- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Touristy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
68 reviews for AJ's Seafood & Oyster Bar
Review Highlights
-
"This place has a great view of the water and great food." In 5 reviews -
"Live music and lively crowd." In 5 reviews -
"...watched boats haul in their catches for the fishing rodeo." In 2 reviews
Loading...
68 reviews in English
-
Review from Bridget P.
Santa Monica, CA
4/9/2012
This is where you go if you want to truly feel like you're on vacation (or staycation, if you live there). Great place to sit outside with the pretty harbor view, get some fried crab claws (trust me! get them!) and rounds of beers. Such a casual, relaxing atmosphere, and great service.
At night it turns into a dance club with live music. Even more fun to be had... we ended up going twice in one day. Plus, they were cool about my overserved friend getting on stage and dancing (and being taken home shortly thereafter).
LOL @ the cup holders in the restroom stalls..... that's a great amenity right there. -
Review from William B.
Penn Valley, CA
3/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
AJ's, came here for the crawfish, but that is served on Sundays, so we missed out. On the plus side, a dozen oysters for only $8.99. Wow, heaven in a shell, spicy passion dipped in cocktail sauce, the courage of a man on a trip on a white sandy beach.. . Ooops.. sorry.. back to my review. :)
This week has been very cold and foggy and tonight was no exception. The lady I was with, only had a t-shirt on so we went to the gift store to see if we can find something to help. Very expensive, and no discounts, we did find a long sleeve shirt that worked just nice--I got a free post card out of the $60 deal. Note: from my 110 camera, I can take a better picture.
The band was great, the oysters were wonderful, company sweet, and finally the cost was worth it all.
Oh.. ummmm there was this lady, that thought she created a new dance called the fish dance. DON'T ever do a fish dance in public; if this makes Youtube, I know nothing... Nothing ok.. :) -
Review from Beth B.
Hattiesburg, MS
5/26/2012
Loved the crab legs!!! Three of the 6 adults ordered crab legs and enjoyed every bite! Was a bit noisy but food and service were a step above the rest. My husband ordered steak topped with a shrimp cream sauce. It was excellent but couldn't compare to the crab legs.
-
Review from Kim R.
Louisville, KY
5/24/2012
Great place to watch the boats and have a drink. But don't expect much out of the food. Triggerfish was not cooked and sent back. The second time we received it, it was without two of the sides. By the time we received the sides, we were done with the meal. I wouldn't even taste the fish, it smelled awful. Service was slow. Paid $60 and left thinking about our next meal.
-
Review from Claire C.
Marion, AL
4/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very pricey for the quality of food and drinks. I got a Painkiller mixed drink for a starter and then ordered 1/2 dozen baked parmesan oysters on the halfshell. I got much better oysters at the Hog's Breath Saloon just down the street, and I have made better homemade mixed drinks myself. My daughter's crab cakes looked good but they cost 23.99. The noise level was awful... there were 7 of us .. and we were constantly having to read lips and hold our heads closer together to hear each other talk. My son's blackened tuna was good but it was 27.99 uuuuggghhh!! We won't be going back here.
-
Review from Gracie T.
Macon, GA
5/15/2012
the food is just ok. we really only go to drink late night and listen to the band.
-
Review from Helen V.
Florence, KY
Oyster happy hour is worth it. Forget about the rest.
I recommend making a meal out of the dezen oysters by ordering side dishes. The gumbo was good. Don't waste your money on the other menu items. It was over priced. -
Review from Brian P.
Greenville, SC
4/5/2012
Great outdoor bar area. Good beach drinks. Good Southern fried seafood. Plenty of live music on the schedule.
-
Review from Annie C.
Dania Beach, FL
3/4/2012
man first time here in Florida, have just driven all the way from San Diego California and lost my wallet. They found it and all the waiter and waitress knows about it and well alert and gave me my wallet back. Strong well made margaritas and delicious gumbo!!!!! I always wanted to try it and it's spicy enough and delicious and they all were nice people with excellent hospitality....... Hey being from California and knowing how I get served...... five star for these Floridian!!!!! xxxx
-
Review from William B.
