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Papa Rocco's

3.4 (588 reviews)
ModerateBars, Pizza, Italian
Open • 11:00 am - 11:59 pm
Updated a few days ago

Papa Rocco's Photos

Business Info

PAPA ROCCO'S ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Live music
Divey
Casual

Recommended Reviews - Papa Rocco's

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Meat pizza

The service was amazing! It would be a really fun spot to hang out. Reminds me of the old Gulf Shores. Highly recommend!

10 inch price buster pizza
Lyss'ah P.

Went around 9:30 pm, crazy long wait but we got lucky and 2 chairs came up at the bar. We ordered a dozen oysters, and the 10 in price buster pizza to eat at the bar. Oysters were 10/10(they have been the best we've had in Gulf Shores to date) pizza 8/10. Also got a large pepperoni pizza, Philly cheesesteak, and patty melt to go. The pepperoni was 8/10, cheesesteak 10/10 (but more of a classic bar food type cheesesteak which is my favorite) and patty melt 8/10. Definitely your typical bar atmosphere. Would go again!

My son is very picky and he loved it.
Cynthia C.

The pizza was amazing!!! 10/10 I would recommend!!! The owner came over and talked to us and the waitress was so nice. I glad we stopped in because it definitely is now a favorite spot.

Large pep pizza
Kelsie B.

Super small place, so you have to time it just right or be prepared for a bit of a wait. Food was FANTASTIC. Pizza crust was perfect, lasagna had great cheese and flavor, and the shrimps were 10/10. No complaints in the food department. I will say it definitely takes awhile to get your food and bar drinks, but I give them lots of grace since it was super busy and they were hustling! We will definitely be back!

French Dip Sandwich
Katie B.

Went on a June mid weekday summer night. Place is small but the staff is quick with their service so not too long of wait times. We were told it would be 30 minutes for a party of 8 and it was right on time. Drinks are affordable (and they have happy hour). They had live music when we went. Enjoyed the pizza and sampler trip appetizer.

Corn beef and cabbage
Billie W.

I was there yesterday on st Patrick's day and the corn beef and cabbage was excellent! The music, the 2 person band was exceptional! Service was great too, I will definitely go again!

Lynnette F.

It was so loud the waitress could not hear our orders. The Dr Pepper tasted funny, never got a new one. The waitress said she knew it would take awhile to fix it and offered a different drink. The food... wow, it was quite the let down. Based on the reviews I was surprised by how bland it was. It took a solid 45 minutes to get our order. My son's wings came out cold. Between the waitresses not acknowledging ANYONE nor the other staff it took longer to explain that the food was cold. For the 1.5 hours there we saw two other tables send their food back because it was cold. Fortunately, this is our last night in Alabama.

Veggie pizza with pepperoni
Lori W.

Incredible experience here! I visited with my mom and aunts the week of Sand In My Boots festival and had an awesome time. We were greeted warmly by both the Papa Rocco's staff and a rep from Kona Big Wave that gave us some free merch! The oysters were fantastic, they were huge and juicy. The pizza was also verrry good, we got the veggie pizza and added pepperoni. Can't wait to come back next time I'm in town. This is by far my favorite pizza and oyster joint around!

No cooking Monday, taking my honey out for Italian. Happy Monday!
Barrett O.

