnaise and I do not know how long it had been sitting out in the heat/sun for.  Did not want to eat something that requires refrigeration and could have spoiled from the heat.
Overrated!!!
Flounder's Chowder House offers a fun environment and great views of the water, but the food is below average. Â Most of the seafood dishes are bland, breaded, or a greasy fried mess. The burgers and salads are so-so. Â I appreciate the large portions, but I wish the food tasted better. Â Love the cutesy cocktails served in mason jars and love the atmosphere, but every time I get the bill my only thought is "so not worth it".
TIP: Parking is a total pain. Â Be prepared to park across the street in the public beach parking lot.
Flounder's is fun, if a bit touristy. The food is great. We loved the PB Oysters. I ordered the trigger fish blackened and it was yummy. My daughter ordered the shrimp boat (the entree that has shrimp every way it can be prepared) and loved it. Â My husband ordered the stuffed flounder and said it was amazing. I tasted the stuffing and have to say it was pretty great.
The atmosphere is good as well. It'd be a good place for larger parties too.
I've been coming to Pensacola for 30 years and manage at least 1 trip to Flounders every time I'm here.  We go with our extended family and they usually manage to find a table for us without much of a wait.  The menu is large enough to accomodate everyone's tastes - even the non-sea-foodies and little kids who also love the playground on the beach.  Service is always  good although the food varies with how busy the place is.  In the summer, it's packed and the food isn't always as good.  The grilled fish - you pick the fish and to preparation i.e. blackened, naked, citrus beurre blanc, etc. - is always a good choice but many of my family swear by the fried entres.  The drink menu and appetizers, especially the tower of onion rings, is fun.
Review Source:The food was not the most spectacular. Â The oysters with the bread crumbs were just too much bread... The shrimp boat was not bad though a bit much in food for me. Â The drinks well let's just say the Diesel Fuel's were not all that great. Â I give the place a 3 for our server, Riki...
Review Source:I've been to Flounder's a few times but, until today, hadn't had a chance to sit down and review it.
The Diesel Fuels are good. The bottomless mimosas for brunch are really bad (really nasty champagne that will definitely give you a headache).
I haven't had much of the food, but I did try a house salad, the Firecracker Shrimp, and the Chocolate Confusion cake. I'm really not a fan of the sauce on the Firecracker Shrimp. I think it would be better if they were sauced MUCH more lightly. The Chocolate Confusion cake was pretty good, though.
When I return to Pensacola Beach, I'll probably be back to Flounder's for more Diesel Fuels and more of the night life experience. I probably won't be ordering much of the food, though.
Took my 2 boys here during a short visit to Pensacola beach. Â We went early before it got crowded. Â Our waiter, David h was awesome! Â Rum runner was delish and food was not bad. Â It wasn't gourmet but all of the restaurants in the area looked the same caliber, meaning loud and seafood oriented. Â Saying that the place was great for kids and I would go back.
Review Source:Talk about fun in the sun. This place served up some good food combined with a fun atmosphere. I ordered fish and it was delicious. The fries were excellent; nice and crunchy, and the drinks were cool and refreshing. I had one of their drinks in a jar (can't remember the name of it) which is promoted as one of their signature specialties and I killed it.
Everyone with me enjoyed their meals, and best of all, we paid and walked right onto the beach to relax and have some more fun.
...was craving seafood last weekend and wanted to go to the beach, so we decided to hit up a spot we've never been to so we decided to try out Flounders. Im not a huge seafood person, but I was really wanting fish and chips. The decor inside reminded me of the queue of the Jaws ride at Universal Studios Orlando. It seemed to be a forced nautical theme going on so much in fact that I was waiting for Chief Brody to show us to our table. I get it. Its a seafood place on the beach. Enough of the horrible New England beach decor. You can opt to eat out by the water or indoors. The wait was too long for gulf view so we ate inside. Wood wood wood everywhere...Anyways we started out with our drink order. This place is known for their Diesel fuels so my group had those while I opted for the Strawberry margarita (pay extra $2 and you get to keep your glass) and we got our comp bread. All very good so I thought hey, we're off to a promising start. My boyfriend ordered mozz sticks for the app. Good, nothing spectacular or anything different from what you would find at a chain restaurant. For our main courses I ordered the Floyd Flounder's Flawless Full Flavored Florida Flash Fried Fish, my bf and brother had the cheeseburgers, and my friend Stephanie had the Shrimp Po Boy. Everyone said their food was fine. Im pretty sure my fish was frozen because it tasted that way, but the fries were good and I liked the hushpuppies and cole slaw. For dessert we ordered the chocolate cake. Please make sure you only order one because it literally is as big as your head. It tasted like all the other restaurant cakes. I didnt realize until we left that the owner of this place also owns McGuires(which i LOVE and Crabs on the beach, my other favorite place) so after I found that out I knocked off a star because those 2 other restaurants I really like and this one was just ok. I doubt I will be back just because there are other really good beach restuarants here.
