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    Gaido's

    3.7 (1.6k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    GAIDO'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Gaido's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Gumbo
    DeLisa R.

    Serving amazing seafood since 1911. I always look forward to coming to Galveston and when I do I have to come eat at Gaidos. We enjoyed their herb bread and ordered the onion stack and gumbo for starters. I cannot say enough amazing things about their pecan crusted mahi-mahi. They have many toppings that can be added, but I love the beurre blanc sauce with shrimp or crab. My mom loved the shrimp stuffed with crab cakes and my hubby had the shrimp and grits. Dining is like walking back in time with a white tablecloths and music from the 40s 50s and even some current Jazz. I wish I could tell you about the many different desserts that they offer but I was just too full. They do have a full bar and extensive wine list. Gaidos is a piece of Texas history which must be experienced.

    Historical Marker
    Michael R.

    Historic. Classy. Oldest continuously operating restaurant in Galveston, started in 1911. Current building isn't quite that old but pre-World. War II, 1936 vintage. The dining here is more of an old school experience, and expect it to take time. The bread they bring out before the appetizers is delicious. The waiters are in starched white shirts with ties and black vests. surf and turf, seafood steaks and a couple of pasta dishes. The onion stack appetizer was universally praised as the way onion rings should be, with a spicy horseradish sauce. The Gumbo was fine but had a lot of cooked celery... my wife thought that was heavenly. The mains were outstanding. I had to adjust my pallet to the shrimp and grits with copious amounts of blue cheese and roasted zuchinni, reflecting the blend of German and Italian heritage. The pecan crusted Mahi Mahi was unique. This place is not Sea Galley, it is a chef's zone. pricey but worth it.

    Gulf view from Gaido's :)
    Rachel M.

    I normally take photos of anything & everything but I DEVOURED it all before I could. I did take a photo of the beautiful Gulf! Service was slower (island time? lol) but it was quite alright with us since it was a holiday & nowhere to be! We are a younger family of 3 so it was time well spent not being at home. This was our first time to Gaido's, 468983479th time to Galveston. What a treat it was to not have any expectations! The seafood was beyond fresh tasting. The staff was friendly & patient. Highly recommend if you want local seafood & want to support local! :)

    Jumbo crab cake, shrimp bisque, bread w olive oil and herbs, a-gratin potatoes, special for the night red fish.
    Christi B.

    We have been told by many people that you have to try Gaidos. But, many people have also said it's a tourist trap. Well we did and it was sub par at best. The shrimp bisque was so horrible I couldn't eat it. It actually tasted like thick horrible tomato soup. The crab cake was so full of shell plus the sauce on top was just sour and nasty. Husband had the special red fish. He could hardly eat it, too char grilled and mushy. The a-gratin potatoes were sub par at best. We could tell they weren't "real" potatoes. Everything came out so fast that honestly it wasn't hot but just luke warm. The waiter wasn't that great either. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND FIND A BETTER PLACE!!

    Red snapper
    Kevin K.

    What a gem. The Red snapper was so fresh and the lump crab topper was delicious. Try their Lemon Radberry Martini...so good. Sinatra music playing so nice. Service was outstanding. This place is a must visit when on Galveston island.

    Blackened shrimp
    Jennifer H.

    This place is a true establishment. The service is four star all the way from the time you walk in until the time you leave. Excellent! I love the old world feel and the vintage pictures on the wall that tell the story of the island. The food is good. I love the homemade salad dressings. The steak was good and sides were plenty to share. The only true disappointment was the gumbo which had small frozen shrimp and gummy rice. Everything else was on point! It is a great location to celebrate rate a special event.

    Lauri B.

    1/3/2026: Very pleased with our dining experience. Victor was a wonderful waiter. The portions are large enough to split. The decor is steeped with history of the Gaido family. The restaurant was clean. The linen tablecloths make it feel even more fancy. We were dressed in business casual attire, but others came in wearing shorts. As we are having a very warm "winter" here in the south, I think shorts and flipflops work anywhere, especially a beachside restaurant. My friend and I split the crab avocado appetizer and then we split the grilled shrimp entree. Everything was wonderful! We had a party of 4 in our group. In all my travels to Galveston, I cannot believe I have never been to Gaido's. What a treat! It's funny.. I've been to their gift shop located in the restaurant but this was first time eating at said restaurant. Kind of backwards. Ha! The gift shop is really nice, so don't forget to stop in there after or before dining.

