Local Steamer Seafood Market — Restaurant in Panama City Beach

So, this is a place to go if you like fresh seafood and have money to just blow lol

Honestly, they had great seasoning, everything tasted fresh, and we were very surprised at how good the potatoes and corn were, being used to those not usually being much of a star in a seafood boil lol HOWEVER, my husband and I are pretty seasoned seafood eaters- everything from shrimp to crab legs to lobster, so we know what to expect and have standards.

We tried this place based on the 4.8 rating and with our seafood experiences, we unfortunately cannot see the value being worth a 4.8- MAYBE a 3.5 at best. While, the food does taste fresh and the seasoning is good, it’s not seasoned thoroughly, so the actual meat of the shrimp and crab legs just taste kinda bland. We also were not fans of the sausage and left that on the plate. The clams were $19 for a pound and were smaller than bite sized.

Overall, we feel like we couldn’t really even enjoy the meal because of the price point- $130 for 2 crab clusters, 20 shrimp, less than bite sized clams, corn, sausage, and potatoes. Tbh, we’ve had pretty comparable boils for half the cost that we really enjoyed and know places where we could get 5 clusters, 50 shrimp, with the corn, potatoes, and sausage for that same cost, so we really couldn’t understand that pricing. My husband NEVER eats just one cluster and is satisfied but we would have walked out paying $200 or more for what we would usually get elsewhere, which is crazy to us.

We likely will not be back just because we didn’t feel like it was worth what we paid at all and definitely not 4.8 rating worth. In addition, about 30 minutes before closing, they started BLASTING music unbearably loud- went inside to use the restroom and no joke, literally almost had my ear drums blown out.

If you don’t really care about the atmosphere, having your seafood seasoned all the way through, and have money to just blow, then this place is cool for you. And there may be some that it is. We just wouldn’t come back and pay what we did for it...

Local Steamer – Panama City Beach, FL ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 – for the food, not the fever dream that came with it)

If you’re craving seafood in PCB and tired of sad fried platters and restaurants that smell like regret—Local Steamer might be your saving grace. Just… don’t expect grace while you’re eating.

We ordered the Famous Seafood Platter for Two and it came out in a styrofoam box fighting for its life. This thing was THICC. Crab legs, shrimp, corn, potatoes—all absolutely drenched in butter. Not a drizzle. Not a pour. DRENCHED. Like they boiled it, buttered it, then deep-tissue massaged it with more butter just for fun.

The “mild spice” wasn’t hot, it was just a sensory overload. So much seasoning it basically smacked the actual seafood in the face and told it to sit this one out. Personally, I would’ve loved a lighter hand so I could actually taste the crab. Instead, it was giving “Old Bay Explosion with a hint of confusion.”

Heads up: 🦀 You have to buy the crab cracker ($5.99). That’s not included. 🧻 The napkins? Absolutely useless. I wiped my mouth once and it dissolved like a tissue in the rain. 🥤 We didn’t even get real drinks—just two bottles of water, and still spent $111 total.

There’s no greeting, no service—just a touchscreen kiosk and the haunting echo of your own optimism. I’ve been greeted with more warmth at a gas station pump. If you’re expecting southern hospitality, it must’ve gotten lost in the butter.

As we were leaving, live music was just starting to set up and a herd of woo girls rolled in. That was our sign to pack up our leftovers and hit the road.

Final Thoughts: Food? Great. Flavor balance? Missing. Experience? Like fighting seafood in a sauna. Would I return? Yep—but next time I’m bringing Bounty, tools, and...

Since my wife no longer eats seafood, it can be difficult for us to agree on a restaurant where I can get my seafood fix. She can't stand walking into any restaurant and smelling fish or shrimp. But I absolutely must have it when I'm near the Gulf Coast. On my latest trip, I searched for seafood markets where I could purchase products and prepare it myself at our rental. Luckily, I saw an ad and recommendation for Local Steamer Seafood and decided to give it a try so I wouldn't have to cook it myself. Local Steamer is an unassuming little place tucked between various other businesses in a small, dingy shopping strip. The ordering process is simple -- walk up to one of several kiosks, view the menu on the screen, select your food and pay with a charge card. The workers behind the counter are busy shuffling food, loading steamers and filling your order as quickly as possible. There are no tables inside -- only a few picnic tables at the front near parking. I suppose my order took about 10-12 minutes to prepare and I received a text when it was ready. Our rental was only a few blocks from the market so the food was still hot and fresh when I sat down to eat. And boy was it good. Royal Reds, potatoes, corn and smoked sausage immediately presented me with a heavenly aroma when I cracked open the styrofoam lid. After a quick photo, I dug in. Everything was excellent. Just the right amount of seasoning (I ordered medium but next time, I'll go for the hot). Garlic butter and cocktail sauce rounded out the accompianments and made me one happy seafood diner for the evening. Don't judge the food by the exterior or it's humble setup. This is one of those to-go dive places that is well worth looking for. I highly recommend the Local...