10 Gulf Shores Restaurants You Must Try

Gulf Shores, Alabama is home to many amazing restaurants. The small beach town has many different food options that will suit almost every occasion. There are options for grabbing a quick lunch after spending time on the beach, and there are options for you to share a nice meal with your family.

Gulf Shores Restaurants

Below is a list of some of the best Gulf Shores restaurants. We can’t fit all of the best restaurants in just one blog post, so if a place is not listed, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it out. Truth be told, just about every restaurant in the area, especially on the beach, serves amazing food! Here are a handful of restaurants you should definitely stop by when you are in town.

Tacky Jacks

Tacky Jacks is a seafood and American restaurant with a wide range of menu options. They are of course known for their amazing fish tacos and platters, but you must try the “Mexican Garbage” nachos as an appetizer! The portion size is very large, and the beefy cheesy goodness cannot be passed up. They also have excellent burgers and wings on the menu that both locals and tourists love. As mentioned in the name, the ambience and atmosphere is charmingly tacky with duct tape just about everywhere and it feels like you are on a pirate ship on the water when you are there. It was voted the Local’s Favorite Hangout in Gulf Shores, so it is clearly a very fun place to grab lunch or dinner!

Gulf Shores RestaurantsBahama Bobs

If you are looking for a fun beach side cafe, Bahamas Bobs is where you need to go! Both the locals and the tourists in Gulf Shores absolutely adore Bahama Bobs because of their great food and their amazing service. This restaurant is best described as a southern seafood eatery with their fried pickles, alligator bites, gumbo, and fried catfish. They have just about every fish you can think of on the menu, and many of their options are fried. If someone in your party does not like seafood, they do have burgers, buffalo wings, and grilled chicken on the menu. When you are in town, stop by Bahama Bobs. You won’t regret it!

The Hangout

A perfect waterfront family restaurant in Gulf Shores is The Hangout. It is the perfect place to embrace the beach town atmosphere while you order a big plate of seafood. They have live music almost every weekend which adds to the levels of enjoyment when dining there. Something notable about The Hangout is many of their burgers have local elements incorporated in the dish. You will see many options like burgers topped with fried shrimp, Alabama style BBQ sauce, and Alabama Wagyu. In conclusion, The Hangout is a great place that truly captures the atmosphere of Gulf Shores perfectly.

Woodside Restaurant

One of the best gulf shores restaurants for breakfast and brunch is Woodside Restaurant. As their name suggests, their restaurant is in Gulf State Park where there are walking trails and beautiful oak trees. They have classics like pancakes, fried eggs, and biscuits with gravy on their menu for breakfast. Woodside Restaurant is also open for lunch and dinner where they serve steaks, sandwiches, and salads you are sure to love. This place is very unique as it is in the heart of a state park, so you don’t want to pass it up.

Original Oyster House Seafood Restaurant

The Original Oyster House is a beautiful, waterfront, restaurant that has been open since 1983. They do an amazing job of changing up the seafood dishes, as seafood restaurants are on just about every corner in Gulf Shores. They incorporate Alabama’s Southern culture in their menu with their Butter Pecan Mahi, Southern Fried Flounder and Grits, and the Mahi Down on Da Bayou dishes. One of the favorites on the menu is actually a dessert dish, which is the chocolate chip peanut butter pie! It is just as good as it sounds, so you will want to hurry into the Original Oyster House to try it. For a unique, waterfront lunch or dinner, the Original Oyster House is the perfect place.

Hog Wild Beach & BBQ

This barbecue joint is in the perfect spot if you are looking for something near the beach. Hog Wild Beach & BBQ has incredible menu options like pulled pork, baby back ribs, and smoked chicken. One of their most unique menu items is the barbeque nachos which has pulled pork, lots of cheese, and a special sauce. This restaurant was featured on the Cooking Channel in an episode of “Beach Bites with Katie Lee”, and have received many other forms of recognition from the Food Network, Beachin’ Magazine, as well as books and documentaries. Additionally, they were rated one of the top 10 wings and one of the top five fries in the state of Alabama. It’s safe to say they have very good food at Hog Wild! If you are a barbecue lover, this is the perfect dinner spot after a long day at the beach.

LuLu’s

Going to Lulu’s isn’t just a dining experience, it is a fun activity the whole party will enjoy! They have an arcade, a rope course, live music, and so much more. Additionally, they have one of the most extensive menus in the Gulf Shores area. They have dozens of seafood dishes, chicken options, burgers, tacos, gumbo, salads, and the list goes on. If you have kids that will be dining with you, Lulu’s is the perfect place to go for entertainment and picky eaters. It is also waterfront, so you can enjoy a great view of the ocean while you watch your kids do the ropes course.

Flip Flop Deli Shop

Sometimes, you just want a nice sandwich or a hot dog with a bag of chips for lunch after spending all morning on the beach. Flip Flop Deli Shop has amazing options like turkey and ham sandwiches, wraps, and hot dogs to make for an easy lunch. They are famous for their Walking Taco, which is everything you normally have on a taco, but you eat it out of a Doritos bag! Flip Flop Deli Shop also has pizza, coffee, ice cream, and nachos, which are all amazing. They are one of the highest rated Gulf Shores restaurants with a five star rating on Yelp, and ranked number two in the area on TripAdvisor. When you are in need of a laid back and quick lunch, you must try out Flip Flop Deli Shop!

Sea-N-Suds Restaurant & Oyster Bar

Looking for a seafood restaurant right on the beach with a beautiful view? You’re in luck, because Sea-N-Suds Restaurant & Oyster Bar gives you great food while you look out at the ocean. If something can be fried, it is likely on the menu here. They have fried crab claws, zucchini, cheese, mushrooms, chicken, and much more. They also serve sandwiches, burgers, wings, oysters, and salads. There is something for everyone to enjoy on Sea-N-Suds’ menu, and the location can’t be beat.

The Crazy Cajun

Cajun food, which is typically from the Acadiana region of Louisiana, is a fantastic cuisine that is comforting and flavorful. Thankfully, one of the Gulf Shores Restaurants has authentic cajun food, which is The Crazy Cajun. Owned by Louisiana natives, you are sure to get some fantastic seafood with a twist here. They have classic Cajun options like red beans and rice, gumbo, and alligator sausage. A very unique service they offer is you can bring in your own fish that you caught, and they will cook it for you! If you have never had Cajun food before, we highly recommend trying this place out!

Great Gulf Shores Restaurants

We hope our list gave you a variety of food options for you to try when visiting Gulf Shores. In addition to what is mentioned above, there are dozens of seafood places who serve great fish in town. In Gulf Shores, you can pop into just about any restaurant near the beach and expect to get great food. Enjoy your stay!