Review Source:Diesel fuel was good size, strong, and delicious! The chowder is awesome and I love their seafood nachos! I will warn you that the seafood nachos are huge and messy! Plan on sharing with at least a couple of friends. This is a really fun, relaxing place by the beach. I would gladly bring any out of town  guest for a fun experience.
Review Source:This is my 2nd time down to PCola for a family trip to visit extended family. Â While I've been to Flounder's before, this was the first time to sit back and enjoy the food and it didn't hurt that there is a playground on the beach for the kids. Â Mike waited on us and was quick to tell us the drink specials which were too good to pass up. Â I ordered the Buffalo wings as an entree (since I don't like seafood) and they didn't disappoint, my wife ordered the fish tacos, and my daughter ordered the fish and chips. Â Since I'm trying to expand my taste buds I took a taste of each of their meals and shockingly I liked both. Although Mike did a great job servicing us, we were a bit distracted with the shocking news on the Boston Marathon and spent most of our time making sure our friends and family were safe. Â Â
In light of the events, there was a heightened sense to make sure to enjoy the time with friends and family so my wife and I took our girls to QuietWater beach on Wednesday. Â Immediately, the girls wanted to have lunch once they saw the sign for Flounder's. Â This time I ordered the fish tacos for myself and they were awesome!!! Â Jewels was an outstanding waiter (not to take away from Mike, but we were a little disengaged). Â the portions were amazing and the family left stuffed.
I would easily recommend Flounder's during the day for families. Â The food was good, I love the fact they have a playground for kids, volleyball courts, and you are literally steps away from the sand. Â I can only imagine what it would be like for adults looking for a fun night when they offer $2.50 Margarita and $2.00 Bushwhackers (frozen mudslides for anyone from the Northeast). Â Maybe next time....
Not bad, but nothing too special. Right on the beach so you can take a swim or take in some sun before or after you eat. The wait staff is super nice and happy pretty much all day long. It's a fun place to be; however the food is just alright. BEWARE: when ordering your steak, it will not come out as you ordered, despite the peg stuck into the top of your steak to indicate the cook. I ordered my steak medium and it came out well done. The baked oysters were nothing special, mostly filled with cheese and not that big of actual oysters. Did not get a chance to try any of their drinks but they sure did look tasty! If your entree comes with a choice of fries or smashed potatoes, PICK THE SMASHED POTATOES! THEY ARE SOOOO YUMMY! Overall, nothing terrible but nothing too special.
Review Source:So it was our last night in Pensacola Beach, and we decided what better way to celebrate the end of Spring Break and constructing this awesome house, then eating seafood and watching the sun set over the gulf?
Enter Flounder's. Since there were 17 of us the waitress seated us on the open air patio right next to the sand volleyball courts at two separate tables. We all just laughed because she chose the two tables that were the furthest away from customers thinking that we would be those 'rowdy college kids' but we totally weren't.
Still funny even today.
My friend ordered the Flounder Shrimp & Spinach Dip:Fresh Spinach, Gulf Shrimp and Flounder in a Creamy Cajun Cheese Sauce with Chips as an appetizer and shared it with the table. It was good. And filling. I ordered the Coconut Shrimp. Holy food batman. This bad boy came with With Island Piña Colada Sauce and Cole Slaw, Hushpuppies and Flash Fried Potatoes. Another person at the table ordered the Floyd Flounder's Flawless Full Flavored Florida Flash Fried Fish. You try saying that 5 times fast and get back to me.
Oh but wait! That is not all! Bring on the dessert! Our table ordered all three of them. The Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Confusion: Chocolate Cake topped with Fudge Frosting,Chocolate Chips and Hot Fudge & Creamy Peanut Butter Pie: Homemade with Skippy Peanut Butter, Oreo Cookie Crust and drizzled with Hershey's Chocolate Syrup. The slices are huge and they are so good!
