'DESTIN'S BEST KEPT SECRET:' Boathouse Oyster Bar celebrates 25 years with VIP party

Despite growth and remodeling, the Boathouse Oyster Bar in Destin is keeping it real and keeping it local, says owner Kelly Green.

“People can come here and all barriers come down,” she said. “You can be your inner self and let it all hang out.”

For 25 years, the Boathouse, located at 288-B Harbor Blvd. East, has been serving up a laid-back atmosphere with a slice of old Destin. Paul “Action” Jackson and Wanda “Mamma Gumbo” Green founded the Destin restaurant back in 1986.

“It’s always been a comfortable place where people feel at home. That was always important to mamma,” Green said.

The wooden walls and rafters are filled with autographed dollar bills from customers who have visited the restaurant over the years. Each time they visit, guests will come back to find their money still there.

To accommodate growing crowds, the Boathouse recently added 75 new seats and an outdoor courtyard and bar where patrons can watch the sun set and listen to live music. They also recently received their liquor license in March.

But with all the change, “We’re not going to lose who we are,” Green said. “We are focused on our roots in Destin.”

To give back to the regulars, the Boathouse is starting a points and reward program for their VIPs. The special patrons will receive a swipe card that will give them reduced pricing on drinks and food.

“A regular is someone who knows us and we know them,” she said. “They can be someone who comes to Destin four times a year, but visits the Boathouse five of the seven days they’re here.”

The Boathouse will be hosting a special VIP party on June 1 from 4-6 p.m. where they will roll out the new VIP cards.

The Boathouse, known as “the best kept secret in Destin,” takes pride in the quality of their food and has won numerous awards for “Mamma’s gumbo.” They were recently awarded the Best in Outdoor Dining by Finest of The Emerald Coast.

They also serve oysters, salads, appetizers, sandwiches, dinners and a children’s menu. They have a full bar stocked with a variety of beer, wines and specialty drinks.

“It’s the place tourists go when they want to know where the locals go.”