Hits And Misses: Panama City Beach, Florida: Saltwater Grill

View from the road

My husband and I were invited to dine at Saltwater Grill in Panama City Beach, Florida while we were there on a short vacation. I was skeptical because I am not a big fan of seafood, and I was not sure I would find anything on the menu, even though they have a great assortment of steaks and seafood. I'm a Chicken Finger type of person- you've probably seen those people before. They can't seem to order anything but the chicken fingers no matter where they go.

The front of Saltwater Grill

Well I can tell you they have everything on their menu from seafood to steak, and even my favorite, chicken! This is a top of the line restaurant with musical entertainment, but you will be comfortable in dress or casual attire. Let me start by saying I have had many customer service classes and I know the impact of good customer service on the public. The staff at Saltwater Grill has excellent customer service skills and they need to be commended. This is one of the first services that customers will see and for this reason (and their amazing food!) they will continue to return to the establishment. I made our reservation, and from the time we walked in the door, we were addressed by name with cheerfulness. It was obvious that the staff had the desire to make this an exquisite dining experience for us. This same desire seemed to be shown to everyone who entered the restaurant. The staff worked together and made dinner a special experience that was enjoyed by many.

The lobby boasted a very large saltwater tank filled with beautiful fish and corals. Our waitress, Mari, also had a cheerful personality and she seated us so we could enjoy viewing the saltwater tank during our meal. She let us know that she would serve us so each dish could be enjoyed before other dishes were brought out. She was very attentive to us and her other customers as well. It seemed that all the waitresses and waiters were of this mindset. They wanted to ensure that their customers had a pleasurable dining experience.

We started with an appetizer of Firecracker Shrimp with creamy spicy sauce served over Asian slaw. My husband told me how wonderful it was and that the shrimp were crunchy and had just a slight amount of heat to them. Well, I had to try one! Remember how I said I was skeptical when it came to seafood? I ended up eating half of the shrimp! They were that good.

Creamy Chicken Soup

The next dish my husband requested was a salad. I asked for the Soup of the Day which was a creamy Chicken Soup. Let me tell you, hats off to the Chef! This was not chicken soup from a grocery store. The base of this soup was a thick creamy white sauce and it was full of fresh cooked chicken which had been torn into bite size pieces and perfectly seasoned. It was to die for- it was so good!

For my entree, I ordered the Chicken Savannah, which was paneed chicken breasts topped with jumbo shrimp and finished in a sauce of garlic, white wine, cream and fresh basil. I chose sides of roasted sweet potato and green beans.

My husband ordered a hickory grilled Ribeye, medium, which he said was cooked to perfection. He requested a baked potato and green beans to complete his meal. The entrees and sides were absolutely delicious and I thought they were a great value.

We finished our meal with Saltwater Grill's Signature (white chocolate vanilla bean) Cream Brulee, which of course was heavenly, and a cup of coffee . Every aspect of our meal was handled in a timely manner and with ease. If you are trying to dine on a budget, arrive between 4 and 5:30pm to take advantage of their early dining menu! These entrees are less than $15 if you arrive early! You can find their full dinner menu here!

I would encourage you to try Saltwater Grill the next time you visit Panama City Beach, Florida. You will enjoy the food and you will not forget the pleasant atmosphere and the quality of service that the staff extends to you.