Crab claws were great! Grouper fingers were delicious! View is pretty. Nice and attentive wait staff.

Just what I wanted. A local, no frills bar and restaurant by the river. Food was great, as was the service.

It is still winter (32 outside) and we decide to go to a place known for outside dining. We got seated right away with a table overlooking the water. Could not have gone better. We ordered the oyster platter and gumbo and both were outstanding. I heard the gumbo was best in the county and they were correct. Last time I had gumbo this good was 50 years ago at a place called Meme's. I would get this every time I go in addition to getting some to go. The oysters were every bit their equal of the gumbo. Lots of oysters that were plump with just the right amount of fry. The sweet potato fries and slaw were great sides and oh, did I forget to mention how good the oysters and gumbo were. Service was every bit the equal to the food. Kudos to Zoie. We can't compliment Big Daddy's enough. read more

Asked for a recommendation for seafood dinner, and locals sent me to this restaurant. Definitely off the beaten path, and well worth the drive! I had blackened fish and onion rings. It was so good I completely forgot to take a picture. Guess I'll just have to go back, and this time I'll get there in time to enjoy their deck that's right on the river. Great place to unwind with great food and good local folks-highly recommend! read more

Big Daddy's Grill - You know you're in the right place when you see this! - Seafood Near Me - Fairhope, Alabama

See all

What a great find! A down to earth place where you might feel like you're eating in a friendly kitchen or a back porch on the river. If you order a double burger, be prepared...it's a commitment. Nothing fancy, just really good. read more

After decades of working in other people's restaurants, Jason "Big Daddy" Newsom opened Big Daddy's Grill right on Fish River in Fairhope. It's a picturesque spot with indoor seating [us a big outdoor covered porch, with lots of tables and a lovely view, and you can arrive by car or by boat. Lots of good food, like appetizers, including Crab Claws, Seafood Gumbo, Fried Pickles, Fried Crawfish, Fried Okra, Smoked Tuna Dip, Chicken Wings, Spinach Dip, Shrimp or Chicken Quesadillas, and more. They've got daily specials that include their Hamburger, Chicken Sandwich, Philly Cheese Steak, Shrimp or Oyster Basket, and Fish Basket, and they include a side and drink. All their Po Boys and sandwiches are served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles and choice of fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, potato salad, or slaw. There's lots more on the menu including wraps, seafood options, salads, and desserts, there's something for everyone. But then there's the stuff you hear about when you mention Big Daddy's, it's the burgers! They are well-known for their burgers and the big kahuna of those is really big, juicy "Big Daddy Burger". It's a couple of big beef patties (1/2 pound) made with Swiss and American cheeses, sautéed onions, bacon, and dressed with lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles. It's indeed BIG and a little challenging to wrap your mouth around, but I am up to that challenge :-) I've had their sides, all good, crab claws, grouper fingers, Philly, and more but let me tell you about that Big Daddy Burger. Mine yesterday was indeed really big, juicy and delicious, so that's all good. However, for the first time, I had an unfortunate experience. I got a chunk of bone in one of those burger patties, it was surprising and halted my meal before I was half-finished. I brought it to my server's attention and she apologized profusely, offered to bring me anything else I wanted, and was very sweet, however I loss my appetite and declined. When our check came she told me that the meal was removed, with another apology. I asked if they ground their meat in-house and she explained that they roll the patties but the meat is ground from their supplier, so that was good to know. I have seen reviewers or individuals go nuts when something like that happens but it's not their mistake, so no nutsy response from me. I'm pretty sure they'll take it up with their meat people, and hopefully, everyone will be cautious going forward. Yesterday we got together with a group of 13 of our friends and neighbors and we were very nicely accommodated and, my bone incident aside, everyone really enjoyed their meals and good times were had by all. There's a full bar with some interesting specialty drinks, the beers on tap and in bottles are ice cold plus there are ever-changing microbrews including locals like Fairhope Brewery and brews from Big Beach. (my favorite) There are also child-friendly play areas and your puppies are welcome. Bottom line: It's a casual place with a great riverfront atmosphere, very friendly and accommodating service, locally sourced fresh seafood, tasty food, and a top-shelf burger. It's highly recommended. HOURS: Mon - 11AM - 8PM Tuesdays & Wednesdays - Closed Thurs-Sun - 11AM - 8PM https://www.bigdaddysgrill.net/ https://www.facebook.com/BigDaddysGrill read more

See all

Huge portions, nice employees, good service. The grouper was fresh and cooked just right. My only complaint would be we were there for happy hour. Drove an hour to get there. Ask what the happy hour was and was told yengling draft but they were out. No substitute. House cab on special. But we're out of that to. No substitutes. Not really much of a happy hour. read more

Off the beaten path and well worth every mile. It's not a fancy place, but it has nice outdoor seating on the water, friendly staff and good food. You definitely want to try the potato salad! read more

See all

It's a little pricey but the food is wonderful! We have tried several different items on the menu and are satisfied most of the time. Some of their sandwiches are not the best but I would say are ok. This is a seafood restaurant and the seafood is delicious but also they have a wonderful cheeseburger! Cooked to your liking. I'm not a fan of their fries or coleslaw. The onion rings are a little overcooked. The shrimp is delicious and the grouper was wonderful. Nice quiet spot on Fish River off of highway 32. Give it a try. You will be happy you did. read more

See all

Very casual spot on Fish River. Good fried shrimp and crab claws. Definitely try the hush puppies!