    Pecan pie à la mode
    Christie P.

    Gaidos is old school cool! We came here to celebrate my birthday dinner, and we both ordered from the Restaurant Week menu. We started of with calamari and it was lightly breaded and delicious. For dinner, we had gumbo for an appetizer and it was delicious. He had the bacon-wrapped shrimp, and I had blackened Mahi Mahi with crawfish topping. Yum! Our server Darryl took great care of us, too. He paced the meal just right so we had a lovely evening.

    Red fish on the half shell
    Nancy T.

    If you're ever visiting Galveston, I highly recommend a visit to Gaido's! They've been around since 1911 and still going strong. My experience here at Gaido's was what makes me want to come back over and over again. From service to food, to the overall experience. You're greeted with soft complimentary bread and olive oil in herbs. Love a good soft bread that can soak up herb-y olive oil goodness. They have an excellent menu with fresh and hot seafood dishes that make you want to come back. Spinach and Crab dip - whoa. I loved this dip so much. I'm a huge fan of spinach dip, and when it's fresh, its even better. There were huge chunks of crab meat that just made it worth the money. They did not skimp out. Chargrilled oysters - I've never had a chargrilled oyster to the point where I wanted to drink out of the shell. These oysters are a must have. They sitting in a sizzle bubble of butter, filled with garlic, herbs, and Parmesan. I literally drank it up. Redfish on the halfshell - I was persuaded to get this dish and I'm so glad I did. The redfish is so tender, the flavors they had were out of this world. I'm now a huge fan of redfish on the half shell. Once you've had it good, you don't go back. Peach bellini - I'm not much a drinker but I loved this drink so much. It as peachy, frozen, and delectable Mojito - Refreshing, not to strong, just a perfect drink Pecan Pie - look I do not like pecan pie, but I felt compelled to get it. Even the server highly recommend pecan pie. The moment I took my first bite, I was shocked. It was soft, It was sponge-like, I even said out lout "This is the best pecan pie I've ever had and I don't even like Pecan Pie." I think about it often too. Experience at Gaido's is a special one and I highly recommend making reservations.

    complimentary bread
    James F.

    In 2013, I swore I would never return to Gaido's. Seems in that time I've softened a bit and while in Galveston decided to give them a second chance. After all, one of the best appetizers I've ever had came from this kitchen. This time the restaurant is fully staffed as we arrive just after before noon. Don't know if there are still issues between lunch and dinner service. Greeted in a timely manner, I immediately order the Crabmeat Cheesecake. I had a similar dish in NOLA awhile back that didn't compare to Gaido's version. And, it seems looking back a photo comparison this is an improved version. Every bite savored even chewed a bit slower for the pleasure of this sweet and savory dish. Didn't have a big plan for the rest of the meal but she had the Calamari and a small salad with Ranch. I kept the Crabmeat menu going with the Shrimp Stuffed option. Perhaps my only complaint was lack of side options. I realize this is an old school restaurant but Parmesan topped Tomatoes, Steamed Asparagus (had it the day before), and tater wedges didn't exactly excite. But, there wasn't Rice Pilaf (boring) so there's that. I actually drove all the way over from Austin area to eat at another restaurant. Don't know why I exactly switched up my plan but I'm glad I gave Gaido's a shot at redemption. Congratulations on your recent James Beard win for American Classics.

    Pecan crusted Snapper
    Holly T.

