The Royal Scam

If you love a scam, do not frequent this establishment. The team at TRS is honest, amazing and treats every guest as though they are the only guest. My wife and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary with the TRS family during a time of great duress. My wife’s brother was a patient at a local hospital. I completely flailed on providing a safe place for my lady in a time of great uncertainty. We decided to dine at The Royal Scam as it is directly across the street from our hotel. Upon arrival, we were graciously greeted by the maître d’ and promptly seated in a great location. Lidia and Brian were amazingly attentive to our needs. The chef and the kitchen team prepared an amazing meal for us. Due to my distraction, I did not prepare flowers, lest a card for my amazing wife. I approached the maître d’ about TRS’ main floral arrangement. I was directed to April who, without hesitation made preparations to transfer her arrangement to me for my wife. When in Mobile; you have been scammed to skip The Royal Scam. The service is legit and the food is properly prepared. Will be back. THANK YOU TRS FAMILY.

It started out promising, but my waiter let me run out of tea. For a fine dining (expensive) dinner this is unacceptable. The filet I ordered was over cooked, medium, but was served medium well. My server was polite, but letting a customer run out of tea or a beverage is unacceptable. As a general restaurant it was ok, but as a fine dining restaurant where you dress in nice clothes it’s not passable. Any fine dining restaurant would never allow a guest to run dry and start drinking their fellow diners drink. Also, the bar is adjacent to the tables and the bar tender was too boisterous.

First time dining here and we had a great experience. We were celebrating my husband’s birthday. The steaks were delicious. Our waiter Connor was awesome. He was very attentive and extremely nice. We did get desserts to go. I had the cheesecake and my husband had the bread pudding - both were so good. This place was busy the entire time we were there, so make sure you make a reservation. It was a great choice for my husband’s birthday. We will definitely come back again.

We had a beautiful dinner! We had the Hanoi shrimp as an appetizer. They even added an extra one to make it even, normally it comes with three. It was great! I recommend it, especially if you like japanese cusine. It has a spicy wasabi creme, a ginger sauce that was delicious! For main dinner, I had the hidden gem - the ribeye - it was perfectly done! Melt in your mouth perfection! Is not on the menu, so ask for the specials. He had the land and sea, and as well, it was also delicious. Filet mignon and crab cakes. I had the Georgia Belle cocktail. It was fruity and strong! Plus, I had a glass of red wine with the meal. We also shared the bread pudding. It was a bit too hot, but we saved it for a night cap later. Once cooled off, it was delicious! All an all, perfect! Our server was Britney, and she was great, ask for her.

What a great find. The food here was awesome! I had the Redfish and my wife had filet mignon. We both agreed this was the best dinner we’ve had in a long time. Service and atmosphere was great as well

Delicious food and great service. Erica was our waitress. She was friendly, polite and helpful the entire time of our dining experience. My Wife had the seafood gumbo appetizer. She said it was delicious. I had the crab cake appetizer. The crab cake itself was delicious but when I tasted it with the (lemon sriracha aioli) sauce, oh my goodness. I was expecting the normal sauce but it had a taste different than normal sauces and it goes perfectly with the crab cake. My wife had the steak. She said it was delicious. My redfish was delicious. The sauce enhanced the flavor of the redfish. The Brussels Sprouts were cooked perfectly. They were not overcooked and dry or undercooked and raw. They were just right. The rice was not cooked to mush or undercooked. It was cooked to perfection and the presentation was spectacular. When you go, make reservations in advance and ask for Erica as your server. She will ensure you have an enjoyable dining experience. If you like seafood, I highly recommend the Redfish entree and crab cake appetizer. Wonderful location for a date night or a special occasion with a relaxed atmosphere!

This is our first time dining here, and it was a great experience. We started with seafood gumbo & Soup du hour for the appetizers. The entree for the night was grilled redfish and coffee braised short ribs, and dessert was bread pudding. All the dishes were amazing. We'll be back again to try more menu items. Our goal is to try everything on the menu out. Thank you so much. See you all next time. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ESTABLISHMENT!!!

My wife and I ate here for the first time in maybe at least a year!! Our last visit wasn’t their best but we wanted to try Royal Scam out again and it was great and the best dinner date we’ve had there!! The drinks taste perfect!! The shrimp appetizers were something different and were very yummy!! Best crab cakes I’ve ever had in my life!! And our server was super friendly and attentive!! Service and food was excellent!!

Food was good, prices were very reasonable, and staff was friendly. I ordered the steak (filet) and crabcakes combo dinner...I forgot what it was called on the menu, but it was good and well put together. I deviated from my diet and decided to have the bread pudding for dessert, which was REALLY good. Phenomenal.

