GTs On The Bay

We always seek out a new to us place for dining on our trips to Gulf Shores, and saw lots of suggestions for GTs on The Bay! Our visit started a bit awkward as we approached the hostess stand, none of the three ladies seemed interested in greeting us. So we politely let them know we had a party of 4 and one of them made the sacrifice of leading us to a table. Our waitress was very friendly and suggested some appetizers from the happy hour menu despite it being almost an hour past happy hour. We started with the fried pickles and cheese pizza. The fried pickles had a delicate coating of batter and a clean fry, and nice pickle flavor. Instead of a pizza they brought out chips and queso, which got returned and a fabulous cheese pizza was brought out rather quickly much to the delight of our kids. The pizza was better than most take out pizza chains and a better price. Ours turned out to be free as the waitress and server had a discussion at our table about not being able to get us the happy hour pricing on the appetizers and we paid full price on the pickles. For entrees we tried the two pasta dishes, chicken strips, and cheeseburger. These were all cooked and seasoned to perfection and we all loved the food! We will definitely be coming back regularly to GTs, the food is that good!

We recently visited yesterday and had a mixed experience. The food was okay—nothing particularly memorable—but the entree portions were huge, making appetizers unnecessary, which is great value for the price. Unfortunately, our experience started off on a sour note. We weren’t greeted with a “hi” or even a smile when we walked in. The hostesses were chatting among themselves and barely acknowledged us, which was a bit off-putting. Thankfully, our waitress Hope was attentive and friendly, which helped. The vibe of the restaurant is lovely, especially with the waterfront setting—it’s perfect for a casual meal by the bay. As a fried pickle lover, I was a bit disappointed—the fried pickles were just okay, and I probably wouldn’t order them again. Overall, decent value and a nice atmosphere, but the service and some menu items could use improvement.

The best part of our experience was Hope - she was very kind and patient, and even helped me pick my entree. The portions are VERY generous, so you may want to skip the appetizers. Firecracker Shrimp - very salty, but the sauce had a great flavor; just not very spicy. Surf n Turf - I got it with the Blackened Shrimp. The star of the meal was honestly the grits at the bottom of the plate. The steak was seasoned well, but was pretty tough cooked at a Medium-Rare. The Shrimp was good as well, nothing to write home about.

Great atmosphere in a huge building with loads of seating. We tried the cheese dip as an app and it was quite good with mild spice and good tortilla chips. It was well after dark but the lit up deck and dock are nice to look at anyhow. Catch of the day was Mahi Mahi that turned into a tasty sandwich. Shrimp cocktail was 10 large shrimp and sauce with horseradish to kick it up if you want. Grilled shrimp in the kid's menu was 8 shrimp on a skewer that were delicious, with an ample serving of fries. I had seared yellowfin tuna and it was fantastic - sweet chili reduction, grits and collards rounded it all off nicely. Try the old fashioned, it's a very slight twist on the Wisconsin style (hint: you get the "fruit cocktail") and worth the price. We had Jordan as a server and he was attentive and entertaining.

This is a fun place for dinner. They were on a 40 minute wait so we opted for faster service at the bar. They were very busy and the service was a bit slow, however appetizers came out almost immediately which was nice. The pork chop is amazing and I definitely recommend. The bourbon glaze is phenomenal. I opted for mashed Yukon potatoes over the sweet potatoes and they did not disappoint. I also loved the Cajun empanadas. My sister got the crab legs and they came out like warm and were hard to crack/eat because of it. They were also pretty small in size. They have a large patio that leads out to the dock which was beautiful at sunset. There was live music on the patio as well.

