The Owl Tap Room in Apalachicola - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

No waiting. Great service. We chose Fish n Chips. Batter uninspired, didn't add to taste of fish. Large portion. Coleslaw was also uninspired. For a location that is a main player in Apalachicola it didn't live up to its perceived reputation.

Only stopped for a drink but it was well made, the vibes were great, and had a fantastic bartender in Mike! Stop by!

2021…Had fried shrimp which were maybe the freshest and best I’ve ever eaten. My wife had creamy penne pasta pomodoro with meatballs, oh my gosh that was good (I finished her’s). Pleasant, friendly, unhurried service. Five plus stars. UPDATE…11 Aug 2024 ********* What happened to this place? The service by the young man who waited on us was superb. However, there was only one other couple in there when we ordered dinner and it took the kitchen a full hour to fix our cheeseburger and fried chicken wrap. When we got the food the burger was cold and the chicken chewy and over cooked. My food was hot however. The onion rings were pretty good. Sorry Owl Taproom but we won’t return. Last year we ate there and it was a similar experience so that confirms the trend.

I had a bad experience at this place the first time I went. We tried it again about a year later and had a totally different experience. We had a very nice meal. And our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable. We all left wanting to go back.

What a horrible disappointment. This was one of my favorite places to eat in the area while managed by the former owner. It has been completely destroyed. Food is horrible, service is even worse. So sad.

Great beer! Greater service! Greatest duck fries!

Ate something here while passing through. It was very nice and there was something for the kids to paint. Portions are very large and the beer selection is great. Great ambience.

We always enjoy the Tap Room's food and drink selection!

Love this place! First time but the bartender is excellent, beer “Forgotten Coast Brewery” is awesome and oysters are fantastic. I can’t believe I have t been in here until now…

Always have looked forward to eating at the owl when coming to this area. We had an excellent lunch and service from Sherrie this weekend. We were concerned because it changed owners a year or so ago and the reviews indicated that it had gone down hill. Sherri said the new owner just hired the best Chef in January and things were excellen! We would not have realized there had been any ownership change. Give them a try!

Love this place! Special Memories Here!

Really, we only came in for beer but ended up ordering fries. They had a good variety of beer and the price for a side of fries was good and the perfect snack for the two of us. Cool spot!

We used to go to Tap Room every Friday night but since new owners took over we have only been three times and had bad experiences every time. The menu is similar but the recipes changed. The fries used to be the best anywhere but now are thicker, not as crispy, and covered with seasoning. The burger was different and not near as good as it used to be. I ordered a dozen raw oysters and one of them was black and “off” ( the rest were fine but why put a bad oyster on the plate.) The service has gone downhill too. Only two guys working and they never checked if we needed refills on anything. Plus, what’s with the plastic cups? Why can’t water and soft drinks be served in glass like they had been? I can’t imagine how much plastic they are tossing into landfill in a coastal town. And finally on our last visit the men’s room toilet had poo spread all over the bottom of the seat and I noticed this after following one of the two employees in, yet clearly he ignored it. Again, I hate to leave a review like this because it was always a great place we brought visitors to but the food is now disappointing and service lackadaisical And the bathroom grossed us out, not to mention the black oyster. We sadly won’t be back.

Not as we remembered, had been a few years since our last visit. Gone was the great selection of beers and the fish tacos and sandwich were fried. Loved this restaurant in 2019, now it is below par for the area.

Service was great...I ordered the ribeye medium, and asked for NO greens...I got my steak swimming in greens juice. They smelled so bad and the mashed potatoes were disgusting, swimming in that mess and salted to the sky. The steak was eviscerated to a full well done temp. Avoid this place, they no longer have a chef and the food is disgusting.

Delicious food and drinks. Good atmosphere and service. Would highly recommend.

We ate outside.Ordered the fried shrimp for lunch with fries.Delish!

Nick runs a great bar. Food was excellent! Staff are friendly and the place is beautiful.

Unfortunately we are here on the night the waitress really didn’t want to be here…. Stated happy hour $2 off a pint but not for us. Never had this type of service on a Saturday afternoon, plan accordingly.

Limited menu due to remodeling, but the triple tail fish sandwich was delicious and the beer was outstanding! Great service! I highly recommend The Owl Tap Room. We will be back.

