Runaway Island

Reviews

• AP

  Andy Price

  3 days ago
  5.0
  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had a fantastic experience at Runaway Island in Panama City Beach! Our server, Brenden, was absolutely outstanding. He was friendly, attentive, personable, and made sure we were taken care of throughout our visit. It’s not often you come across someone who genuinely seems to enjoy what they do, but Brenden definitely does. Great service makes all the difference, and he made an already enjoyable experience even better. Runaway Island is lucky to have him! We’ll definitely be back and will be asking for Brenden!
• GC

  Gaynell Cordell

  6 days ago
  4.0
  The patio view was Spectacular. Our server was very attentive. The food was OK- good. Small portions for cost. I would eat there again just for the beach view. We had cheese curds & spinach artichoke dip ( plenty of pita chips, very small serving of dip $19) appetizers. Also gumbo, a burger & another main dish that I don't even remember. There were 4 of us. We had waters to drink. $90+ pretax plus 20% tip. I would go back for the convenience , short walk from Wyndham, because we didn't want to drive anywhere.
• AF

  Andrew Farmer

  Oct 3, 2026
  5.0
  Runaway Island in Panama City Beach is exactly the kind of Gulf Coast restaurant you want when you are looking for good seafood, a great beach atmosphere, and a view that reminds you why you came to PCB in the first place. I had the Gulf shrimp and it was excellent. Fresh, flavorful, and cooked right. There is something about sitting near the Gulf and eating Gulf seafood that just makes sense, and Runaway Island does a good job of leaning into that Panama City Beach experience. Our waiter, Jake, was a big part of the experience. He was top notch from start to finish. Friendly, attentive, knew the menu, and actually paid attention to what we needed without constantly hovering. Good servers are easy to overlook when everything goes smoothly, but Jake deserves the credit. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable, which makes it a good spot whether you are visiting Panama City Beach for vacation or you live here and want a solid place for seafood with a Gulf view. It has that laid back PCB feel without feeling like you are sacrificing the quality of the food. If you are searching for a Panama City Beach restaurant with Gulf seafood, great views, a relaxed atmosphere, and genuinely good service, Runaway Island is worth a stop. And if Jake is working, you got lucky.
• GP

  gracie pecori

  Oct 3, 2026
  5.0
  My boyfriend and I ate at Runaway Island Thursday afternoon around 3–4 PM, and I just have to recognize our server, Ben! When we sat down, Ben mentioned that they were in the middle of shift change. Even with that going on, we weren’t sitting at our table for more than five minutes before he came around, introduced himself, and started getting our orders and taking care of us. I honestly thought that was pretty impressive, especially knowing they were in the middle of switching shifts. Our service was phenomenal from start to finish. Our drinks would barely get halfway down before Ben was already back around the table checking on us and refilling them. He was attentive without constantly bothering us, which I personally really appreciate when I’m eating. Our food came out quickly and was absolutely amazing. What really stood out to me was that later that night, my boyfriend and I went to eat at Firefly, which we had heard so many great things about and is considered one of the top-rated restaurants in Panama City Beach. Honestly, Ben’s service at Runaway Island still topped our experience there. It’s not often that a server makes enough of an impression that you remember their name and actually call the restaurant afterward just to make sure you had it right because I thought the name was Tyler lol. Ben was genuinely great, and I really hope he gets the recognition he deserves. We had such a great experience and will definitely be back!
• AL

  Andrew Long

  Sep 26, 2026
  2.0
  My family and I vacationed in PCB this past week. We are a large family (6 kids) so eating out is rare. We passed by this restaurant many times and decided this was where we were going to eat out as a family. I had high expectations only to be disappointed. The kids plates are all $11 and small portions. The grilled cheese tasted like kraft singles cheese. The grilled grouper sandwich was dry and very fishy tasting. Im new to fish, not sure if I got spoiled eating at The Back Porch at Pier Park. But there was no comparison! The fish tacos were really good and so were the red beans and rice. Upon receiving the check a mandatory 18% gratuity was included!!!!! Our server was great, but I would like to decide how I tip!! Also, beware there is a man who asks to take your picture but then tries to charge you $50 for them.... kinda tacky. We did have a great view of the sunset and enjoyed each others company. Overall we would not eat here again.

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