• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to home navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Top 10 Party Games
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter

Play.Party.Plan

Adding fun and creativity to everyday life

  • Fun Ideas by Occasion
    • Baby Shower
    • Bridal Shower
    • Birthday
    • Game Night
    • Movie Night
    • Super Bowl
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Graduation
    • Summer
    • 4th of July
    • Back to School
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • New Year’s Eve
  • Games
    • Adult Games
    • Baby Shower
    • Bridal Shower
    • Birthday Party
    • Bingo Games
    • Board Games
    • Card Games
    • Christmas Games
    • Dice Games
    • Disney Games
    • Group Games
    • Holiday Games
    • Kid Games
    • Minute to Win It
    • Outdoor Games
    • Party Games
    • Scavenger Hunts
    • Teen Games
    • Trivia Games
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Baked Goods
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Main Dishes
    • Party Food
    • Sides
    • TikTok Recipes
  • Free Printables
    • Crafts
    • Gift Tags
    • Kids Activities
    • Party Printables
    • Printable Games
  • Travel
    • Caribbean
    • Cruises
    • Disney
    • International
    • Travel Tips
    • United States
  • Popular Posts
    • Girl Baby Showers
    • Bridal Shower Games
    • Bachelorette Games
    • Diaper Cake DIY
    • DIsneyland Food
    • Dunkaroo Dip
    • Fun Math Games
    • Saran Wrap Game
    • SeaWorld San Antonio
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Work With Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter
  • Join the Free Party E-Club!
Home Travel United States 8 Must-Try Gulf Shores Restaurants

8 Must-Try Gulf Shores Restaurants

By: Britni Vigil
7/26/2022Updated: 11/16/2022
This post may contain affiliate links. Privacy policy.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Tons of Gulf Shores Restaurants

Next time you head to Gulf Shores, Alabama you have to try these eight Orange Beach and Gulf Shores restaurants. Famous for their incredible food, fun decor, and family-friendly spaces, these restaurants in Gulf Shores, AL will have you wishing you could eat out all the time. 

8 Gulf Shores restaurants you must try next time to plan a vacation to Gulf Shores, Alabama!

My family visited Gulf Shores, Alabama last fall and fell in love with all of the unique things to do and the food! All eight of these restaurants are special for either having the best food, fun things to do, or their family-friendly atmosphere!

Most of them have good food we are still talking about and are definitely places we would go back when we return to Gulf Shores in the future.

And as a disclaimer, I know many of these are actually in Orange Beach but writing a post titled Best restaurants in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores was a bit of a mouthful so Gulf Shores it is. Just know that some of these might be in the Orange Beach Area as well.

Best Gulf Shores Restaurants for Breakfast

Table of Contents

  • Best Gulf Shores Restaurants for Breakfast
    • Brick and Spoon Orange Beach
    • Ruby Slipper Cafe Orange Beach
    • Tacky Jacks Orange Beach & Gulf Shores
  • Gulf Shores Restaurants for Lunch
    • The Hangout Gulf Shores
    • Original Oyster House Gulf Shores AL
  • Best Gulf Shores Restaurants for Dinner
    • Ginny Lane Bar & Grill Orange Beach
    • Cobalt Orange Beach AL
  • Best Ice Cream in Gulf Shores
  • Other Great Restaurants in Gulf Shores

Restaurants in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach know how to cook breakfast. From the most amazing grits to various types of eggs Benedict, these breakfast spots are the right way to start your day.

Brick and Spoon Orange Beach

Brick and Spoon was awarded one of the top 10 best breakfasts in the US by Travel and Leisure magazine for good reason. The stuffed French Toast sliders were something out of breakfast dreams, the beignets were perfectly sweet and crisp, and the gulf shrimp and grits were what shrimp and grits should always be.

And if it’s your thing, they have a build your own Bloody Mary menu where you literally can add pretty much anything you want to your creation.

Website| Menu | Contact Info

Brick and Spoon Orange Beach is one of the best Gulf Shores Restaurants for breakfast!
Brick and Spoon Orange Beach is one of the best Gulf Shores Restaurants for breakfast!

Ruby Slipper Cafe Orange Beach

Ruby Slipper Cafe is known for its huge breakfast sandwiches (best biscuits ever!), shrimp and grits, and an entire menu of egg benedict options – they ever have a sampler where you can choose to mix and match two of their signature benedicts.

And whatever you do, don’t miss the pig-candy bacon. I recommend having it on the Bam Bam Biscuit sandwich. Amazing! A great place to start your day with hearty breakfasts that are well made.

