It started as a pop-up. The tacos flew out the window, and Chef Jim Richard’s restaurant group (the team behind Stinky’s Fish Camp) knew they had something magical.
“We had a fine dining dinner restaurant called Trebeache in this location before Red Fish Taco,” said Todd Misener, Corporate Chef and Managing Partner. “We did a little pop-up during the 30A Songwriters Festival, just counter service where you walk in one door and out the other end. It became really really popular, and it all started with the redfish tacos.”
Red Fish Taco was born to satisfy customers’ yearnings for that handheld taco perfection.
The fun can be heard as you turn off Florida Scenic Highway 30A, and pull into the parking lot for Redfish Village, in the heart of Blue Mountain Beach.
Comfortable outdoor patio seating, live music in the evenings, and the smell of fresh Mexican food draws you in, and it doesn’t stop there.
The lively, brightly-colored, cantina-like interior is filled with rustic wood tables, chairs, and benches, as well as the Day of the Dead-inspired tile work running up the columns, welcoming guests with warm vibes. After a pandemic hiatus, Red Fish Taco reopened with counter service to counterbalance dwindling labor supplies and to facilitate a more fast-casual concept.
“We started with counter service just like we had at the popups before the full restaurant was established,” said Misener. “Then we slowly started having music outside which became very popular during COVID. It evolved from there to what it is today.”
There are dips. There are salads. There are margaritas. There are avocado tacos. Wait, what? Yes. Two flour tortillas filled with buttery avocado, marinated cabbage, chili lime aioli, and fresh salsa—it is an explosion of garden goodness in your mouth. If you prefer something a little meatier, they have you covered with pork or chicken carnitas, smoked brisket, grilled chicken, blackened shrimp, crispy catfish, or grilled redfish.
The redfish tacos proved a worthy namesake on a recent lunch excursion. Ample pieces of blackened redfish filled the soft flour tortillas. The crispy slaw added texture and tang, and the self-serve salsas added a little extra heat. And the smoked brisket tacos are not to be missed either! The brisket had a beautiful char, nice smoke flavor, and melted in my mouth with tenderness. The white barbecue sauce surprised me with its comfortable spice; the crispy double tortilla sandwiched everything together perfectly.
Red Fish Taco is located at 2052 W County Hwy 30A, in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
“Street tacos were something different, unique around the area,” said Misener. “We opted to forego the traditional crispy shell and filled corn tortillas that we crisped on the grill. The redfish and blackened shrimp tacos were some of the original menu items. Now we have the smoked brisket, the pork carnitas, and other types of tortillas like soft flour. The salads are refreshing with our homemade black-eyed pea vinaigrette. My favorite of the daily features is Thursday night’s empanadas with live music by Forrest Williams Band. The music and empanadas are amazing.”
Like the black-eyed pea vinaigrette, everything is prepared in house. Meats are smoked over at Stinky’s, and the famed key lime pie is mixed up in their commissary-style production kitchen under Misener’s watchful eye. “My job involves communicating with the other chefs and managers, hiring, menu development, helping watch the business end of our costs and purchasing,” said Misener.
Some days it requires a little plumbing as well, “I always have my tools for whatever it takes. It’s my job to support all the managers and chefs however they need to to be able to do their job well.”
Red Fish Taco offers a lively atmosphere and an inventive menu chocked full of Mexican-inspired dishes. Items can be ordered by the plate with beans and rice, or a la carte. There are Gatorade jugs full of cold water, brewed tea, and a bevy of self-serve beverages. Behind the bar are Red Fish’s signature margaritas, and if you’re brave, their iconic, tangerine-flavored Stink Juice churning away waiting to be tapped. Happy hour has killer specials on tacos and domestic beer, and live music can be enjoyed daily, 6-9 p.m.
The best part, besides the delicious food and refreshing beverages? You may see a daunting line when you enter, but it takes minutes to get the register and the food arrives 15 minutes later. As Misener said, “We’ve got it down to a cool science so you don’t have to wait for four hours for your meal.”
And don’t forget the key lime pie—it’s scratch-made with a tender graham cracker crust and tangy key lime custard mixed up in the traditional method with Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime Juice.
Served in a sweet little aluminum tin, it’s a delicious bite for dine-in or carryout.