    I have come here once i was a child and always had so many memories of the food and the service. We arrived a little early for our reservation but they sat us early. Tables set just like i remembered and my son loved having his own water in a wine glass. We got the famous bread and herbs in oil. We ordered my son the grilled chicken and it came with rice and fruit. They sent out salmon at first on accident but it didn't bother us because they let us keep it. My pecan crusted fish was so good. They said Mahi was not available - out of season maybe? So i got the snapper. It doesn't come with sides so we ordered the baked potato which was big enough to my husband and I and they stuffed it full of toppings. The only thing that disappointed me was no lemon water at the end. I asked our server about it because i wanted my son to have the same experience i had as a kid and she said they still do it but our table was in a far back section and its way up by the front. I'm sure she could tell i was disappointed but didn't offer to do it either. Not enough to change the 5 star rating i assume it was just a one off and it won't change us coming just thought management might want to know.

    Restaurant sign on the roof
    Lisa O.

    Delicious quiet lunch for two on Friday afternoon at 12:30. They accepted reservations. The spacious dining room was light and bright. We enjoyed great service from our server, Christa. She explained the menu specials and what Gaido's is known for in their fresh signature crabs too. The cocktail shrimp was fresh and crab-cake a hearty entree. The lump crab asiago sauce over blackened halibut over rice with asparagus was as delicious as Christa described. The fresh baked bread and herbs with olive oil topped our meal. The dessert menu was tempting with many choibut we were too full to order any this time. We look forward to coming back again.

    Appetizer- Crab Cheesecake
    Jenn K.

    Ambience was nice, server (Jamie) was pleasant and attentive. However, the food was not the "Wow" factor we have experienced in the past. We started with the Crab Cheesecake, which was very tasty however, we felt the Creole meunière was a tad heavy and overpowered the crab flavors. I ordered the combination, grilled seafood platter, substituting with mahi-mahi and asparagus. The platter was good, but nothing more exceptional than I've experienced in other restaurants for less cost. (I will say the mahi-mahi was phenomenal, but the portion was small.) My husband ordered the fried shrimp platter and same as the previous comment. Gaido's is where we ate on our honeymoon and has always been a special place for us to visit, as it is two hours away from our home. We were a little disappointed on this trip, however, we are excited to try their sister company Nick's right next-door on our next visit to Galveston. Gaido's will always hold a special place in our hearts however, this visit was not our most memorable one.

    House Made Cheesecake - definitely a shareable slice

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    18 days ago

    The pecan-crusted red snapper was a nice lite order of food. It was full of the nutty sweet flavor.

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    4.5(1.2k reviews)
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    Cutting across Texas to New Orleans, I knew we would be skimming the shore of the Gulf of Mexico…read more Shut up. My review, I can call it what I want. That being said, it had been some time since I've gotten some proper fish-n-chips. I had to remedy that. Especially since the BBQ fiasco the other day, I was going to go on a hunger strike, but once I made the sign, I got potato chip fingers on it and started to eat it. So, I decided to fight fire with fire, and figured I would eat myself happy again. Which I'm never mad about. Sometimes I make myself angry just so I can eat myself happy. And now, the rest of the story. I have learned that I enjoy Cod fish for my fish-n-chips. And I think also Haddock. I am not a fisher nor a fish. So it's hard for me to say. But I know Cod is one for sure. I also sometimes have baby mouth and am afraid of new things. I do know I love my fish battered and deep fried. I also know that Shark Shack had good reviews for their fish, so, that was all I needed to hear. Plus, it was a perfect little eatery with bar seating, table seating, and gifts! So you can bet your bottom dollar tomorrow I ordered the English fish-n-chips. Boy oh boy. Just like how Britain colonized all those countries back when it was the cool thing to do, these fish and chips colonized my taste buds. Respectfully. This plate came with FIVE logs of fish. FIVE! Maybe they were tubes of fish? Honestly, I don't care what shape they came in, they looked perfectly crunchy and perfectly brown and perfectly fish. The super cool extra bonus? These fish came with CRISPIES! I've only ever seen crisps with fish from Long John Silvers, whose fish is probably as far from Cod or Haddock as legally possible. I actually think one of my pieces of fish from there had shoelaces. Didn't matter. Still ate it. Respectfully. (If you aren't privileged enough to know what fish crispies are, there little batter pieces that fry or fall off the fish as they cook. Basically little crumblies. If you make a wish over a fork of them and get the forkful in your mouth without dropping any, your wish will come true). Homemade tartar sauce was good, but there was a certain flavor profile that I wasn't a fan of. It was still good to use on the fish rods, it just tasted a little too much out of the tartar sauce field for me. The meal was wrapped up nice and tight with lovely square-cut fries. Perfect doneness. Perfect Ketchup vessel. I could just stare at a pile of them all night. Mostly because I'm weird. Perfect Fish Capsules: 12/10 Ideal Fry Sticks: 12/10 Times I Would Re-visit: Infinite