GT’s sit overlooking Wolf Bay off of Canal Road deep in the heart of Orange Beach. As a wide assortment menu and they have a stone hearth pizza oven and a small salad bar. With a heavy Cajun influence, if you keep a Levitical, Kosher or Halal diet, you will have a hard time finding enough selections at GT’s. Order carefully as many of their offerings have items embedded in them that do not fit with those diets. The appetizer portions are minimal. It’s a big loud restaurant with a gift shop at the entrance, a fish pond in the middle, a big open deck with musical entertainment, bar and a big sandbox with a pirate ship for the children. All this with the background of a lovely view to the bay. A suggestion is to look at the menu before you venture out and make sure there is enough items that fit within your diet. If you don’t partake in pork and shellfish, you will have to settle on something you can get anywhere else. Come on GT’s be inclusive, review and update your menu.

This was our first year trying GTs on the Bay. We ate there on 3 occasions this particular trip. Lunchtime twice, and dinner time the third time. All the food was very well cooked prepared and presented. Burgers, Seafood Entrees, Pastas, and Salad Bar.

Visiting from Wisconsin, service was great, our food was top notch. My husband got the catch of the day which was swordfish & I had the surf & turf. Place was so beautiful on the water, providing an amazing experience. Will be back when we visit again.

Lots of choices from fish to pork to burgers. The young lady was attentive to our needs and questions. The food was good, tasty and hot. Had the burger. It was big, cooked to order and included tots. It's a fairly large place with a big builtin aquarium in the middle. Has a cool little shark as well as other fish. All in all it was a good experience and close to the sun outdoors campground.

Jordan was a great server. Food and drinks were great. Fish tank was fun. Great for kids.

We ate here while on vacation in Orange Beach. We went early and the food was pretty good. The view is SPECTACULAR. This is a great place to bring kids! I got GT's Grouper and added crab meat to it. And it was EXCELLENT!! The cheese grits were perfect. GET THIS! My husband got the special which was blackened snapper with crawfish étouffée. The fish was overdone so it was dry. But the flavor profile was great. Étouffée was perfect consistency. Not too runny and not too thick. I would not get this again. My kids got the popcorn shrimp and they were decent sized, but they weren't very crispy. Like they'd been sitting under a light for a while. My kids didn't care and ate every bit of it anyway, but if your kids have a well developed culinary palette, they might care. Mine do not and will eat anything that's been fried in the last 24 hours. There's shark and turtle plastic cups of water available for kids that are $12. Our waiter was keen on the upsell and immediately asked our kids if they were sharks or turtles and my kids were all like YAAAAAY SHARKS!!!! But for a $12 beverage, I expect it to be for adults and there to be some sort of alcohol involved. So my kids were super miffed about not getting "the only cup they ever wanted" even though we have cabinets overflowing with every other fun cup imaginable. I understand the upsell aspect (he was successful in 1 out of 4 upsell attempts), but whining kids at dinner isn't fun. Luckily they all forgot about the only thing they ever wanted after playing in the play area outside while we waited for our food. There's also a dock overlooking the bay and a giant open fish tank located in the middle of the restaurant. So the atmosphere is GREAT. All in all, I would go back here so I could have that grouper again. It was THAT good. I'd also get the salad bar cause it looked AMAZING and I'd bring my kids a water from home in one of the fancy water bottles we already own.

Great salad bar. The shrimp and grits were amazing. Can't wait to go back and enjoy the view in the light...

GTs on the Bay is a popular seafood restaurant. Kid and group friendly. Decent salad bar priced small plate, single visit, two visits, or unlimited visits. Friend's Caesar Salad, a good test of any restaurant, was disappointing and over-dressed. Grouper Sandwich was probably the best item of the night. I chose the unlimited salad bar and platter of shrimp cocktail. Next visit I'd probably order the steamed Peel 'n Eat Shrimp and the salad bar. Several brewskies on draught. Bay view venue. Open daily, lunch and dinner. Private parking lot. Live music during dinner. Small Gripe: Salad bar croutons were nothing more than toasted bread without butter or oil, or seasoning. Does not belong at any salad bar. Holiday Inn salad bar croutons are better.

Beautiful view of the gulf with excellent service! I had the filet and my husband had the catch of the day which was sheepshead. I also added a one-trip salad bar to my meal. My husband said his meal was delicious. The salad bar was well stocked and so good! My steak was cooked correctly (medium), but it wasn't the best I've ever had. It was a little tough and didn't have a lot of flavor. I would definitely go back and try something different! It's certainly worth a visit!