Sad to say that after almost 10 years of being our go-to, the Taproom is off our list entirely now that it has new ownership (a hospitality group). The handful of signature items that are still on the menu, like the duck confit fries, just aren't up to snuff now, and the beer selection is greatly diminished. The staff seemed disinterested in us even being there. It's such a shame.

We sat at the bar for lunch and had a delicious fresh pear martini and a fresh pomegranate gin drink. Very nice atmosphere and service.

Great spot for lunch while we were traveling on our boat.

We had dinner in the Owl Cafe, not the tap room. But we had bad experiences at both. I don’t know what has changed, but this is not the Owl I’ve known. Our family eats upstairs every Friday evening after Thanksgiving. It’s always been fantastic. We haven’t been here since last year (11/2022). We noticed immediately that the menu and the staff appeared very different. Our server was prompt and friendly. But it was clear this was no longer a white table cloth restaurant. We had a party of 8. Everyone’s entree was over cooked. Our salads were good but two of us never got the salad ordered. Another one of our party never got her appetizer. At the end of our meal we were told their credit card machine was broken and we would need to pay cash. They told us where an ATM machine was and my husband complied. Our server said this had been happening all week and she was terribly embarrassed? It was simply a miserable dining experience. After so many years of wonderful meals there, we will not be returning.

Where do I begin with this review…. 1. Duck Fries. Meat is usually somewhat crispy on the fries, but this go-around they were soggy and absolutely “odd” tasting. I guess with the rush of the seafood festival they sacrificed quality of the duck meat and just mixed it in creating a “mush”. Ruined my love for the fries. 2. The bartender who’s name I wish I had got (he did say he lived in Miami at some point) told me that he would take my husbands beer back if I didn’t like they way he talked. He was very rude to myself and my sweet friend. No respect at all for customers/elders. If I get over the fry issue, I wouldn’t come back if I seen him still employed there. 3. We also came for oysters in the half-shell. They had nothing posted that they were out or not serving them for some reason. I think they chose not to sell them based on the response that myself and some others got from various staff. They never once in their responses said they were out, just that they weren’t serving them.

Came in just before closing time the other night and the bartenders were still super helpful and informative.

every since the new owners took over the tap room and the owl the service and the food have taken a major dive in quality. Me and my family walked in the the room and the place was Filthy. There was food all over the floor and the staff didn’t even care . Te tables were not clean and wiped down. The servers look like a bunch of Drug attics. The owners should be ashamed of themselves for letting a nice place run down like this. We left there and went to the owl restaurant And it was just as bad if not worse. Then I found out they had the same same owners White Sands Investment That explains everything.

Came a little after 1 on a Wednesday- happened to be a day a storm was coming in so everyone was out and about shopping. The Owl Tap Room was busy and only had 1 server/ bartender. My sister and I had books and weren’t in a hurry but could see how someone that was could be frustrated. The food was good! Got a half. Tan dip- I typically like a hot crab dip but this was cold and very flavorful with yummy homemade tortilla chips. We had the wings breaded - worth it! And shared a the pasta carbonara with grilled shrimp. It was pretty good - large portion. Also had a side of fries - they were good but we didn’t need them and didn’t really get eaten. Chill, no rush spot. Shared a chocolate mousse cake - I wouldn’t call it a cake- it is chocolate mousse on top of a nut crumble - super rich and drizzled with chocolate and caramel I believe. It was good!

More casual and kid friendly than the upstairs (which is also excellent). Don’t miss the duck fries

I had been to this place about two years ago, and the food, service and atmosphere were amazing… so I brought my husband here thinking he would enjoy an evening out from Tallahassee. The food was grossly overpriced but we thought maybe the food is elevated and that’s why its in the higher end.. we could not have been more wrong.. first we ordered the wings naked.. 35 minutes later we still had not received our wings so the server said she accidentally made them with breading and had to have a remake and that’s what took so long ( why didn’t she tell us that when it happened, so we were not confused why wings we’re taking so long… ok so we let that go.. we both ordered 17 dollar burgers thinking this must be amazing for this price… well we received two burgers mine was with the wrong cheese they both tastes like butane and charcoal and they also took 35 minutes to get..and the fries were cold and soggy.. clearly sitting in the back … there was no manager there, the server said she was the manager… the place was dirty… there was not a lot of people in there so we couldn’t understand why everything was taking so long… we will never return we will tell everyone that used to love this place its not the same dont waste your time or money… this place really went down hill quickly

I walked up to the bar and asked for a ranchwater. The bartender said, “Ranchwater?,” so I proceeded to tell him ingredients. He snidely says that he knows what it is. Without asking my tequila choice, he proceeds to pour some rotgut well tequila. I said, “Don’t you have 1800?” And he looks at me and says, “ Do you want to make the drink?” I almost said yes but just looked at him like what the hell? I wish I knew his name so management could address his extremely poor customer service. I paid for it, took one sip(it was disgusting) and walked out. On our next visit, if he’s working, we’ll spend our money elsewhere.

