Runaway Island

Reviews

• AB

  Aja Ben

  6 days ago
  3.0
  Our server was nice, and we made it just before sunset. It’s definitely worth the view because that is essentially what you’re paying for. The food was okay, but the oysters I received were the worst I’ve ever tried and I was raised in the area. Super dry and the cheese was so hard that I couldn’t get through it to the oyster with the little plastic utensil they give you for them. I ate two of them and left the rest. There was literally no moisture left inside of the shell. I took the salmon pesto bowl to go and the pesto sauce was the star. Serving portions are pretty small. Pictures of the oysters for your enjoyment.
• OT

  olivia thomas

  Jan 3, 2026
  1.0
  very overpriced for the area and food not good. i got alaskan snow crab and maybe got one leg worth of meat out of 3 clusters and the little meat i did get did not have a good taste. definitely worst crab i've ever had. my partner got the baja tacos and said they were bad as well. i recommend spending your money elsewhere.
• NW

  Nikki Weymer

  Dec 28, 2025
  5.0
  I'm a local and I had thought about trying this place, but never got around to it today. Let me tell you... I would give it 10 stars! Let's start with the fact that they have the sweetest ladies working there from the lovely hostesses to our server, even when we left other waitresses told us to have a good day. Just a genuine hospitable attitude throughout this restaurant. The second great thing about this restaurant is that it is in a prime location with amazing views. The restaurant, especially for having an expansive outdoor area is very clean and tidy. The outdoor area has really nice umbrellas and most seating seems to have views of the ocean. Finally, the FOOD! Excellent and fresh. Beyond just bar food. Yes, there's that too, but this feels more quality. We had a fresh salad with berries and almonds etc. and Old Bay Shrimp and Cheese Curds, and then finished it off with a brownie sundae. I didn't expect this to be my favorite place to get a salad--it was so fresh and good. And as far as the seafood, very good. The dessert was really good and didn't taste like they just bought it from Cosco, it actually tasted really good. This is going to be my new go to place for lunch or dinner. Well done, Runaway Island. To have great service and amazing food is a rare find.
• HH

  Himanshu Sharma (Himan)

  Dec 15, 2025
  5.0
  We had dinner here during our trip to Panama City Beach and had a really enjoyable experience overall. The ambience was excellent beautifully decorated with a cozy holiday feel, making it a great place to sit back, relax, and enjoy the evening. The atmosphere alone sets a very positive tone. We ordered popcorn shrimp with fries for our daughter. At first glance, I honestly thought it might be just average, but once our food arrived, that assumption quickly changed. The food was delicious. We tried the flounder topped with buttered shrimp and the blackened mahi-mahi tacos, and both dishes were packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. Even our daughter loved the food we ordered, which says a lot! The prices are on the higher side, as clearly mentioned on the menu, but the quality and taste of the food made it worth it. We also tried a couple of cocktails from the menu—those weren’t our favorite—but the food more than made up for it. Overall, this is definitely a place where families and groups can relax, enjoy great food, and soak in a wonderful atmosphere. We’d happily come back for the food again.
• RC

  Roger Collins

  Dec 10, 2025
  2.0
  I've eaten here three times now, time for a review. First off, great setting, right on the beach. My first trip there was great. Great service, great table, and the food was actually good. That prompted my next visit. Went for an early dinner the next time. The place wasn't crowded yet the service was slow. Like we were seated, server came and got our drink order, then disappeared for 20 minutes. I had to go track her down. Food runners brought out our food and we didn't see the server again until she dropped off the check and asked if everything was okay. No drink refills, no nothing. The food was pretty terrible for the price paid. That's when I decided I wasn't going back, until... Fast forward to two nights ago, it was a birthday celebration and this was the chosen place, against my wishes but it wasn't my birthday. It was a repeat of the 2nd visit only worse. Same slow service. We were brought three ice waters that were so chemical-smelling we couldn't drink them and requested three club sodas, which we were ultimately charged for at almost 4.00 each. Our party of 6 ordered.2 hamburger baskets, a fish basket, the St. Joe's basket (shrimp/fish, only ours didn't have any fish), a chicken tender basket and the Hawaiian chicken. One glass of wine. 2 appetizers (crab cakes and cheese curds, again not my birthday). The crab cakes tasted off, should have known better than to take the small bite that was shared. My fish basket was frozen battered cod out of a bag or box. $24 bought 4 small frozen pieces and a smattering of fries. It was terrible, tasteless, but I didn't want to pay "market price" for grouper and assumed it would be fresh fish. Everything else was pretty standard fare. They tacked on an 18% tip (didn't see that advertised) and were going to charge an extra $10 on a $257 bill for using a credit card. I paid cash and left disgusted. Nearly $43 a person for that, and honestly I could have gotten better everything at the local Captain Ds. The 4 people that shared the crab cakes got sick later that night. Never again. I called a left a message for a manager but didn't receive a return call. Avoid.

Frequently Asked Questions About Runaway Island