2210 W. Scenic Highway 30-A
Blue Mountain Beach
(850) 267-0374
Hours: Open Mon.-Sat. at 5 p.m.
Reservations: Not accepted
Children's menu: Yes
Dress: Casual

Food
Service
Atmosphere
Overall

By Bruce Collier
July 23, 2009 Issue

We ate at JC's Off the Hook early in the week. I was expecting a wait, but we were among the first of the evening's diners. The hostess took us to a window table right away, with what probably used to be an unobstructed view of beach and gulf. Those days are gone. Oh well, if no one were here there'd be no restaurants, right? Unthinkable.

JC's Off the Hook sits on the corner of Highway 83 (Blue Mountain Road) and 30-A, with plenty of off-street parking. The restaurant is airy and open. There are two dining rooms, small and large, and a bar/lounge with a couple of TVs kept at a reasonable sound level. The floor is tiled, the tables are spaced for privacy, and the decor is simple and restful. I noticed as the evening went on, and the place began to fill, that many diners had that burnt-orange, slightly dazed look of people who've spent a day in the sun. There were plenty of kids, and the staff seemed genuinely glad to see them and eager to attend to their hunger and thirst. Our server was friendly and attentive, and made it a point to check on us as she passed back and forth helping the steadily increasing number of customers.

We ordered drinks (there's a full bar) and studied the menu, which is also online at the restaurant's Web site. The prices are—to me, at least—surprisingly reasonable for the location, with several appetizers priced at $4 and $5, and the most expensive item (a seafood platter) at $20. This, within shouting distance of WaterColor and Seaside, is good news for the large and therefore budget-conscious family of vacationers. We ordered an appetizer to split and gave some thought to the main course.

Starters at JC's include crab claws, cheese sticks, steamed shrimp, fried dill pickle chips, broccoli cheese bites, and fried green beans. We got the latter. A bowl is enough for two, filled with crisp, greaseless, crunchy and nicely-seasoned green beans, with a remoulade-style dipping sauce. They are a classic, relatively guilt-free bar snack, and could become an addiction to the susceptible.

JC's Off the Hook offers a well-chosen variety of fish, shellfish, chicken and steaks, as well as soup, salads and sandwiches. There's a list of 10 sides (some of which are also appetizers), a pasta selection, and a daily special. There are no wild, fusion-crazed experimental entrees; most seafood items are available simply grilled, pan-sauteed, or fried. Portions are generous, and no one will leave hungry.

Choices include chicken, fish or shrimp dinner salads, seafood bisque or clam chowder, a shrimp po' boy, grouper, mahi mahi, chicken or hamburger sandwiches, crab cakes, grouper or mahi mahi platters, grilled, fried or steamed shrimp, ribeye, New York strip, or sirloin steaks, chicken breast or strips, and seafood pasta. Sides include hushpuppies, baked potato, fries, sweet potato fries, salad, slaw, onion rings, and the fried pickles and green beans.

We ordered a grilled grouper fillet and grilled shrimp. My friend got hers with cole slaw and sweet potato fries. Mine came with a baked potato and tossed salad. The grouper, seasoned with herbs, was cooked just tender, and the mound of sweet potato fries took some assistance from me to finish. My dozen shrimp were medium to large, peeled and butterflied, with a mild seasoning and a fat baked potato with real butter, thank God.

There was a dessert special that night—peach cobbler—so of course we ordered it, to share. It was plenty for two, and, as with the fries, I ended up having to clean the plate. The whipped topping was not the real thing, and could have been left off with no damage to the dessert. The sliced peaches were warm and brown sugar sweet, and the cake-like cobbler was moist and crumbly. Other sweet choices (on the menu) are cheesecake, bourbon pecan pie, key lime pie, and "quadruple chocolate mousse" pie. These may vary.

If you've ever wondered whether there is such a thing as an affordable, family-friendly seafood restaurant near the beaches of south Walton County, there is. It's called JC's Off the Hook, and though they don't take reservations, it's worth traveling from wherever you are, because they can accommodate you.

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