Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Panama City area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Panama City area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Panama City area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#20. Dirty Dick's Crab House - Panama City Beach, Florida
- Rating: 2.7/5 (395 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9800 Front Beach Road Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Angelo's Steak Pit
- Rating: 3.4/5 (541 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 9527 Front Beach Road Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Barbecue, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Harrison's Kitchen & Bar
- Rating: 3.5/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5 Harrison Ave. Panama City, Florida
- Categories: Southern, Cajun/Creole, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Billy's Oyster Bar
- Rating: 3.6/5 (292 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3000 Thomas Drive Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Capt. Anderson's Restaurant
- Rating: 3.6/5 (746 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5551 North Lagoon Drive Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Bars, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Granny Cantrell's
- Rating: 3.7/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 103 West 23rd St. Panama City, Florida
- Categories: Buffets, Southern, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Pineapple Willy's
- Rating: 3.9/5 (1783 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9875 South Thomas Drive Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Barbecue, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. The Wharf Seafood Restaurant
- Rating: 3.9/5 (335 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 9902 South Thomas Drive Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Buffets, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Alices On Bayview
- Rating: 3.9/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1000 Bayview Ave. Panama City, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Pana Roma Pizza & Pasta
- Rating: 4.0/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 840 West 23rd St. Panama City, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. C Level
- Rating: 4.0/5 (511 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8014 Front Beach Road Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Bars, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Uncle Ernie's Bayfront Bar & Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (1004 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1151 Bayview Ave. Panama City, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Jin Jin King
- Rating: 4.0/5 (326 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7725 Front Beach Road Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Japanese, Chinese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Bayou Joe's Marina & Grill
- Rating: 4.1/5 (377 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 112A East 3rd Court Panama City, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Saltwater Grill
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1255 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 11040 Hutchison Blvd. Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Copper Tap Grille
- Rating: 4.2/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1316 Beck Ave. Panama City, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, American, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Hunt's Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1094 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1150 Beck Ave. Panama City, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Sandwiches, Live/Raw Food
- Read more on Yelp
#3. The Grand Marlin - Panama City Beach
- Rating: 4.2/5 (868 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 5323 North Lagoon Drive Panama City, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Dat Cajun Place
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1681 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2705 Thomas Drive Panama City Beach, Florida
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Seafood, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Simply Seafood & Oyster Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (280 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 429 Ohio Ave. Lynn Haven, Florida
- Categories: Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