Fenton, MO
3/26/2012
Directly on the water - lots to see and do. Food was not bad but the drinks were expensive. I would go back.
-
Review from jen s.
8/16/2011
Here we are again going to a seafood restaurant and only one person ordered seafood. It was shrimp, and not bad. we also tried the quesadillas and a burger. The portions just left us wanting more, and my burger would have been so much better if it were on a bun and not chiabatta bread. Also the Cole slaw was definitely spoilled, so be careful.
What this place has going for it is the amazing view and in my opinion great service.
I can't say if I will be back because the food wasn't anything special and there are many restaurants that offer a view. -
Review from Steve R.
PT WASHINGTON, FL
6/25/2011
Reviewed 10/30/10.IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, CHECK OUT THE HEALTH REPORT AT THE END OF THE REVIEW!
First, I'm local, not a tourist, but wanted to try this place in the off season. Call me nuts, but I have a few simple expectations after working in the F/B Industry for 20 years, such as....greet my table within five minutes, be friendly, tell the specials, etc.. This didn't happen, even on a sleepy Saturday off-season with nobody 'in the weeds' or any excuse for not being courteous. Our server Laura W. was snippy, unfriendly and had an overall bad attitude. On a beautiful day, with the fishing rodeo in the background, this woman's poor service and hostile attitude was enough to ruin our meal. We couldn't get out of there fast enough. Won't be back, nor sending anyone there anytime soon. Laura W, shame on you, your service mirrored the crapy and overpriced food.
The good news, this woman single handedly knocked Los Rancheros out of #1 seed for worst restaurant......If you want the 'water' view, there are much better places. The food @ AJ's was sub-par, shamefully bad for located at the hub of FRESH fish. Everyone ordered seafood and I honestly have found better fare at the Golden Corral.
Oh, I forgot to mention that AJ's was fined $500 due to the horrific findings from numerous health inspections. I didn't do my due diligence and research this before jamming a nasty, fish sandwich in my gullet! AJ's has a long history of CRITICAL violations, that when dealing with seafood, can kill ya. You can't say you weren't warned...
If you enjoy vomiting, peruse the health report below:
http://data.ocala.com/... -
Review from Kate B.
7/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Here was my experience from AJ's. We originally wanted to go upstairs to the quieter and more adult area, but they told us that it wasn't a full menu up there. (How come they cant have the same menu upstairs as downstairs?). We walked to the downstair part and it was immediately loud, full of obnoxious children, and covered with all kinds of tacky pirate decor. We asked the, tween, hostess for one of the tables on the edge so that we could have a view of the ocean and they told us ok with a smile (half expected her to flash a retainer) and then seated us in the middle of the restaurant and told us that we couldn't sit by the good view because those tables were for bigger parties (the tables sat 6 and we had 4 people).
Then they sat us at this table that was so crammed in with other tables (and up against a pole) that we could hardly back our chairs up. Clostrophobic much?? Not long after we sat down, the tables surrounding us were full of misbehaved screaming children and then this creepy old man dressed up like a pirate came up and started making strange shaped animal balloons.
Let me just add that I love kids and I was there with a family that has a toddler - I just dont want to be seated so close to other peoples children to the point that I can see their pimples.
I ordered the ahi tuna salad and it was actually pretty delicious - which is the only reason I gave this place 2 stars instead of 1.
Furthermore - when I went to the restroom... I wont go into details, but it was disgusting.
I'm sure the upstairs area a AJ's is much better so dont write it off completely - but I highly recommend not going to the downstairs dinner if you are looking for a nice evening meal. -
Review from Steve L.
Birmingham, AL
5/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Somebody call the fish police! The chef should be arrested for serving the worst trigger fish that I have ever eaten....
We sat outside with kids to eat. From the hostess, server, and chef, this place was an epic fail. Almost $100, seriously? The fish was horrible. It was over seasoned and over cooked. The tuna tasted bad also. How do you mess up tuna? They did it! The service was horrible, too.