I don't like leaving poor reviews but I'd hate more someone visiting Mobile and have a sub par meal. Called for reservations and met with what felt like verbal distain. Perhaps a form of reverse that they "are booked".works for them. Within an hour of arriving at 7:30 there were plenty of tables this no reason to cite "booked" The service was fine once arrived. Wine list was average but server was prompt in her recommendations which resulted in an acceptable wine. The problem here was the steak. . . I spent an hour navigating the poor cut marketed to me as "the special" which was mostly fat not "marble". Was our third visit while traveling into town and seems I remember the food being decent but I usually eat seafood. Of course we were with our children before so probably didn't pay much attention to the food. The dining room looked acceptable but a bit tight if you didn't want to listen to the neighboring tables entire conversation. So, we opted for the courtyard which was average at best. The issue with the courtyard was the staff / chefs kept walking through going what I assumed was the staff restroom or the like. All this being said, if you want a place to walk to from your hotel in the evening it might be a choice but be aware of the limited menu and you might not be satisfied with the cut if your a steak person.

Go for the ambiance, stay for the bread pudding!!!! This place is such a gem and we enjoyed an impromptu date night without reservations. The service was good overall and I was especially impressed that our hotel recommended reservations BUT a quick call and they fit us in. When in Mobile, Al stop in and enjoy the Royal Scam experience

Well this was just a short walk about a block and a half from our room at the Hampton Inn. Linen table setting. Dinner was excellent. Peggy had the chicken with capers. I had the three tail fish. Topped the dinner off with a Carmel crème brûlée Kelly was outstanding and very tenative

A small bistro style restaurant in downtown Mobile on South Royal Street across the street from Mobil's iconic building the Renaissance Hotel. Our server was great, accommodating, attentive, and informative with today's special. We started off with the pork belly. It tasted like Lechon, a Filipino version of a roasted pig. It was tender, flavorful, and it melts in your mouth. I loved it. For the main course I had the short ribs. It too was tender and flavorful. Since I am in low carb diet, I asked for double asparagus instead of having the potatoes.

Overall experience 7.8/10 Our waiter was great, was attentive to our needs. Cocktails were delicious and came to the table fast. Appetizers: Not Pictured but Ordered -Crab cakes, 8/10, were crabby light and just overall delicious. -Hanoi Shrimp, 5/10, I just truly just wasn't a fan of this dish. The breading was heavy and floury, it was difficult to eat because of the skewer it was on and the skewer would not come out of the shrimp. Although the wasabi creme fraiche was great for dipping! -Sugar Cane Pork Belly, 8.4/10, you can't go wrong with pork belly.. delicious and light Dinner was overall delicious, everyone our party finished the dishes clean! I love this place and have been a frequent visitor living in mobile my whole life. If you are visiting or just a Mobilian looking for a date night or any night for an excuse to have good food I would go here!

Eclectic, cool and creative menu steps from the Renaissance hotel. Attentive and helpful associates and unique vibe!

Food was amazing the short ribs are to die for!!!! Service was excellent Kelly and April were awesome would definitely come back !!! Ambiance is great has a nice cozy but upscale feel l.

Our dinner was wonderful and the staff very welcoming and attentive. A great way to start the new year while on the road!

Best food in Mobile! I had the Filet Mignon with roasted fingerling potatoes and roasted asparagus. Absolutely amazing and cooked to perfection! My husband got the catch of the day which was fresh red grouper with lemon dill beurre blanc sauce, goat cheese couscous and roasted broccolini. Hands down best fish dish I've ever tasted! The fish was incredibly fresh and grilled perfectly. Finished off with one of their flavors of the day crème brûlée. Chocolate cherry!! The whole meal was a 10/10!!

One of the top ten best meals I've had in my life. Visited Mobile, AL all the way from Long Island, NY. I don't want toot my own horn, but I know good food when I taste it. This meal was excellent. I don't know much about the city but was looking to eat a nice steak. I found The Royal Scam's menu online and booked a reservation. Upon confirming my reservation online, I was advised that this meal was a la carte - great! When I arrived to the restaurant (by the way, the local's accents are adorable), we were given their "Mardi Gras" menus for $60 a person. I was a little confused because this wasn't explained on their website and I thought I was able to get a $39 steak and be done with it. Their Mardi Gras menu came with an appetizer and dessert. We splurged, because why not? For my appetizer, I had a house salad which came with apples and an orange basil vinaigrette. Oh my goodness. Mouthwatering. Where will I ever find this in New York?! My husband had the seafood gumbo and loved it. This is where things get better. I ordered filet mignon with a red wine Demi-glacé and my husband ordered the sesame crusted red snapper. The steak was out of this world. Here I am, cutting the steak in the smallest slices to savor every piece - keeping in mind I will probably never have this again. The red snapper was perfect. For dessert, I ordered a chocolate lava cake with chocolate ganache and my husband ordered the crème brûlée. There was a vanilla sugary-thing in my cake and I didn't see the chocolate ganache and my husband's dessert was a little peachy. If our desserts weren't the 10/10 we hoped for, that's ok. The meal totally compensated for it. Our host was excellent and very attentive. The manager/owner? came up to our table and asked how our food was. I told her this was one of the best meals we've ever had. Goodbye, Alabama!