I say Strawberry you say Mojito! The strawberry mojito here is excellent and we enjoyed the tatchos with pulled pork and gouda cheese sauce also. The restaurant is large and seating was immediate even during spring break. Our server was attentive, checking on us and following up with requests after our food was presented. Live music was lively!

Great restaurant! I got the fried shrimp, my spouse got catch of the day and father in lawn got the fish sandwich, and mother in law got the steak and shrimp. Everyone enjoyed their meals, my mother in laws steak was so tender I literally watched her cut it with a butter knife. We got the firecracker shrimp and fried pickles as our appetizer, both were delicious the pickles were thin (just how I like!) We sat outside but it got chilly and our awesome waiter moved us inside. The restaurant is very large and we had no wait, but I'm sure in the summer this place gets completely packed. Very family friendly with a large tank for kids to look into and large playground. Highly recommend this place has great service, great food and a great atmosphere!

Went to dinner at GTs On The Bay tonight in Orange Beach AL. We had fried pickles and GT's Dip, and I had the Chicken Carbonara which was really good. Our server was excellent and our family had a very enjoyable meal. I would definitely make a return trip in the future if the opportunity presents itself. (sorry for the lack of pics -- too busy eating!)

This is our second time we've been to GT's. I had the salmon salad & shared the firecracker shrimp appetizer. Both were excellent! The rest of the family had the snow crab leg steamer plate, the blackened fish sandwich & the chicken carbonara. Everyone enjoyed their meals. Kids weren't crazy about the seasoning on the corn, but that was the only complaint. Dessert was the fried coconut pie which was delicious with a nice mix of textures. Will be back!

Good is always excellent. Salad bar has great dressings and choices. Sitting outside is fantastic with great views of Wolf Bay. Wait staff is very accommodating and food comes out in a timely manner.

Such a cool place! Ample indoor seating and wonderful umbrella outdoor seating with views of the bay and live music. Large food selection to feed all from seafood, pizza, salad bar, and even vegetarian options! Do recommend giving it a try!

Great view. Second time getting salad bar. Love the variety of salad toppings. Server was very nice although all he really had to do for me was get my water and plate ha!

GT's was cool. It's also HUGE. They've got an operation going on. We didn't know what we were signing up for but heard from the locals that it was good food. Everything we ordered was excellent. Many of my party ordered the snow crab. Great, but a little on the smaller side. Fixings were good. Shrimp and grits, surf and turf, grilled shrimp with pasta. High praise all around. The above sounds like a 5* rating, but the service was generally slow because of size. The bar out back had a line as long as the deck, and to eat at 6:40pm was a 75 minute wait. Additionally, the entertainment they hired was certainly subpar. Just a guy with a guitar and his voice. He seemed to be running off every few songs and was forgetful of the chords and lyrics. All in all, would recommend.

Perfect vacation feel to this location. Great outdoor seating, cool pool inside the restaurant! A nice place to go to see the sunset. Food was reasonably priced and very good. The shrimp and grits were absolutely delicious. Grit biscuits were wonderful. Our server was attentive, friendly & well versed on the menu! We plan to come back before we leave Orange Beach!

My family and I visited orange beach for the weekend. What I love most is you don't see a ton of chain restaurants. We had dinner here on the last night because per the reviews it is kid friendly and it is. The venue is huge! It doesn't look like it but it is. When we got there we were initially told 53 min wait and then at the stand the hostess said 35 min or we could eat at the bar inside or outside. We opted for outside and I am so happy we did. The view was stunning. There is an entire sanded play area. It was cool and there was live music. Now this restaurant is the sister restaurant to Cobalts but the food was not the same. The food was ok! I had the cobia fish blackened with menuirere sauce and crab meat with corn on the cob and sweet potatoes it was all bland My husband had the tuna and greens and the greens were AMAzing I had a pineapple mojito inside a pineapple it was perfect Food 3 Vibes 5 service 5 =4 I would go again but I would get something different

