Mermaid's Seafood & Oyster Bar

THIS is what a great roadside cafe/oyster bar/etc. should be. Let’s start with fast, friendly service & great at making 1/2 & 1/2 sweet tea!!! Next, let’s talk menu. Pretty much what you’d expect in the Panhandle based on the name alone. Then your food arrives. Hot & fresh & as specified. Our party had the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake app. See pic. I’m very finicky-side note. This crab cake was perfectly seasoned, enough breading to give good crunch & to hold it together. Great paired with remoulade which is a horseradish based sauce. The grilled Mahi tacos (no onions) were so good I stuffed myself. If you are near Cottondale, FL. I HIGHLY recommend this place goes on your must stop list.

I am not sure how I have missed this place when I traveled to Panama City Beach! This has to be the locals little secret! It is literally right off the road and not out of the way. The interior is fun and Cheryl that works there is so friendly and made us feel like family immediately. The food is well priced. There is a little hut style bar inside. I had the Shrimp and Grits and was stuffed!! My meal was under $13!! Stop here if you're traveling to or from the beach.

This might be a hopping evening place, but lunch time is a little bare. We ordered several things expecting hot, delicious, fresh food. This is not what we received. Oyster Rockefeller: literally watched the lady cook them in the microwave behind the bar. No gloves. Too salty to even eat. Pre cooked bacon crumbles out of a bag. (Should have known then to cancel our order and head out) Gumbo: cold, little flavor. Reminded me of Campbell soups canned gumbo. No seafood in sight. Just sausage that tasted like it had been microwaved. Shrimp tacos: (it's what we ordered, but received the fish tacos). Unimpressive. Shrimp n grits: again- cold. Shrimp was warm and had good flavor but the grits reminded me of something out of a microwave packet. They were cold and lumpy with clumps of cream cheese.

The food is AWESOME! The atmosphere makes you feel right at home. The owner is very nice. Its our second time here and we have been telling people about this place. If you like SHRIMP & GRITS boy oh boy your in for a treat. They are AMAZING. We will continue to come back over and over.

Fried pickles were amazing. Service was decent. 1 waitress and 1 cook working, it seems. She was doing the best 1 person could do, so we didn't hold that against her. SALTY. too much salt on the oysters, blackened fish, and the fries. The tortilla shell on the scrimp tacos seemed a little hard. Portion sizes decent. Prices are a little expensive.