Perdido Key Chamber Directory

stores for all fishing and snacking
needs and the beloved waterfront
restaurant- the Sunset Grille. The
facility has also earned two special
certifications from the State of Florida
as a “Clean and Resilient Marina”.
The Sunset Grille overlooks the
Intracoastal Waterway and is accessible
by car or boat. Air-conditioned
seating is available inside, while
outdoor lovers can enjoy the view on
their dock-side deck which remains
heated on chilly days. The relaxed,
family-friendly restaurant features
a menu of sandwiches and burgers,
fresh seafood entrees, gumbos,
specialty items including the alltime
favorites Grouper Reuben and
Sunset Fish Tacos, and a full bar
with cold beer, wine, and specialty
cocktails. The Grille is also a doglovers
paradise, as they are pet-friendly
and will even give your furry friend
a water dish and treat to enjoy!
Learning to operate under modified
conditions due to COVID-19 was
just the beginning of concerns
for the restaurant industry. As if a
global pandemic was not enough
of a concern, in September 2020,
Hurricane Sally took a visit to the coast
and dealt massive damage in Perdido
Key. Allen Bizzell reported that damage
from Sally was worse than they had
experienced during Hurricane Ivan due
to the length of time that the storm
stood still over the area. The docks
on the west side of the property were
heavily damaged by wind driven debris
including boats, pieces of other people’s
docks, and household debris such as
refrigerators and microwaves which
basically acted like battering rams on
the west side of the buildings. Again,
the structures held, but the siding was
punctured in some places and there
was 4” of water inside the buildings.
After the storm passed, the marina
was back to partial operations- selling
fuel within a week of the storm
and launching boats within two
weeks. After assessing the damage
and considering the concern of
the pandemic, the family decided
to keep the restaurant closed for
the remainder of the year, during
which time they would re-build
and come back better than ever.
The Marina has fully recovered
from the effects of Hurricane Sally.
The docks have been replaced with
state-of-the-art fiberglass material that
will be much more resistant to future
storm damage, and the Marina store
has been reconfigured and completed
with fresh paint and flooring. Boats
are being launched, fuel is available
at the main marina and the store
and office are fully operational.
In Spring 2021, visitors to the Sunset
Grille can expect to see major changes.
The building has been enlarged to
include a larger kitchen, new space for
the gift shop and additional outdoor
dining space on the water. The freshly
designed open-air space will include
new uniform flooring and drop-down
curtains to better enclose the space
for stormy or chilly weather. Owner
Allen Bizzell says, “We believe these
changes will improve our customers’
experiences for many years to come.”
The Bizzell family have put their
life’s work into making the Holiday
Harbor Marina and Sunset Grille
facility into the amazing, full-service,
and family-operated business that
stands the test of time. The year 2021
marks 30 years of being operated by
the Bizzell family. Current operators,
Allen, Steve and Tom Bizzell are excited
to welcome visitors back to a new and
improved experience at the Sunset
Grille, which has been designated by
Trip Advisor in the top 10% of eating
establishments world-wide for 2020.
Stay up to date with the progress
of the Sunset Grille and information
about re-opening on the Sunset
Grille Website and Facebook page!
PerdidoChamber.com • VisitPerdido.com | 850-492-4660
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