Needless to say, they rolled us out at the end of the night. Great place to hang out with friends, pop back a few cold ones, and listen to the live band.
Make sure you bring your appetite because the portions are huge!
Flounder's offers a decent view of the water with a sand volleyball court in its backyard. However, the food is only decent. We can during early dinner at non-rush hour and ordered the Gulf Grouper Citrus Buerre Blanc and the Flounder's Stuffed Founder. The portions were good, but both of the fish were a bit on the dry side, especially so with the grouper. The grouper lacked the "zangy" reshness that you would expect from the "citrus" name.
If you are looking for touristy spot to eat, Flounder's would do, but it's nothing special.
This place was hoppin when we went the day before St Patricks Day! There are SO many tables that on such a busy drinking day during spring break, we only had a 25 minute wait. Of course the diesel fuel drink was fantastic. There are volleyball courts and live bands here. While we were there we had a perfect view of St Patricks Day fireworks and the Ferris wheel.
One note on the food. I added a photo of the baja fish tacos which are an appetizer... Thankfully I ordered them as an entree because they were HUGE. These are not an appetizer size, even if you just had one taco (it comes with 3). But still delicious!
This place is a nice combo of restaurant and bar. We will return!
Consistently great local seafood and enormous portions. I forget how big their meals are when I come for dinner. My preference is to come for lunch.
The calamari was the largest portion I have  ever been served anywhere. Normally my family of four is fighting over the calamari, but there were a few pieces left over at Flounders.
The oyster po boy is delicious and it's about half a  loaf of french bread. I eat half of it as a sandwich and just eat the oysters off the  second half because it's more than I can eat.
Classic beachy atmosphere and this is the most central iconic restaurant on Pensacola Beach.
Our family friends brought my parents (who were tourists from Japan) here for an early dinner. Flounders DID NOT DISAPPOINT!
We were a party of 12, so there were lots of us, and lots of food I can review, but here are the ones that really stuck out. Â
The seafood nachos are ENORMOUS and even though they are an appetizer, you could easily have that as a meal on your own.
The diesel fuel: It is sweet, and tastes nothing like alcohol, before you know it you're ready to have your second one but you're buzzin! It was yummy and I'd go back just for that!
THE KEY LIME PIE WAS DIVINE AND TO DIE FOR. Â Its also, huge. 3 layers of key lime heaven! I'm really not one for key lime, its not usually my cup of tea but Flounders has made me a believer! I'm so sad that we only went once, and that I never got to go back...I still crave that pie to this day.
After reading a couple reviews, I have to agree that parking was scarce here, so just walk and the veggies were not very big here. Â The band was cool in the hot hot heat of the sun as we sat under a shaded area table.
The servers were moving just as slow as my brain turned in the heat.  If you like onion rings I spotted some very large ones on my cousins plate.  My other cousins ate a pile of nachos as high as they can be with  salad on top.
The layout of the place was enormously spacious and just a cool place to catch some music and a drink. Â A lot of families were eating around us with babies and other small children which brings a warm atmosphere that caters to fun and parties.
The menu is pretty short and sweet to the punch with fish plates, burgers, and drinks. Â I still get surprised to see such small portions of food such as french fries and fillets with such large prices.
So after reading the reviews we decided to go here to flounders. Â I had the Snapper at $23.00 and my wife had the Grilled Shrimp. Â For what you get for $23.00 it really was not worth it as they don't even give you a veggie. Â
Now in regards to a tourist trap it is but all of Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach is. Â
The food Does have unbelievable flavor and the Diesel Fuel Tropical is yummy also.
Noticed they did need new tables though... it was clean but kinda tacky(sticky).
After hoping from resto to bar looking for non-chain food, we ended up here due to lack of good choices. Turns out the food is great, the service too, even thought they were packed.
I wanted a fish with not a lot of sauce, but ended up being so (flounder stuffed with crab), nonetheless, it was pretty good, my BF had the tuna, and it was so good I wish I would had traded my order...ow, let's not  think this is the best seafood or the best tuna, just saying, it was the best for the money and that is all I gotta say!
Amazing Fresh Fish!!
