Gulf Shores SeafoodVery few tourists leave the island without enjoying Gulf Shores seafood. Popular Gulf Shores seafood restaurants are very busy during peak times and long waits (2 hours! yikes!) are common. After a long day at the beach, I wouldn't want to wait that long. We beat that game by showing up before most tourists get dressed for dinner. Most of the better restaurants have lunch menus (usually until 4 P.M.) with much better pricing. It makes a lot of sense to take a break from the beach during the hottest hours and get back to the beach as the sun is going down. I personally prefer the beach from 5 o'clock until near dark. The Original Oyster House on Highway 59, just before you get to the beach, is my favorite of all the Gulf Shores seafood restaurants on the Alabama coast. Everything on the menu is good, and the service is always outstanding. My favorites are the fried red snapper (Orange Beach is the Red Snapper Capital of the World), grouper and flounder. The Oyster House is located on Little Lagoon, and there are many window seats to view the wildlife. Waterfowl are always playing. Mullet are usually jumping. The occasional sea turtle and alligator never fails to draw attention. Parking can be a problem during the busiest times of the year. If the parking lot looks crowded don't even try to find a parking spot in front of the restaurant. The Oyster House owns the old Dairy Queen location across the street. Park there if you can. If that's full, I'd come back another time. The wait time is probably going to be too long (for me anyway). Live Bait Food & Spirits and Live Bait Too are popular for seafood. The two restaurants sit one in front of the other. The restaurants are located (almost) across from Souvenir City. They were built over wetlands. Alligators and turtles are often spotted while walking over the boardwalk. Many people like Live Bait for the live entertainment at night. Its easy entertainment, especially if you are staying in some of the nearby condos and can walk there. If you don't walk, there is usually plenty of parking.
Hazel's Family Seafood restaurant is located across from the beach at Orange Beach near the Winn-Dixie. Hazel's is probably still the most well known restaurant at the beach. Hazel's is also locally famous for its breakfast buffet. Hazel's is a mid-sized restaurant and wait time can be long during peak times (though not as long as it once was before the newer restaurants opened.) Hazel's is a good place for Gulf Shores seafood and very convenient if you are staying in one of the nearby motels or condos. It doesn't have any distractions that people often enjoy like dancing water fountains, hungry alligators or loud Bob Marley music.
Sea n' Suds is another well known restaurant. It is also the only places left to dine directly on the beach, and that makes it a very entertaining place to enjoy some good Gulf Shores seafood. While your dinner is being prepared, you can watch all the beach activity in air conditioned comfort. If you don't feel like taking a break from the sun, you can dine on the deck. The fried red snapper (when available) is very good. Prices are very reasonable, considering the quality and portions. Since it sits so far off the highway, it is easy to miss Sea n' Suds. Look for Boardwalk Condos. Unless you own or are renting a condo, you will have to park across the street. There is a very long walkway that gets you to the restaurant and you are actually on the beach. The Shrimp Basket is a seafood restaurant that both tourists and locals enjoy. There are two locations on the island, one in Gulf Shores and one at Perdido Key. One is just as good as the other. It is a very casual atmosphere. This is a restaurant to visit when you want good seafood in a hurry. The Shrimp Basket "feels crowded" even when its not (especially the one in Gulf Shores) and there are not a lot of amenities and diversions or any great scenery. Naturally, shrimp is king here. The grouper fingers are also very good. No frills, just good food.
Calypso's caters to kids and has some fun things for them to do while waiting on their meal. I have seen kids have so much fun that they don't want to stop long enough to eat. If you want a "Jamaican" dining experience in Alabama, this place will come the closest. Harbour Grill in Orange Beach is a little off the beaten path, but it has no problem finding customers. Located at the Sportsman's Marina complex on Canal Road, it is in the former location of Bayside Grill. From the deck of Harbor Grill, you can enjoy views of Terry Cove and Perdido Pass. You can dock your boat at the Marina while you dine. If you have caught fish, you can even have Bayside prepare part of catch for your meal. Shucker's Oyster Bar at the Wharf in Orange Beach hasn't been open long (FishTales was in this location for short time), but it is becoming very popular. Shuckers is a good place to relax and watch the boats and barges on the Intracoastal Canal. You can even buy your Wharf Amphitheater tickets at the dock store under the same roof. The Marina (and the Wharf) is located on the Intracoastal Canal on the "island" side of the toll bridge over the canal. Good Gulf Shores seafood restaurants are easy to find on the Alabama coast. There are many more than I've written about here. I'll add more later. If you've rented a condo or beach house and have access to a kitchen, you're probably not going to want to dine out for every meal. There are several good Gulf Shores seafood markets. If you feel like driving into Florida, one of the highest rated, most well-known seafood markets in the United States, Joe Pattie Seafood, is thirty miles away, on Pensacola Bay. Bon Secour, only 15-20 minutes from Gulf Shores, is home to several seafood markets that are located directly on Bon Secour Bay. Gulf Shores seafood. Dine in or dine out. In fact, do both. Some Seafood Recipes
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