Gulf Coast Eats

One of our favorite things to do while at the beach is to go out to the wonderful restaurants. We tend to stay away from all the chain restaurants because you can have those anywhere, anytime.

So, I'm gonna give y'all my run down on all the places we went to eat on vacation. Some were delicious, and some we will probably check off our list. And since I know a good bit of y'all are headed to the beach soon, I wanted to share my thoughts with you so y'all don't miss out!

Tacky Jack's Gulf Shores

This was my first time to eat at Tacky Jack's, and it was delicious. The perfect atmosphere, and a wide variety of food. We sat inside, but there was also outdoor seating available. Regardless where you are sitting though, you'll enjoy the music from the live band! Oh, and might I recommend the brownie sundae. We kept seeing them passing our table, and we knew we just had to have it!

Dress code: beach attire to causal
Price: $$

Ribs and Reds

This one will not be on our must eats list on any of the future beach trips. Of course, it could be that none of us ordered any ribs, or reds. I had my heart set on some grilled chicken, but the two sides that came with the meal, I didn't want those — I wanted something else. We were told there were NO SUBSTITUTIONS. So I had to settle for a burger. Like I said, it's now crossed off our list. And due to the unhappiness that I was clearly showing on my face and attitude, I decided not to take any photos of the meal that night. 

Dress Code: beach attire to casual 

Price: $$

Mikee's

Mikee's is right across the street from Ribs and Reds, and it's actually the place we had planned to go the night we went to Ribs and Reds, but the line was waaaaay out the door so we settled for the restaurant across the street. The next night, we were there early (5 pm) and were seated immediately. And the food, well, it was pretty delicious! They had great prices, and you got a lot of food. The Mr had the all you can eat shrimp, I had grilled chicken, and the in-laws had the fresh catch of the day. 

Dress Code: causal

Price: $$

  

Cotton's

If you're craving a delicious steak, this is one of the places I would highly suggest. We've eaten here every beach trip. It's a must for us. But, you'll want to get there early because it's a small place, but well worth the wait!! We all got the filet with a perfectly baked potato and salad. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Dress code: casual

Price: $$$

Live Bait

We had lunch at Live Bait one of the days we were on vacation. For starters, they offer a great lunch menu. Of course, they have your traditional gulf coast eats, too. The Mr decided to go for the shrimp po-boy. I still can't believe he almost ate the entire sandwich!

Dress Code: casual

Price: $$

Wolf Bay Lodge

This was our first time to try this place. It's located at Zeke's Landing, so the view of all the deep sea fishing boats were amazing. We all had something different. I went for the filet, however, it was a wrong choice. They over cooked the meat, but they aren't known for their steaks. The Mr got reds, and he said they were a bit over cooked, but good. Judy and Johnny loved their meals. Grilled Mahi Mahi and shrimp kabobs. 

Dress code: beach attire to causal

Price: $$$

Shipp's Harbor House

Without a doubt this was my favorite meal of the trip! To be honest, I cleaned every inch of my plate from the salad, to the main course even down to the dessert. Okay, the dessert didn't end up with a clean plate, but you'll understand why after you see the photo below. It was huge. We all had filets and they were cooked PERFECTLY! We each got a different sauce to top off our filet, and they all were a hit! The desserts... a must, too! 

Dress Code: casual to beach dressy

Price Code: $$$

The Original Oyster House

A trip to the Original Oyster House is a stop that everyone must make at the beach. They have a wonderful salad bar, and the service is great. The Mr got Shrimp Au Gratin and it looked and smelled delicious. Of course it was so big that he couldn't eat it all. Definitely a must for your upcoming beach trip! And even if there's a wait... they have great shops beside it make the time go by fast!

Dress Code: casual

Price: $$

Shucker's

I don't eat oyster's, but the rest of our crew did. Shucker's has happy hour from 5 - 7 every night, so we decided to try the place out. I munched on mozzarella sticks while they devoured two dozen naked oysters. They said they were really good. I'll just take their word for it.

Dress Code: beach attire to causal

Price: $-$$

LuLu's

This is our traditional going home lunch. You can't beat the atmosphere, and the view. There is plenty of fun for the young and the young at heart. The menu is traditional gulf coast food mixed with great sandwiches. I had their paradise burger and it was the best burger I had on the trip! It's another one I would add to your list!

Dress Code: beach attire to causal

Price: $$ 

Dress Codes:

Beach attire — swimsuits and coverups, etc.

Causal — shorts, jeans, T-shirts, summer dress, etc.

Beach dressy — sun dresses, jeans, collared shirts, etc.

Price Codes:

$ — under $10 a person

$$ — $10 - $20 a person

$$ — $20 - $30 a person

Just looking back at all the photos from our Gulf Coast Eats and remembering all the food makes me ready to go back now to enjoy it all again!

Hope this gives y'all future beach goers a good idea of where y'all should and shouldn't eat.

Let me know if you have any questions!