Website| Menu | Contact Info

Ruby Slipper Cafe is a Gulf Shores Restaurant best known for its eggs benedict and pig-candy bacon!
Ruby Slipper Cafe is a Gulf Shores Restaurant best known for its eggs benedict and pig-candy bacon!
Ruby Slipper Cafe is a Gulf Shores Restaurant best known for its eggs benedict and pig-candy bacon!

Tacky Jacks Orange Beach & Gulf Shores

While the food at Tacky Jacks is good, it’s not why people come here. Tacky Jacks is somewhere you go to hangout and seemed to be a local favorite.

With regular karaoke nights, live music, and colored duct tape lining every surface, Tacky Jacks is somewhere you have to eat at least once.

And it was here that made the best crispy bacon for my son during our entire trip. There’s a reason it made my list for top family-friendly restaurants in Gulf Shores, Alabama! I recommend the build your own omelet and the biscuits and gravy!

If this is your first time in Gulf Shores, Tacky Jack’s Gulf Shores is kind of a must-try. Just beware that it is a popular restaurant but there are plenty of things to do while you wait.

Website| Menu | Contact Info

Tacky Jacks is one of the most fun Gulf Shores restaurants with its yummy breakfast menu and fun atmosphere!
Tacky Jacks is one of the most fun Gulf Shores restaurants with its yummy breakfast menu and fun atmosphere!

Gulf Shores Restaurants for Lunch

These restaurants in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, AL make lunch more than just a meal – they make it an adventure. With everything from foam parties to massive sand boxes, these lunch spots are as much about the fun as they are about the food.

The Hangout Gulf Shores

Think of the house on your street you loved hanging out at when you were growing up. Then imagine that turned into a restaurant, only 10x better. That’s the Hangout restaurant and it’s great for family or a large group!

They pride themselves on being a place where you can come to hangout all day without every getting bored. The walls are covered in collectible vintage toys, cars, lunch boxes, and other random memorabilia that you could spend hours looking at.

Outside, the courtyard is filled with outdoor games, sand pits, foam parties, and the beach. They even have a fun menu option on their website. It’s a place you could come for lunch and not leave again until dinner. It’s definitely a relaxed atmosphere and perfect for happy hour!

And the food is spot on as well. Everything we had was good other than the kid’s milkshake, which just tasted like vanilla ice cream with a bit of chocolate syrup added.

Website| Menu | Contact Info

The Hangout Gulf Shores is one of the most fun Gulf Shores restaurants with its foam parties and great menu!
The Hangout Gulf Shores is one of the most fun Gulf Shores restaurants with its foam parties and great menu!
The Hangout Gulf Shores is one of the most fun Gulf Shores restaurants with its foam parties and great menu!

LuLu’s Gulf Shores

Lulu’s is another one of those places where the food is good but the experience is even better. It’s owned by the sister of Jimmy Buffet, so you know it’s going to be a great place to relax and enjoy a meal with your family and friends.

It took everything I had to make my son come sit and eat his son when all he wanted to do was play in the ginormous sand pit and water buckets that were lining the restaurant. I mean talk about casual dining!

Give into parenting pressure and enjoy your tacos and drink outside while your kids play instead of trying to wrangle them inside the restaurant. This is one of the most fun places to eat in Gulf Shores Alabama so enjoy it.

The sand pit isn’t the only thing to do at LuLu’s – there’s a ropes course, an arcade, and shopping for everyone. For food, I recommend the fresh fish tacos, just make sure to eat them fresh (harder said than done).

And don’t forget dessert – best brownie and ice cream I’ve had in a long time, and my son absolutely loved the fresh made popsicles that we enjoyed while sitting on their colored picnic tables!

Lulu’s is definitely designed for people who like having a good time (and good food).

Website| Menu | Contact Info

Lulu's Gulf Shores has great food and fun for everyone! One of the most popular Gulf Shores restaurants around.
Lulu's Gulf Shores has great food and fun for everyone! One of the most popular Gulf Shores restaurants around.
Lulu's Gulf Shores has great food and fun for everyone! One of the most popular Gulf Shores restaurants around.
Lulu's Gulf Shores has great food and fun for everyone! One of the most popular Gulf Shores restaurants around.

Original Oyster House Gulf Shores AL

If you like fresh oysters or seafood, you can’t miss the Original Oyster House. They’re not just your traditional raw oysters – they do fresh oysters, cooked oysters, oysters slathered in garlic butter and parmesan cheese, and more. My husband said these might have been the best oysters he’s ever had.