Folks, this place is a bar. The food is for suckers from out of town that pay $$$$$ because a sign says kids are welcome and it is on the water.
I would definitely not come back here to eat. -
Review from Lisa M.
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
AJ's a great place for drinks and social time, we went for drinks after the boat light show. They have a band upstairs, and the view is amazing. Bartenders were friendly and attentive.
-
Review from Xexilia Nhi D.
Belle Chasse, LA
When we walked into this restaurant, it had a horrible odor and gave a very sticky feeling because it was extra humid inside. We soon realized while waiting to be seated that the odor came from the bathrooms located right by the entrance. Very bad idea. We wanted to leave because it reeked that bad but decided not to because we were starving.
Our server was excellent and food was just okay. Nothing special.
-Filet Mignon: Comes with a baked potato and steamed vegetables. All of that was bland and dry.
-Famous New York Strip: Comes with the same thing as the filet but with a Hollandaise sauce over it so it had some flavor and juice to it.
-Oyster platter: Decent. Had better.
-Kahuna Burger: Good but the bun was too hard, making it hard to eat.
I think the bad part about this restaurant was that everything was lacking flavor. Or is it because I'm from New Orleans and everything tastes better with Tonys on it?
Oh, and prices are pretty high! -
Review from Megan O.
Bothell, WA
10/8/2011
Besides the happy-hour raw oysters and the Oysters AJ, there is absolutely nothing worth eating.
-
Review from Lee C.
Roswell, GA
6/27/2011
This place has the most ideal spot for a restaurant. It is right smack dab on the water with nice boats and other scenery around it. It is a true seafood house. I love how the bar is setup: Sliding glass doors put you right on the docks and they have a little spot setup for a local musician to play. I have been for lunch and dinner and boy do they pack it out!
Now, the food has been hit and miss. When I went for the first time, the raw oysters were so ice cold and yummy. In addition, the shrimp po'boy was so good I could have smacked my mother! You probably know where this is heading....upon my second visit and eagerly looking forward to the same order, the oysters were not as cold and quite smaller than I had remembered. The shrimp po'boy was not that good, I am not sure if it was the oil, or they changed the breading, but it was no bueno. The pricing is bit high, but they don't skimp on their portions.
The service has been good both times. Not that I remember names, but everyone seemed to be hustling and doing their job.
A.J.'s is worth a try at best. I'd still recommend this over some of the places that I have eaten in Destin. If they read this review, maybe they check into what I mentioned. I will be back, don't you guys worry. -
Review from tim a.
Arlington, VA
3/8/2012
Was on a business trip and ate here. Food was excellent. She crab soup was amazing! For dinner I had the AJ's Pasta Orleans Combo (Chicken and Shrimp), which was also great. Service was great and waiter was really cool too. There is a club/bar above the restaurant so you can hang there after dinner. I did not go into the bar so can't comment on that. Was there on a Monday night so it wasn't busy. My co-worker and I had the same thing (two bowls of soups and two Pasta Orleans) and came out to below sixty dollars.
-
Review from Michelle M.
Crestview, FL
11/27/2011
Food was good, very fresh and not overwhelming....I little pricey but good.
-
Review from Valerie N.
Atlanta, GA
2/17/2011
I went with my parents and husband for a drink and a snack on a Friday afternoon in October. We sat outside overlooking the harbor and thoroughly enjoyed the surroundings. At 4:00, a live band started and they were actually pretty good! It was great to be somewhere in the sunshine enjoying live music with a drink in my hand.
We ordered a sampler platter (calamari, hushpuppies, fried crab claws, and mozzarella cheese sticks). My husband ordered buffalo shrimp. I thought the calamari and cheese sticks were fairly tasty, but the hushpuppies were raw on the inside and the fried clab claws were really pointless as there was next to no meat on each claw (and they didn't have a lot of flavor). The buffalo shrimp were decent.
