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  • Marina Cafe

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Marina Cafe
Marina Cafe

Marina Cafe Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Elegant
  • Website: http://www.marinacafe.com
  • Email: marinacafefl@gmail.com
  • Phone: (850) 837-7960
  • Hours of Operation: Dinner Nightly: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Seafood, Steakhouse, Sushi
  • Dress Code: Smart Casual
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Private Party Facilities: Marina Cafe, an award-winning restaurant located on the Destin Harbor, is renowned for its sensational food and attentive service. Experience contemporary dining and breathtaking sunsets over the harbor through a thirty-foot window wall in the bar and water front dining room. Waterfront cocktail deck with sensational sunset views.
  • Private Party Contact: Judy Altilio (850) 837-7960
  • Special Events & Promotions: Early Dining: 5-6pm (excluding holidays)
    Available in Dining Room
    Buy 1 Entree Get 1 Entree Free (excluding prime steaks)



    Happy Hour in Bar or out on the cocktail deck: 5-7pm
    1/2 Price Drinks & Sushi



    Wednesday Martini Madness- $6



    Thursday Ladies Night- $2 Drinks

Getting there

  • Parking: Public Lot
A word from Marina Cafe
Experience Adult Contemporary Dining with breathtaking views of the Destin Harbor through a thirty foot window wall in the bar and waterfront dining room. Our extensive international wine collection compliments an eclectic menu of classic Creole, Mediterranean, Pan Asian and American cuisine in… addition to gourmet brick oven pizza and sushi selections. Fresh local seafood and USDA prime steaks. Waterfront cocktail deck with sensational sunsets.Continued
Foodspotting photos
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Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerNotable Wine List
  • Diners' Choice WinnerSpecial Occasion
  • Diners' Choice WinnerMost Booked
Diner Reviews
  • "Marina Cafe just continues to offer a quality dining experience at a reasonable price. Appetizers and entrees are of excellent quality and are well presented. In a world of seafood shacks this restaurant stands apart. Serving fresh fish and prime steaks everything is great. The redfish is very memorable as is the prime strip. Views of the harbor, white linen and seasoned servers round out a great dining experience."
    Dined on 3/1/2014
  • "The poor service and defensive, non-customer service oriented maiter'd spoil any affects their good meals would have. They are clearly understaffed in the bar area. And the female barmaid was down right rude and doesn't help the poor young bartender, who was clearly overloaded. The maiter'd was defensive when we, as locals, tried to supply constructive advise for improvement. Too bad, we came in at least twice a month and my husband has brought work dinners here. But not anymore. It is embarrassing and disappointing. They would prefer to cater to the tourists who are only interested in the BYGO dinner special before 6:00."
    Dined on 12/15/2013
  • "Although we come here often , this was a special night as we had our two granddaughters visiting. The staff couldn't have been nicer.....seating us by the window, waiter going out onto the deck to take a photo of the girls at sunset, chef making a special pasta dish for a finicky eater. The food is always the best. The experience could not have been better in any way!"
    Dined on 3/1/2014
  • "Thought we would not find a superb fine dining restaurant in this fried food Mecca, but Marina Cafe was terrific! I enjoy eclectic combinations of ingredients blended together to make eating a pleasurable and exciting experience, and this restaurant fit the bill. Their martini menu was great too! Can have dinner conversation easily.."
    Dined on 3/1/2014
  • "I had been here before and had a wonderful experience. However, this time was just ok as even making early reservations our table was in an awkward spot near stairs that made is feel exposed and in the way. I had requested a special table as the night was to announce big news to visiting family. The waiter started out terrible, we waited for at least 15 min before he asked our order. We had to request him to tell us the specials, he never cleared the table until we stocked all the dishes and asked him to take them so we could eat out entrees without reaching over old plates. After our obvious disappointment the final desert course was much more attentitive. I would go again based on my first experience and the fact that the good."
    Dined on 2/28/2014
  • "We always enjoy going to Marina Café. We have been several times this winter. We enjoy it every time that we go. The food is delicious and the service is excellent!!"
    Dined on 2/27/2014
  • "After we received a gift card for the Marina Cafe We decided to give it a try. We discovered a beautiful setting and excellent food. We had one of the best meals we've ever had in Destin."
    Dined on 2/26/2014
  • "We went here for Valentine's Day, and I cannot say enough about the service! All staff were very friendly and detail oriented. The food was fantastic! I cannot remember our dishes - I think flounder and red fish? But whatever it was, the dishes were amazing, and the wine recommendations were also fantastic. The setting was very romantic, dimly-lit and overlooking the water. I would love to go back for a sunset dinner or afternoon brunch one day! Again, I cannot say enough about this place. Everything went above and beyond expectation!"