If you don’t like oysters, they have a huge salad bar and other dishes like popcorn shrimp, fried pickles, and po’ boys that will keep everyone happy.

And the service can’t beat, our server gave my son little toy alligators to play with while we waited for our meal (not a long wait) – and his kids meal came with a few more, so we went home well fed, happy, and with a little miniature alligator family.

Website| Menu | Contact Info

The Original Oyster House is a Gulf Shores restaurants staple - great seafood, great views, and fun for everyone!
The Original Oyster House is a Gulf Shores restaurants staple - great seafood, great views, and fun for everyone!
The Original Oyster House is a Gulf Shores restaurants staple - great seafood, great views, and fun for everyone!
The Original Oyster House is a Gulf Shores restaurants staple - great seafood, great views, and fun for everyone!
The Original Oyster House is a Gulf Shores restaurants staple - great seafood, great views, and fun for everyone!

Best Gulf Shores Restaurants for Dinner

Gulf Shores has a plethora of great options for dinner with everything from fine dining to deliciously cheap eats. These two dinner restaurants in Gulf Shores, AL are just two of our favorites.

They’re kid-friendly, have a diverse menu, and best of all, serve delicious food!

Ginny Lane Bar & Grill Orange Beach

One of the highlights of Ginny Lane is the location. It’s located right on the Orange Beach wharf and the perfect place for a bite to eat after you get done with any of these awesome things to do in Gulf Shores! I recommend going at night so you can see the trees light up and all the boats docked in the marina.

The entire menu at Ginny Lane was tempting but the must-eats here are definitely the fried green tomatoes with blackened shrimp and the homemade key lime pie!

And if you’re feeding a group, the cheese plate was massive and had a great variety of cheese options, fruits, and nuts.

Website| Menu | Contact Info

Ginny Lane Bar & Grill in Orange Beach is a must-eat place for dinner!
Ginny Lane Bar & Grill in Orange Beach is a must-eat place for dinner!
Ginny Lane Bar & Grill in Orange Beach is a must-eat place for dinner!

Cobalt Orange Beach AL

Cobalt Restaurant is a seafood lovers dream come true. They serve pretty much all types of seafood imaginable using fish caught fresh daily.

And for the non-seafood lovers, there is pizza, steak, and burgers. But the seafood is where Cobalt really shines. That and it’s banana pudding, which is different than any banana pudding I’ve ever tried. Get it and thank me later.

Website| Menu | Contact Info

Cobalt is a mainstay Gulf Shores restaurant with amazing seafood and banana pudding!
Cobalt is a mainstay Gulf Shores restaurant with amazing seafood and banana pudding!

Best Ice Cream in Gulf Shores

I’m an ice cream lover, so I always look for great places to get ice cream anywhere I travel. Matt’s Alabama Ice Cream is homemade ice cream you can find throughout Gulf Shores, with a location right next door to the Original Oyster House and throughout the area.

There are plenty of flavors to choose from and the texture is creamy and delicious. Definitely my favorite place for ice cream in the Gulf Shores area.

Matt's Ice Cream is the best ice cream in Gulf Shores

Other Great Restaurants in Gulf Shores

While I have not personally tried these restaurants, these are some of the other places that my readers have said are their personal favorites along the Alabama gulf coast.

  • Bahama Bobs – centrally located and has good drinks and food! Plus, you can eat inside or outside! I’m always a fan of outdoor seating. Recommended to try the stuffed Pangus!
  • Mikee’s – a family owned restaurant open since 1987 that serves up seafood in a casual family dining place! Apparently the fried crab claws are phenomenal (not to be confused with crab cakes).
  • Sea N Suds – one of the original restaurants in town, this restaurant and oyster bar serves up fresh gulf seafood right on the beach! Oysters, fried crab claws, and a make your own cocktail sauce option! It’s supposed to a great place to get the freshest seafood in the area.
  • The Beach House – serving up a fresh take on local favorites, they have everything from burgers to tacos on their menu!
  • Sassy Bass – a menu full of creative takes on seafood including things like bronzed groupon and an amazin’ tuna!
  • Acme Oyster House – if the Original Oyster House isn’t enough for you, one of my readers said that the Chargrilled oysters here are dream worthy!
  • Big Mike’s Steakhouse – if you’re looking for something other than seafood, one of my readers said there’s nothing like this steakhouse!
  • The Yard Milkshake Bar – don’t think I need to explain this one – it’s gourmet milkshakes! I’ve been following them over on TikTok (follow me on TikTok here) and they’re drool-worthy. If you have a sweet tooth, this is a must-try.

