Doc's Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar

I was somewhat skeptical on trying Docs despite the great reviews thinking it is just a place for tourists…. Boy was I wrong! Docs exceeded my expectations well beyond my dreams. I am local and a foodie and like trying different food establishments. Circumstances put us in the vicinity of Docs original Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar so we decided to give it a try. The service was excellent as the restaurant was well staffed and well trained. It was refreshing to see young servers and bus boys work together with enthusiasm and properly trained. It was like a smooth running clock ! Starting with the excellent seafood gumbo that was cooked correctly (dark roux) all the way through the huge super seafood platter. Everything I tasted was cooked perfectly. The fried oysters were hands down the best I have ever had, tender , flavorful, not overcooked and very savory. The two huge stuffed crab shells were extremely tasty and cooked to perfection. The shrimp was as good as they advertised, best around as was the fried fish filets As you can see by the pics the portions were generous. The ambience was as expected In an old established restaurant , old time , warm and inviting. Prices were reasonable for the type of food and portions especially in a tourist area. No wonder the locals like this establishment! Their new restaurant in Foley will do great if they can match their original….. We will certainly dine here again

I asked a friend that had visited Gulf Shores multiple times, and Docs was at the top of his list. We stopped by there yesterday and loved it so much, we went back today. We wondered about their slogan as "The best fried shrimp in the civilized world". After visiting twice, I have to agree with them. They are excellent, along with their fried clam strips, oysters, fish, stuffed crab shell, crab claws and hushpuppies. We also loved that you can make your own cocktail sauce as hot as you want. Next we visit Gulf Shores, we will be back.

Visiting from Pennsylvania and kept seeing the signs about the best fried shrimp in civilization and it caught our attention. We went to the canal road location and was phenomenal. Our Strawberry Daquria and Rum Runner were great and mixed good. The service and food was all top notch. The atmosphere was top tier for our family. Local hospitality really shined through the atheistic and personality. Definitely recommend!

This is the first review with the original restaurant. Went to both within three days. This was the better of the two and wish that I came the second time. Went for lunch the other day. Since end of the rush, seated right away but nice flow. The waitress was very nice and helpful since I never made cocktail sauce showed me and checked to make sure I was good. Ordered cra cakes and make your platter. The true stars was the oysters and shrimp both were fresh and cooked with a perfect touch. The crab cakes and stuffed crabs were good. The clam strips were mid,but the shrimp and oysters made up for it. Also my waitress timed my appetizer and food perfect and kept my ice tea glass full. Also excellent ice tea. Not too sweet and enjoyed three glassed. Average on what seafood cost these days. There are two locations and highly recommend this one.

My husband said their slogan of “Best fried shrimp in the entire civilized world” is TRUTH. He said it was amazing! We also had soft shell crab and clam strips. Don’t pass this place by!

3/26/2025: This place is a little hole in the wall locals eatery claiming to have “The Best Fried Shrimp in the Entire Civilized World”. That’s a heavy statement, so of course, I was intrigued. I can honestly say, they live up to this statement. I live in Houston, Texas where good seafood is abundant and I vacation in Pensacola, Florida every year where I have enjoyed some very tasty shrimp meals. I’ve never had fried shrimp like this! We wanted to try a little of everything, so we opted for the seafood platter and started with the fried onion rings as an appetizer. They could honestly changed their restaurant slogan to include best damn onion rings, best damn gumbo, and best damn fried shrimp! I would recommend the fried shrimp platter and skip the seafood platter. The fried crab was good, the coleslaw was good, the catfish was okay (I’m not a big fan of catfish) and the fried oysters were okay (also not a fan of fried oysters), but the shrimp takes the blue ribbon! Perfectly battered, large shrimp with tasty tartar sauce. It was delicious! The portions are large enough to split. I didn’t count, but there had to be at least 10 large onion rings in our order. They serve them with homemade ranch. We were very satisfied and full after our lunch. They have indoor and outdoor seating. One thing to note if you choose outdoor seating, do not sit by the windows that look into the interior. The door between the inside and outside slams and shakes the windows which was distracting. It didn’t ruin my lunch, but it is something to note. Parking is close by, but the parking lot is somewhat small when they are crowded. Orange Beach, Alabama is a beautiful area to visit. We made the short drive from Pensacola, Florida. They probably have several great restaurants but this one is definitely a spot you don’t want to miss!

Not a lot of space, but a huge amount of flavor!! This place is amazing, the food was super great and a very decent amount. The staff was so nice and friendly. We had to wait to be seated, but it was well worth the wait. Everything is great and delicious. This is a must go place to eat. One of the best plates is the baked seafood platter. There is another fried version, which also was excellent. Overall, a fantastic place to eat.