Dinner’s Ready

Ok, I am torn between a 3 and 4 star review. I am going with 4 bc my bisque was delicious but how…read morehard is it to wipe the bowl and bring it out neatly? The server also gets a 4. She was fund and helpful with the menu. Now, for the not so great. The inside is not inviting. It's dated and more casual than you would expect. My husband's "blackened" seafood platter was not blackened at all. The coleslaw had no dressing. It looks like there was no effort at all to make the food look appetizing.

Busy place but they do take reservations, which I recommend. The food was flavorful and served in…read moregenerous portions. There are two outdoor seating areas. I would recommend the outside back bar. Inside restaurant area is a little cramped but that is where they had the live music playing. Even though it was busy both times we visited, the staff was friendly and provided attentive service!

Our first visit - they are pretty busy, hopefully a good sign

Jamaican jerk grouper topped w/shrimp and peppers.

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Pirate's Bar and Grill

3.6(490 reviews)

0.7 mi

The architecture is cool, the restaurant is huge with 2 levels plus a pool area (which has a stage…read morefor music sometimes) and from our experience this is the best sit-down restaurant on Dauphin Island (admittedly a low bar). Seafood definitely seems fresh and local, my wife loved her grilled shrimp po-boy and I got a seafood platter with fried shrimp, fish, and oysters that were perfectly seasoned and tasty. We were very happy with everything, and liked that the shrimp were peeled & deveined which we prefer but was unusual to find when we lived in New Orleans. Service was good, drink options sufficient, and the top level has a pretty good view even if you're not seated on the window. We typically cook on Dauphin Island for various reasons including usually travelling with a dog, but Pirates is a gem definitely worth visiting on any visit to Dauphin Island. Bravo!

Likely our last visit for a while as we move our boat up to Fairhope next week. We arrived on a…read morefriday at 5:45, the wait was 35 minutes. Imho, they were seating faster than each waitress could keep up and it affected our service for sure. They were slammed, so I left the 4th star. We ordered eveything at once as we were there a while before our waitress Tanya made it over. Beer / wine, gumbo, fried fish dinner with baked potato and fried okra, she had the ahi tuna with sauteed spinach. We finished with cheesecake and a berry sauce. Everything was tasty, I had a fish filet and enough okra for another meal. The view, makes this place, the building architecture, if you like that, I do, and the food is consistently tasty. When we visit the island going forward, this will be our first pick.

Soft Shell Crab Poboy

Best view on the island

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Grilled Texas Toast Blackened Shrimp BLT

Bayou Catalina

4.6(124 reviews)

12.8 mi

Great Food, Great Service. Wish there were more restaurants like this on Dauphin Islandread more

I'm not going to lie, pulling up out front I was nervous. However, the food and the service was…read moregreat! We love to find local restaurants while on vacation instead of chains and this is one we will return to if ever staying on dauphin island or the surrounding area again.

Blackened shrimp with hushpuppies and a sweet potato (cost way more than it's worth)

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Main entry

Capt'n Snapper's Marina Bar & Grill

3.4(186 reviews)

0.7 mi

We had a great experience, the service was amazing Bonita was an excellent server and made sure…read moreeverything was perfect for us. The sautéd crab claws were some of the best I've ever had, then the blackened triggerfish with the crawfish sauce was super good. Can honestly say it's not where you go if you're expecting white tablecloths and fancy china. But if you love an old school beach restaurant then this is the place for you. Nothing fancy just very good food with a very welcoming hospitable staff and cold beer.

The only nice things I can say is we were seated fast & our waitress was good. The food was not…read moregood especially for the price.

Shrimp n Grits

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Dining area

Dority's Bar & Grill

4.3(37 reviews)

0.1 mi

The BEST! Loved everything about this spot! The food was so good. The atmosphere was so…read morecomfortable and so fun. The music was flipping awesome! Whew! The coconut margaritas were the greatest. The Staff were absolutely incredible. Bought several really cool shirts from the owner. This lady was a Rockstar! She made me feel so welcome and she is so much fun. Only genuine people can have this kind of pull! Seriously, if you go to Dolphin Island and you do not go to Dority's-you are not my people! im coming back TO COME HERE!