    It has taken me a little while to write this review purely because I am so torn on the rating. Some…read moreareas of our visit warrant a 3-star rating, and some a 4-star. I decided to lean more toward the 4-star side, so here we are. While in Galveston for a quick weekend getaway, we wanted to go out for dinner. Katie's was my first choice, but the wait was too long, so I pulled up Yelp to see what else was recommended. Shark Shack had great reviews, and when we arrived there was zero wait, so we went for it. The one area where I docked a star was the service. We were seated immediately but waited quite a while for our server to appear, and then even longer to get our drinks. I was so excited for a margarita, but when it arrived in a plastic cup, I was immediately disappointed. Plastic cups are for the beach and nightclubs, not a restaurant with a bar. And that's not where the awful drink experience ended -- it was so weak and just not good at all. Our server seemed so disinterested in everything: taking our order, answering questions, and when it came time to pay, we had to wait ages to see him and wave him down. The food was decent with no major complaints. It wasn't "blow your mind" amazing, but it was good. The owner -- well, I assume he was the owner -- came and spoke to us when he found out my husband was military, and he was really nice, friendly, and very supportive of the military community, offering a very generous military discount. That definitely raises the rating and is much appreciated, so thank you. Overall, the big fixes for me would be the service and the drink situation. I can't say we would rush to come back just because we love Katie's for the service, food, and drinks..

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    Shrimp N Stuff

    Shrimp N Stuff

    3.9(1.6k reviews)
    0.7 mi
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    First of all I'm bias. I remember coming here as a kid, tween, early teen, punk high schooler, 21…read moreyear old dumb butt and now back with my family. Could be nostalgia but I doubt it. What we ate: Fried shrimp po'boy side of hush puppies 2 pints of gumbo 1 bowl of gumbo A create a platter with boiled shrimp coconut shrimp potato's and hush puppies. Fried Shrimp po boys - it's good. A long time favorite and barely out of first place for my all time favorite. Shrimp perfectly fried. Bun just right. Lettuce and sauce hard to beat. I hate tomatoes but they are probably pretty good. I like mine with a few cracks of black pepper and some malt vinegar soaked into the bun. Gumbo - couple two tre splashes of hot sauce and it is just as good as any of them. We came in a day when it was in the 40's and it sure hit the spot against the cold. Highly recommend crumbling up some hush puppies in it. We got a lot and probably could have made it work with just 1 pint. The platter - (keep in mind my wife is a yankee from Oklahoma) coconut mid- did not like the sauce "too sweet". Boiled shrimps - good would eat another helping right now. Boiled potatoes "these are the best I have ever had" "I could eat these till I keeled over" she ate all of her plate and after sharing and mixing we maybe had 1/2 a bowl of gumbo left. The service is friendly and efficient. Ambiance is some kinda something. Diner? Dive? Are we in Maine? It's cool and homey and feels like a local secret. Not on the beach but beach feeling. With three locations this one on avenue o feels like where the locals still go? Idk it still makes me happy like it has all these years!

    We made a stop here for dinner on the way to the Bolivar Peninsula and were warmly welcomed by the…read morestaff. It was our first time here, and the staff member provided helpful recommendations. We ordered the coconut shrimp (with hush puppies, coleslaw, bean relish), fried shrimp, and a chicken tender kids' meal. Being a fan of coconut shrimp, I was excited to dig in but was met with disappointment upon realizing that the outer layer was over-fried, too dry, and with very little shrimp (not fresh shrimp) inside. The fried shrimp was better but didn't have much flavor. I also took a bite of the kids' chicken tender, and it was also very dry. Restaurant was clean and well-maintained; service was fast. This restaurant can benefit from significant improvement in food quality.

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