Best Restaurants in Gulf Shores Area (Mobile, Orange Beach: appointed, houses, price)

[ronrutmr2]

Just an update to an old thread, since it's still active....

Lester's is closed now, only does catering. Eat! just off Canal Road in OB is closed. A new, wonderful Cajun place, Cafe Acadiana, is open in Silverhill. A Tacky Jack's opened in Gulf Shores, right where Canal Road begins. Wolf Bay Lodge (re)opened in Foley, and in my NSHO, is better than the one in OB. Foosackly's is opening soon in Foley. Honey Baked Ham is now open in Foley. Lulu Buffet opened a new place next to her original Lulu's.

Most all of the old familiar places are still down here and doing fine.

[raj kapoor]

Updated food threads are always useful.

I would like to add the CACTUS GRILL (MEX) is open just about a mile north of the waterway bridge. Open a year now and is one of the best Mexican restaurants I have found in the state.

Also, R BISTRO in downtown Fairhope, Fairhope Ave., is just the greatest gourmet but simple café around. (including a fantastic bakery selection. (where the old fudge shop use to be)

And a block south is a fantastic Italian café in the beautiful new bldg. that goes through the block. (can't remember the name of course)

Warning Felix on the BAYWAY, is just not what it use to be, good luck.

So I have strayed a distance from OB, but when I am down I am all over the place.

raj

[Mobilemom52]

We have loved Fisher's in Orange Beach; they have fine (and I mean fine) dining upstairs, and a more casual atmosphere downstairs.

Good to know about the new Mexican place!

[ronrutmr2]

Acme Oyster House will be opening soon, right next to Tacky Jack's on Canal Road in Gulf Shores. Drove by there yesterday and they are finishing the detail work and hiring.

Raj, what you called Cactus Grill (I think you got that from a CC receipt?) actually has Cactus Cantina on the marquee sign. Across and down the road in Pelican Place is Cactus Flower, more southwestern (Cal/Mex they call it).

A place that has improved since we've lived down here is Cosmo's, on Canal Road in Orange Beach. We've eaten there twice in the past few days, once during lunch and once in the evening. The andouille sausage and duck gumbo is the best I've ever had. They have lunch specials and sunset specials, very reasonably priced, and in the winter they do regional foods, changing every two weeks.

My list of favorites:

Best ribs: Rib Shak, Perdido (just across the AL/FLA state line, across from the Flora-Bama)

Best hot dog: Used to be Big O's in Gulf Shores, but he relocated two doors up and dropped the dogs. The Frito dog was wonderful! Now the best dog is the Mardi Gras Dog at Old 27 Grill, Hwy 181 in Fairhope.

Best steak: Bacon wrapped filet, Wolf Bay Lodge, Foley

Best Mexican: La Cocina, Fairhope. Try some of the authentic dishes. Big honkin' burritos up to 12 inches.

Best Seafood: Tough call, there is so much to choose from down here. By a tiny margin, I chose Behind the Pines Restaurant, out Fort Morgan Road from Gulf Shores. They blacken fish with the best of them.

Best Fried Chicken: Not even close... Champy's, in Daphne. Brews, Birds and Blues....

Best Cajun: Cafe Acadiana, Silverhill. Small place, big service and food.

Best Hamburger: A lot of places offer good burgers. In no certain order, my favorites are the Nookie Burger at Behind the Pines, any of the several offered at Fish River Grill #2 (Foley location), and Cosmo's in Orange Beach.

Best Gyros: Tie: Mediterranean Sandwich Co., Daphne, and Zorba the Greek, in Mobile.

Best Breakfast: Duck's Diner, Canal Road, Orange Beach

Tourist Traps: Lambert's and Lulu's

There are many other great places we enjoy visiting. It was harder than I imagined to come up with a list! Of course, your taste is different and you will have your own favorites. You can look at my Foursquare check-ins over the years and see that we tend to eat at a lot of places. What it came down to, was when I retired, the big boss said she retired, too, meaning no cooking....

