Daytona Beach · Conrad's picks

Not Google.
Not Yelp.
Just Conrad.

Places I actually go, what I order when I get there, and things worth doing while you're here.

Seafood Breakfast Burgers Mexican Asian Italian Fine Dining Wings Bars Quick Picks Things To Do What's On
Local favorites

Seafood

Charlie Horse
Daytona
Get the extra blackened pangassi fish sandwich or the fried buffalo shrimp basket — honestly, get both and split them.
Down the Hatch
Ponce Inlet
Start with the oysters. Then anything fried or blackened — seafood or chicken. Great waterfront spot, works any time of year.
Kona Tiki Bar
Crossing the bridge
Fish tacos extra blackened, and the spinach dip is better than you'd expect. Good place to bring a group.
Boondocks
Wilbur-by-the-Sea · Halifax River
Open air waterfront tiki bar. Fish sandwiches and fried baskets are the move. Casual, easy, fun.
River Grille
Ormond Beach · Tomoka River
Best fried seafood in Daytona, and honestly the best hush puppies in Florida. Cajun waterfront spot most people don't know about. Worth finding.
Ocean Deck
Daytona Beach · Oceanfront
My Uncle Patrick's favorite — and he has good taste. Oceanfront, casual, strong wings and burgers, one of the better water views in Daytona.
Morning

Breakfast

Red Bud Cafe
Daytona
Where I start most mornings. Order the breakfast special.
Steve's
Daytona
Local, no frills, excellent pancakes. That's really all you need.
First Watch
Beachside · Granada
Get the waffles. Good spot for a slow morning.
Pat's Riverfront Cafe
Near Dunlawton
Cash only, no exceptions. Breakfast sandwich is excellent. Very old Daytona — go for the experience as much as the food.
Waffle House
Off Seabreeze
You already know.
Worth ordering

Burgers

MK's
Beach Street
Strong burger, excellent pretzels, and the Reuben is underrated.
Houligan's
Daytona
Local sports bar. Solid burger, good potato skins, wings worth ordering on their own.
Riptides
Daytona
Good burger, but the black bean soup might be the better reason to go.
Chart House
Beach Street
Sit on the lower level for the water views. Good for burgers and shared plates.
Boondocks
Wilbur-by-the-Sea
Better burgers than you'd expect for a waterfront tiki bar. Casual and good.
Local spots

Mexican

Peppers
Daytona
Carne asada tacos are the reason to go. Chips, salsa, and rice are all strong — don't rush through them.
La Fiesta
The Trails
Great tacos and the cheese dip alone is worth stopping for.
Worth knowing about

Asian

Takeya Japanese Steakhouse
Williamson
Personal favorite. Ask to sit to the right, away from the hibachi show — the food is the reason you're there.
Sushi 99
Daytona · Near Hershey Ice Cream
Small, local, well priced. First choice for sushi — the hibachi is equally good.
Tai Erwan
Daytona
Really good Thai. Pad Thai is the anchor, but ask for the ginger sauce from the salmon dish on the side — they'll do it. Poke a hole in the spring rolls before eating or they'll get you.
China One
Bellair
Delivery Chinese that actually delivers. DBR guests can walk right across and pick it up — hard to beat.
Greek Filo
Dunlawton
Solid Greek spot. The gyros are the standout.
Greek Town Taverna
Ormond Beach
Worth the short drive to Ormond. Good, consistent Greek food.
Red sauce and more

Italian & Pizza

Tiano's
By the Speedway
Best Italian in Daytona, no debate. The fettuccine is outstanding, pizza is excellent, and the house Caesar is the best I've had anywhere.
Aria Pizza
Bellair · Across from DBR
Top pizza spot in town and it's right across from the building. The ranch is worth noting on its own.
Genovese's
Beachside
Reliable spot. Fettuccine without meat or the café combo pizza are both solid. The penne bake is excellent but big enough for two — split it.
Worth the occasion

Fine Dining

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse
Beach Street
Best restaurant in Daytona, in my opinion. The crab cake is exceptional, the wedge salad is great, and The Earnhardt — crab, asparagus, béarnaise — is the order. Or the blackened sea bass with crab asparagus béarnaise. Best piece of fish in the city.
The list

Wings

Houligan's
Daytona
Wings worth ordering on their own. First stop.
Racing's North Turn
Ponce Inlet
Good wings in a spot with real history. Worth the drive down to Ponce.
Outback
Daytona
Underrated wing spot. Consistently solid.
Wingstop
Daytona
Good backup when Houligan's isn't available.
I don't drink, so take these with a grain of salt

Bars

Kona Tiki Bar
Crossing the bridge
Waterfront with food worth ordering on its own. Good energy.
Mama Foo Foo's
Seabreeze
Well-known local bar on Seabreeze. Popular for a reason.
Hard Rock Bar
The Strip
Solid spot on the strip.
Seabreeze Strip
Daytona Beach
Worth a walk regardless of where you end up.
The move

Quick Picks

Publix Subs
Multiple locations
One of the best grab-and-go options in Florida. Order fresh from the deli and take it straight to the beach.
Publix Chicken Tenders
Multiple locations
Hot from the deli case. Underrated beach day move.
Publix Bakery
Multiple locations
The small cheesecake pieces in the cooler case are genuinely great and easy to walk past. Don't.
While you're here

Things To Do

Beach
Drive on the Beach
Daytona's famous hard-packed sand — cars allowed during daylight hours. 23 miles of it. Unique to Daytona.
Water
Paddleboard & Kayak Rentals
Halifax River. Good chance of spotting dolphins and manatees. Multiple rental spots along the river.
Family
Daytona Lagoon
Full water park — waterslides, lazy river, wave pool. Also has dry side: go-karts, mini golf, laser tag, Sky Maze rope course and zipline.
Nature · Free
Marine Science Center
Ponce Inlet. Recently renovated $4M facility. Sea turtles, stingrays, live feedings, seabird rehabilitation. Great for families.
Nature · Free
Ponce Preserve
Hidden gem. 41-acre park with nature trails, boardwalk over the marsh to the Halifax River, two playgrounds, a 400-year-old oak tree, Indian burial mounds, and a wildlife observation tower.
Landmark
Ponce Inlet Lighthouse
Florida's tallest at 175 feet. Climbable. National Historic Landmark. Right next to Down the Hatch and the Marine Science Center.
History · Free
The Casements & Rockefeller Park
Ormond Beach. John D. Rockefeller's former winter home on the Halifax River. Free tours Mon–Sat. Across the street: kids playground, benches, waterfront walking path.
Wildlife
Dolphin & Manatee Boat Tours
Halifax River. 90-minute eco tours, great chance to see wildlife up close.
Free · Fun
Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory
Beach Street, downtown. Free factory tours, free samples. Open since 1925. Easy and fun for all ages.
Racing
Daytona International Speedway
Track tours available. One Daytona shopping and dining complex right across from it.
Day Trip
Downtown St. Augustine
About 55 minutes south. Cobblestone streets, Castillo de San Marcos fort, oldest city in America. Historic, charming, walkable. Great for families and couples.
Shopping
Tanger Outlets & The Strip
International Speedway Blvd. Right across the street is a solid shopping strip — Ulta, TJ Maxx, and more. Easy to hit both sides in one trip.

What's On

Daytona Beach events calendar — races, concerts, festivals.

See What's Happening →