An Early Bird's Guide to Destin Dinners

So you think Destin, Florida is a playground of the rich - and that's partially true - but you can still eat at the best restaurants on a budget. Most of Destin's "Award-Winning" restaurants offer early evening specials. This is my guide to the best Destin dinners under $20 (per person).

First we have Destin Chops, located on the Destin Harbor. The views from their floor-to-ceiling windows are absolutely priceless. You will feel worth a million dollars watching the boats come off the bay - whether you are enjoying the nightly special or a meal a la carte. Destin Chops offers award-winning prime meats, seafood and spirits. Their early evening special gets my nod as the "most bang for your buck." First of all, the offer is good nightly from 5-6 PM (Happy Hour also happens to be 5-7 PM nightly). You have your choice of the 12-oz. Prime Rib, Fresh Catch of the Day or the Grilled Chicken Breast. Each dinner is served with their Destin Chops salad, delicious garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. And we can't forget the unlimited french bread - it is literally the best bread I have had in my entire life! All these choices for only $14.95. What makes this the best deal in the panhandle is that Destin Chops' menu is served a la carte. So dine after 6 PM are you are looking at a $22 piece of beef, a $5 salad, $4 potatoes and $4 veggies (hopefully the bread is still free)! I don't know about you, but I would much rather be getting all that food at 15 bucks! I am a steak connoisseur when in Destin - only their fine restaurants know how to serve them - so believe me when I say Destin Chops offers the best steaks on the Emerald Coast. After dinner, stroll out back and take in all the sights the Harbor has to offer - the occasional heron searching for a bite to eat, a Marlin boat being washed down after a day at sea, AJ's Silent Lady sailboat sailing into the sunset or the Sea Blaster coming in from a cruise.

My next choice for a great value is Pandora's, located on Okaloosa Island (past Alvin's Island on Santa Rosa Blvd). They also offer early evening specials nightly, although the choices change daily. You can be sure, however, that you will be choosing from at least one type of Gulf fish, as well as steak, pork and/or chicken. One item that does not change is their Prime Rib special. Like I said previously, I am the steak connoisseur (and I prefer Prime Rib), so this special is definitely my favorite! Pandora's Prime Rib Special is also only $14.95, but with it you get the most delicious french onion soup you'll ever have, as well as a house salad and a side choice (potato or rice - the rice pilaf goes well with the prime rib). Pandora's also has a wonderful and crusty french bread. The atmosphere isn't quite what you would expect of a coastal restaurant, but they've held true to their history. The original Pandora's was located directly on the Gulf, a restaurant in the shape of a ship. The hurricanes of 2005 or the condominium building surge destroyed the original - although a piece of the ship sits out front at the new location. The interior is dark, with a lounge feel. Old, yet classy, sports memorabilia adorn the walls - think Mickey Mantle and Joe Namath. The only thing missing from the original restaurant is a wonderful little saltwater aquarium that I enjoyed peering through on my way to the restroom.

The third, and final, best early evening special is offered at the Lighthouse Restaurant. And it's the easiest one to remember! It's available each night the restaurant is opened (closed Sunday and Monday) from 4 to 8 PM. Everything on the menu is cheap during these four hours! On the right side of the menu are the "Lighter Side" entrees - trust me, you still get plenty! These meals are reasonably priced all the time. The early evening special applies to the left side of the menu - these are larger entrees and are offered at half-price from 4 to 8 PM nightly. There is a wide selection of choices at the Lighthouse - steaks, chicken, seafood chowder, Surf & Turf. And of course, they have a wide variety of seafood - fresh fish, stuffed Grouper, Captains platters, crab cakes, scallops - everything you would want at a seafood restaurant! Their atmosphere is nice, perfect for a family dinner or date, but lacks the ocean breezes or Gulf views. Their food is delicious, nd the service phenomenal - worth the trip to Shoreline Shopping Center for dinner.

Another restaurant to visit, if you're dining on a budget, is McGuire's Irish Pub - make sure you plan to share though! Although they do not offer early evening specials, their portions are out of this world - enough for at least two or thee people! McGuire's is located in the shopping center across Harbor Boulevard from Emerald Grande. They offer your typical Irish fare, and so much more! McGuire's is noted for their hickory-aged beef and homemade brews. They offer every burger imaginable - from the Garbage Burger to the Chicken Burger to the Dom Perignon Burger. McGuire's nachos are enough to fee a party of six, and I can eat on their serving of Fettuccine Alfredo for three days! But if you're reeeeeally broke, come to McGuire's on your last day of vacation and order their 18 cent Bean Soup. Their food and portions are uber-awesome, but this Irish Pub's atmosphere is worth mentioning too! Molly McGuire asked her customer to autograph the first dollar bill she ever received as a tip. She tacked that dollar bill up in the restaurant, and it's been a tradition ever since. Now over $500,000 hang in the Destin and Pensacola locations. So how can you even think about going to Destin and not leaving an autographed dollar bill at McGuire's Pub??? Oh, and don't forget to kiss the Moose! One last tidbit, for you Fighting Irish fans, just seeing McGuire's Notre Dame memorabilia is worth your trip - Rudy's even been there!

So there you have it, the early bird's guide to dining in Destin. Just think, you can use all the money you saved on dinners to go on a half-day fishing trip (e.g., catch your own dinner), a day at Silver Sands Outlet Mall, hit up the Donut Hole for breakfast or grab dessert at Shake's Frozen Custard or Brewster's Ice Cream (although I highly recommend the "Cookie Minster" from Coldstone Creamery at Destin Commons).