I'm not sure that this is somewhere I'd eat again (or would recommend for someone to eat at), but its definitely a place I'd spend a happy hour in the off-season ONLY. I don't eat oysters and since this is, after all, an oyster bar, maybe this is where I'm missing out?
There are so many fantastic places to eat in Destin - don't eat a main meal here. Go for a drink and move on. -
Review from Dave L.
Elmsford, NY
10/29/2011
This is my second visit here and both times we've been greatly disappointed. Food at AJ's Seafood & Oyster Bar is both blend and uncreative. For example, stuffed deviled crab had more breading then anything else, resembling a taste similar to that of turkey stuffing. AJ's signature salad swam in salad dressing (although that was the least worst dish we had). Boiled Seafood Platter was stingy in portion and lackluster in quality and taste. These two dishes alone cost over $40 not including drinks or tips. Frankly the national chain Red Lobsters produces better food then this establishment. This restaurant is purely a tourist trap. It looks great, sounds awesome, but surely tastes horrible. I guess twice is enough for me. No more AJ's ever again.
-
Review from Tara L.
9/3/2011
Went here for drinks after dinner. Good atmosphere for drinks even with tropical storm Lee bearing down on us. Live music and lively crowd.
-
Review from Scott W.
Suwanee, GA
6/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Too busy, too loud. Expensive and requires a cover if you are not local.
-
Review from Lauren S.
7/24/2008
This place was really really good. I have to thank Chris W. for recommending it to me, not sure we would have thought to go here as it does look a bit "touristy" with it's whole "World Famous AJ's" sign and all. But it was really really good.
The prices were a bit higher than what you would pay for seafood in ohhhh....Atlanta, but come on people - this stuff is fresh from the water good. And the portions are plentiful. My sister and I split one of their fried shrimp plates at $21. It had 12 shrimp that were so large it was more like 24 shrimp. The shrimp had the lightest, fluffiest batter that didn't feel greasy or overcooked. The plate also included french fries with more than enough for two people, cole slaw and the best hush puppies I've ever had in my entire life. They are a bit sweet and have corn in them, and are perfectly cooked. Most places burn the hush puppies. These were so good that we asked for an extra side order of them and we got six for an extra $2.50. If you're cheap, you could make a meal out of these, I swear!
My mom had the firecracker shrimp and it was great - sweet with a bit of a spicy kick. She didn't want much to eat so she ordered off of the appetizer menu and the portion was ridiculously large on that as well.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is really great. You have your waterfront dining portion with a bar outside, and then on the inside we sat near the large bar and I witnessed two of the most entertaining bartenders do their thing. It was like the movie "Cocktails" but without the cheese. Wait....is that possible? I'll just say, they were funny, skilled, and knew how to keep the customers sitting at the bar. They earned every tip they got.
I will definitely revisit this place to try other dishes, everything the waitresses were bringing out to the tables looked like a must try.Listed in: Destin Bound
-
Review from Leigh F.
10/6/2009
This place is a staple for my fam when we take our Annual Destin Florida trip....and I must say, the multi-leveled patio with multiple bar tops and live music set up is pretty damn bad ass, but that's about where my enthusiasm ends.
The patio overlooks the bay. You can sit while sipping on your fruity drink, listen to live music and watch all the boats come in. During the day you can watch the charters come in and hang up their catch....while hundeds of seagulls and pelicans mosey around hoping to get a piece of fish. This is what I love about AJs....and they make a damn good pina colada!
BUT....I suggest you go there for a drink or two, relax, listen to music...then continue on your journey down the dock...the food I've had there had been less than par, and majorly overpriced. I mean, you can't hold it against them, it's a typical tourist hot spot, equipt with gift shop and souvenir glasses to take home....so use it for just that. Get your glass, your shirt, some good boat watching and a couple of cocktails, then go out for a good meal :)
You're welcome.Listed in: Obsessed Patio Patron
-
Review from David N.
8/25/2009
A touristy Joe's Crab Shack.
Overpriced, under-flavored.
Stay away.Listed in: Best Seafood, Florida: Tour Guide
-
Review from C S.
