The Original Oyster House is a Gulf Coast institution that runs locations in Spanish Fort and Gulf Shores; the Gulf Shores location is the one this stretch of the Coast points visitors at. Bay-side, casual sit-down, with a gator pond out back that has been entertaining children since long before this was the polished tourist economy it is now.
The oysters — raw, chargrilled, fried — are the obvious order. The gumbo is the secret order. The bread basket is a real one. The dining room is big enough that you’ll usually get seated faster than at the Boulevard front-runners.
This is the family-of-eight option. The “we drove all day and we just need a real Gulf Coast meal” option. The “kids haven’t seen a gator yet” option. It’s all the same answer.
What to order
Oysters first — raw, chargrilled, or fried, that’s the name on the building and the kitchen earns it. The gumbo is the order locals reach for, and the bread basket is a real one, not an afterthought. Order family-style and let the table share; the menu is built for exactly that.
The gator pond and the kids
The gator pond out back has been entertaining children here for decades, and it’s the reason this place survives a long restaurant wait with kids better than most. Point them at the gators, order a round, and the table relaxes. The dining room is big enough that you’ll usually get seated faster than at the front-runners on the Boulevard.
Getting there
The Gulf Shores location off Gulf Shores Parkway is the one this stretch of the Coast points visitors at, bay-side and casual. Plenty of parking — it’s built for the family-of-eight crowd, not a tight beach-strip lot.