Ron

[raj kapoor]

Originally Posted by ronrutmr2

Acme Oyster House will be opening soon, right next to Tacky Jack's on Canal Road in Gulf Shores. Drove by there yesterday and they are finishing the detail work and hiring.

Raj, what you called Cactus Grill (I think you got that from a CC receipt?) actually has Cactus Cantina on the marquee sign. Across and down the road in Pelican Place is Cactus Flower, more southwestern (Cal/Mex they call it).

A place that has improved since we've lived down here is Cosmo's, on Canal Road in Orange Beach. We've eaten there twice in the past few days, once during lunch and once in the evening. The andouille sausage and duck gumbo is the best I've ever had. They have lunch specials and sunset specials, very reasonably priced, and in the winter they do regional foods, changing every two weeks.

My list of favorites:

Best ribs: Rib Shak, Perdido (just across the AL/FLA state line, across from the Flora-Bama)

Best hot dog: Used to be Big O's in Gulf Shores, but he relocated two doors up and dropped the dogs. The Frito dog was wonderful! Now the best dog is the Mardi Gras Dog at Old 27 Grill, Hwy 181 in Fairhope.

Best steak: Bacon wrapped filet, Wolf Bay Lodge, Foley

Best Mexican: La Cocina, Fairhope. Try some of the authentic dishes. Big honkin' burritos up to 12 inches.

Best Seafood: Tough call, there is so much to choose from down here. By a tiny margin, I chose Behind the Pines Restaurant, out Fort Morgan Road from Gulf Shores. They blacken fish with the best of them.

Best Fried Chicken: Not even close... Champy's, in Daphne. Brews, Birds and Blues....

Best Cajun: Cafe Acadiana, Silverhill. Small place, big service and food.

Best Hamburger: A lot of places offer good burgers. In no certain order, my favorites are the Nookie Burger at Behind the Pines, any of the several offered at Fish River Grill #2 (Foley location), and Cosmo's in Orange Beach.

Best Gyros: Tie: Mediterranean Sandwich Co., Daphne, and Zorba the Greek, in Mobile.

Best Breakfast: Duck's Diner, Canal Road, Orange Beach

Tourist Traps: Lambert's and Lulu's

There are many other great places we enjoy visiting. It was harder than I imagined to come up with a list! Of course, your taste is different and you will have your own favorites. You can look at my Foursquare check-ins over the years and see that we tend to eat at a lot of places. What it came down to, was when I retired, the big boss said she retired, too, meaning no cooking....

Ron

Thanks for your enlightenment.

Now which one am I going to?

The one I like so much is on the left as one heads north . It has a very large covered outdoor area than can be draped off with clear plastic. (seems like it had a gravel lot???)
I would agree it is more CalMex than what we normally have here. I had some things that reminded me of favorites from a place in Santa Fe, N.M.

Now would that be the Cactus Cantina, Cactus Flower Cantina???

I'll know it when I am there but I don't want to tell people the wrong place as I have mentioned this place to many as it was so good for me. I will be down in about four weeks.

Thanks if you are the first to straighten me out.

raj


OK,,,,,,,,I GOOGLED.

I like/love CACTUS CANTINA. (the one with the cactus grits) I never went to the cactus flower, as it was closed the day I stopped by.

[ronrutmr2]

Originally Posted by raj kapoor

raj


OK,,,,,,,,I GOOGLED.

I like/love CACTUS CANTINA. (the one with the cactus grits) I never went to the cactus flower, as it was closed the day I stopped by.

You're correct. Wife gets hair cut at Salon Karma in the same area, and Dr. Funk is there also (real doctor...). I usually get the grits instead of rice, just to mix it up some. The food there is good overall, nothing very spicy (wife can't eat anything spicy, even ketchup burns her). If we are looking for more authentic, we drive over to La Cosina in Fairhope.