Greeley, CO
8/3/2011
Went here because it was recommended by a friend for the view.
I had a steak because I do not care for seafood. Showed up WAY over cooked.
The waitress was terrible.
Glad to pay 100 bucks just so we could leave.
I am not having a great restaurant experience in Destin. -
Review from ROCKSTAR S.
Austin, TX
8/3/2011
We ate the "bar food" upstairs because we didn't want to wait. The girls liked their "boat drinks" other than that, everything else was bad.
Food was overcooked, tasted frozen, small crumbles of calamari. They put peas or beans or something in the calamari?!?
The next day 2 out of the 4 of us had stomach aches!
The only reason for 2 stars is the mixed drinks and our waitress - she took the calamari off the bill, and was very kind. -
Review from Claire L.
Aliso Viejo, CA
9/3/2009
There's a three-per-person limit on the Bimini Bash, a five-rum blend of sweet-tasting poison served by the collectible glass at this Panhandle tourist trap.
I don't know about you, but when I hear "three-per-person limit," I think that is a blatant lie and I must have four or even five since no one, NO ONE, has Claire-level tolerance.
I drank two. I don't remember half the night. Yes, Bimini Bash, you showed me...
What did not show me, hence the three stars, was the gumbo and clam chowder we ordered at the bar. I am hoping they ran out earlier and thus had to go buy some spare cans from the 99-cent store, but I don't think that was the case. But who cares about the food -- go for the Bimimi Bash and be a cheap (and potentially unconscious) date. -
Review from Tara S.
8/15/2011
Fun atmosphere right on the water. Food was pretty good. Good shrimp po-boy, kind of over priced for what you get. The upstairs patio for drinks and dancing is awesome.
-
Review from Sara W.
Houston, TX
6/8/2009
AJ's is a crazy place. I've never been for the food, but it's one of the few nightlife spots in the Destin area so we almost always visit when we're in town.
The good: The place gets really busy over holiday weekends with serious partiers, and if you want to go out and get ripped, AJ's is a fun place to do it. There's always a live band and the music is great for dancing and embarrassing yourself and your friends. The views of the harbor are also fantastic.
The bad: I've paid a cover every time I've visited AJ's. I hate covers. What makes it worse is that they don't charge people with Florida licenses a cover, only out-of-staters. I understand there's live music so a cover is semi-acceptable, but $15? C'mon. Also, the bartenders start to suck at the end of the evening. During my last visit to AJ's everyone at my table had incredibly weak drinks that had to be sent back for more booze. We all may have been drunk, but we were sober enough to know our drinks were 99% mix and 1% booze. Not cool.
Overall I'd send anyone looking for a good time over to AJ's. Partly because there's not much else to chose from, and partly because it's always a good time. Cheers! -
Review from Greg F.
Virginia Beach, VA
6/17/2010
Well, another overpriced seafood joint. I did like the atmosphere and the service was good but I ordered the crab stuffed lobster tail and got a tiny split tail with two small crab cakes on the tails. The crab cakes had a little spice and were very tasty but the lobster was tiny and the dish was 44.99!!!!! Holy crap. I thought the waitress said 34.99 and even still, it was worth about 24.99.
All in all, the food is good, not great and overpriced. -
Review from Jessica G.
Hoover, AL
9/8/2011
For starters the waitress took for ever to come and greet us at our table. After we ordered drinks it took a long time for them to get there. I ordered a shrimp po-boy and the bread was too hard. The shrimp portion was hefty, which was nice, but overall the food wasn't great. I won't be going back for food but it is a cool place to hang out for drinks. The location is beautiful. It is right on the harbor and you can sit and watch all the boats go by. You can also sit and watch the thousands of jelly fist floating by.
-
Review from Alison W.
Seaford, NY
6/12/2008
This place is a highly overrated, over-hyped tourist trap. The hostess took several minutes to acknowledge us when there was no one else waiting (and several more minutes to seat us). Our waiter (Scott?) was very friendly and brought us our food quickly, but the hostess never brought us silverware and our waiter dumped our food on our table and ran and it took us 15 minutes after our food arrived to get his attention. It was a little busy, but come on.