First time. Ordered chix curry, crab rangoon and Pa Thai. Good portions, priced reasonably. All…read moredelicious!! Service was great. Band playing in the back by the bar was and added extra. Will definitely go back.

Interior

Chicken curry and rice

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Interior

Dockside Seafood Restaurant

4.1(79 reviews)

0.3 mi

Food was amazing! We did sit outside and the birds were pretty crazy, but would highly recommend!…read moreWe got two types of shrimp, and my blackened shrimp quesadilla was so good! Kids even went back tonight!

If you're looking for no-frills good food, you probably won't go wrong here. The service didn't…read moregive me the warm and fuzzies, but it wasn't bad, either. While you are served at your table, you order at the counter. The prices are reasonable for the portions and I really appreciate menus with good specials. This is not a touristy place and think it's probably frequented more by locals, which I really can appreciate. It's anything but fancy--the food is served in baskets. Nevertheless, our table finished everything; it was cooked freshly and well-seasoned. I really enjoyed the fried shrimp tacos and the crinkle cut fries. The next time I find myself back on the island, I would definitely come back.

Inside

Good. BUT, it's more like an appetizer than a meal. It looked so much bigger in other pics.

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Nice view

Southwood Kitchen

4.7(309 reviews)

26.7 mi

Southwood Kitchen has the best, most consistent food in Baldwin County, trust the Chef and order…read moreanything...you won't be disappointed!

I had high hopes for Southwood but my expectations were not met. Stopped in for a late lunch on…read moreSaturday. First the good: excellent service. Good margaritas, great fries, good Blackened Shrimp Bahn Mi. The not so good. My husband ordered the House Ground Burger, medium well. When it arrived, it looked great until he picked it up to take a bite and this plate filled with blood. The burger was rare at best. The server was as shocked as we were and quickly removed the plate. Unfortunately, the second try was still not medium well. It was somewhere between medium rare and rare. One miss I can overlook but not twice.

Airline chicken

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Sunset at the beach for effect

Miguel's Beach'n Baja

4.2(132 reviews)

0.0 mi

Spent a little time on the island and had lunch here. Simple chicken nachos could have been better…read morewith more cilantro. The cheese was awful. They watered it down. ?! Why??! See the puddle in the picture. Not worth the $10 if they were going to mess it up by drizzling it with cheese-colored water. My kids were fine with their quesadillas and had BBY gives his fish tacos a 3/5. Service happened, nothing particularly extra. I cannot recommend the restaurant and certainly not the nachos.

It's a bit non-descript and can be difficult to notice, but food options on the island are limited…read moreand who doesn't like a burrito? It's takeout only, and the people are friendly but I find the burritos to be consistently over-salted. On one visit we threw away at least half a burrito because it was practically inedible - and my wife actually has a high salt tolerance so when she agrees that something is overly salty that's unusual. A lot of people like it here which tells me that the quality must vary, but that's not exactly a good feature for a restaurant. My experiences won't lead me back here, everything can be a bit hit-or-miss on Dauphin Island but for me Miguel's Beach 'n Baja has sadly been a miss.

Menu

Burrito bowl with steak, black beans, rice, lettuce, cheese and salsa

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Southern Shells

4.7(37 reviews)

20.7 mi

Employees are friendly Takes a minute, because it's cooked…read moreto order but it is worth the wait Ask for a sample of the gumbo

It's a restaurant in a grocery store. It is not fine dining but the food is good and staff…read moreattentive. If you're in the area at lunch put this one in the option bucket

Combo # 2

Po'boy picnic

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Steamed blue crab claws with garlic butter.

