Scully’s on the Bayou: American Pub
200 Eglin Parkway NE, Fort Walton Beach, 862-2542


By Bruce Collier December 28, 2006 Issue

As its name suggests, Scully’s sits on the water, with inside and outside dining and several sets of rooms. There’s a room for pool and other game tables, a main dining room with tables and booths, and the patio bar, where we sat. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal, in a sporty sort of way. We ate early, and had to share space with the aforementioned cocktail hour patrons. It looked like a crowd of regulars, including families, which can be a good sign.

We ordered beers — there are happy hour drink specials, as the server will inform you — and looked at the menu. It’s the folding kind, crammed with lists of food. From starters to salads, one moves on to baskets, subs, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, stromboli and calzone, and fish and chicken entrees. The latter are mainly pasta-based, with an Italian spin. The style could best be described as American Pub, hearty food to stand up to beer and stronger beverages.

We ordered an appetizer sampler, with buffalo chicken chunks, cheese sticks, fried mushrooms, jalapeno poppers, onion rings, chicken taquitos, and french fries, and dipping sauces. It’s definitely for two, and just the thing with a cold draft beer. The fries were over-salted, but the breaded mushrooms went well with a creamy horseradish dip, and the buffalo chunks had a tangy little bite.

Other starters include wings, tuna dip, chips and salsa or queso dip, various nachos, bread sticks, cheese bread, fries with chili cheese or bacon cheddar topping, corn nuggets, chili, gumbo, and quesadillas. There’s also antipasto, Greek, Caesar or chef’s salad, and a buffalo chicken salad.

The main section of the menu lists baskets — shrimp, chicken, fish and fish fingers, served with fries, chips or, interestingly, applesauce. Subs can be ordered medium or large, and feature steak, ham, meatballs, chicken parmesan, buffalo chicken, or turkey. My friend ordered a hot Italian sub, and I got a patty melt. I got fries, she got the applesauce.

The food came, and my friend’s sub wasn’t hot, just room temperature. My patty melt was hot, so that seemed odd. Unfortunately, the place was so busy that getting our overworked server’s attention took some time. The server offered to heat the sandwich, but my friend decided to box most of it for later. The sub tasted fine, it just wasn’t hot. My friend ate it later, and said it held up well. The patty melt was big, cooked to order and full of cheese and onions, on marble rye bread. The fries were not too salty. I boxed up half the sandwich for later.

Other sandwich possibilities are a reuben, fried or grilled fish or chicken, shrimp po’ boy, club, gyro, B.L.T., hot dog, specialty burger, and turkey burger. The list of pizzas covers most of the traditional bases, with variations such as broccoli, Greek or veggie, Italian steak, buffalo chicken, gyro or taco pizza, and spinach and ricotta. All are available in three sizes.

I have a theory that people usually don’t order dessert in places like Scully’s, because they’re too full from drinks and dinner. The management must know better, because Scully’s offers no fewer than eight desserts. They are bourbon pecan pie, hot fudge sundae, strawberry sundae, key lime pie, chocolate cake, New York-style cheesecake, turtle cheesecake, and a brownie with ice cream and trimmings. We ordered the first two. Both were very good, reasonably sized, and served at the right temperature, garnished with some close-to-the-mark whipped cream. Mine came with two of those candied red cherries with stems that my friend finds irresistible.

Scully’s on the Bayou has multiple appeal. For some, it’s the place to light for a beer or two and a game of pool before going home. A full bar, a respectable pizza menu, and a scattering of televisions probably qualify Scully’s as a sports bar as well. For others, it’s a reasonably priced place for a substantial meal.

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