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "We took advantage of the two for one deal from 5-6pm. Saw a gorgeous sunset and ate great food. I just wish the side salads were more reasonably priced. That would be my only suggestion."
    Dined on 2/25/2014
  • "Never disappointed. Always great food and service by Destin Harbor at twilight. Over the years we have taken family and friends and they all have been impressed."
    Dined on 2/24/2014
  • "Great food and has a wonderful scenic view. We had visitors from PA and suggested they try the Marina Café with us. We all loved our dinners. The Duck is the best in the area."
    Dined on 2/24/2014
  • "Every time I am in town I try to make a stop at the Marina Cafe! The food and service are top notch and the restaurant has a great view of the waterfront. Stop reading reviews and go!"
    Dined on 2/19/2014
  • "Great food. Beautiful view!! Fantastic service by staff."
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "Amazing food! Great service. Every choice on the menu was a winner!"
    Dined on 2/19/2014
  • "Decent spot, but pretty pricey for a slightly-above-average restaurant."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "Great time and excellent service....our waiter was outstanding."
    Dined on 2/18/2014
  • "Marina Café is a great place to commemorate anniversaries and Birthdays, as well as any other special occasion. We went on Valentine's Day and were very pleased with our evening there."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "Reservations were made for this restaurant from reviews and suggestions from locals. We arrived for our 7 PM reservation to find a "line" of several ahead of us. Confusion ensued as there was no "line - just a "group" of those waiting. After a 15 minute wait, we were given a window table which was great! However, service was slow.. .very slow... Our entree came about 45 minutes after our appetizer. The food for 2 of us was not satisfactory at all! The "shrimp n grits" had no flavor. The scallops were without flavor. The pork chops were "OK" as well as the fish. All in all, we were not impressed with Marina Cafe... Don't think we will go back there - especially for a special occasion. Not a good experience..."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "Our reservation was for 7:30 arrived @ 7:15 checked in and was advised we could wait in the bar, which we did. Waited until 8:05 went back to the host and asked about our table. He advised he had been through the bar 3 times looking for us which was a lie. I was watching and never saw him. It was Valentines and they were busy, but felt the seating could have been more timely. The food was very good and arrived in a timely manner. All the wait staff seemed overwhelmed by the crowd. Will try again, on a regular day, and see if things run smoother."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "This is a really tough review to write. I live in the area (not a tourist) and have been to Marina Café many times. This was the first time for Valentine's Day and the last. The wait was excessive to say the least. We spent over two and a half hours waiting for our various courses. We didn't order desert for fear we would still be there today. I rated service as one star but I don't think it was the waiter's fault. He kept apologizing for the long wait. If a restaurant can't handle holidays, they should limit reservations. Will we go back? Not at this point since the most recent experience is the one that is remembered. And I told our visitors how great Marina Café was. Boy, was I embarrassed!"
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "This place has the best food in Destin by far can't wait to return."
    Dined on 2/15/2014
  • "The service was really great, and the food was amazing! We had a reservation on Valentines Day and for a fancy sit-down restaurant it ran very smoothly and was very romantic for how busy it was. The only thing that broke the ambience was the few customers who were in shorts or a hoodie or something like that, but that's not the restaurant's fault."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "This has been one of my favorite restaurants for years. The last two times we have dined here however the food has been mediocre. 1 in 5 of the dishes ordered were delicious the others I would have passed on given the price for the quality. (you can never go wrong with one of their pizzas!) We sent one dish back because the crab cakes were doughy. The service is always wonderful. We will continue to eat here as we have for many years but now probably only the two for one special because of the quality of the product."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "Bryce was our waiter and he was fantastic!! The food was excellent as well."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "Me and my wife went on Valentines Day. We arrived 30 min early expecting to sit at the bar for a few drinks. Even though we already had the reservations and the place was very busy the host found us a seat almost immediately. Great service!! I ordered the swordfish (fish of the day), which I have never had before, and it was amazing. My wife ordered the braised short ribs and her statement "people are supposed to eat to live not live to eat. If that's the case, they shouldn't make the food that good". Needless to say...we will be back on another "special occasion" for more of the great food and hospitality."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "Valentines dinner was amazing! Host was very nice and able to work us in on this special day, I can't complain about the wait considering it was a special night. The waitress was very nice and made great food recommendations. Food was wonderful, the view is harbor view, very nice. It was also candle light !! Loved it."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "Great experience, great food, and wonderful server. Could not have been a more perfect place to celebrate the day!"
