Bay Cafe French Restaurant — Restaurant in Fort Walton Beach

I am not writing this review to be a hater but I have to say that this restaurant needs honest feedback because it has much more potential and it had no one there. So I want the chef to read this and know that I want to provide honest feedback so he can make changes. Meat isn’t prime meat. The steak was mushy and covered in beef sauce and the chicken was in a weak turkey gravy. The chicken wasn’t plumb nor was anything seasoned right. Please serve better bread. It was warm but all crust and airy. Just really poor and the butter was in packs. That’s fine. But to kick it up a notch, make some. Season season salt and salt salt salt. I chewed a large pepper chunk .... spit it out. The veggies were not good and the green beans weren’t crunchy or long. They were like Choppy and all different sizes (?) the Spinach was just put on top of the chicken when it should be stuffed in it in the sauce on the chicken was very basic and not good. It tasted like a watered down turkey gravy. I’m sorry but I have to be honest in this review because the food is absolutely disgusting but the view is absolutely amazing and the servers were great. Please make new mashed potatoes. Do not try the mashed potatoes because it was like a potato pancake and all I wanted was a nice creamy mashed potato.

I am Only writing this because the restaurant is capable of being so much better than it was and it’s really the food that’s bringing it down. If you can vamp it up and have honest feedback, I hope you are busier because it wasn’t good....

According to a message on the phone for this restaurant, the Bay French Cafe will be closed until February 1, 2022.

The Bay French Cafe is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. As the name implies, the restaurant has a number of French style dishes.

The restaurant is on the Santa Rosa Sound. For those with a boat, you can dock at the outdoor eating area and tie up your boat, enjoy a delightful meal under the outdoor umbrellas, and leave to continue on your journey. Be careful of the currents here. It is very close to the bridge, there are barges and other boating traffic, and it can be tricky docking safely.

I have always eaten lunch here. The Amberjack Meuniere is is on the menu and very good. A frequent special is the Grouper Meuniere. It is just as good—perhaps even better—depending on the diner's preference for one fish over the other.

The several omelettes that are offered are also a favorite. They have always been cooked perfectly.

There are several great desserts. For those on a diet, forget about dessert. For others, try the French Silk Pie. That is probably my favorite.

Service is good here as well. It is a small dining room. The restaurant is well-named as it is reminiscent of a French cafe.

Of course there is a wine list. There are wines available that are not on the menu so be sure to ask your server if you do not see what you prefer to accompany your meal.

Prices are reasonable. That does not mean the restaurant is inexpensive. The prices are reasonable for the quality and careful food...

A lot I could say about this place. The food was decent, albeit a little sloppy. Side salad consisted of bagged lettuce and one tiny half moon tomato. Dressing selection? There is only one, but it was remarkably good. I had the grilled amberjack croissant. Same sauce as the salad dressing... I think. Bread, fish, and cheese... was made better by adding the lettuce from the salad for a little texture. Tasty, just without texture. For $19 I'm looking for a little more effort.

Not a big deal, but somewhat an annoyance, canned soda. Canned soda that was $4. No refills. I'm all about capitalism, but this was a little wild.

Service was great however. Our server Hollie was attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and polite. She would be better served at a busier place.

The restaurant was pretty slow overall with maybe 5 other tables in the whole place taken up at 1pm lunch. This is a place of complacency that may have been great at one time, but has yet to evolve with the times. Tons of potential given the on the water location, but falls short greatly in the menu offerings(who is eating shrimp marinara at lunch really?).

This place would be a prime candidate for a Gordon Ramsey restaurant makeover. Wouldn't take much, but the place is probably serving the same exact people it has been for the last 20 years and doesn't even realize the viewpoint from a younger demographic that has never been there before. Probably...