Over the years the prices have gone way up and the portion you get has gone way down. The place got a new manager and changed the feel of the place. A feel I don't want anymore.. we used to go by boat or even kayak all the time but not anymore.. not worth it. read more

Absolutely delicious. I had the grilled fish po boy. Huge piece of fish perfectly grilled and seasoned. Homemade beer battered onion rings. On the river provides for a nice breeze and view read more

Went a year ago and food was so good didn't even get to take a picture of it. Went recently after raving about it and wasn't too pleased. The seafood batter wasn't seasoned at all. I ordered the fried pickles which taste like fried batter and the shrimp po-boy was just average. Hoping it was just a bad day. read more

The bartenders are amazing. Locally owned business on Fish river. Gorgeous views and great bushwackers and margaritas! Lunch specials. Great atmosphere. read more

Food is amazing, atmosphere is great and staff is friendly. If I'm ever in Alabama I'll definitely be still here again. read more

See all

Great food! Great service! Love the deck overlooking the river ! Great ambiance and service!

Good food, it's a large place, so service can be a little slow in busy periods. Pricey but good quality

staff super friendly and attentive . Food excellent (oyster po boy) I have been back again already

Drove past multiple times, finally stopped in. I promise we will be coming back. The food was absolutely fantastic. Even my picky kid ate basically all of their food read more

Headed hear on a recommendation and we were very satisfied! The service was top notch and the food was very good!

Fun place to kick back on the river! Indoor and outdoor seating! Friendly staff. Solid food!

It's ok not aways great. The view is the best part. Fish River never disappoints. ...

What the h@!! happened to this place? This use to be one of my favorite places and now I am feeling nauseated. They were out of half the beer selection offered. They were out of crab claws. They were so short staffed that they had two waitresses for the entire place. Luckily there was only four tables while we were there. My catfish (if you could honestly call it that) was so badly cooked and soaked in grease that the fish itself was soggy and wet mush. The fries had so much salt on them that after just a few bites your tongue started to burn. I am not sure what has changed but it is a very sad day when I have to say that will be my last visit back. read more

Big Daddy's Grill - The grease stain from my catfish after soaking through three paper towels - Seafood Near Me - Fairhope, Alabama

We ordered to go on our first visit and it was so good we soon went back to dine in. The staff was friendly, the outdoor dining by the water and pier means this hidden jewel is basically a boater/local's oasis. I haven't even had the patience to get a photo of a meal because it's that good! We will definitely be returning! read more

Big Daddy's Grill - Inside dining - Seafood Near Me - Fairhope, Alabama

See all

We really liked it here. Being on the water, it was peaceful out on the deck. They have elevated sports bar type food which was all very good. The service was exceptional and all the other customers were happy and lively. Great lunch spot in Fairhope :) read more

We love this place! Great atmosphere down on the river. Wonderful service and portions. The fried pickles and okra are delicious appetizers.

Great food and Delaney was the best server ever!!I highly recommend it! Ask for Delaney!

Good food, great atmosphere and very good servers, highly recommended. The whole family loved it.

While we've been on vacation, we've tried a number of seafood restaurants. Ate lunch at Big Daddy's when we day-tripped it to Fairhope based on good Yelp reviews. I got the blackened shrimp basket with sweet potato fries. My sweetie got the fried shrimp and oyster basket with onion rings. Everything was delish and we were stuffed. We caught the Thursday lunch special which was $4 off the regular price, plus came with a drink. Yummy and a great value! Different lunch specials different days, FYI. Tip: they have a "Mo-Betta" BBQ/mayo sauce that was great on the fries and everything really. Ask for it! Mellow waterfront setting. We ate outside on the deck. The only thing that would have made this visit better is if we could have climbed into a hammock after lunch and taken a nap. Seriously! Ha! read more

Really had a terrible experience. Waitress was over worked but very sweet, the person delivering our meals was rude, indifferent and ineffective. Won't go back. Too bad because the view is very pretty. read more

Great service. Great view. Great food. This place is a MUST stop. Yes, the sampler appetizer is expensive, BUT you must order it!