This place has an awesome atmosphere with a beautiful dock that you can walk on and a really fun outside vibe with a great playground for the little ones, live music and amazing water views. Highly recommend for an all around good time. We were told we would have to wait 55 to 85 minutes but our table was ready in 25 minutes. The fish pool is very cool and we had a great time. Besides all that, the food was fantastic too!! I had the Creole Linguine and the menu has options for everyone. Service wasn't awesome but it was worth it and I look forward to coming back. Great atmosphere and great food! A good option for the whole family whether it's pizza or burgers or good seafood and salad, this is a solid choice for a good time and good food.

The food was delicious! Great environment with a view of the bay. Very attentive waiter who made great recommendations.

First time . Had a wonderful lunch. Our server Franklin was personable and efficient. Will certainly be back Fish was fresh and fries and slaw were excellent

Arrived around 8:00 on a Thursday night. We were quoted a 1 hour wait. We were seated in about 30. Our waitress was incredible friendly, attentive, and helpful when it came to menu suggestions. The food was a bit hot or miss. The crab legs were dry and cold. The Parmesan grits were SO good. The Shrimp and grits were a bit untraditional as they came with grit cakes. The sauce that they were served in really made them phenomenal. Fried pickles were sliced thin and fried perfectly. Two people in our party got the surf and turf and really enjoyed it. They both are every single bite. Overall I would recommend

My Husband got the stuffed pork chop... oh my ,there was more fat than meat .never ask if we needed a refill of our drinks.and it was not busy at all . So there was no reason not to take care of their customers

We stopped in for lunch and per our request were at at the beautiful windows overlooking the bay. Our server Franklin was top notch. He was personable and attentive. The hostess attitude left something to be desired but overall was fine. Our food was so delicious! The kids got a cheeseburger pizza to split. My husband had the gumbo and was pleased, although there was a little more okra than his personal preference. The snow crab was perfectly cooked and generous portion. The shrimp and grits were absolutely perfect! The calamari was unfortunately rubbery and difficult to eat. The empanadas were so good we forgot to picture them before devouring them! We will definitely be returning .

Beautiful view of the bay. Figured out when we were getting seated that there is a nice outside area in the back with a bar and playground where we could have waited for our table instead of standing at the entrance. You can access it by walking down the right-hand side of the building. Will know for next time. Service was okay along with the food. The pizza and pork chop were really good, and enjoyed the GT dip. The GT special salad (shrimp) was a little underwhelming. The raspberry vinaigrette was a little bland. The salad bar was surprisingly good. Overall enjoyed our visit, but would have appreciated better signage or information n the areas available while we waited.

I ordered the cheeseburger, the meat of which was a blend of chuck, short rib and brisket. It was cooked perfectly, medium well as requested. The sizable patty was so juicy that it soaked the bottom of the fluffy bun (the menu said it was a sourdough bun, but it seemed too soft to be one). The American cheese rounded out the sandwich deliciously. It was a no-frills burger -- and it was so flavorful that it didn't need more. I highly recommend the sweet potato waffle fries as a side. They were soft yet crispy which is a rare feat. Usually they're undercooked or overcooked. I also tried a few of the fried pickles. The light breading was delicious and the pickles themselves were very tangy. Overall, everything at GT's was great, from the service, to the food, to the ambiance inside. I would definitely return to explore more of the menu. The pizzas in particular looked delicious.

Great experience and good drinks. Staff was super friendly. Will add to list for return trip.

Are server was perfect no complaints, but the food was 90% cold with over an hour wait to just get seated. The food then came about one hour and 20 minutes later. The overall service was good but slow and the general manger was too shitty to come talk to our table. Everyone's crab legs were ice cold and gross but the steaks and grits were warm and tasty. The potatoes were hard and cold and the collard greens were soggy and disgusting

The view on the patio was great for this restaurant! We had a good time walking on the pier and there was pleating of fun for kids. The live music was a nice treat as well. The food was overall good. I got the surf and turf and the shrimp was great. However the turf part was less than stellar. If I went back I would just order the grilled shrimp. The Parmesan grits were yummy but my dad said his were cold. He really enjoyed the greens though. We also ordered the empanadas which my daughter loved. The salad bar one time trip for $5 was not really worth it as the bowl was really tiny. We also had the steamed shrimp and crab legs which my daughter and mother said were great. Overall, this place had a great ambiance and the food was good.

