The best seafood in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach comes from long-running, locally owned kitchens: Original Oyster House for oysters and gumbo, DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen for Gulf fish cooked half a dozen ways, Doc’s Seafood Shack for fried shrimp and royal reds, and Cobalt, The Restaurant for chef-driven plates with a view of Perdido Pass. Order Gulf oysters, local shrimp, grouper or snapper, and a bowl of gumbo, and you have eaten the way locals do.
Every restaurant below is locally owned and listed in our directory, where you can check hours before you go. For the bigger picture of the island, start with our guide to things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
The best seafood restaurants at a glance
| Restaurant | Town | Known for | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Oyster House | Gulf Shores | Raw and fire-grilled oysters, gumbo, since 1982 | Oyster lovers, big groups |
| DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen | Gulf Shores | Gulf fish fried, broiled, grilled, blackened, steamed or Cajun | Groups who all want something different |
| Gulf Island Grill | Gulf Shores | Fried shrimp baskets, smoked ribs, bushwackers | A casual meal near the public beach |
| Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar | Orange Beach | Fried shrimp, royal reds, raw oysters, since 1984 | Families, a no-fuss lunch |
| Cobalt, The Restaurant | Orange Beach | Chef-driven Gulf seafood, raw bar, Sunday brunch | Waterfront views, a nicer night out |
| Cosmo’s Restaurant & Bar | Orange Beach | Gulf seafood, steaks, pasta and sushi | Date night, mixed tastes |
| Doc’s Seafood Shack | Foley | Super Seafood Platter, gumbo and salad bar | A stop on the way to the beach |
What seafood should you order in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach?
Order Gulf oysters, Gulf shrimp, royal red shrimp, grouper, snapper and a bowl of gumbo. A few terms you will see on menus here:
- Fire-grilled oysters: Oysters roasted on the half shell, usually with butter, garlic and cheese. They are a good way in for anyone nervous about raw oysters.
- Royal reds: Deep-water Gulf shrimp with a sweet, rich flavor often compared to lobster. They cook fast and are usually served steamed or boiled with drawn butter.
- Blackened: Fish or shrimp coated in spices and seared in a very hot skillet, a Louisiana technique that is everywhere on this coast.
- West Indies salad: A chilled lump crab salad marinated in vinegar and onion, a Mobile Bay specialty you may see on local menus.
- Bushwacker: Not seafood, but the frozen rum and chocolate drink that goes with it on this stretch of coast.
For more on the coast’s oyster culture, see our upcoming story on Alabama Gulf oysters.
Where is the best seafood in Gulf Shores?
The best seafood in Gulf Shores is at Original Oyster House, DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen and Gulf Island Grill, three locally owned restaurants that have outlasted decades of beach-town turnover. The Gulf Shores restaurants page lists more.
Original Oyster House
Original Oyster House has been on Gulf Shores Parkway since 1982, when two local couples opened it around hand-shucked and fire-grilled oysters. The oysters are still the signature, raw or fire-grilled, and the homemade gumbo is a house institution. For something heartier, the blackened mahi comes topped with fried crawfish tails and a tasso ham cream sauce. The dining room seats up to 300, which helps on busy nights. It is open daily from 11 a.m., closing an hour earlier in the cooler months, and it closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas. There is a second location in Spanish Fort.
DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen
DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen on West 1st Avenue has been locally owned since 2000 and sits back from the beachfront crowds, which gives it a neighborhood feel. The kitchen cooks Gulf seafood fried, broiled, grilled, blackened, steamed or Cajun, with specialty preparations inspired by New Orleans, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, plus a pecan-crusted option. It has separate lunch, dinner, bar, kids and seniors menus, and plenty of chicken, pasta and steak for anyone who skips seafood. Area residents and visitors have voted it a People’s Choice winner for categories including best seafood and best lunch.
Gulf Island Grill
Gulf Island Grill on East Beach Boulevard is the casual pick, a short walk from the public beach. It is known for fried shrimp baskets, the St. Martin Platter and a Grill Salad topped with Gulf catch, and the kitchen also smokes ribs and turns out burgers. The bar makes margaritas and bushwackers. It opens daily at 11 a.m. and stays open into the evening.
Where is the best seafood in Orange Beach?
The best seafood in Orange Beach is at Doc’s Seafood Shack for a classic fried platter, and at Cobalt and Cosmo’s for something more polished. Cobalt and Doc’s both have water views. See the Orange Beach restaurants page for more.
Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar
Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar has served seafood on Canal Road since 1984 and looks the part of a classic shack, with a bay-front patio. Order the Famous Fried Shrimp, raw oysters shucked to order, gumbo or royal reds, or build your own seafood platter with a mix of fried and boiled items. Seafood can also be broiled, grilled, sauteed or blackened, and soft-shell crab comes as the Ole Spider Burger. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The same family runs Doc’s Seafood and Steaks on Perdido Beach Boulevard and Doc’s Seafood Shack in Foley.
Cobalt, The Restaurant
Cobalt, The Restaurant sits beneath the Perdido Pass Bridge, next to the Caribe Resort towers, with views over Terry Cove and the boats running the pass. It is independently owned by the Harsany family’s Cosmo’s Restaurant Group, not by the resort. The menu is chef-driven: Gulf shrimp and grits, bronze Gulf grouper, blackened redfish, shrimp fra diavolo, fried crab claws and a crab and shrimp dip, plus a raw bar. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m.
Cosmo’s Restaurant & Bar
Cosmo’s Restaurant & Bar on Canal Road is the Harsany family’s namesake restaurant, with a menu that ranges from fresh Gulf seafood and raw bar selections to hand-cut steaks, house-made pasta and a full sushi menu. It has a kids menu, gluten-free options, careful cocktails and mocktails, an outdoor deck and regular live music. Reservations are recommended. Next door, sister restaurant Luna’s Eat & Drink pairs buttermilk fried chicken with Gulf seafood.
Is there good seafood on the way to the beach?
Yes. Doc’s Seafood Shack on Miflin Road in Foley has served Gulf seafood for more than three decades and is an easy stop off the main road to the beaches. Its Super Seafood Platter combines fried and broiled items, and its gumbo and salad bar is a popular lighter lunch. There is an early-bird fried shrimp plate for diners who arrive before the dinner rush.
Where should you get oysters in Gulf Shores?
Go to Original Oyster House for the widest choice of raw and fire-grilled oysters, or Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar in Orange Beach for oysters shucked to order in a casual setting. Cobalt also has a raw bar. Oyster availability and sourcing change with the season and the harvest, so ask your server where the day’s oysters came from.
Tips for eating seafood at the beach
- Eat early or late in summer. The dinner rush is heaviest in the early evening, and lunch is usually easier.
- Ask what is local. Gulf shrimp, grouper, snapper and royal reds are the coast’s signature catches. Ask whether the fish of the day is from the Gulf.
- Check hours in the off-season. Some restaurants trim hours from fall through winter.
- Save room for dessert. Matt’s Homemade Ice Cream on Gulf Shores Parkway makes its flavors in house.
Which seafood restaurant should you pick?
- For oysters: Original Oyster House.
- For a big, varied group: DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen or Cosmo’s.
- For kids: Doc’s Seafood Shack or Gulf Island Grill.
- For a view: Cobalt, The Restaurant.
- For a nicer night out: Cobalt or Cosmo’s.
Not sure which town to base yourself in? Our Gulf Shores vs. Orange Beach comparison can help, and our story on Gulf Shores in October covers the National Shrimp Festival.
FAQ
What is the best seafood restaurant in Gulf Shores?
Original Oyster House, open on Gulf Shores Parkway since 1982, is the best known for oysters and gumbo. DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen is the pick if your group wants Gulf fish prepared several different ways.
What is the best seafood restaurant in Orange Beach?
For a classic fried seafood platter, go to Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar on Canal Road, open since 1984. For chef-driven seafood with a view of Perdido Pass, go to Cobalt, The Restaurant.
Where can you get oysters in Gulf Shores?
Original Oyster House serves oysters raw and fire-grilled, and Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar in Orange Beach shucks them to order. Cobalt in Orange Beach has a raw bar as well.
What are royal red shrimp?
Royal reds are deep-water Gulf shrimp with a sweet, rich flavor often compared to lobster. They are usually steamed or boiled and served with butter, and Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar in Orange Beach keeps them on the menu.
Do Gulf Shores seafood restaurants take reservations?
Some do. Cosmo’s Restaurant & Bar recommends reservations. Casual spots like Doc’s and Gulf Island Grill are easier to walk into, but call ahead for large groups anywhere.