I came her during Memorial Weekend starving after running around all day. The place was packed, of course, and I felt like a sardine in a tin can. I do not enjoy waiting for a table and the wait was 45 minutes which is not bad for a Memorial holiday weekend. I asked to sit at the bar.
The place was smoke-free, as are most places in Pensacola. The bartender was friendly and recommended the day's special. The bartender informed me they had just caught 200 lbs of red snapper. The special was blackened red snapper over a bed of Yukon Gold smashed potatoes with a side of asparagus. He said the "fish so so fresh it was still in school!". Boy am I glad I followed his advice. The food was unbelievable!!
My friend ordered the shrimp plate, which of course, had all sorts of shrimp: shrimp on a skewer, popcorn shrimp, coconut shrimp, etc. The shrimp on the skewer and coconut shrimp were tasty, but really, fried shrimp is fried shrimp. How can anyone mess up fried foods. And, I of course, do not eat fried foods.
The atmosphere is beachy, or touristy, if you like that kind of thing. Some people may even call this place a tourist trap. The restaurant has a gift shop.
I would try this place if I were you, especially if you don't mind eating extremely fresh fish! I do not ever remember eating fish that was this fresh. The fillets crumpled and melted in my mouth.
Since moving down to Pensacola for the navy , I've been extremely excited about getting to have fresh seafood. Honestly this is the only place down here that has fulfilled my need for  good seafood. Their calamari is fantastic and is almost a meal in its self. The key lime pie about gave me a heart attack, with the fact that it's about a foot tall and delicious. The thing that really sets this place apart from the other places I've been to down here is the prices, yes that's right I said the prices. This is the only place on the beach that won't stick it to you on the bill for sub par food.
They are seem to always have live music and a great atmosphere. I do love that you can choose to sit inside with the AC flowing (if you're dying from the heat), or you can sit right out on the beach with the beautiful view adding to the tasty food. I do wish that they had a better beer selection, but for a place on the beach, what're ya gonna do. Overall this place is a great place to grab some lunch or dinner on a long hot day at the beach.
When looking at this place I immediately got the feeling of a chiche resturaunt. I love those! The only thing that made me think twice was my husband had been told that they did not have very good food. Despite what we had heard we decided that this was where we were going to eat for the day. I loved this place! When you walk up there really is not door or inside it pretty much is all open with an area that has a ceiling but again almost all open. There is a boat hull on the left and a little bit further up there is a really cool gift shop. When we got to the hostesses stand we asked to be set in the "outside" section.
It was beautiful. You can see out to the water and if you want you can even venture down to it. The waiter showed up pretty quickly and got out drink order and appetizer. We both ordered a beer of of them being the local McGuires brew. This one is a red ale and has a little bit of hop to it. We also ordered the calamari. We were shocked when it came out. This could have been a meal it was so big. The first bite was amazing and everyother one after. There was a perfect seasoning. For our meal we ordered the po'boys. Again they were amazing. They did not come with any sauce on them but I added my lemon and that did the trick. We had been contemplating get the key lime pie for dessert, but one look at the size and we both realized that there was no way that we were going to be able to eat it and it probably wouldn't keep until we got home. It was at least a good 6 inches tall if not bigger.
Lets just say that this place was so impressive and good that we made the effort to come back the next day. It was just as good as the first time and best part, the price is comprable to the food. =)
Like all visitors you have to try it once. I found out that the owner of McGuires owns Flounders and Crabs as well.
They seem to be packed all the time. Coming in on St Patricks weekend at night Im sure didnt help. The key is to tell them you will take the first available seat. We ended up out side on the sand on a picnic table - wasnt bad.
The service was pretty good and quick
We did cold beer boiled shrimp that was very good. She did the chowder and found it filling and hot and good. She had the blackened Mahi and I went for a ribeye (I was fished out). Everything was served fast, even with the place packed.
We got there at 8pm and by 10 the place was packed and they were getting ready to have a band play. If you are taking a family, its best to clear out before the band plays, it starts to get a little risque and crazy.
They have a great sand area for volleyball and a play place for kids. So if you want the kids covered like a sugar cookie at dinner and riding back in your car to the hotel like that - go for it.
Would we come back: We have done it once. Probably wont.
