Naming a restaurant can be difficult, but that wasn’t the case for Jennifer and Sean McClellan. “Obviously, bushwackers are popular and we had a family dog named Bushwacker,” says Jennifer. “Ironically, the original cocktail was named after a dog named Bushwacker. So we are a restaurant named after a dog, which was named after a cocktail, which was named after a dog.”
For Sean, whose dad, Pat McClellan, is a co-owner of the Flora-Bama, starting a restaurant was just an extension of his world, and doing it with his wife made it even more meaningful. Since opening last August, Bushwacker’s Landing has become a hangout spot for neighbors, tourists and their four-legged friends. Dogs perch beneath tables, soaking in the breeze while waiting for a snack from their owner’s plate. Kids play in the sand outside. In food trucks, the kitchen staff cooks up fresh catches and bartenders serve cold drinks to waiting hands.
While Bushwacker’s Landing has standard coastal elements — fried seafood, oysters and bushwackers — other factors make it a unique standout. “All our fish is fresh, never frozen, straight from the Gulf,” says Jennifer. “Our shrimp is always Gulf shrimp.” Citrus juice for cocktails is freshly squeezed, nearly everything (including syrups) is made from scratch and the restaurant’s slushies — a hit with the kids and adults alike — are dye-free. McClellan herself has celiac disease and makes sure that anyone with the same dietary restrictions can enjoy food at the eatery. “Our fried food is all technically gluten-free,” she says.
You wouldn’t know it by the taste though. Chef Nick Long has created a wide-ranging menu, whipping up unexpected dishes and coastal favorites that everyone will enjoy. Appetizers run the gamut, from West Indies salad to grilled stuffed avocado to loaded fries. Entrees showcase similar range, with fried classics, salads and sandwiches. The pork belly tacos, one of McClellan’s favorite dishes, are rich and filling, and the spicy cucumber salad adds freshness. Oysters come in seven different flavors and are conveniently available in a sampler.
Another staple on the menu is the bushwacker. The restaurant’s version of the drink is constructed like soft serve, with white chocolate coconut ice cream on one side and dark chocolate coffee ice cream on the other. “Blended together, it tastes like a standard bushwacker, but you can also get each flavor by itself if you’d like,” says Jennifer. If sand, sun and good coastal food is the name of the game, pull up a chair and stay awhile.
On the Menu
PORK BELLY TACOS
Melt-in-your-mouth pork belly is served with spicy cucumber salad, pickled red onions and fried shallots in a fresh corn tortilla. A drizzle of spicy mayo tops off this entree.
FRIED SHRIMP BASKET
What pairs better than waterside views and fried seafood? Tender Gulf shrimp are coated in crispy batter and served alongside your side of choice and a hushpuppy.
GRILLED STUFFED AVOCADO
This dish is like deconstructed guacamole but elevated. A grilled avocado contains whipped goat cheese, corn salsa and jalapeno crema, served with tortilla chips.
BUSHWACKER
Tropical coconut white chocolate and coffee dark chocolate are swirled together and mixed with rum for this coastal cool treat.
Bushwacker’s Landing • 13515 Canal Drive, Pensacola • Instagram
Mon – Thu 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., Fri 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., Sat 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., Sun 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