The River Shack

4.2(71 reviews)

21.5 mi

Amazing food, funky vibe, fantastic views. This place is a huge shack with indoor and outdoor…read moreseating. Live music (ok one guy but he was entertaining) and a laid back feel. Boats pull right up to the dock and everyone is so friendly! Now the food: I rarely eat beef but after hearing so many positive things about the burger, I gave it a try. OMG drip down your elbows juicy! Served with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, red onions and some sort of spicy red sauce that added the perfect touch. Fries were hot, crispy, and full of flavor. Hubby got the blackened shrimp po-buy. The shrimp were overflowing the roll! I stole a few and again, some of the best shrimp ever. Definitely will be returning!

This place has such a cool vibe! Outdoor seating on the water was my favorite. Indoors there is a…read moresmall bar. Food it order at the window and take a # type of place. I had the chargrilled oysters, a bushwacker and some shrimp/crawfish nachos.

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Dinner’s Ready - southern - Updated September 2026

People who viewed Dinner’s Ready also viewed

Bayou Catalina

4.6

(124 reviews)

Great Food, Great Service. Wish there were more restaurants like this on Dauphin Islandread more

I'm not going to lie, pulling up out front I was nervous. However, the food and the service was…read moregreat! We love to find local restaurants while on vacation instead of chains and this is one we will return to if ever staying on dauphin island or the surrounding area again.

Island Chevron & Grill

3.9

(33 reviews)

Got a couple of burgers and fries for lunch a few days ago. I waited in the car while my mother…read morestayed inside. It took a hot minute, but everything was cooked to order and so hot that I burned my fingers stealing a crinkle fry! Yum! Crinkle fries are the best! The burgers were really good! And had fresh veggies on them (ie. iceberg lettuce, tomato, onions, and b&b pickles). They just needed a little salt. Prices were pretty high, but it IS the Island, so it's to be expected. All in all, I'd give the food a 9/10! And, sorry there's no picture, but I was hangry!

I mean, it's a decent gas station (they offer Ethanol-free gas which is a nice option for boaters…read moreand those who want better gas for their cars) and the convenience store hot food is above average. For a gas station. It's probably a statement on the Dauphin Island food options that so many people rave about the pizza and breakfast sandwiches - which are fine, sometimes pretty good. Service is usually vaguely friendly and convenience store retail & food/drink options are fairly standard. The Chevron has a prime location on Dauphin Island which is more convenient than the other gas station, but when the closest McDonald's is 20-30 minutes away I guess that makes this the best breakfast sandwich around. C'est la vie.

Pelican Reef

3.5

(117 reviews)

food was fantastic and service was great. Best blackened halibut ever! Twice baked potato was out…read moreof this world terrific!

We went and saw the Christmas lights at Bellingrath and were looking for a place to eat after…read more Looked this place up and it was on our way back to Florida so we decided to stop. Around 730 and they don't close till 9. We were seated really quickly and hosts were really nice. We had to wait about 10 mins for a server and asked a guy that was bussing table and he got a lady to come take drink orders. My wife said she noticed our server was working on the bigger party. When we finally got a drink order we put in appetizers and meals cause we weren't sure if we were gonna see the server again. We prob waiting another 15 mins for chicken tenders and fried mushrooms. They had to bring us silverware at that time as well. But I did notice there was a larger table outside that had just got their food. So that might have been the delay. About 10mins after that we got our food. The crispy fried green tom with fried crab sandwich. I asked for more remolaude cause it look like the portion was an 1/8. The remolaude needs some work it taste like 1000 island dressing def not remolaude. The sandwich was amazing though. Wife got the stuff crab and said they were amazing too. After the chicken tenders the waitress cleared the plates and mentioned something about a chocolate cake. That took about 10 mins and when we asked someone else about it cause we were ready to go she said oh she is probally heating up the choc bomb in the microwave. The food was amazing the service was not great at all. As we were walking out I could see out waitress in a back area making plates of salad. Since we left after 9 and the only ones there I would assume she was doing side work for tomorrows lunch. Kitchen did a great job executing. The management or shift leaders need to tighten up a bit for better service. Great service goes a long way.

