The Bay

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Where the Gulf Coast Meets Choctawhatchee Bay

The Bay sits at the southern foot of the Highway 331 bridge in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, with its deck looking directly out over Choctawhatchee Bay. The setting is straightforward and honest: water views, open air, and a kitchen that takes its cues from the coastline just outside.

Chef and owner Jim Shirley — known across the Florida Panhandle through his other restaurants including The Great Southern Café — brings the same commitment to local, Southern-rooted cooking here. The menu spans Gulf Coast seafood and Japanese-influenced sushi, an uncommon pairing that works precisely because both traditions share a respect for fresh, simply handled fish. Guests have singled out the Bay sushi roll specifically, and the outdoor deck is consistently described as the right place to eat it.

Southern Gulf Coast Cooking, Done with Conviction

The kitchen runs lunch, dinner, and a Sunday Bayside Brunch, giving the restaurant a genuine all-day rhythm rather than a single-occasion identity. A 12-draft beer system, an extensive wine list, and inventive bar-crafted cocktails round out the beverage side — the wine program has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 2024, a recognition that reflects real depth and curation. Happy hour runs daily from 3 to 5 p.m., with half-price cocktails and select house wines.

Inside and outside seating is available, with the deck being the obvious draw for anyone who wants to eat seafood the way it was meant to be eaten: close to the water, with a breeze.

Live Music as a Regular Feature

The Bay doubles as one of the more active live music venues along 30A. Every Wednesday evening, a bonfire is lit on the private beach and local musicians perform. Every Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m., the Sand Ole Opry hosts "Sunday Pickin' with Mike Whitty & Friends." These aren't occasional events — they're part of the weekly fabric of the place, which gives The Bay a community feel that straightforward restaurant descriptions tend to miss.