Enjoying meals on the water is a hallmark of coastal Alabama summers. If a dockside dining experience is calling your name, the perfect place is waiting for you in Orange Beach Marina with Shipp’s Dockside Grill. In the location previously home to Fisher’s, the concept serves as a new iteration of past Shipp’s restaurants gone by, including the original Shipp’s Harbor Grill in Sportsman’s Marina and Fin & Fork in Orange Beach.
Chef Matt Shipp, along with his daughter Kamila Albright, opened Shipp’s Dockside Grill in March. The double-decked restaurant provides two separate dining experiences for customers. The lower deck caters to fast-casual dining, with customers often hopping off the boat for a dockside lunch or dinner. Customers place their food orders at the front desk and drink orders at the bar before grabbing a tracker to put down at their table. When orders are ready, they are delivered by food runners.
“We also have an oyster bar where you can watch oysters shucked fresh to order and get yourself a bushwacker or a frozen margarita,” says Albright. While the service is quick and efficient, you wouldn’t know it by the food quality and plethora of dishes on offer. The sushi is a bestseller, with many flavorful varieties to choose from. Crab dip, fresh oysters, sandwiches and salads are also hits. Patrons are welcome to grab a quick bite before heading back out to the beach or sit a spell for a relaxed meal.
The upper deck provides a more traditional restaurant atmosphere, encouraging people to spend several hours enjoying meals and each other’s company. Albright puts it as fine-dining without the fine-dining expectations. “People will feel comfortable coming in shorts and a T-shirt but still get that quality that they want,” she says.
Opening later than the lower deck, the upper part of the restaurant serves more elevated menu items, such as crab bisque, island swordfish and blackened duck, and martinis to wash it down. Rich blue tones and wood accents lend the decor a classic coastal vibe with a refined touch. Sunday brunch has become a favorite with customers wanting a slow weekend morning with family.
Whether you’re looking for a more formal meal or something quick by the water, Shipp’s welcomes you to bring the kids. “Our restaurant is very family friendly,” says Albright. “It’s a family-owned restaurant. I started working in our restaurants when I was 12 years old, so that’s something that’s really important to me, and I hope we portray it to our customers.”
On the Menu
BAYOU BLUE CRAB ROLL
Jumbo lump crab, lemon oil and lemon zest give this sushi roll a bright, fresh taste. Stuffed with tempura shrimp, avocado and cream cheese, this roll is topped with a drizzle of spicy mayo for a hint of heat.
BEN’S BLACKENED TUNA
Seared tuna is topped with grilled pineapple salsa, wasabi mayo, wasabi greens and butter for an elevated dish you won’t want to miss.
PERDIDO ROLL
This roll features crunchy tempura shrimp, creamy avocado and cream cheese and a kick from wasabi mayo. Tuna, microgreens and a soy glaze top it off.
BAYOU BLUE CRAB DIP
This bestselling appetizer is made for sharing. Rich, creamy and full of crabmeat, it is topped with pickled jalapenos and Parmesan and served with pita chips.
SHIPP FACED COCKTAIL
This citrus-based cocktail is the restaurant’s signature drink, served in a souvenir glass and ready to set the ideal vacation mood.
Shipp’s Dockside Grill • 27075 Marina Road, Orange Beach. 412-7447 shippsdockside.com
Lower deck: Sun – Sat 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Upper deck: Sun – Sat 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
