Lucy Buffett (sister of famous singer Jimmy!) brought her crazy, fun Gulf Shores, AL restaurant to Destin in 2015. It’s nestled right on the Choctawhatchee Bay overlooking the Mid-Bay Bridge. LuLu’s prides itself on being a place you can come to escape the chaos of life and enjoy some Gumbo Love.
Our family LOVES LuLu’s! It’s bright and cheery and fun and funky. LuLu’s can get PACKED in the summer, so be prepared to wait. Luckily, there’s a great gift shop to peruse if the wait is long.
Best of all (in my kids’ eyes), is the huge beach out back.
We always try to get one of the big picnic tables overlooking the beach so the kids can play to their hearts’ content while we wait on our food. There are plenty of sand toys, hula hoops, beach chairs, corn hole, and even a water feature for the kids to enjoy.
LuLu’s Pro Tip: I’d recommend bringing a towel and a change of clothes. It’s amazing how dirty those kids can get. 
The food at LuLu’s is pretty darn good, and pretty affordable, as far as waterfront dining in Destin goes.
Mac loves the macaroni and cheese and the fresh fruit is actually fresh fruit! Not just a syrupy mess of sugar. The fries are pretty great, too.
My very favorite thing on the menu are the tacos (great with blackened fish or shrimp), but on our most recent trip I tried the Fresh and Fancy Greens with grilled chicken. The ginger lime vinaigrette was fabulous.
Jason loves the fried fish basket or fried fish sandwich. The fried okra is great, too. LuLu’s isn’t exactly the healthiest, but it’s a vacation spot. Calories don’t count!
Our elementary school has spirit night at LuLu’s once a month and the restaurant donates 10% of the night’s sales back to the school.
These cute little cheerleaders (including Julia) cheered their hearts out for the cause.
LuLu’s is perfect for families but is also a nice spot for sunset cocktails on date night. Since the restaurant is across the street from our neighborhood, you can promise we’ll visit many times in the future.
