26     |    VIPDestinMagazine.com

photos by

Zhalman Harris

  | 

story by

Liesel Schmidt

W

hen you think of a burger joint, you likely think 

of someplace that serves up the classic combo of 

hamburger and fries, with all the traditional fi xings—

and maybe a few twists thrown in just to keep things 

interesting and on-trend with the increasingly adventurous palates of 

foodies. Sure, there’s something great there, right there on the plate. 

But when Al’s Beach Club & Burger Bar opened out at the Boardwalk 

on Okaloosa Island in 2016, burgers and fries weren’t the only thing 

that this beachfront eatery planned to serve; and instead of sticking 

to their expected duties of simply making food, they thought they’d 

shake things up a bit…Not only with killer menu of shakes, but also 

with a killer list of never-ending weekly and special events that make 

Al’s one place where FOMO is for reals, y’all.

Offering live entertainment seven days a week on the outdoor 

stage, Al’s menu of must-see entertainment includes everything from 

acoustic artists during the week to lively local and regional cover 

bands every night of the weekend. Keeping things family-friendly, 

Mondays are far from mundane, with a free pirate show from Capt. 

Davy & The Crossbones that includes magic tricks, songs, games, 

and other pirate-themed fun. Tuesday nights mean Movies on the 

Beach, with classic family movies being played out on the restaurant’s 

20-foot infl atable screen. Fireworks displays soaring through the 

night sky off the Okaloosa Island Pier keep 

Wednesday’s booming, and Thursdays 

bring pre-pre-weekend excitement with 

luau parties complete with hula dancers, 

face-painting, leis, fi re dancers, and a full-on 

Polynesian pig roast.

“Al’s truly is unique in the ways that it 

breaks out of the box of what people expect 

from restaurants, and we keep it lively 

and entertaining for everyone,” says Marketing Director Misty Rae 

Ruthrauff.  “For us, it’s about more than just the food—although 

burgers and hand-cut fries and the homemade custard milkshakes are 

something everyone should experience. In fact, the Travel Channel 

even featured our Key Lime Pie milkshake and Island Chicken 

Sandwich on one of their hit shows in 2017. Really, though it’s all of 

it together that makes it so great: the entertainment, the casual beach 

vibes, family-friendly atmosphere,” she goes on. 

And while their lively events calendar could certainly draw a 

crowd on its own, the downtime between shows is far from boring, 

as Al’s also has its very own splash pad and beach games like corn 

hole, life-size Jenga, and king-size Connect-Four that keep kids 

(and kids-at-heart) occupied while the grown-ups are “adulting”…

!"#$%"&'!"(()*+*&#'"%',-.#'/)"0$'1-23

26-27 AdventureOut_AlsBurgers.indd   1

4/25/19   9:19 AM