Character and even more Character! Â My date had ordered a lot of food... Just kidding Marie. Â But we did order a lot to get a good sample of some. Â Even the waiter that brought the food out, thought it was a mistake. Â We got enough food to take care of Marie plus 3 guys. Â
I am busting on Marie, she is a cross fit trainer, and very fit and full of force and healthy. Â We just wanted to have a sample of things. Â I have my glass and the experience of this great place.
I used to really love this place when I was younger. My parents could eat and I could go play on the playground equipment or in the sand by the water. Recently, I have discovered a few things that have happened EVERY time I have been there in the last year and they are:
1) SLOW service
2) Bland, warm (as in not hot) food
3) Extremely loud bands outside to where you can't hear yourself or your friends.
4) Overpriced food
The good things about this place are truly from a night/party perspective. Go there and get yourself some diesel fuels, some appetizers, and party down or play some volleyball. It really isn't a sit down place in my opinion. Definitely unique though.
My fellow Yelpers in Pensacola apparently are very generous with there stars when it comes to Flounders. It has everything that  makes a great restaurant.
1. Needs a facelift, and soon.
2. Boring menu
3. Other then oysters, serve fresh food
Yes, the service was good and everything came out on time, there was no originality. Flounders should utilize fresh farm goods and products indigenous to the area.
The owner of Flounders also owns Crabs, the food at Crabs is better only because of the view.
There are better places to go, but if someone has a gun to your head and makes you go there, it's just alright. Don't expect great ambiance or eclectic food.
I hate to sound bitter but there is so much more this restaurant could be, instead of. Fancy Red Lobster!
As I've gone to Flounders over the years during my Pensacola Beach visits, one could say I have a relationship to the place not unlike an old friend.
A friend and I went for lunch, and got a great table. Â Fresh, tasty seafood, beautiful scenery of the water and a mini beach, one of the old Pensacola Fish Signs on the stage (I remember this sign from my childhood, so it's a very fond nostalgia blast for me).... Â It's a great place to visit, kick back, have a drink and some fantastic seafood. Â The service was good, and the portions big enough to warrant take home, er, take back to hotel. Â The seafood appetizer dip is magic. Â Magic, I say! Â I had a burger topped with seafood, and again, pure culinary sorcery.
My only fault with the place is that as one sits out in the more outside area, they allow smoking in this dining area, which is an appetite drainer for me.
Bear in mind that I don't live in Florida, so I don't know if that's the "norm" over there. Â Where I live, smoking is a big "no" in any dining area, so being used to that, and watching some woman at the table next to me blow a huge cloud of smoke all over her cheeseburger is a bit unappetizing, and kind of killed the mood a little. Â But again, different regions, different rules, I guess.
Gripe aside, it's not enough to kill my want to go back, and I still need to see what the place is like at night which, from what I understand, is pretty jumpin'. Â I've yet to try this "Diesel Fuel" drink. Â I would have, if I hadn't wanted to be able to walk for the rest of the day.
Next time, however....
A quick jaunt to Pensacola to meet up with some friends from Illinois came with some great gastronomic surprises.... The first: Flounder's Chowder House. After seeing the plane carried advertisements all day we had to go.
It was dinnertime when we arrived but food was far from our minds as we were naturally guided to the outside bar where the famed Diesel Fuel (double long island) drinks are created. My girlfriend and I each had the tropical Diesel Fuel, per the friendly bartender's recommendation as a 'popular girl drink'. Normally I prefer beer, but when in Rome...
The patio overlooked beach volleyball games in full force. What started out as a quiet evening slowly began to escalate in activity as fervent spring breakers descended upon the area. The people-watching was first-rate, not to mention entertaining as we enjoyed our mason jars of goodness to the last drop.
Eventually we moved to the dining area of the patio. Our server was kind, but seemed a bit skittish. I had blackened mahi-mahi and mashed potatoes; both were superb. I nibbled some of my husband's fish sandwich and fries which were also great. "Too full" was the only complaint I heard all night. The lull of the ocean waves and scent of salty air undeniably enhanced our contentment. Â
A few hours later we returned to check out the live band & have a few more drinks on el patio. The bartenders were all great, despite wearing Jimmy Buffet shirts and being very busy. Â The band was decent and the crowd had grown to include many seer sucker suits, wedding parties and more spring breakers. Â In our book, Flounder's provided all that was required for a good night's fun. Â
**Note: Flounder's is good for kids during the day, but I would keep them away at night (eg. we left right before a wet t-shirt contest was about to begin).
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