Kick back and eat good at Panama City Beach with Schooners

If you are going to Panama City Beach looking for an upscale dinner with a large seafood menu, check out Captain Anderson’s.

If you are going there to kick your flip-flopped feet back, watch the waves, maybe hear the sound of Jimmy Buffet playing on steel drums while having a beer and eating a plate of calamari, you might like Schooners even better.

Located on the east end of the beach, snuggled next to a high-rise development, Schooners is a landmark, dating back to the ‘60s when it was known as “The Beach Party.” Though the name has changed, the vibe remains the same. The open air restaurant/bar overlooks the sandy white beach, and it isn’t unusual to watch a group gather for a game of volleyball on the sand or to see sunbathers or parasailers while you are enjoying an appetizer.

On a recent Thursday visit during lunch, our party of four sat oceanside on high stools and perused the lunch menu.

We started out with some fried calamari, which arrived hot and crispy with remoulade and mustard sauces for dipping. Both sauces were good, and the calamari wasn’t the least bit chewy or rubbery.

For our meal, I went with the “Scuban,” a Cuban sandwich which came with fries. It was tasty and filling.

My date, Shannon, ordered the Mediterranean salad with jerk chicken, kalamata olives, capers, fresh mozzarella, croutons and sundried tomatoes in a tomato oregano vinaigrette. The chicken was aromatic and pleasantly, but not overly, spicy. The mozzarella was soft and mild, in contrast to the briny olives and capers. The dressing was tangy and all toppings were amply scattered over the almost too-generous portion of mixed greens.

Having had a large breakfast, Shaun just had a basket of fries, which were served nice and hot. Brennan had the kids’ shrimp and pups and seemed satisfied with his meal.

I’ve visited Schooners several times before, but most enjoy it in the spring and fall when you can feel a nice breeze blowing in off the gulf and not get too hot.

It seems to be a popular spot for Wiregrass residents to visit. On the day I was there, there were cars from Coffee and Geneva counties.

For more about Schooners, check out their Web site, http://www.schooners.com. You can view their lunch and dinner menus, find out about upcoming events and musical acts, and even see what is happening on their live Web cam. Who knows ... maybe you’ll spot somebody you know enjoying a plate of steamed crab legs or splashing in the surf.
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Schooners
Location: 5121 Gulf Drive, Panama City Beach, Fla. (just off Thomas Drive)
Hours: Seven days a week, 11 a.m. until the “wee, wee hours.”
Phone: (850) 235-3555
Rating: Three out of four stars