GT's has become our favorite place to eat when coming to the gulf! The food, service, and atmosphere are incredible!

Not overcrowded like some of the restaurants in Gulf Shores. Nice playground for the kiddos while you wait. Nice staff!

Food was excellent! I had mahi mahi and hubby had crawfish! Server and service was great! Wish i could remember her name! Ambiance was very relaxing and laid back....we were there for lunch and it wasn't too busy! Our only issue was an employee sitting at a table on the phone cussing and carrying on....

Great! Love GT's seafood is always delicious Pizza too! Salad bar!!Indoor & Outdoor seating with a view

Arrived at around 4:45 PM for that early dinner. Place was jam packed. 20 minutes wait for patio table was fine. Still was happy hour so we got some $3 drinks and calamari. They also offer the sunset menu from 4-7 daily with five or so entree choices. Good value. We ordered pork loin, shrimp and grits, amberjack. Pork loin was like eating a shoe. Other entrees were good but not great if you know what I mean. Our server was good but overwhelmed so some gaps were evident. The setting and ambiance of the place is 4.5 stars but overall after a few visits I rate it a 3, which is a-ok.

Sent a steak back that was well done that was ordered medium rare. They flipped it over and sent it back. The "Third" steak was cooked properly but was nothing but gristle. No manager visited or cared. So many better options in the area. Overpriced and bad and no one cares (they cater to enough tourists to get away with not caring).

GT's on the Bay is quite considerably a great waterfront place to eat lunch. Although we have the picturesque view of the bay, the food and the service was decent enough that there was nothing to write home about. We had the endless salad bar, which for $13, you can't go wrong with as many trips to enjoy the salad bar. Their lettuce and veggies were fresh, as well as cheese and other specialty salads. Then we also had the Cajun empanadas, which were well-seasoned and includes Conecuh sausage bits inside; it's terrific! Our server was quite friendly, but sometimes it's slow for service for lunch hours on the weekend. It took us a while for our mojito and Alabama-brewed beer to come from bar to table, approximately ten minutes for our drinks to arrive until coming to a decision to order from the menu. GT's on the Bay was quite a busy restaurant adjacent to the art festival event this weekend, but it's among one of the favorite restaurants not along the Gulf of Mexico. Prices are great too! Overall, good restaurant!

Loved the food and the atmosphere! Kids play area was a great way to spend the 1 hour wait! We went at sundown and watched from the dock!

Funky place with excellent food. Couple of us had the the shrimp and grits. Also had grouper and pulled pork bbq pizza. Everything was great. Had live music which was really good. Outdoor space with dock was nice to check out while we waited for our table. Service was very good.

So frustrating to wait an hour for a table when there were numerous empty booths and tables. I'm sure it's a staffing issue, but jeesh.... And then when we finally did get seated to continue to wait for someone to bring us water or at least acknowledge our existence only exacerbated my frustration. And then, for seemingly no one to display sense of urgency kinda sent me over the edge. When our food finally did arrive several of the dishes were wrong. It's unhealthy to serve an gluten sensitive customer croutons on their salad when they specifically ask for no croutons. I was so looking forward to a brick oven pizza, but it was cold. GT's management - with some planning and prep I'm sure you can do better. I recommend some serious focus on staff training and development. I know you don't want your customers leaving frustrated, but I did tonight. Sorry to leave you a shi&@y review, but tonight it is accurate.

Great price. Wonderful luncheon and early dinner menus. Good food, great location. Pleasant and attentive wait staff

The food was the best we had all trip and we really liked the open feeling of the restaurant. Wonderful spot to watch the sunset! I highly recommend the shrimp and grits.