I visited this spot while in Mobile for a conference. I had the short ribs with polenta which was chef's kiss! We ordered pork belly, tuna tartar and crab cakes for the table and although I only had the pork belly, which was indeed tasty, the entire table raved about the tuna tartar. For dessert there was a round of bread pudding, some kind of chocolate cheesecake and for the life of me I can't remember the 3rd option but the bread pudding, by recommendation of the server, was the clear winner! Great food and great service is a recipe for a return customer! Also want to add that our wonderful server ran my wallet out to me after neglectfully leaving it behind, thank you!

Royal Scam is one of the best spots in Mobile. The food and drinks are amazing, and the service is excellent! I ordered the filet and it was divine. My wife had the fresh catch, which was red snapper, and she said it melted in her mouth. For dessert, I highly recommend the chocolate raspberry martini. Royal Scam is on the pricey side, so we can only go for special occasions, but I highly recommend it!

Very rude staff. Attempted to get be served and lady told me they only had 2 available tables, outside in 105° weather when the inside had at least 10 maybe 12 empty tables. She might as well yelled at me and told me they don't serve underdressed customers at dinner! What she wasn't aware of is that the facts of my pockets being much deeper than hers! Take your business elsewhere..the name says it all...this place is a scam!

In Mobile for business, didn't want to eat at hotel. Found this place simply walking. AMAZING! Great service, had the Redfish was probably best I have ever had, and unlike most they didn't abuse supply and demand on pricing. If in the area, highly recommend.

very bad food. I ordered noodles salad, it tasted like toothpaste, I was almost throw up. never com back. bad experience all my life.

The Ambiance is awesome, the staff are very friendly, the food is amazing. Started off with crab cakes, WOW, really good. We got the special that evening which was grouper and asparagus.

Was hesitant to go here because such a limited menu, but everything was nice. Gumbo maybe not up to New Orleans standards, but pretty good. Chicken could have used little more sauce, but would order again. Short ribs and filet very good. Waitress was friendly and attentive. Nice upscale restaurant, but kind of small with tables fairly close together. Nice table linens, nice thin wine glasses. Would def go back

Food, service, ambiance..all of the above. It's been the only restaurant in town to get my steak just right, every time. Cocktails are nice and so is the staff, consistent quality!

Amazing food!! The crème brûlée is some of the best i've ever had! The flavor changes daily and is always amazing. I would recommend anything on the menu it's all good!

Do not overlook this special place!!! It has been a Mobile favorite for years. The chef does it right. The gumbo is so yummy. I got the grouper and savory bread pudding. That was so good. Too hard to explain how good. You just need to make a reservation and go. Bon appetite

Get a steak! Very good! Ambiance was lovely. Good date night place. Great service as well.

Everything I have eaten has been great. The Fish special is always on of the best dinner entrees in town.

I can't say enough good things about our experience! This was our first time to eat here and I'm so glad we did. Our fellow Mississippian Isaac, took excellent care of us. His wine recommendation was top notch. I had the blackened grouper chowder and it's definitely something they should keep in rotation. Probably the BEST chowder I've ever had. Chicken scallopini and red snapper were both equally amazing. My husband got the flourless chocolate cake with raspberries and devoured it. I got the blueberry cheesecake to go, which was breakfast the next morning, and absolutely the best cheesecake I've ever had. We are there yearly for a getaway and will definitely be back!

Award winning gumbo is as advertised... freaking delicious..so good I had to get one to go as well ...

35 th anniversary dinner, service was excellent, great dinner with a lot of extras. Good menu and atmosphere!

The Royal Scam was perfect for a nice evening out! Service was attentive and knowledgeable. The food was absolutely delicious, and the menu had a nice variety of options. We had the Hanoi Shrimp, Land and Sea, and Bread Pudding.

