Believe it or not, Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi. As a result, it offers a variety of entertainment and eateries. During our two weeks competing in horse shows at the Harrison County Fairgrounds, we tried many places to eat in Gulfport.
Some of the restaurants are in downtown Gulfport while others are closer to the fairgrounds, but these are a few that made our list.
Favorite Restaurants in Gulfport
Half Shell Oyster House
Half Shell Oyster House was our go to restaurant in Gulfport when we had time for a nice meal downtown. Located on 13th Street, just minutes from the harbor, this upscale-casual Southern seafood restaurant hit the spot.
Voted the Best Seafood in Mississippi by Mississippi Magazine, Half Shell Oyster House brings New Orleans style cuisine to the table. As its namesake suggests, it specializes in oysters, though I’m not sure any of us got them.
The peel and eat Royal Reds, the shrimp and grits, and the almond encrusted chicken were all favorites among our group. Don’t miss a side of asparagus, fried okra, or the sweet potato crème brulee.
The friendly service and vibrant atmosphere added to the enjoyable meal, making this oyster bar a very popular establishment. As a result, go early to snag a table. There is a reason Half Shell Oyster House garners 4.6 stars on Google!
Steve’s Marina Restaurant
In the horse show world, we get one day off a week – Monday. We visited Steve’s Marina Restaurant for lunch on our way to an afternoon fishing expedition. This casual, 2-story waterfront eatery features a large patio with nautical décor and views of the gulf!
Their menu is plentiful, offering all sorts of seafood options as well as hamburgers, chicken, and steak. The kids loved their burger, and my catch of the day was outstanding! I left it up to the waitress to decide how I should have the mahi mahi prepared and with which sauce to top it.
She made an excellent choice…the fish was cooked to perfection! It pained me to leave half of it on my plate. The entree portions at Steve’s are huge, so come hungry or perhaps split a meal…at least at lunchtime.
Shaggy’s Gulfport Beach
Shaggy’s is located across Beach Blvd from the Gulfport Beach, thus the name. Up on stilts, it features a beach like atmosphere with both inside and outside seating. With a Gulf of Mexico view, it makes sense that most the items on its menu are seafood. That said, Shaggy’s famous cheeseburger is its best seller. As the menu states, “It is so good, we named our boat after it.”
We tasted a variety of items including the cheeseburger, tuna poke bowl, and shrimp po’boy. They all earned a thumbs up!
Tony’s Brick Oven Pizza
Along with the aforementioned restaurants, Tony’s is also located in downtown Gulfport. The small pizzeria was pretty full for a weeknight, so I was looking forward to my chicken pesto pasta dish.
I set my expectations too high. The entrée came with fried chicken on rigatoni which was doused in oil. The chicken was quite good, but the pasta was inedible. Perhaps stick with the pizza at Tony’s. My friends got a basic pepperoni pizza which they said was good.
Also, check your bill. I got an iced tea added to my order by mistake. I don’t like judging a place on one meal, but there was room for improvement on the night we visited. Maybe get your Italian fix at Salute.
Salute Italian Restaurant
Salute is a multi-room, industrial chic Italian eatery located in the corner of a two-story office building with limited views of the Gulf of Mexico. The popular restaurant features an exhibition style kitchen and happy hour every day.
Unlike many restaurants in Gulfport, Salute accepts reservations rather than only allowing diners to add their name to a waitlist in advance of arrival. This is helpful for large groups looking for a place to dine in Gulfport.
Our large party ordered fried calamari and the firecracker shrimp plate for appetizers which we all loved. My chicken zoodles were also good, though the portion size was much smaller than many of the other dishes. In all, the kids liked the pizza and the rest of us left satisfied.
Patio 44
When I walked into the empty Patio 44 for an early weeknight dinner, my mood dipped as most places we had visited were very busy. I was concerned we’d end up with crummy food in a vacant restaurant. Allbeit, we did go early, maybe even before blue hairs eat!
Instead, we ended up having a nice, quiet evening. While the service was slightly slow, the food was tasty. The cheeseburger and shrimp po’boy were excellent. The spicy gumbo had good flavor but lacked depth with little chicken and sausage.
While we ordered basics, its menu includes some fancy options including a choice of steaks. In all, we’d give it another try. And if I were dining by myself, I’d sidle up to the huge bar.
Restaurants near Harrison County Fairgrounds
Downtown Gulfport is about a half hour drive from the Harrison County Fairgrounds, so on long days at the horse shows, we found some closer places to eat. A few favorites include the following:
Siam Thai Cuisine
Siam Thai is located off Highway 49 and inside offers a quaint atmosphere despite its limited drive-up appeal. Additionally, the price is right, and their popular takeout business is quick. Watch the level of spice. I ordered a ginger chicken stir fry with level two spice and my chapped lips were on fire!
Its extensive menu offers diners a selection of curry, fried rice, soup, salad, stir fry, noodles and more. The food will warm your belly on cold, rainy day.
El Saltillo Mexican Restaurant
Well, it’s not often I eat Mexican food in states that are not known for Mexican food. I made that mistake in New York and Vermont many years ago and haven’t forgotten!
El Saltillo Mexican Restaurant was a staple for the folks at our barn. The restaurant’s variety of salads, burritos, tacos, and combo plates of pork, chicken, beef, and seafood satisfied everyone’s palates.
Also, you can’t beat their affordable prices. Five of us ate for around $65! Its spacious, yellow-walled dining area holds lots of patrons which creates a vibrant atmosphere.
Breakfast in Gulfport
Perks Coffee Shop
While we mostly only ate out for dinner, I grabbed breakfast at Perks Coffee Shop in downtown Gulfport before my sight-seeing tour to Dauphin Island. Perks serves the “best coffee on the coast” according to local votes. The café also offers a choice of baked goods as well as cooked breakfast and lunch options.
It was a tasty way to say goodbye until next year when I hope to try a few other restaurants in Gulfport along with the above worthy choices. Sully’s, Murky Waters BBQ, the Rackhouse, and a few sushi restaurants are on my list to sample in the future. ETB
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I’m hungry now! Food looked so good!
We had a few fantastic meals
That’s a whole lot of eating, and almost everything looks delicious. Thanks for the tour and I hope you did well at the horse show!
Yeh. A lot of eating out for dinner!
Oh these sound like amazing places! Im getting hungry just thinking about it 🙂