#57 of 160 Panama City Beach Restaurants

Patches Pub & Grill

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Patches Pub & Grill in Panama City Beach: Take a Dive
Local Expert's Rating:
4.5 / 5
The Bottom Line:

Patches Pub & Grill is just the type of local dive you would expect to find in a beach community – casual, entertaining, and loaded with great menu options.

- The FloridaPanhandle.com Local Expert Team

Part sports bar, entertainment venue, hamburger joint, and gastropub, your first trip into Patches Pub & Grill can be a bit intimidating. It isn’t because people are standoffish. In fact, it would be tough to find a friendlier crowd. It’s certainly not because there’s a dress code to or too few things to do. It’s the fact that there are so many things to look at, so many food options, and so many ways to enjoy yourself that it takes a little time to adjust.

The floors look as though they were last replaced during the Eisenhower administration and the tables are entirely too close to one another, but Patches is a draw for locals and tourists alike — and that is due to the food. 

Do you want to catch a game on one of the dozen (or more) televisions? Hear a live band play? Sit on the patio and relax with friends? Small and unpretentious, Patches Pub & Grill offers it all. The menu is decidedly non-exotic, but plentiful.

The following are some of our favorites:  

House Smoked Tuna Dip
The heart of this dip is tuna that has been smoked on-premises using hickory chips. It’s served with freshly made tortilla chips,  jalapeños and pico. Smooth, creamy, spicy, and fairly perfect.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos
If you’re a fan of buffalo wings and nachos (as we are) this combination is highly satisfying. The cool/spicy salad is created by piling buffalo chicken pico, queso, black olives, and bleu cheese atop a bed of shredded lettuce. It’s the perfect dish when you can’t decide what you want to order.

Pizza
Talk to anyone who frequents Patches and they will likely say that you “must” try the pizza. The eatery offers standards like supreme and veggie lovers, but one of our favorites is the taco pizza. Rather than pizza sauce, taco pizza is covered in salsa and topped with seasoned ground beef, onion, cheddar jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and black olives.

Loaded Fries
There’s nothing healthy about this dish, but wow, is it delicious. French fries are loaded with pub cheese and topped with bacon and green onions. We think it’s worth adding an extra half hour of exercise to the next workout.

Ahi Tuna Tacos
One of the best versions of the fish taco, this dish offers tuna that has been blackened or grilled, pineapple/mango slaw, and pico and chipotle lime sauce (an unbelievable addition), Served, like all great fish tacos, with black beans and rice.

Patches Panama Philly
We cannot overstate what a great recipe this is: thinly sliced sirloin, caramelized onions, mushrooms, green, red, and yellow peppers, and a five-cheese blend. It’s everything in one Philly sandwich.

Cheesy Maple Bacon Cajun Pulled Pork
First of all, try saying that name of this dish five times, quickly. It’s a fun game, particularly after a drink or two. Sandwiched between two delicious pieces of ciabatta bread, the kitchen stacks house-smoked pulled pork, house-made pimiento cheese, maple bacon, bread and butter pickles, and sriracha aioli. Each bite is better than the bite before.

Burgers
The truth of the matter is, the kind of burger you order is limited only by your imagination. Patches will add anything you desire to a burger cooked your way. Pub cheese, feta, egg, caramelized onion, mushrooms – imagine the fun you will have creating your own signature burger.  

Patches Signature Dessert – Oreo Peanut Butter Pie
If you have room after your meal (or simply want to take dessert to go), you won’t want to miss this combination of creamy peanut butter and cream cheese atop an Oreo crust. Topped with milk chocolate, white chocolate, caramel, and whipped cream, it’s as good as it gets.

Insider Tips:
-Parking spots are often taken over by beachgoers, so plan to park down the street and walk a short distance back to the restaurant.
-If you are hoping for a quiet spot where you can have a conversation, ask to be seated on the patio. The interior of the restaurant can get rather loud, particularly on game day or when there’s live music playing.