Daytona Beach · Local picks

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Just local.

Places we go, what to order, and things worth doing in Daytona Beach.

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

Seafood

Charlie Horse
Daytona
Casual seafood by the water, the kind of place you end up at twice in one trip. Nothing fussy, everything fried right.
Conrad’s pick — the extra blackened pangassi fish sandwich, or the fried buffalo shrimp basket — honestly, get both and split them.
Down the Hatch
Ponce Inlet
A waterfront room that works in any season. Fried, blackened, seafood or chicken — it all lands.
Conrad’s pick — start with the oysters.
Kona Tiki Bar
Crossing the bridge
Easy waterfront spot with room for a group. Food better than a tiki bar has any business serving.
Conrad’s pick — fish tacos extra blackened, and the spinach dip.
Boondocks
Wilbur-by-the-Sea · Halifax River
Open-air tiki bar right on the river. Casual, easy, the kind of afternoon that gets away from you.
Conrad’s pick — fish sandwiches and the fried baskets.
River Grille
Ormond Beach · Tomoka River
Cajun waterfront spot most people never find. Best fried seafood in Daytona, and honestly the best hush puppies in Florida.
Conrad’s pick — the hush puppies, and anything fried.
Ocean Deck
Daytona Beach · Oceanfront
Oceanfront and casual, with one of the better water views in Daytona. My Uncle Patrick's favorite, and he has good taste.
Conrad’s pick — the wings and the burgers.
Our Deck Down Under
Daytona Beach Shores
"This place had great fried food and a great view. 10/10, slapped." — Matthew · Arkansas, July 2025
63 Sovereign
Ormond Beach
"Came down with my parents and my boyfriend and we stumbled on this place. Oysters were honestly perfect, everything was amazing. Got ice cream across the street after — simple night but felt like we weren't even on vacation." — Heather · Ohio, March 2026
Morning

Breakfast

Red Bud Cafe
Daytona
Where I start most mornings. Small, local, nothing trying to be clever.
Conrad’s pick — the breakfast special.
Steve's
Daytona
Local and no frills. The pancakes are the whole reason, and that's really all you need.
Conrad’s pick — the pancakes.
First Watch
Beachside · Granada
Bright room, good for a slow morning when nobody is in a hurry.
Conrad’s pick — the waffles.
Pat's Riverfront Cafe
Near Dunlawton
Very old Daytona, and worth going for the experience as much as the food. Cash only, no exceptions.
Conrad’s pick — the breakfast sandwich.
Waffle House
Off Seabreeze
You already know.
Worth ordering

Burgers

MK's
Beach Street
Downtown room that does the simple things properly. Good stop if you're already on Beach Street.
Conrad’s pick — the burger, the pretzels, and the Reuben — which is underrated.
Houligan's
Daytona
Local sports bar. Loud in the right way, consistent every time.
Conrad’s pick — the wings, the burger and the potato skins.
Riptides
Daytona
Neighborhood spot, nothing flashy, everything solid.
Conrad’s pick — the black bean soup — it might beat the burger.
Chart House
Beach Street
Water views and a room that feels like an occasion. Sit on the lower level.
Conrad’s pick — the happy hour sliders.
Boondocks
Wilbur-by-the-Sea
Waterfront tiki bar that turns out better burgers than it needs to. Casual and good.
Conrad’s pick — the burger.
Ormond Garage
Ormond Beach · W Granada
"cool room, good beer, and the pork belly burger (a little extra sauce) is the one to get. Pretzels w cheese to start. We really enjoyed it, will be back." — Patrick · Kentucky, December 2025
Local spots

Mexican

Peppers
Daytona
Steady Mexican spot where the basics are done right. Don't rush the table snacks.
Conrad’s pick — the carne asada tacos.
La Fiesta
The Trails
Easy, friendly, consistently good. The kind of place you go back to without thinking about it.
Conrad’s pick — the tacos, and the cheese dip on its own.
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.
Conrad’s pick — whatever is coming off the grill, not the show.
Sushi 99
Daytona · Near Hershey Ice Cream
Small, local and well priced. First choice for sushi, and the hibachi is just as good.
Conrad’s pick — the sushi.
Tai Erwan
Daytona
Really good Thai in an unassuming room. Poke a hole in the spring rolls before you eat them or they'll get you.
Conrad’s pick — the Pad Thai, and ask for the ginger sauce from the salmon dish on the side — they'll do it.
China One
Bellair
Delivery Chinese that actually delivers. DBR guests can walk right across and pick it up.
Mediterranean

Greek

Greek Filo
Dunlawton
Solid Greek spot, quick and dependable.
Conrad’s pick — the gyros.
Greek Town Taverna
Ormond Beach
Worth the short drive up to Ormond. Good, consistent, never a letdown.
Red sauce and more

Italian & Pizza

Tiano's
By the Speedway
Best Italian in Daytona, no debate. Old-school room, portions that mean business.
Conrad’s pick — the fettuccine, the pizza, and the house Caesar — the best I've had anywhere.
Aria Pizza
Bellair · Across from DBR
Top pizza in town, and it happens to sit right across from the building.
Conrad’s pick — the pizza, and the ranch is worth noting on its own.
Genovese's
Beachside
Reliable neighborhood Italian. Portions run big, so plan on sharing.
Conrad’s pick — the penne bake — big enough for two, split it.
Worth the occasion

Fine Dining

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse
Beach Street
Best restaurant in Daytona, in my opinion. Proper steakhouse room, the one to pick when the night matters.
Conrad’s pick — The Earnhardt — crab, asparagus, béarnaise — or the blackened sea bass. The crab cake and the wedge are both excellent.
The list

Wings

Houligan's
Daytona
Local sports bar. Loud in the right way, consistent every time.
Conrad’s pick — the wings, the burger and the potato skins.
Racing's North Turn
Ponce Inlet
Real beach-racing history on the walls and a good room to sit in. Worth the drive down to Ponce.
Conrad’s pick — the wings.
Outback
Daytona
Underrated for wings, of all things. Consistently solid.
Conrad’s pick — the wings.
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
Easy waterfront spot with room for a group. Food better than a tiki bar has any business serving.
Conrad’s pick — fish tacos extra blackened, and the spinach dip.
Mama Foo Foo
Halifax Marina · Basin St
Craft cocktails and shareable plates on the water. Dinner early, full nightclub by Friday and Saturday night. Check their site before you go — mffdaytona.com
Hard Rock Bar
The Strip
Solid stop on the strip.
Seabreeze Strip
Daytona Beach
Worth a walk regardless of where you end up.
Mama Foo Foo
Halifax Marina · Basin St
"Came over for the weekend from Orlando and stumbled across this place. Ended up dancing all night — did not see that coming. One of those nights." — Jade · Orlando, FL, February 2026
The move

Quick Picks

Publix Subs
Multiple locations
One of the better 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
Easy to walk straight past the cooler case. Don't.
Conrad’s pick — the small cheesecake pieces.
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.
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