And if you need even more ideas, Fisher’s Upstairs is the home to a James Beard Award winning chef so you can’t go wrong there!

Want More Fun Ideas?

Want more fun ideas like this one? Enter your first name and email address in the form below to join the Play Party Plan community! You'll receive weekly recipes, party ideas, games, and more directly to your inbox!

Loading

you may also like…

  • Planning a Gulf Shores Alabama Vacation? This guide to things to do in Gulf Shores Alabama will make planning your Gulf Shores Vacation easy! Everything you need to know from places to eat in Gulf Shores to where to stay!
    United States
    12 Unique Things to Do in…
  • Crabby Joe's is not only one of the best Daytona Beach restaurants but also has a great view!
    United States
    22 Best Restaurants in Daytona Beach
  • Great beach vacation packing list, seriously has all of the things you need for a beach vacation that you probably would've forgotten!
    Travel Tips
    Free Printable Packing List for Beach…
  • 10 things you have to eat when you visit Beaches Resorts & Spa!
    Caribbean
    10 Best Things to Eat at…

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love hearing from you and seeing what you made!
rate this recipe:




text here

  1. Martha Sampson says

    Posted on 10/24 at 1:08 am

    We love Bahama Bobs! It’s centrally located and has good drinks and food. You can eat inside or outside and they have a great menu!

    Reply
    • BritniV says

      Posted on 10/24 at 1:23 pm

      Thank you for this tip! I will put it on our list for next time we go. I love trying new places and Bahama Bobs sounds like something I would enjoy.

      Reply
  2. Anita Capps says

    Posted on 6/24 at 4:46 pm

    I want some fried crab claws and one recommend a restaurant that serves them please?

    Reply
    • BritniV says

      Posted on 6/25 at 4:39 pm

      So sorry, I’ve never had fried crab claws but hopefully someone else sees this and can help you out!

      Reply
  3. Kdub says

    Posted on 10/10 at 11:37 pm

    How could you leave out Mikee’s or Sea ‘n Suds?!?! My family always makes a stop at both of these restaurants every time we visit Gulf Shores! Pan grilled shrimp… YUM!!

    Reply
    • BritniV says

      Posted on 10/23 at 11:25 am

      I’ll have to check them out next time I’m in town!

      Reply
    • RD says

      Posted on 8/4 at 10:16 pm

      Mikee’s was good!!

      We liked The Beach House a lot too,

      Reply
  4. Jess says

    Posted on 9/24 at 5:20 am

    This looks so tasty!!!

    Reply
    • Britni says

      Posted on 9/25 at 9:52 am

      They are amazing! Enjoy

      Reply
  5. Roxanne Howell says

    Posted on 6/2 at 12:53 pm

    We never miss the Original Oyster House in San Roc Key in Orange Beach! Everybody loves the refs and the crab legs! The best place on the beach!!

    Reply
    • BritniV says

      Posted on 6/13 at 9:40 am

      It’s so yummy!

      Reply
Older Comments
Planning a Gulf Shores Alabama Vacation? This guide to things to do in Gulf Shores Alabama will make planning your Gulf Shores Vacation easy! Everything you need to know from places to eat in Gulf Shores to where to stay!
Previous Post
12 Unique Things to Do in Gulf Shores Alabama
Next Post
Lemon Strawberry Cheesecake Cones

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I'm
Britni

I love sweet treats, my family, games, and anything fun!

Read More

Ideas By Theme

Baby Shower Birthday Bridal Shower Disney Game Night Holiday Just For Kids Movie Night Outdoors

Popular Party Ideas

Bridal Shower Games

woman blindfolded with her hand in a plastic cup

Party Games

Kids Board Games

Blindfolded blocking is one of the best baby shower games

Baby Shower Games

Top Recipes

slice of chocolate dr pepper cake on a white plate

Best Party Foods

Wooden spoon stirring a batch of homemade Chex Mix

Homemade Chex Mix

cropped-best-buffalo-chicken-dip-recipe-11-of-14-e1609965122832.jpg

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Slice of peanut butter pie on two plates with a blue napkin

Reese's Pie

Free Party Ideas E-Club

Loading
As Featured On
connect
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter
  • Play
    • Board Games
    • Kids Activities
    • Minute to Win It
    • Scavenger Hunts
  • Party
    • Food
    • Games
    • Printables
    • Themes
  • Plan
    • Disney Trips
    • Easy Meals
    • Family Travel
    • Gift Ideas

Disclaimer

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Back to Top
  • Contact
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
© 2023 · PLAY PARTY PLAN · Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window