Blackened fish sandwich was delicious! Served with a horseradish tartar sauce. Husband got the burger and said it was delicious as well!

Great service. Good range of food options. We had the salmon on mixed greens and the blackened shrimp on mixed greens. Bothe were excellent and a refreshing alternative to the standard fried fish and fries of the area restaurants. The Cajun empanadas and calamari appetizers were also yummy. Would come back and order it all again. A beautiful Thursday evening at 6:30 pm we arrived to a packed foyer and were told it would be a 20-30 minute wait, but we were seated 10 minutes later! Enough time to order a local beer at the bar. This is a great restaurant for Happy Hour, to bring kids (or not), and to view the sunset

The ambiance of this pace is great! The food is always usually pretty damn good. In my experience the service is hit or miss depending on the day/crowd. I have recommend this place to lots of people visiting OBA over the years!

The food was great but the coconut dessert was amazing !!!! They are fried coconut pies with creme sauce and ice creme on top Yummy

Best. Salad bar. Ever. I recommend getting the endless bar to go back for the chicken salad followed by the Oreo pudding. All ingredients are fresh and the atmosphere is very coastal. Everyone loves the huge fish pool in the middle. Definitely recommend!

Went on the recommendation of family, glad we did. Food was first rate. Very well prepared. Loved the gumbo, my wife the fried chicken. Both were great, excellent salad bar. The building is huge with a ton of outdoor seating, as well. We came at 2 on a Sunday after peak season, so it was not especially crowded, but that was surprising given the largely flat parking lot when we arrived. So, the place can handle a large volume of diners. I'm betting that this place is wall to wall during peak summer hours. No problem, though because there's plenty of waiting space. It's very tastefully appointed throughout. There's also a gift shop. Outside is a spacious deck for dining and a play area for the kids. And, naturally a nice view of the bay! If you're a desert person, try the fried coconut pie. Trust me on that. Oh, and if you're in a wheelchair there's no worth's with all of the space. The restroom is swank, too!

There was good food, I ate with good friends (my family), and certainly had a good time. Cool atmosphere. Walked out to the end of the dock and almost fell in the water. Comfortable couch to wait in. Creole linguini was literally the best pasta ever and I don't even like pasta. The service was also was top notch.

Food was great! Drinks were great. Bartender and server were great as well. The wait was about 30-45 minutes so not terribly bad for an evening on the gulf coast. Indoor or outdoor dining provide a variety of options! The seafood is fresh and the apps are mouthwatering. Definitely a must try!

Love GTs! Great food and cold beer! They also have some drinks in souvenir glasses if you want to spend more. There us a playground for the kids in the sand. An outside bar and seating area as well as inside. Gift shop

Our server, Telecia, is really who is causing this review to be poor. From the moment she came to seat us she was unwelcoming and you could clearly see she did not care about serving us or being there. Never got a smile, never got a Thank You, You're Welcome, could never find her...just lacking in all areas. We ordered several appetizers....which never came out and we couldn't locate her to ask about them. When the food came out, I told her we never received our appetizers and to just take them off the bill. She literally looked at me, shrugged her shoulders and said "whatever, okay". Not a "I'm sorry", "oh my goodness"...not a care in the world. The food came out and was delicious as always- various dishes of Creole Linguini , fried fish platter, fried shrimp platter, steamer crab & shrimp and shrimp & grits. Great portions. Well cooked. No issues. The manager did come out to address the appetizers issue and she was very apologetic and made good of the situation. She was very pleasant and I appreciate her going above and making it right. Wish I could have tipped her instead! Our server was fast to bring the checks, didn't ask if wanted dessert...which we did and had to yell to her that we did so she could add it to our ticket. Refills were a struggle to get and not all of us did. She def put a damper on our visit. We had been there before, loved it and brought new people with us this time to try it out and she is the poor impression they received of service. The food, view and atmosphere is def worth visiting for. Can't say if we will come back at our next visit to the beach or not.