Cactus Flower in Pelican Place tries to be a little more upscale, but we went twice and never went back. I'm not sure why we did that. It may have been they had recently opened and the service was iffy. I'll have to check with the big boss on that

Ron

[STLbeach lover]

Originally Posted by ronrutmr2

Acme Oyster House will be opening soon, right next to Tacky Jack's on Canal Road in Gulf Shores. Drove by there yesterday and they are finishing the detail work and hiring.

Raj, what you called Cactus Grill (I think you got that from a CC receipt?) actually has Cactus Cantina on the marquee sign. Across and down the road in Pelican Place is Cactus Flower, more southwestern (Cal/Mex they call it).

A place that has improved since we've lived down here is Cosmo's, on Canal Road in Orange Beach. We've eaten there twice in the past few days, once during lunch and once in the evening. The andouille sausage and duck gumbo is the best I've ever had. They have lunch specials and sunset specials, very reasonably priced, and in the winter they do regional foods, changing every two weeks.

My list of favorites:

Best ribs: Rib Shak, Perdido (just across the AL/FLA state line, across from the Flora-Bama)

Best hot dog: Used to be Big O's in Gulf Shores, but he relocated two doors up and dropped the dogs. The Frito dog was wonderful! Now the best dog is the Mardi Gras Dog at Old 27 Grill, Hwy 181 in Fairhope.

Best steak: Bacon wrapped filet, Wolf Bay Lodge, Foley

Best Mexican: La Cocina, Fairhope. Try some of the authentic dishes. Big honkin' burritos up to 12 inches.

Best Seafood: Tough call, there is so much to choose from down here. By a tiny margin, I chose Behind the Pines Restaurant, out Fort Morgan Road from Gulf Shores. They blacken fish with the best of them.

Best Fried Chicken: Not even close... Champy's, in Daphne. Brews, Birds and Blues....

Best Cajun: Cafe Acadiana, Silverhill. Small place, big service and food.

Best Hamburger: A lot of places offer good burgers. In no certain order, my favorites are the Nookie Burger at Behind the Pines, any of the several offered at Fish River Grill #2 (Foley location), and Cosmo's in Orange Beach.

Best Gyros: Tie: Mediterranean Sandwich Co., Daphne, and Zorba the Greek, in Mobile.

Best Breakfast: Duck's Diner, Canal Road, Orange Beach

Tourist Traps: Lambert's and Lulu's

There are many other great places we enjoy visiting. It was harder than I imagined to come up with a list! Of course, your taste is different and you will have your own favorites. You can look at my Foursquare check-ins over the years and see that we tend to eat at a lot of places. What it came down to, was when I retired, the big boss said she retired, too, meaning no cooking....

Ron

Returning to Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area for the month of September for a long overdue getaway. WE have been to most of the older touristy dinning places and will visit them when friends come down. What we are looking for ( due to having a month) is where the locals dine( good food, decent prices) Where locals shop for food and clothing. The local evening night spots. Seniors young at heart with that limited budget. I love the back roads, local parks to visit while DH (dear husband) plays golf.

ANY information will be greatly appreciated from anyone !!!

[ronrutmr2]

A place I failed to mention in my original post is DeSoto's in Gulf Shores. They have one of the best lunch menu values down here. Lunch prices are good till three p.m. King Neptune's in Gulf Shores is also similar, but more crowded (smaller place). Nothing much has changed since my original post.

Ron
Foley

[STLbeach lover]

Originally Posted by ronrutmr2

A place I failed to mention in my original post is DeSoto's in Gulf Shores. They have one of the best lunch menu values down here. Lunch prices are good till three p.m. King Neptune's in Gulf Shores is also similar, but more crowded (smaller place). Nothing much has changed since my original post.

Ron
Foley

Thank you !! Much appreciated.

[Keeper]

Big Daddy's is now in Gulf Shores. Great Seafood.. They also have a place on Fish River. Really nice place.

Wolf Bay lodge also has a place in Orange Beach. Love their West Indies Salad