We had a calamari which had good flavor but was a bit rubbery, a crabcake with nice, large chunks of crab but doused in crappy sauce and the rest was completely unmemorable.
We had plans to go check out the bar upstairs, but the electricity went out at the place (just for a split second) and we were not up for that.Listed in: Road Tripping with My Two…
-
Review from Amanda J.
10/13/2010
I was a little aprehensive about trying AJ's because I thought it might be a tourist trap (like some of the restaurants farther down near the Emerald Grande/Harbor Walk). I was surprised that it was a good mix of locals and tourist and we had a fun experience.
October is "fish rodeo" in Destin and every weekend they weigh fish all day for a contest etc right outside AJ's on the dock. It was pretty cool to see that and we almost didn't go inside b/c I thought it would be too packed to eat but it really wasn't and we got a good seat at the bar which still allowed us to somewhat watch the festivities.
They had a great bunch of oysters in and before ordering they even gave us a sample. I appreciated that because you never know about those. We also ordered the smoked fish dip that we enjoyed even though the presentation was nothing special at all. We ordered the shrimp scampi appetizer which I would skip...$10.99 for 6 small shrimp. They were good and garlic sauce was yummy but too expensive. We then ordered the fried crawfish tails that we really liked. Great portion (we even shared with the person next to us). Spicy sauce that they were served with was tasty.
The female bartender waiting on us was just great. She did an awesome job at dealing with the local regulars after they've had a day of drinking out on the ocean. LOL. Funniest thing that happened...a pretty drunk guy was getting a rum&coke next to us after doing a Jaeger Bomb and when a plate of oysters passed over his drink a plop of horseradish plopped in the cocktail. We were laughing and told him we were sure they would give him another one but he mixed it up in the rum&coke and said nah, it's pretty good this way. -
Review from Scott G.
Nashville, TN
5/22/2011
Meh - more for the scenery (boats and people) than the food. Beer is cold and oysters are decent. Sorta like a pick up place for peeps in their 50's and 60's. Lot's of Ed Hardy and Affliction wear.
-
Review from Joe B.
6/1/2010
My fellow travelers and I heard from the locals that AJ's was THE PLACE to go at night in Destin. While none of my senses were particularly offended, nothing about AJ's, including the views of the water, is worth the prices charged. The crowd was lively and energetic, and the band was pretty good, but I could get all of the above in Chicago for a fraction of the price. AJ's bartenders also left much to be desired in terms of service. And the pizza cart outside the bar serves up piping hot robbery, plain and simple.
There are some tourist traps that are simply requirements for all who pass through the town in question. Once you've been there, you've joined a certain club for which there is no shame being a part of. AJ's is not one such place. -
Review from Winnie L.
Austin, TX
10/1/2010 2 photos
Oysters are not in season right now but AJ's oysters were much better then everyone elses in the area.
Ordered the fried food platter (it was PLENTY for 2, had leftovers) and that is hard to mess up, we played it safe. The place is cool, I would rather go here then a lot of the other restaurants I went to in Destin, FL. -
Review from Vnessa M.
Decatur, GA
5/24/2010
Live music and fun: checked!
A great view of the ocean/marina: Checked
Ample parking: checked....
Drinks...
stay the fuck away from anything that is not straight liquor and ice or bottled beer.
These could possibly be the worst bartenders EVER, EVER~! I am not throwing shit around at their personals, just their drink making skills.
You name it, they effed it. Terrible tasting Rum runners (yes, the did fuck em up). Gawd-awful Purple hooters (Think Dimetap). Nasty ass Kamikazee (Tasted like lime gatorade). Stuff just did not go together. I felt poisoned. Switched to Vodka and ice. got slushed real past, Bext Friend chad hurled all over the toilet upon returning home...not so much the alcohol as the sugar overload from all the nasty mixer crap