Grilled red snapper with a cajun crawfish cream sauce. Excellent!

Great atmosphere, drinks, and food! Had the fish and chips paired with an old fashioned. Everything turned out phenomenal. No complaints at all. Service was excellent on a Saturday evening. Would definitely come back.

Wow, This place has really went down hill, used to be one of our favorite spots. Food was not even close to what it was in past years. Duck fries were a mess and just ok. Fish and chips hardly had any fish in it just huge pieces or batter. Hamburgers were pretty bad as well, frozen patties perhaps. Shame

The filet mignon is pure disappointment.

Server delivered our drinks, 15 minutes later and she still has not returned to take our order.

The best Duck Confit fries and crab dip you will ever eat! The key lime dream was very good but the vodka, club soda and cranberry cocktail was VERY GOOD!!

Very good food, lovely Service, good beers, good prices

Used to be our favorite place to go but now we avoid it at all costs. The food and service have gone downhill. Prices have gotten extremely unreasonable and the quality of food doesn’t match the price anymore. Such a sad turn for a once amazing restaurant. On our last visit in we couldn’t even read the chalk board of beer options. What was once our favorite place in town, now we won’t return.

Loved the fish and chips! They were lightly battered and crispy. The portion was big. Even the Coleslaw was good, cool and creamy. Get malt vinegar and drizzle on the fish and the fries. So yummy!

That hateful long hair blonde at the bar Hated to be there and very unfriendly She needs to work somewhere else Never go back as long as she’s there They never sweep the floor This place is filthy Really terrible Can’t seem to fine a clean place to eat in Apalachicola The help stays behind the bar and don’t clean Bathrooms are horrible I wouldn’t let my dog go in there I can only imagine what the kitchen is like since the new owners took over this place is horrible. The tables are not even clean people sit down and they walk out. The floor is filthy from food. The waitresses and waiters are sitting behind the bar laughing the food is horrible. We got fish and chips only one piece of fish for $18 got chicken wings six chicken wings $18. This place is horrible since the new owners that on the Gibson took over They should be ashamed of themselves. This place has so much potential, and yet they letting druggies run the place.

The food is exceptional, even the hamburger was cover in such flavor and mushrooms.

So much wasted potential! The atmosphere would have been a 5, if not for the people. If I could, I would have rated my waitress higher. She was the only person that saved the experience. This is a higher price point, which is fine if what is promised is delivered. The two young people working the front were nothing short of rude. We walked in and the one girl walked off, ignoring us. I literally watched her pick up some bussing trays and she was in our lime of sight--didn't try to speak or anything. The other person (assuming that's the hostess) was standing by her having a discussion. Both saw us and after a stare down with me, the hostess asked what we need?! To be seated maybe? So I asked if they were open (I was being sarcastic). She looked at her watch! Now, we did get seated. Now, the GOOD--their cocktails are amazing. We had the Louisa and The waitress was accommodating and kind. FOOD was awful. Terrible. Pan seared chicken was an over cooked deep fried piece of chicken. Veggies had zero seasoning. Crab cakes cooked in old grease. Bread was good. Someone needs to step up the management game.

The casual side of the Owl cafe, I usually come for a snack while drinking across the street at OCB. The duck fries are a must, although they were disappointing this time. Not that there was ever a whole duck breast, I could barely find any this time. The gator tail creole more than made up for this. I wish my dad's version of shrimp creole tasted anything like this and not ketchup with onions and peppers. Nice old school bar with beers and fancy drinks but a chill friendly vibe. I've kind of stuck with the duck fries over the years, but all their food is good. They usually have some good specials to try.

Duck Fries, and Crab Dip....AMAZING! My favorite go to early dinner/appetizer place. Where the locals meet, dine, and socialize!