The Hope Farm

4.1

(210 reviews)

Wow, our meal at The Hope Farm was my absolute favorite meal I had while in Fairhope Alabama! The…read moreambiance was so nice, interior and exterior was so beautiful. The landscaping was gorgeous. We sat outside and the lighting was so cute. Our meal was so good! The watermelon appetizer and the curry soup were so good!! Very nice balanced flavor. I ordered the garden plate and it was very nice. Other entrees were the chicken schnitzel and my companions really liked it. The Twice Baked Potato were a big hit. What a wonderful restaurant and the whole place e was beautiful!! Do go, it it's a an amazing place!

The variety of fresh dishes are designed to appeal to everyone. The sweet potato with pecans was…read moredelicious. Wanted to get more to take home! Service as friendly and attentive throughout the meal. The ambiance is a bit loud, and the live music outside was not audible despite the live feed into the dining room. I suppose louder music would make people talk even louder?

Capt'n Snapper's Marina Bar & Grill

3.4

(186 reviews)

We had a great experience, the service was amazing Bonita was an excellent server and made sure…read moreeverything was perfect for us. The sautéd crab claws were some of the best I've ever had, then the blackened triggerfish with the crawfish sauce was super good. Can honestly say it's not where you go if you're expecting white tablecloths and fancy china. But if you love an old school beach restaurant then this is the place for you. Nothing fancy just very good food with a very welcoming hospitable staff and cold beer.

The only nice things I can say is we were seated fast & our waitress was good. The food was not…read moregood especially for the price.

Dockside Seafood Restaurant

4.1

(79 reviews)

Food was amazing! We did sit outside and the birds were pretty crazy, but would highly recommend!…read moreWe got two types of shrimp, and my blackened shrimp quesadilla was so good! Kids even went back tonight!

If you're looking for no-frills good food, you probably won't go wrong here. The service didn't…read moregive me the warm and fuzzies, but it wasn't bad, either. While you are served at your table, you order at the counter. The prices are reasonable for the portions and I really appreciate menus with good specials. This is not a touristy place and think it's probably frequented more by locals, which I really can appreciate. It's anything but fancy--the food is served in baskets. Nevertheless, our table finished everything; it was cooked freshly and well-seasoned. I really enjoyed the fried shrimp tacos and the crinkle cut fries. The next time I find myself back on the island, I would definitely come back.

Pirate's Bar and Grill

4.1

(10 reviews)

Noteworthy: they moved locations. They are now on the main drag…read more We first tried Pirates at their old location a couple years back. We come every year to the dauphin Island so we had to try their new location. We ordered the blue crab balls, fried okra, blackened shrimp Caesar salad, the blackened oyster dinner with beans. The blue crab balls were phenomenal. They were so good. We ordered two orders. Doing a great job driving the food was four out of five stars. I would say the service was probably two out of five stars. Our server wasn't very tentative and was tucked behind the main booth what seemed like the majority of the time. Fun environment, definitely friendly for small kiddos. We had our baby with us which they accommodated. All in all a good experience. We will more than likely be back again.

We saw Pirates as we were exploring the island earlier in the day and decided to stop by for…read moredinner. Plenty of parking and on this Friday night in April, the outside tables (which we would have loved) were full but several available tables inside. Quickly greeted by Sara who was very friendly. Ordered soft drinks until we saw a drink delivered to the next table. Sara told us it was a Miami Vice and my fiancé had to try it. Fiancé ordered the fish with a recommendation from Sara for the potato salad as a side. Fiancé loved it. I opted for fried shrimp with fries and Sara indulged my extra sauces request without hesitation. Food was piping hot, well prepared and tasted amazing. The pirate theme was there and the entire staff was friendly.

Jubilee Poolside Grill

4.0

(4 reviews)

As far as poolside service, drinks, food go, this is one of the best that I've experienced. The…read morefood felt reasonably priced, majority of the wait staff were incredibly attentive and prompt, and the drinks were delicious.

Thought this place was super fun! The pina colada was YUMMM! it was $16 so expensive but not sure…read morei'd have two . they have very good options for frozens! They had the football games on which i liked too.

Miguel's Beach'n Baja

4.2

(132 reviews)