This place was conveniently located a block from my hotel so myself and my colleague followed the advice of our Yelp reviews and were not disappointed. Service was great and food was excellent. I started with a bowl of seafood gumbo and then got the shrimp étouffée. My colleague started with the tuna martini and also got the shrimp étouffée. She was kind enough to let me try her tonight which was very fresh and which was served in a martini glass. The gumbo was a great starter on a cold night in Mobile. The portion size was just enough. The broth tasted great and the gumbo was full of seafood. The étouffée had a tomato-based spicy sauce I had plenty of shrimp on the plate. The étouffée was also very good but the gumbo was definitely the star of the meal. I'm a fan of the royal scam!! Thanks.

Had dinner for 9 of us last night. Service was ON POINT. Trinity was an absolute delight and handled the group with ease. The atmosphere was nice, but it did get pretty loud. The food was hit or miss. The tuna tar tar app was delicious as was the tempura shrimp. For my entree, I got the 14 oz prime ribeye. It was terrible. I cook a lot of steak, and there's just no way this piece of meat was prime. It was a half inch thick and more the quality of choice. I had a bite of someone's fish, and it was really good.

I come here once ever time I am in town. I don't write reviews much but this restaurant deserved a great review. I had the crab cakes, red fish and the bread pudding. The crab cakes were a little under done but tasty. The red fish was really a great portion and had Brussel Sprouts. The were cooked and seasoned really good. Cajun rice was also with the dish. Really good taste. The most amazing this was the bread pudding. Hands down the best dessert I have ever had.

You know. Spring Mix is nice and convenient. But mix it up a bit. I'm trying to get a little bit of everything thing in so I can make a nice review on Yelp. Ha ha ha. Spring mix it is. All in all. It's a nice place. Nice attentive staff with some delicious foods delicious drinks.

Great spot for a big, delicious meal. Their menu is pretty basic: burger, steak, fish, fish tacos. However, the quality is fantastic. I ordered the catch of the day, which was HUGE! It came atop of truffled orzo and a side of carrots. Everything was very flavorful. The service is also super nice. My dining companions had the filet, and had great things to say. We left with 3 clean plates, so we were very satisfied. The drinks are also solid, and their pours are anything but slight. Their liquor selection is decent and they feature $6 specialty cocktails on the chalkboard. Will definitely be back!

I use to work downtown and I ate daily at the Royal Scam, 219 and Mama's. The good thing is the Royal Scam is open at night and weekends. I worked a lot of weekends and nights. The Royal Scam was my refuge where I could have wonderful meals and relaxations to revive myself. My favorite meals were the burger, wings and soup for lunch and the filet steak at night with the best bread pudding in Mobile. I work from home now as I'm disabled and can no longer drive. I miss the Royal Scam terribly.

Excellent food and great service. Sat out in the courtyard which is enclosed and was comfortable.

Everything is great never had a bad meal here. Land and sea is one of our favorites and the soup of the day is always delicious.

The Royal Scam was excellent last night. It was our 10 year anniversary and they went above and beyond to make it special for us. Our meals were delicious and we had a wonderful time!

We made a last minute reservation at The Royal Scam... I was leery that they had last minute availability on a Friday night but we decided to try it! 4 adults and 1 child for dinner - we were sat in a very comfortable booth. 3 people ordered steak - not one complaint which is hard to do with steaks ordered medium rare... I had the chicken dish with capers and polenta! So so good! The last person had a side salad and the tuna tartare - and said it was so good! To say we were pleased is an understatement!! Great job and we will be back!

The perfect amount of fancy. We came for a nice(r) dinner in jeans on the way to a night on the town and were blown away. I had the steak, husband had the triple tail and wow... both were great and the sides.... wow.... the crème brûlée was orange and ginger... i'll dream about it forever. This town is pure magic and this restaurant is one of the things that make it sparkle.

Food was under seasoned and under whelming. Service was okay. Drinks were sweet but not enough liquor. 2 out of 10 would not recommend

Great experience. Service was friendly and prompt. Food was excellent. I had the land and sea combo and opted for the upgrade to scallops instead of crab cakes. I've had their crab cake appetizer years ago and remember it being delicious, but I can rarely pass up scallops. The steak was cooked perfectly medium and the scallops were seared just right. It was a great meal. It's not often that I clean my plate, but I ate all but a few bites of potatoes. Can't wait for another visit.

Definitely not a restaurant fit for royalty, much less a royal scammer. We came here during dinnertime, amidst construction surrounding the area the Royla Scam is located at. We had the Asian noodle salad with sauce on the side and the fish of the day. The fish of the day was decent, but not worth the price. The Asian noodle salad was disappointing. I usually ask for sauce on the side because many restaurants douse the food with sauce, and ruins the flavor of the food. Well my salad was flavorless... Because it was made up almost entirely of cabbage. The amount of cabbage was overwhelming relative to everything else, including the sauce. The sauce was too paltry to be able to save the rest of the salad from bland land. Other than the food, the interior was not much to write to home about. The restaurant was dark, and the customer base was made up mostly of old white guys watching football being shown on the TV. Parking is paid to park because this place is located at the downtown area.