Loved the bread! Our waitress was awesome!

Looks worn inside since new owners have taken over. Don't waste your money on the duck confiet fried not the same at all. Place needs to be refreshed.

Food was great but our overall service wasn't. Waiter didn't prioritize us even though we were sitting at the bar. Instead, she waited patrons who kept coming up for alcohol. Update: Went a second time and it was excellent. Burger was good!

Fun place, great food, cold, big selection of beer 🍺 😋

Food 10 out of 10. Service 1 out of 10.

Drove in from Port St. Joe and this was just the spot we were looking for. I had the gator sausage and grits creole which all tasted very good.

Super good. Sat at the bar and had a delicious dinner. Our server was excellent as well.

Great little old school location service was nothing but southern hospitality. We had a good time.

The Owl is our favorite restaurant for a leisurely lunch. It's not "eating", it's "dining" with white table linens, matching cutlery, a n d no plastic drinkware. Our waiter was professional (and nice looking, but I digress). And the food? Luscious. I had the chicken salad croissant. It has a smattering of jalapeños in it, just enough to give you a pleasant, yummy surprise in your mouth. My friend had the chicken salad salad without peppers, and said it was delicious. The portions are large for a small woman, but that's what takeout containers are for! So when you're in Apalachicola give yourself a treat and tuck into a lovely experience at the Owl Tap Room. But plan to take your time.

Back again for another fabulous dinner. The service was outstanding. We were seated in the tab room surrounded by beautiful brick walls with sound of Jazz playing gently in the background. We had Erica as our server/ bartender, her service and knowledge of the menu was on point.

Service is terrible since new ownership. The food was still good. Didn't even have servers just two bartenders running the entire restaurant.

Great place to go for a Sunday brunch. Good food, nice atmosphere, and great service!

Great food and beer! The Owl Tap Room is part of the Owl Cafe. Same great food at tap room prices. Great beer selection, food was outstanding. Wish the servers were a little more attentive (they took way too long to get the check) but it was very busy. I'll come back on my next trip for sure.

Good place for lunch. Good cold beer Great bartender

Duck fries were really cheese fries with very little duck. Crab dip was pretty good. Service was meh. Seemed more interested in serving the locals.

Disappointing in December. I have been going to the Owl for over a year - it is generally a highly recommended area restaurant. My visit the week before Xmas was so disappointing. We sat at the bar, the bartender was so disinterested in waiting on us - she spent the time gossiping with another employee who seemed to be off the clock. I asked for the ‘fresh’ margarita, and I received a drink with more sour mix than is acceptable, no mixing/shaking/ and definitely NO fresh lime. Then I ordered a dinner salad that was literally all lettuce large limp pieces, one cucumber, and one cherry tomato - 6 dollars, and the crab cakes and shrimp were just so so and not served with lemon or any sauces. The bartender never came back to check or ask how the food or drink was even though we hardly touched anything. I am so disappointed, i do not think that we will ever return

The beer was good and the people were very friendly

Loved the black grouper, however my husband thought it was to bitter. He ordered the fried shrimp had really been looking forward to it because last visit it was the freshest seafood we had ever had. This time it was over cooked, not as good. Had to wait at least 10 mins after we were served bread to get some water. Bread is good but really needed something to drink with it. Hopefully, if we have a next visit, I can give 5 stars.

Amazing food. The fish tacos and catch of the day were perfect

You might have to wait for a seat on the weekend, but for good reason. The food, atmosphere and service is top notch.

Great place and great rum runners

Waited for roughly 20 minutes for the restaraunt to open at 5:30pm. Was informed when they opened that someone had bought the restaraunt out, and we (the several groups waiting) could be placed on the waitlist. It is fine for someone to buy the restaraunt out for dinner, but the business could have posted a note, or let people know beforehand.

V good food and beer selection, friendly service

Owl Taproom is a must stop on our trip. Amazing atmosphere.

Moved to Apalachicola in May (2022) and I can absolutely say that this place has some of the best food in town. The duck fries are unreal, penne pasta is 5 stars, fried shrimp, burger, etc all delicious. Drinks are a little pricey but are worth it.

We went there since someone shared it had the best hamburgers in the area. They were right!! Sauted caramelized onions, mushrooms and cooked perfectly medium rare. Also, we happened to go by during happy hour and definitely get the crab dip and chips or the duck fries. Both were good and our server did a great job!!

