Daniel B.
Yelp
We enjoyed our dinner at Palm Valley Fish Camp. I think I liked this place more than my wife. She thought it was "alright." I give it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. If you're staying in or around Ponte Vedra Beach and you like seafood, I recommend it. Casual atmosphere, good food, and great service.
I found Palm Valley Fish Camp after doing a Yelp search for highly-rated restaurants with lots of reviews near our hotel. I booked our reservation about 2.5 weeks out. The restaurant uses Resy for reservations. I told one of my coworkers/buddies, who regularly vacations on Ponte Vedra Beach, that we had a reservation at Palm Valley Fish Camp. He said he and his wife have been here several times. A good sign.
The restaurant is situated on the Intracoastal Waterway. It's kind of a small place, in a freestanding building on a narrow lot. It was very humid the night we went so I asked to sit inside. They have a lot of covered outdoor patio seating with fans. Inside, there's a bar and dining room (and TVs). The kitchen is semi-open. Fresh fish and bottles of wine are on display in the waiting area.
The dinner menu offered everything from Conch Fritters ($12) and New England Clam Chowder (cup $6, bowl $9) to Spicy Seafood Linguine ($25) and a Low Boil for Two ($42). There was a decent variety of seafood and Southern sides. Other than Pan-Fried Chicken ($19) and Top Sirloin Steak ($21), there wasn't much else in terms of land animals.
Everything we ordered was on the blackboard specials menu except for the Canada oysters and Broiled Bay Scallops. The latter was a "featured starter." Here's what we got:
Starters
* Regular Menu Raw Oysters from Canada (6 for $10)
* Premium Oysters from Virginia (6 at $3 each)
* Broiled Bay Scallops (market price: $13.50) - bacon, sundried tomato, spinach cream
Mains
* Pan-Seared Flounder du Jour ($30) - served over sundried tomato bechamel pasta and green beans
* Blackened Catch: Mahi-Mahi ($25) - grits, collard greens, and tasso ham gravy
Drinks
* Glass of Rose ($9) - Elouan by Joe Wagner, Oregon
* Diet Coke ($3)
The oysters and scallops were terrific. The oysters were served with lemon, horseradish, cocktail sauce, and Lance crackers. The "premium" Virginia oysters were served over ice while the "regular" Canada oysters were not. I thought that was an interesting distinction (ice/no ice). Both kinds of oysters were yummy to me. The premium oysters were smaller and brinier. The regular oysters were larger and meatier, but less flavorful.
The Broiled Bay Scallops were rich and delicious. They were presented beautifully too, on the half shell with colorful toppings and charred on the edges. Our order came with three scallops. In general, I thought they did a nice job with the presentation here.
Our server Erisa recommended the Blackened Catch because it was one of her favorite dishes and it's something that Palm Valley Fish Camp is known for. We were very happy she made the recommendation because we wouldn't have ordered it otherwise. We loved it and thought it was, without a doubt, tastier than the special Pan-Seared Flounder du Jour.
As far as the actual fish went, the mahi-mahi and flounder were about the same. I usually prefer flounder over mahi-mahi. On this particular night, these two fish seemed about equally fresh and fine in terms of both taste and texture. My wife commented that the Blackened Catch tasted like shrimp and grits, but with fish (mahi-mahi) instead of shrimp. The grits and greens were fantastic, and the gravy added an extra level of savory and deliciousness. The Pan-Seared Flounder came with a strange combination of ingredients. The dish wasn't bad. It just tasted weird, like oddly sweet. I can't put my finger on it, but something was off. It wouldn't be a dish I'd order again. I highly recommend the Blackened Catch, however.
My wife had the rose. She said it was "tasty." Other comments: "It hit the spot. It wasn't too sweet. It wasn't too dry."
Service was excellent. Along with Erisa, food runner Casey helped out too. They were both friendly and polite. We had leftovers and, on our way out, Casey took care of us with to-go eating utensils, etc. The valet guys were nice too.
Parking is valet, so be sure to bring cash to tip.
Palm Valley Fish Camp opened in 2009. It's part of the Southern Table Hospitality Family (e.g., Marker 32, opened in 1992). Palm Valley is the first of what is now four "Fish Camp" restaurants, along with North Beach Fish Camp (opened in 2012), Julington Creek Fish Camp (2014), and St. Augustine Fish Camp (2020). Owners Ben and Liza Groshell's restaurant empire continues to grow.