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”…
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