Gulf Shores Seafood: Hot Spots for Fresh Catches and Rich Flavor

Trying local foods ranks as a top thing to do on vacation, according to Skift. No matter the destination, area restaurants strive to offer dishes infused with personal influence, passion and seasonal ingredients. And the Gulf Shores area does all this through its collection of seafood spots. Ready to sample the Gulf Shores seafood scene? Read about the top restaurants serving fresh catches and rich flavors.

Top Gulf Shores Seafood Restaurants: Where to Find Your Find Favorites

Bahama Bobs Beachside Cafe

Dine indoors or outside at Bahama Bobs, a popular beachside restaurant. This casual dining hot spot believes, “the lower the altitude, the better the attitude.” Open for lunch and dinner, visitors have lots of seafood options from which to choose.

Kick off the meal with a shrimp cocktail or spicy Cajun crawfish tails. Main courses feature entrees with shrimp, oysters, scallops and fresh catches. House specialties always satisfy, so try the fried captain’s platter or stripped pangus made with a chef’s twist.

De Soto’s Seafood Kitchen

Another longtime Gulf Shores seafood favorite is De Soto’s Seafood Kitchen. This award-winning restaurant serves seafood made the way diners want it. Order it Caribbean, New Orleans, Mediterranean or pecan crusted, a local tradition.

De Soto’s Seafood Kitchen welcomes diners to enjoy lunch and dinner, with a selection of large and small meals available. For lunch, try butterfly shrimp, tilapia, grouper or crab. Dinner brings hearty portions, such as seafood platters and daily catches made with special seasonings. De Soto’s has also ranked as a top spot for families.

LuLu’s Gulf Shores

LuLu’s — one of the most festive seafood restaurants in Gulf Shores — focuses on good food in a fun-filled environment. And this spot takes fun to a new level. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Lulu’s not only serves a full menu, but also treats visitors to live music, a kids ropes course and beach, an arcade, and waterfront views.

For starters, try crab claws, smoked tuna dip or their famous seafood gumbo. To fill up, order a basket with mahi mahi, fried favorites, crab claws or the big fry. This big basket serves two and comes with fried shrimp, oysters, fish and crab claws. Lulu’s also supports family farms and serves local produce, ensuring diners receive the freshest flavors possible.

King Neptune’s Seafood Restaurant

Craving shrimp a.k.a. royal reds? Look no further than King Neptune’s, which specializes in these deep-water goodies. Family-owned and operated, King Neptune’s Seafood Restaurant offers daily lunch specials and a dinner menu packed with seafood favorites.

Appetizers include fried calamari, coconut shrimp and fried cocktail crab claws. For dinner, try the catch of the day, steamed shrimp or crab, sampler platter, or special King’s seafood casserole. Visitors can also try Louisiana seafood etouffee, which has crawfish tails, shrimp and flounder simmered in Cajun seasonings.

Original Oyster House

Southern-style seafood. That’s what guests find at Original Oyster House. For more than 30 years, the restaurant has served fresh seafood mixed with Southern flavor and hospitality. Located in the Original Oyster House Boardwalk, the area’s oldest shopping center, the oyster house also ranks as one of the oldest seafood restaurants on the coast.

Original Oyster House opens for lunch and dinner, featuring traditional favorites and local picks. For starters, try alligator bites or homemade seafood gumbo. Then choose Oyster House specialties that include whitefish, crab, mahi mahi or shrimp.

Sea-N-Suds Restaurant

Enjoy beachfront dining at Sea-N-Suds Restaurant, located on a pier overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. For more than 40 years, this top spot has welcomed guests of all ages.

Start the meal off with a bowl of their specialty gumbo. Then try oysters, stuffed crabs, seafood platter, fried shrimp or the catch of the day. Due to its location, visitors also enjoy sunset views, providing a great place for a date-night or anniversary activity.

Shrimp Basket

With more than 20 locations in the south, Shrimp Basket ranks as a top chain seafood restaurant. Its original location still sits in Gulf Shores, only two blocks from the beach. With a focus on affordability, Shrimp Basket ranks as a top spot for families as well.

Hours vary per location, but diners can order seafood, poboys and oysters at each one. Appetizers include raw oysters, crab claws and tuna dip. House specials include the Low Country boil for two, mahi mahi tacos and shrimp n’ grits. Craving a poboy? Get ready. Diners can order poboys with shrimp, whitefish, catfish, oysters and crawfish.

Where to Eat and Buy Seafood in Gulf Shores

Sassy Bass Amazin’ Grill

Sassy Bass Amazin’ Grill ranks as a top Gulf Shores seafood restaurant and favorite pick for breakfast. This casual restaurant welcomes guests to try rich flavors and have fun.

Start with an appetizer, such as crab crostini, shrimp or local raw oysters. For dinner, menu specialties include sea bass, grouper, snapper, tuna, crab and fresh catches. For more options, try raved-about skillet meals, such as shrimp n’ grits or fishin’ grits. Sassy Bass only serves Gulf-caught seafood, and visitors can take favorites home to cook in their kitchen.

Gulf Shores Seafood

Ranked as a top seafood market in Gulf Shores, Gulf Shores Seafood and Meat Market offers both uncooked and prepared options. Want to fire up the grill? This spot has shrimp, more than 10 fish options, oysters, crab legs and lobster tails. Those in a hurry or who’d rather dine elsewhere can order meals to-go. Available for lunch and dinner, guests can order shrimp, crab legs, and combo meals complete with sides and cocktail sauces.

Can’t wait to dig in? Book your Gulf Shores vacation home. Then find family attractions in Gulf Shores.