Oldest Restaurants
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
The restaurants and cuisine on the Alabama Gulf Coast are unlike anywhere else. Guests visit our beaches year after year, enjoying the fresh Gulf seafood and coastal cocktails our area offers. In fact, many of the restaurants in the area have been serving patrons good eats for decades. From seafood spots and burger joints to beachfront bars, these Gulf Shores and Orange Beach restaurants are some of the oldest places to eat on Alabama's Beaches.
Iconic Places to Eat on Alabama's Beaches
Cotton's Restaurant & Lounge
Cotton's Restaurant & Lounge
If you visit Cotton Bayou, you’re probably familiar with Cotton’s Restaurant & Lounge. Located just across the street from the public beach access, Cotton’s opened in 1985 and is known for its live Maine lobsters, crab claws, and hand-cut steak. This seafood spot now sits in a charming beach cottage and is only open for dinner. It's an ideal place for a memorable meal.
Doc's Seafood Shack
Doc's Seafood Shack
An Orange Beach staple, Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar has been serving patrons “the best shrimp in the civilized world” since its inception in 1984. This flip-flop-friendly joint offers sizable seafood plates and salted caramel bushwackers. Locals and visitors love the daily blue plate specials.
Original Oyster House
Original Oyster House
Southern hospitality and fresh Gulf seafood are two reasons guests and locals have been dining at Original Oyster House for over 40 years. The restaurant opened in 1983 and has expanded several times since then. It sits in the Original Oyster House Boardwalk, once named the Bayou Village, which is the oldest specialty shopping center in Gulf Shores. The building was originally the only hospital in Fort Morgan in 1898 and was floated up the bayou to Gulf Shores in the mid-1920s.
The Keg
The Keg
Known for its mouthwatering burgers, The Keg Lounge & Grill in Orange Beach is loved for late-night food and drinks and live music. This Orange Beach dive bar opened its doors in 1980, offering locals a place to hang out after hours. Today, its unique building keg-shaped door welcomes patrons inside for a brew, bite to eat, or round of pool.
Sea-N-Suds Restaurant & Oyster Bar
Sea-N-Suds Restaurant & Oyster Bar
Sea-N-Suds first opened in 1975 on a pier in an old bait shop. Hurricane Frederic destroyed the original restaurant in 1979, and the owners rebuilt it into the current building. Sea-N-Suds sits right on the beach in Gulf Shores, only a few feet away from the Gulf, making it a great spot to catch a coastal sunset while enjoying fresh seafood.
Tacky Jack's Orange Beach
Tacky Jack's Orange Beach
Established in 1979, Tacky Jacks in Orange Beach was a place for boaters and anglers to grab a bite to eat after a day on the water. In 1987, renovations were made, and the restaurant became the fun, family-friendly spot it is today. The success of the original restaurant led to the openings of the Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan locations.
Flora-Bama Lounge & Oyster Bar
Flora-Bama Lounge & Oyster Bar
Known as “the last American roadhouse,” the iconic Flora-Bama Lounge & Oyster Bar opened in 1964 after the construction of the Perdido Pass Bridge in 1962. As the lounge gained popularity, expansions were made to Flora-Bama, and in 1978, daily live music was established. Today, Flora-Bama is a world-famous bar loved by locals, visitors, and musicians and is home of the first bushwacker on the island.
The Hangout
The Hangout
With an arcade, movies, candy, drinks, and beach supplies, The Hangout was a favorite spot in the late 1950s for young beachgoers. It remained popular for decades until it was destroyed during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. After reconstruction, The Hangout reopened in 2008 as the lively Gulf Shores restaurant and entertainment area we know today.
Pink Pony Pub
Pink Pony Pub
If you’ve ever visited Alabama's Beaches, you’ve noticed the bubblegum-colored building on the beach at Gulf Place. This is the iconic Pink Pony Pub, a Gulf Shores staple since the 1950s. The restaurant was originally a part of the Seahorse Cottages but was remodeled into the Pink Pony in 1956. It operated as a bar and bait shop until 1979, when Hurricane Frederic washed away the Pink Pony and its pier. The beachfront pub was restored and is now a go-to spot for grub on the beach.
From seafood spots and burger joints to beachfront bars, these restaurants are some of the oldest in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Alabama's Beaches
These blogs are written by the destination experts at Alabama's Beaches. From the best restaurants and hidden gems to tips and tricks for making the most of your stay, our knowledgable team has the lowdown on our area.
