When Googling “Flanigan’s,” the first question that appears is: “Is Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill a Florida thing?” You’re goddamn right it is. Whether you call it Flanny’s, Big Daddy, Flan, the Flanster, the ‘Gans, Flanigan’s Seafood Bar & Grill (boring), or even old-school names like Piranha Pat’s or Laughing Loggerhead (cool), Flanigan’s has been a beloved South Florida institution since 1959. Founded by Joseph “Big Daddy” Flanigan, he started the chain with Big Daddy lounges and liquor stores before teaming up with his son, James “Jimmy” Flanigan, to open the first Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill in Pompano Beach in 1985. And the rest is history.
If you grew up in Miami, you didn’t just go to Flanigan’s; you were raised at Flanigan’s. Heck, some people even celebrate their weddings at Flanigan’s. From birthday dinners and post-boat day feasts to Miami Hurricanes games and those random weeknights that somehow end at 1 a.m., it’s our home away from home.
This is why when New Times dropped its annual ranking of the ten best Flanigan’s menu items in 2025, the response was immediate. The comments section on Instagram turned into a battleground. The DMs rolled in, and yes, we heard you. We definitely missed some major players. The tumbleweed onions deserved their moment, the mile-high nachos should have never been overlooked, and the Cajun pasta? That one hurt…