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "I had the grouper with celery root purée - if u like a milder fish, this is the dish for u - my husband had the crusted redfish with cayenne pepper - to DIE for - don't miss going here while u r in town - I know u will return as we did. :)"
    Dined on 2/13/2014
  • "We had a great meal. Great views and great service!"
    Dined on 2/1/2014
  • "i tried their signature andouille-crusted red snapper and it was phenomenal. the sauce had a little kick to it but not overwhelming. the heirloom tomato salad was also delicious. the tomatoes were perfectly ripened and i could drink the dressing it was so good. the restaurant was a little dark but i believe flashlights are available upon request because i noted an older gentleman using one at the table next to us. the tables were a little close together but we did have a party of six and the table extenders were used. overall an amazing meal and experience. we had a great view of the bay and the candlelight gave it a romantic glow"
    Dined on 2/1/2014
  • "Excellent in all aspects of dining. We will return whenever in the Destin area again."
    Dined on 1/27/2014
  • "Wonderful restaurant with delicious food, a comfortable atmosphere and great service. Short ribs are my favorite. Melt in your mouth delicious with a warm potato salad. Creole jumbo shrimp was just spicy enough. Hangar steak with chimichurri sauce was a hit with my son. We dine there once a week when we are visiting Destin."
    Dined on 1/24/2014
  • "Perfect location for any adult-dining occasion, the room has just the right lighting, layout and acoustics, whether it's a get-together with old friends, a business dinner with an important client, or a romantic interlude with the love of your life. The wait staff is experienced, understated and attentive, invariably pacing the service to match your mood and needs. And the food! It's perfectly seasoned, expertly cooked, beautifully presented and delivered at the most delicious moment. The Marina Café is a beautiful gem that sparkles every time."
    Dined on 1/25/2014
  • "We picked this restaurant out of the blue. Were really surprised by the lovely view from our table. Food was good and my husband said the Andouille crusted redfish was super. We will go back."
    Dined on 1/15/2014
  • "My husband and I were celebrating our honeymoon and decided on Marina Cafe on our last night in Destin. Although we had a reservation we were told that there would be a wait. We didn't really mind because we were on vacation and feeling laid back so we took a seat at the bar...and waited again about 10 minutes to be served drinks, despite there only being a few other customers sitting in the entire bar area. Once seated at a nice table by the window, our server was friendly but a bit flustered and kept forgetting about us. Again, we could overlook it as we had our wine from the bar. The food was incredible. We each ordered one of the featured fish entrees and started with calamari, which was some of the best we ever had."
    Dined on 9/13/2013
  • "The food is very good. We usually go for the 2 for 1 early dining."
    Dined on 1/10/2014
  • "Excellent dining I take my wife here for all are special occasions! We have been coming for 22 years that speak for your restaurant."
    Dined on 12/31/2013
  • "I was part of a group of 9 dining for New Year's Eve dinner and we thoroughly enjoyed our meals. The special menu was lovely and no complaints were had. Great job!"
    Dined on 12/31/2013
  • "I went here on New Years Eve with a couple of friends. When we arrived the host was helpful and friendly and got us seated without much of a delay. The restaurant was cold and I had a thin sweater on. Our server wasn't particularly friendly throughout the entire time we were there. I ordered the duck which came on a scallion corn johnny cake for $36 (they bumped their prices up for NYE). The duck was nicely cooked but the scallion corn johnny cake was tasteless. Definitely not worth the price. As we were there, the restaurant became colder and colder, to the point where I couldn't even relax throughout the entire time. I felt like we were being rushed though so they could get us out and get new people seated. Overall, a horrible experience."
    Dined on 12/31/2013
  • "Good view, great food. Nearby kids lessened the ambience and increased noise level; bur good experience overall. Very good wine list, good mix of affordables and expensives, as well. Should fit just about anyone."
    Dined on 12/31/2013
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Diners' Choice Awards
  • Northwest Florida Winners
  • Notable Wine List
  • Special Occasion
  • Most Booked
  • Destin Winners
  • Most Booked
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