The food was definitely SYSCO. Shrimp was to breaded and had no fresh taste. The fries were tuff and chewy. Slaw was food service grade. The sweet tea was Great(true Southern). and the fried oysters were Awesome. Service was good. Atmosphere was good. read more

This place is absolutely perfect! It's really the epitome of life on the Alabama Gulf Coast: it's on the water, shaded by live oaks, and has phenomenal fresh seafood. We opted to sit out on the deck because it was such a gorgeous day. A portion of the deck is covered and a portion of it is not. There's a nice bar that wraps around the deck with stools so you can sit and look directly out at the dock and the river. There's also indoor dining and a cool covered area by the entrance that has a bar, picnic tables and a brick fireplace which is probably awesome in the winter months. We'll definitely have to find out! The food was amazing. We started with the blackened shrimp quesadilla and enjoyed it so much we were almost disappointed to see our entrees come out. The quesadilla had locally caught blackened shrimp, cheese, peppers and onions. I ordered the fried shrimp basket, which is something I never order but was kind of in the mood for today. It was exceptional. The shrimp was big and perfectly fried. My hubs ordered the crawfish po'boy and their house made gumbo. I tried the gumbo and it was delicious. This place currently has 76 reviews and 4 1/2 stars. That tells you a lot! Whether you go by car or boat, the important thing is that you go. You won't regret it! read more

See all

At first glance, this might appear to be your standard waterside fried seafood dive. I was pleased to find a fun and lively place with really solid food. The blackened shrimp and fried okra that I tried were both fantastic. Our waitress did awesome. The kids had fun in the huge sandbox,and I had fun with a cold beer. The band playing the patio was a nice touch. This place is not fancy, but it sure was fun. read more

We just had the worst customer service. It's 4/14/22, Thursday and our group of about 30 was in for dinner between 4:00 - 5:00 pm. When we sat down, we asked our waitress to make the AC not so cold and blowing on us so hard. She said she would tell the manager. After several minutes, the AC was still blowing hard and cold directly on us and we asked her, again to do something about the cold. She didn't apologize for our discomfort or apparently do anything about it. When one member of our party asked her to get the manager, she refused and to his statement, "some of us may leave", her answer was "I don't care - leave!" Our group of 30 will not go back to Big Daddy's again because of this inconsiderate attitude by Big Daddy's employees. It was the worst treatment in recent memory by a waitress. read more

Loved this place! I travel for my job all over the world. I use Yelp all the time, but this is the first time I've felt compelled to write a review. When first arriving, I asked the host if I could sit outside on the stools facing the water. For parties of 1 or 2, this is an ideal location. You feel the breeze of the air, smell the familiar scent of boat gasoline, and enjoy beautiful views of the lake filled with happy families. Now let me tell you, I live in St. Louis, and this place truly makes me want to move to a lake and feel this happy everyday. I ordered the fried pickles and the kids portion of the crab claws. The fried pickles were tasty, addictive in fact, but the portion was so huge I had to fill up a whole box with my leftovers! The crab claws were amazing. Anyone who doesn't know what this is, they crack the shell off of smaller crab claws, batter the claw, then fry it! Yum! I loved the spicy cocktail sauce it came with. The tarter sauce was also great! I'm leaving here with a full tummy and a big smile. Please give this place a chance! Yes it's in the middle of no where, but the drive to this place from downtown Fairhope is actually beautiful. Whether you're into nature or huge mansions, it really is a nice drive here. So go get an adult size of those amazing crab claws! Right now!! Oh, and it should be noted that my waitress, Jessica P, was a delight. She was polite, warm, and made me feel right at home. Thanks for having such a great restaurant!!! read more

The service was not super friendly, and the food was pretty bland. Our table got crab claws to share, and then I got a shrimp and oyster po boy, my husband got a burger and my in laws got a shrimp Poboy. Everything needed salt and pepper, hot sauce, tartar and/or cocktail sauce to have any flavor. It did come out hot and fresh. read more

Big Daddy's Grill - Crab claws - Seafood Near Me - Fairhope, Alabama

Always good food. Staff is very friendly. The fried fish is very good. As are the Burgers!

This was the worst service I think I have ever had. Appetizer came out fine. Dinner however was another story. Waited for over an hour after we finished our appetizer. When we asked the bartender/server regarding our food. He responded that he would check on it. Another 15 mins go by... he never came back to table... told him that we would just take the check. He responded by just throwing our check on the table. Manager comes over and is just a total b}#^*}. Making excuses.... I've been a server before and know the drill.... No remorse from server or manager! Manager responded by saying "whatever" and walked off. I have been a customer of big daddy's for about 15 years.... And I will NEVER GO BACK. This again was the most horrible service I have ever had at a restaurant. I left a 0 tip... and even with crappy service, I have left at least 8% tip because that is what the server is taxed on. Just the IFGAF attitude is what really pissed me off. Never get my business again. Hope they make tons of money during the summer from the tourists to support them during the winter months! read more

Big Daddy's Grill - Seafood Near Me - Fairhope, Alabama

Reliably great. Casual and easy- reasonable prices and attentive service. I Have fined here about once a week for the last few years. Mahi basket with sweet potato fries- top notch. Highly suggest the bushwackers too and even more fun if you can visit by boat! read more