It all started in 2023, when the Beach Bar Bum found himself on the Gulf Coast of Florida with several hours to burn and a heckuva thirst.
“What could be better,” he mused, “than an ice cold beer overlooking the ocean?”
With this thought in mind, the Bum set out on a noble quest to do just that. Unfortunately, some beach bars no longer existed and others were difficult to find. A frustrated Bum wound up having a beer in a dive bar with a parking lot view instead of ocean, and vowed to make the change he wished to see in the world.
Hence, the launch of this very site, which endeavors to assist fellow beach bar bums in their quests to imbibe their favorite beverage while being regaled by the stress-reducing view of the ocean — or lake, or pond, or other suitable body of water.
The Beach Bar Bum is not a trained journalist, a professional critic, or someone who takes himself particularly seriously. He is, however, extremely dedicated to his craft. While others were busy climbing corporate ladders and attending important meetings, the Bum was out there, cold drink in hand, doing the hard work of figuring out which beach bars are worth your precious vacation time — and which ones are best left to the GPS error that led you there in the first place.
Our standards are simple: Is there a decent drink? Is there water nearby (the scenic kind, not just a puddle)? Is the vibe right? We ask the tough questions so you don’t have to.
You’ll notice that not every bar on this site has been fully reviewed yet. That’s because our research budget is limited — it turns out “guy with a thirst” isn’t a particularly lucrative business model.
We’re working on it. Tirelessly. Some might even say heroically. New reviews drop regularly, so check back often.
Have a beach bar we need to visit? Think we got something wrong? Drop us a line.
We welcome all tips, suggestions, and invitations to conduct further research — no matter how difficult all that research can be.