Dining out is part of the fun of vacation! We love food and we love new experiences! During our most recent trip to Daytona Beach, we had a fun family dining experience with two new to us restaurants. These are two great places that the entire family is bound to enjoy.
Landshark Bar and Grill Restaurant
Landshark Bar and Grill Restaurant is a chain restaurant with 11 restaurants located throughout the United States. It is under the umbrella of its parent company, Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville. Sometimes when you hear the words bar and grill, you may not hear family friendly, but this place is welcoming to all ages, all the time.
Landshark Bar and Grill Restaurant is located right on the beach. There are hammocks and Landshark painted Adirondack chairs on Landshark’s own personal sandy beach that are perfect for lounging pre or post meal. The kids and I were able to get in a couple of games of cornhole and a walk along the beach while we waited for our table.
Speaking of waiting, Landshark does offer reservations so be sure to call ahead and get on the list prior to arriving at the venue. If by chance you do not call ahead, there is both an indoor and outdoor bar that you could enjoy a drink and appetizer at while you wait.
Of course, anytime you are dining with kids, the menu is always the issue. Landshark Bar and Grill has your typical children’s meal choices of burgers, hotdogs, and chicken nuggets. We all enjoyed the gigantic Taco Nachos for an appetizer before our main course. Their menu has both land and sea items including burgers, tacos, poke bowls, salads and more. Of course, you can’t forget dessert. Eden and Xen devoured the lava cake. I don’t even think we got a bite!
Crabby Joe’s
Landshark Bar and Grill was a great chain restaurant but we always enjoy supporting local eatery establishments when possible. Crabby Joe’s is a family-friendly seafood restaurant offering casual ocean dining. It is located on The Sunglow Fishing Pier so the ocean views you will have while dining here can’t be beaten!
If your family enjoys fishing, you can even pay to fish; renting rods and purchasing bait. Definitely something to consider for after your meal. We were there at high noon so we skipped this activity, although we did walk out and watch the fisherman. Apparently, Whiting, Kings, Pompanos, Flounder, Trout, Spanish Mackeral, Sheep’s Head, Blues, Sail Cat, Tarpon and different kinds of shark species are all regularly caught there.
Something to know about Crabby Joe’s is that it is an open-air restaurant. Being on the ocean there is a breeze and there are plenty of fans on the deck but it can get hot, depending on the time of day and time of year. We were there in July and it wasn’t too bad, but if you are sensitive to heat or have a health condition, perhaps go early morning or evening when it is cooler.
As for the food, of course, the focus is seafood, fried or grilled and they even have crab legs! The menu is very casual, as is the restaurant. There are different menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with the dinner menu being the priciest of the three. Dinner items are priced from $10-$24 depending on your selection. If you are up for a fun challenge than be sure to try their Surf ‘N’ Turf Challenge. If you are able to eat their Whale sized Surf N Turf burger, you could win yourself a cool Crabby Joe’s t-shirt.
The kid’s menu is much like any restaurant, offering a typical children’s menu, but they do offer items on the kid’s menu like popcorn shrimp and fried fish for the sea-loving children.
One last thing to mention here, if you are like me and want to catch sunrise at the ocean, Crabby Joe’s may be the place to do it as they offer breakfast beginning at sunrise.
All in all, both Crabby Joe’s and Landshark Bar and Grill were fun family dining experiences in Daytona Beach that are worth checking out on your next visit to Daytona Beach.