Dined there a few weeks ago after The Scam finally Re-opened. Been dining there since they opened in 2006. Since I worked a block away it's always been my favorite for great food and the best service. Always loved the roast sandwich and spicy mango salad. This time I brought my best friend for birthday dinner and another friend. All three of us raved over the fish. To be honest, my friends think Longhorn is fine dining, so naturally they were impressed. Food was superb. The wait staff was exceptionally attentive but not overly! My only complaint now is no lunch! I often meet former co-workers downtown for lunch (I'm retired now and live 3 miles from town) and good choices for great food are limited. I am Hoping when staffing issues realign as they were pre-pandemic I'll be able to get my favorite sandwich and spicy mango at lunch time. Keep up the good work David. I'm an oldie (71) and remember working downtown in 1967-1986 when Kress lunch counter, Zitsos in the FNB basement and Tanner's Qwik Lunch were the only lunch options!!! Sad!

Quite a disappointing meal. Ordered crab cakes for an appetizer and they were just ok. Not bad but certainly nothing to shout about. Here is the bad part....I ordered salmon for my entree. Two others ordered salmon as well. The server asked them both how they wanted their salmon cooked. After she left I realized she didn't ask me. Oh well, I guess we will see. Well when the salmon came, it was definitely over cooked. It was hard and they tried to hide the burnt parts by turning it over. I tried to eat it but couldn't. So I sent it back and the replacement was not cooked quite as bad but still way over cooked. I picked at it but didn't eat much. I ended up ordering a basket of fries. Several tables around us got burgers and fries (traditional bar food). If I ever go back, that's what I will get....bar food. Leave the seafood and such to the experts.

Downtown Mobile is very quiet on the weekends but we were able to find this spot for lunch. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and a bar. The staff were very attentive and friendly. We both had the paninis for lunch. It came with two sides. The cheese panini, which was topped with bacon and tomatoes, was hands down the best panini I have ever had. The secret ingredient was the garlic cheese spread that was in between the slices of bread. Heaven! I had the greens for a side which was a salad and the mango salad which had a spicy kick.

Great food, attentive service and a very engaging staff. One of our very favorite Mobile establishments!

Awesome food and impeccable service. If you haven't eaten there you must try it. Be sure not to skip dessert, the crème brûlée is fantastic!!! I highly recommend this restaurant!

In town for a conference meeting, in a hotel right across the street from this restaurant. A friend pointed out this place that I would have walked right past, probably, just because - from the outside at least - it has little or no curb appeal. The sign is almost completely missing and you could be forgiven for thinking this was an abandoned location!. However, when you look at the Yelp! reviews, you see that is a popular and well-liked eating establishment in this city. Just inside the door is a small line of people waiting to get a table. Fortunately we were able to "jump in" on a table with some friends who had a little extra space, and so avoided the wait. While a lot of things looked good - especially the special which was a Pimento Burger (A guy at our table LOVED it) - I got the Cheese, Bacon and Tomato Panini with Asian Slaw and Fries. It was a great combination. The panini was simple - just what it said - but the bread was exceptionally good and toasted just right. The Asian slaw had a kind of satay dressing that was a nice contrast to the other items on the plate. I could have eaten a whole plate of the slaw all by itself. And the fries - were especially crispy and flavorful - but not oily or greasy. A delightful meal. The curb appeal of this place was terrible - but the food inside is great. If it weren't for Yelp and the reviews there I would probably have never walked in. Very glad I did.

Yummmm! The fish tacos are amazing and a MUST! For my meal I got the steak sandwich which was delicious but not as good as the fish tacos. I tried two different sauces for the steak sandwich but didn't fall in love with either one of them. Wait staff was friendly at the bar and very helpful in picking things to try

Very impressed with this place for a downtown lunch. Great location, excellent ambiance, good food and service, truly well established. Came here for lunch with clients from downtown- their standard place to go- and got seated quick with 6 of us. We opted for lunch offerings from Panini's that were fantastic, to a tuna wrap I had with asian slaw that was well presented and packed with Tuna! Gumbo was good and saw one shrimp and grits that also looked well with large shrimp, this was the go to place. Would love to come back for dinner as this was a pub for me- lots of wood, on the corner- could certainly enjoy a beer here and try other options. If in the area, would highly recommend for great food and service in a comfortable classy atmosphere.