Great view of the beach from most all of the seats. Â We were very happy to be seated quickly as they were full. Â The service was great!
We both had caesar salads. Â Very well done. Â They do not toss the salad, the dressing comes on the side but this did not bother us.
We had the smoked tuna dip as an app. Â This area of Florida seems to have this on every menu around town. Â It was very good here.
We had Snow Crab and Boiled Shrimp for our entrees. Â The portion was huge! Â The price was right and we were well pleased. Â They were cooked perfectly. Â This dish came with sides of steamed veggies, a red skin potato and corn on the cob. Â The truth was we didn't eat much of the sides. Â We didn't want to fill up on this with so much crab to eat.
We liked it so much we went back for a second time at the end of our stay.
Come for the view and stay for the food. Â Great on the beach eating.
I went to Whale's Tail twice on my visit to Santa Rosa Beach. Â The first time I had the Mahi-Mahi wrap. It was delicious, but I found myself jealous of the rest of my family who ordered the fish tacos. Â I also had two fruity beverages, the Mermaid's Brew and something else that the server recommended afterward since it was on special. LOVED the Mermaid's Brew, just the type of drink I like to have on the beach even though it was cold and windy over the Christmas holiday. Â I don't mind my food and drink on paper/plastic vessels. Â It was beachy, the food was good, and the pico was just how I like it--spicy and fresh. Â I will be back here each time I visit my sister.
Review Source:Overpriced food for a good view. Â Super shaky table that we had to be careful not to spill our drinks, plastic silverware and glasses, paper plates and styrofoam coffee cups. Â $37 lunch before tip for a burger that my girlfriend disliked and the advertised fresh grouper. Â I was just happy that I was able to stay fairly healthy.
Review Source:Yum! We topped here for a nice lunch on the beach. I wasnt expecting much but this place was just what we were looking for.
I had the fish fingers and my boyfriend had the grouper sandwich. Both meals were cooked perfectly. I will say that the fish fingers are a lot of heavy battered fried food if you are looking for something like, but we really enjoyed it.
nice little place for a lunch around miramar beach. Â standard menu.. frozen drinks, fried seafood baskets, etc. Â got a pina colada and a blackened grouper sandwich, both hit the spot. Â view is great, balcony deck is shady, and it wasn't too crowded on labor day weekend. Â only downside is no raw oysters on the menu..
Review Source:When you eat here, realize that you are paying for the view. Â I'm pretty sure none of their ingredients are fresh. It's the peak of corn season in Florida right now, for example, but the corn on the cob we got with our meals was boiled to death, waterlogged, and previously frozen. Â I'm certain all of the seafood was frozen. Â Meals are served on paper plates and alcoholic beverages are served in small plastic cups. The service, however, was good, and they tolerate small children well.
Review Source:We came on a windy rainy day so we had to sit inside, regardless the view is spectacular. Â You might as well be eating on top of the water. Â This is a very casual fun place, a true beach bar.
As for the food, we enjoyed ours. Â Shrimp po'boy and the popcorn shrimp basket. Â The shrimp were perfectly fried and served pipping hot. Â The cocktail sauce was also very good not under seasoned or to horseradishy (I would have liked more but this was very good regardless).
Service was not the best but we have found that to be the norm in this area. Â
Price was spot on in my opinion for the amount we got.
I'm sitting at a table in the whale's tail as I write this so its going to be a short review. The view is great but the food literally all tastes like it came out of the microwave. My girlfriends mahi mahi had the same texture as old beef jerkey..how the hell do you make fish chewy? Â Our server recommended us to get the fried version if everything (crab cakes, shrimp, fish) and now I know why....zero flavor. I would only recommend this place for a beer and beach view.
Review Source:We came here one evening on our vacation in July and sat right outside overlooking the beach. The view was amazing, it can't be beat. The food was reasonably priced and came on paper plates with plastic utensils. The fish was pretty good, but the sides were okay. I would eat here again based on the view, convenience to the beach and price.
Review Source:This place was close to our condo so we gave it a try because we didn't want to go far.. We got seated right away on a covered deck looking at the beach.. It was a nice view.. The service was great...
it wasn't our best meal there but for the view and service I was happy.. The crab legs we had were pretty tasty.. Worth giving a try...
I love this place. Â Located right on the beach, this place has been a Destin fixture for over three decades. Â It has recently gotten a facelift, and has a brand-new air-conditioned area for you if you don't want to be out on the deck, feeling the breeze, and admiring the Gulf. Â
Whale's Tail has a very approachable and affordable menu with a kitchen that serves up some of the best beach-fare to be had in the area. Â They do have some really good, locally caught seafood (shrimp, mahi, grouper, tuna). Â But if you're in the mood for a good burger, or maybe just a grilled ham & cheese sandwich, they've got that, too. Â (I mean really, when's the last time you had a grilled ham & cheese sammich?) Â This is no-frills dining (plastic-ware, ketchup packets keeps the ketchup fresh and helps with portion control). Â If you need to have real silverware and someone to put a napkin on your lap for you, well, you're kinda weird. Â
We ordered:
Grilled cheese sandwich & fries: This sandwich was made the right way--without laying on any butter or greasiness to the toast surrounding the properly molten cheese. Â This was, if you will, a "clean" grilled cheese sandwich. Â And it hit the spot. Â
Grilled Grouper Sandwich & fries: I am always appreciative of a good grouper sandwich. Â And this one is very good, simple, lemon-pepper grilled and served on a sesame bun alongside fries or cole-slaw. Â (I got both. Â Ain't nothin' wrong with some slaw on the sandwich.) Â
The wait-staff is a bevy of cute Russian-sounding women, and they're not very helpful with the menu, but they will take care of you. Â Service was speedy. Â I found the prices quite reasonable compared to some of the Whale's Tail on-the-beach competitors. Â And this is casual beach dining at its finest. Â No shoes? Â No problem. Â Just walk in off the beach and grab a table...
This review is only for the bar that is set outside of the restaurant!
Let's just say you're literally right next to the beach and it's amazing to order your drinks and 10 steps forward, you're on the sand. It's a great place to hang out with family and friends, and when you think you're done with the drinks, you'll know you're going to order some more because the drinks are so refreshing! I'm a chocoholic, so of course I ordered the Mudslide and it was to die for!
I am a frequent traveler to Destin. I have been coming here since I was 15. It's  a great spot to lay on the beach and have a bar and restaurant close by. The mixed frozen drinks at the bar are great for beach drinks. Key Lime Colada is my fav with a rum floater.They are not very strong but good. The food is good. My blackened yellow tuna was seasoned well.
Review Source:The moment you pull up and have to park on the sand, you see the relatively close access to the beach. If you sit outside, it's a great view of the sunset, beach, and ocean. That was the highlight of our visit.
Don't ask the waitress for any advice on the menu. Half of them are there just for the job and tell you everything is great.
The menu did not have a great deal of variety but the servings were very enjoyable. I had the Mahi Mahi. It was average and overpriced in my opinion. Even though I ordered chargrilled, it didn't feel like it was cooked properly.
Sister had the shrimp and crab legs. Had to be at least 1 to 1.5 lbs of crab legs. This was a good buy and worth it. Crab legs were fresh and big.
My family and I went their for lunch and I got a delicious blackened tuna sandwich for $11.
This is a great and affordable beach-side restaurant. Whale's Tail has the best prices of any of the beach-side restaurants along old highway 98. The eating area is completely open and has great ocean breeze. You can easily stroll up to Whale's tail from the beach.
It loses a star because it doesn't have a huge menu. There is a lot to choose from but you won't find the exotic seafood dishes that places like Pompano Joe's has.