Whiskey Joe's opens first phase to public Friday, including outdoor seating and tiki bar

You may have heard the hum of the music coming from the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk as Whiskey Joe's Bar and Grill tested out its menu Wednesday and Thursday in a special soft opening for family and friends.

Now the wait has ended as the first phase of the Floribbean-themed restaurant opened to the public Friday.

The location that was once home to Pensacola Beach's Castaways Beachside Restaurant and Raw Bar and Jubilee Oyster Bar & Grille now will serve as an indoor and outdoor restaurant with an ample cocktail selection, firepits and beachfront views.

Friday marks the start of the restaurant's first phase, using an outdoor kitchen and outdoor dining area. The indoor dining area and two indoor kitchens of the restaurant will follow closely after in April.

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The menu offers an abundance of signature appetizers to share alongside a drink, including the Nashville Hot Fried Chicken for $11.99, Whiskey Joe's "Calamarty" for $12.99 or chargrilled oysters on the half shell for $24.99.

The menu also offers a smorgasbord of tacos, salads, burgers, pizza and plates all with an island-style flair. Some of the restaurant's house favorites include a strawberry-guava rib basket for $18.99 or the swashbuckler basket of fried jumbo shrimp, scallops and white fish for $20.99.

The Pensacola Beach location will also feature iconic local favorites, like fish tacos or a bushwhacker mixed drink, along with a variety of local beers.

Guests are also welcome to come for a drink and sit out by the water, with over 40 different cocktails offered by Whiskey Joe's "World-Famous Tiki Bar."

For the first few weeks of operation, Whiskey Joe's will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; and closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The restaurant will operate seven days a week, starting March 2.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Whiskey Joe's opens new Pensacola Beach restaurant and tiki bar