Pineapple Willy's is a sprawling beach bar and restaurant that has been operating since 1983, which gives it legitimate old-timer status by local standards. It occupies a beachfront position and sprawls across a big deck with direct access to the sand. Locals and long-returning visitors tend to end up here; newer tourists find Pier Park first.
The menu runs to seafood, ribs, and sandwiches. The grouper is reliably fresh. There is a full bar, a gift shop selling branded merchandise, and a festive atmosphere that starts at lunch and doesn't quit until closing. The Pineapple Willy's signature rum drink is a fluorescent concoction that is better left as a memory than a second one.