After a six month break in service for renovations, Red Fish Blue Fish in Pensacola Beach is back open with a fresh look, menu and schedule.
Wednesday marked the day of reopening for hungry beachgoers and generated about 400 guests, about 60% of whom were Pensacola residents, according to Manuel Rodriguez, corporate director of food and drink for Innisfree Hotels.
Rodriguez said the restaurant’s closure was necessary to build a larger kitchen to keep up with growing demand. The new and improved kitchen area is now three and a half times larger, with approximately 80 additional seats for diners to choose from in the dining room and a new oyster bar to be showcased in the center of the restaurant.
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New menu offerings for returning diners to look out for include a whole yellowtail snapper, good for two, and blue fish fries loaded with crayfish queso and conecuh sausage.
Rodriguez said the restaurant will continue to prioritize the use of local fish and shrimp on its menu and improve its staff service.
“We’re super pumped,” Rodriguez said of the changes. “One of the comments I received (Wednesday) was from a lady who said, ‘Look, I used to come here. But mostly I got drinks and enjoyed the view. Tonight we had dinner and everything – the changes you’ve made have been amazing. We loved the food; We loved the service. I mean, you all made it better.’”
With the changes, guests can also scan a QR code to see photos and videos of the restaurant’s specialties while waiting for a seat.
Until the kitchen is fully occupied, the restaurant operates Thursday through Monday from 12:00 to 23:00 with bar service and from 15:00 to 23:00 with kitchen service. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Rodriguez said Red Fish Blue Fish is eventually planning a lunch service that starts at 11 a.m. and the restaurant will be open seven days a week.
Meanwhile, Red Fish Blue Fish is offering a bar menu from 12pm to 3pm starting next week.
“We’re very pleased that we took the time to develop our recipes, train the staff… we plan to continue with that,” Rodriguez said.
Visit the Red Fish Blue Fish website and Facebook page for more updates and information.