Great and easy going bar/restaurant serving tasty food. Highly recommend the Gator Sausage :)

Whether you get brunch on Sunday or dinner the rest of the week, this place is always fantastic. It truly is the best restaurant in Apalachicola.

Consistent , perfectly prepared food served by an exact staff. Been dining here for years and the Owl has never left me disappointed.

Pricy, but great food. Nice service and good selection.

The white sangria was delish and refreshing.

We had the best service ever, Cheyenne was our server she was wonderful. We will be back to see her.

This was one of the worst experience’s we have ever had at a restaurant. After waiting for an hour an twenty minutes after being told around 40 minutes it went downhill from there. Received our water and soup(that was cold) quickly but that was it. After an hour without seeing our server our food came and was told there was no clean plates for our salads that we had not received. This place has gone downhill, we won’t be back.

Great vibe and beer selection. Especially loved the gumbo and the duck confit fries.

Loved this place. The service was great and the food was good. We were able to get in and out. Unfortunately, everyone that had the spaghetti ended up getting a stomach sickness, not sure if this was the exact cause, but it was weird that only the people that ate the spaghetti got sick.

Good selection of beers. Excellent food too. We always stop here when we visit St. George Island.

They have such an awesome selection of Oyster City beers + other beers! Their duck fries are sooo rich and delicious and a must try!

Our favorite place in Apalachicola. Everything is delicious, although the tacos are a bit soggy. Prices are reasonable

I have never had a worse experience at a bar. I don’t recommend this bar if you want good costumer service. If I could give zero stars I could.

Been coming to Apalachicola and this was absolutely the worst ever! Oysters overcooked, shrimp overcooked, duck fries not so good. Dropped $60 to learn- DONT go to the Owl. Now I know.

Food was great! Stuffed Flounder, Blackened Grouper and crab dip... Service was good and wait time for food spot on.

Crab dip was wonderful, fried oysters were so so. Great selection of local beers.

We had dinner at the tap room last night after we drove for 30 minutes from Port St. Joe.We ordered a sampling of appetizers including the fried oysters (good), duck confit fries ( sent back because the fries were cold and all of the cheese was not melted), crab cakes ( small and not lump, seems like they took a frozen type and dropped in the fryer), house salad (can't mess that up, and the gumbo (no shrimp, no corn and no real southern Cajun flavoring). My daughter had the anchor pork tacos, she said they were decent and my 2 youngers had the pomodoro penne with meatballs, one liked and the other did not. The beer selection was good, I tried the mango pale ale, 2 thumbs up. I did read some folks raving about the food selection and I wonder why. They have some names on the menu that will draw a foodie only to be left wanting for more.

I really enjoyed my food here. I had the mahi special and the sauce the prepared it in was delicious. Service was great. Server could be a tad more cheerful but we had a great time. It was a refreshing break from all the “beach hut” restaurants in the area.

What happened ? Unfriendly service cannot be compensated by the food

Amazing crab cakes and swordfish, decent children’s menu, and incredibly decadent chocolate mousse cake for dessert. All was incredibly fresh and beautifully prepared. Fast service, clean restrooms— an all-around winner of a dining establishment!

Food ok but a soulless place and hearing the inane chatter from the kitchen the whole time is a drag. Sterile environment, probably not likely to return any time soon

Good food good drinks .. nice friendly atmosphere

Tourist trap? Good beer selection but food seemed $$ for what you get.

I should have gone here from the start instead of wasting my time looking at other restaurants in the area. All of the Oyster City beers are here, atmosphere is great, things are clean, and the chocolate mouse is absolutely to die for. It was rich, soft, had a layer of crunch, and mouth watering. A beautiful dessert well worth the price!

Loved the food, wine, dessert, our server, the outdoor patio, etc. Exceptional! I highly recommend the Crab Dip and desserts!

Always amazing, duck fries are a must have. Crab cakes were the best!

A piece of Old Florida at its finest. My favorite bar. Ever.

Fried oyster were excellent..Many visits over the years. Consistent.

Oyster City Beer is awesome. My favorite is Hooter Brown and Mill Pond is my husband's go to. You have to have the duck fries! Service is great and just an all around cool place! We always make a trip there when in FL.