Named for a bygone landmark of Pensacola Beach—the Casino Resort, which operated from the 1930s till the 1960s—the Casino Beach Bar & Grille gives its diners a heck of a backdrop alongside the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier.
From the bar to the outdoor patio (complete with shade umbrellas and misters) to the lounge chairs out on the sugar sand, it’s hard to resist the surfside atmosphere at the Casino Beach Bar & Grille. Palms, sunshine (and sunsets), and the great big blue of the Gulf of Mexico provide the perfect ambience for brunch, lunch, or dinner. If that isn’t a good enough reason to visit, there’s also regular live music.
Given the setting, you won’t be surprised to learn that seafood figures pretty prominently on the Casino Beach menu. Appetizers include fresh-catch Casino Nuggets, Peel-and-eat Shrimp, Island Shrimp Skewers, and an Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl, though you’ve also got such non-surf items as Crispy Wings and Lettuce Wraps on offer.
A highlight of the burger-and-sandwich side of things is the Fresh Catch sammie, the filet for which you can order grilled, blackened, or fried, and which comes tastily arranged on some rosemary focaccia bread. You can also choose between BBQ Chicken, Mojo Chicken, and Grilled Veggie flatbreads.
Entrees range from the Casino Surf & Turf (pairing filet mignon and shrimp alongside mashed potatoes and veggies) to Pan-seared Gulf Grouper and Creole Shrimp & Grits. If you’re in the mood for handheld eats, consider a fish, shrimp, or pork taco.
The sides at Casino Beach Bar & Grille go a bit beyond the usual with such Southern- and West Indian-inflected options as Smoked Gouda Cheese Grits, Caribbean Rice & Beans, and Plantain Chips.
Throw in a beach-ready brunch menu (from Banana Pancakes to a Crawfish Florentine Omelet), a dessert menu stacked with such enticements as Key Lime Pie and Chocolate Ganache, and a full roster of tropical cocktails, ice-cold beer, and other libations, and you’ve got the makings for quite the feast right at the doorstep of the Gulf of Mexico.
Let’s whet that appetite of yours with some showstopper highlights off the Casino Beach Bar & Grille menu!
Casino Beach Burger
While it’s true a lot of the lip-smacking stuff on the Casino Beach Bar & Grille menu involves seafood, the Casino Beach Burger more than holds its own, what with its grilled steak patty, applewood-smoked bacon, muenster cheese, avocado mayo, tomato arugula—plus a secret weapon of sorts: the jalapeno-cheddar bun.
Fish Tacos
You can order the fish for your taco grilled, blackened, or fried, and opt between flour or corn tortillas. Rounding out the sumptuous package is pineapple pico, Monterey Jack, sriracha mayo, avocado, and shredded cabbage.
Pecan-Crusted Redfish
This exquisite seafood preparation swims in a beurre blanc sauce of roasted sweet corn and comes served alongside red potato mash and sautéed asparagus.
Seafood Gumbo
The sumptuous gumbo at Casino Beach Bar & Grille includes oysters, shrimp, crawfish, crab, Andouille sausage, jasmine rice, and filé powder with a topping of fried shrimp.
Ahi Tuna Nachos
Poke nachos? Yes, please! This starter—a mix of spiny tuna tartare, tobiko, wasabi mayo, avocado, and tortilla chips—definitely pairs well with a sea view.
It’s hard not to think that the beautiful palm-dotted view at Casino Beach Bar & Grille doesn’t add a little extra seasoning to the grub here!
Insider Tip:
Call ahead or check the Casino Beach Bar & Grille social media accounts to find out about any daily specials on tap – this place offers some great deals!