I have been a regular dine-in and to-go customer here for 40 years and have had some good times and made some great memories here. But sadly I am not been pleased with my last few trips and it's unfortunately not likely to return unless some changes are made, drastic ones at that. Papa Rocco's, has been a beloved Gulf Shores institution known for its pizza, oysters, and quirky atmosphere, and a local favorite since its establishment in 1985. Founded by Bill McGinnes, the restaurant gained a reputation for its unique slogan "Home of Warm Beer and Lousy Pizza," which has become a tongue-in-cheek trademark for this beachside eatery. Despite its humble beginnings and unconventional marketing approach, Papa Rocco's has been a go-to spot for good food and good times. Over the years, Papa Rocco's has endured challenges such as hurricanes and the ever-changing culinary landscape of Gulf Shores. In June 2024, they made headlines, and lots of buzz when they filed for a liquor license transfer from Papa Rocco's Pizza to a local business called KJJ Group, owned by Kenneth Jones. The transfer was debated and eventually approved by the Gulf Shores City Council, preparing for a new chapter in their history. Although ownership has changed hands, Papa Rocco's continues to operate at their iconic location just a short distance from the beach. They have added some comedy nights, and still the annual St. Paddy's Day Pub Crawl, a tradition started by former Pink Pony Pub owner Vince Murphy in the 1970s, has continued under Papa Rocco's banner since 1989, continuing that role in the Gulf Shores community. But the food is the big FAIL, as three visits ago I was very disappointed when I received one of my favorite dishes The Italian Combo with meatballs, spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli and manicotti. It was undercooked, under seasoned and cold inside, really incredible. My next visit has a decent stuffed mushroom dish but the pizza was overcooked and bland but I had to give them one more chance after a few weeks. My son was happy with their AYCE spaghetti Wednesday but my baked French Onion soup was just awful, like worse than a Campbell's soup in a can version and my meatball sandwich was not much better. To make it worse the service is just okay but is not as friendly and welcoming as it has been in the past. Bottom line: If the "new" Papa Rocco's is trying to live up to the Home of Warm Beer and Lousy Pizza marketing then I'd say their on target but it's a shame their just not the place we've been fond of for decades.

Cajun oysters 10/10

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22 days ago

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27 days ago

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2 months ago

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19 days ago

Wings were good. Salad was good. Pizza had 3 inches of crust around the outside with no topping no cheese no nothing very disappointed.

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3 months ago

A little slow to get a table but the pizza is fantastic. Great flavor and the ambiance is terrific

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8 months ago

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1 month ago

Great food and great service I plan on going back there again. It's a very popular place. A lot of locals go there. Great atmosphere !

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Ask the Community - Papa Rocco's

Anyone know if they have king crab legs again? They used to a few years back, but last year they did not. Not sure if it was a temporary thing due to COVID or permanent. Also?l I thought the royal reds used to be shelled but last year they were not.

Yes! Snow crab is back!

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The Galway Irish Public House - Stopped in to see about bringing our Friday group here.

The Galway Irish Public House

4.5(119 reviews)
1.6 mi
•$$

We saw flying adverts for this place while at the beach, so we figured why not?…read more We found it pretty easily and it gives a very comfortable vibe, so dress up or down they will welcome you in. Our server, Michael was absolutely wonderful. (Plus he has amazing hair!) Anyway, we started with my Smoked Old Fashioned (It was ok, bartender went a little heavy on the bitters, and I should've asked for Bulleit Rye but that was my bad.) Anyway, Honey got a Black and Blue. Both came out super quick and we were instantly refreshed. We chose to sit in the patio bc the weather was nice and not too hot or cold. It was just right. We started with the ColCannon Boxty Appetizer. It is small balls of shredded potatoes that are fried, and come with a delish aioli dipping sauce. We chose to split the Shepherds pie for our main course. The meat gave me meat loaf vibes but with a ground beef texture and a unique aftertaste.. It was good, just the texture is unique! It came with a small portion of the Brown Bread with Garlic butter. It was good! We asked for more Garlic butter. It was delicious! We would've ordered a Creme Brûlée but we were both stuffed. It was overall a great place and we will visit it again. A must visit if you are in Orange Beach!

Quick summary:…read more Reuben: Below expectations Fish & chips: Met expectations Chicken pot pie: Below expectations Wings: Below expectations Old Fashioned: Below expectations Guinness: Met expectations French 75: Met expectations I had heard great things about this place, so my expectations were high. The inside bar area is very cool, but it was extremely loud at night. If you're eating dinner, don't expect to have much of a conversation. We ordered several of the things they're supposedly exceptional at, and most of it was just "meh." The Reuben was the biggest disappointment. It was supposed to be one of the best Reubens around, but honestly, Arby's is just as good. If you want a truly exceptional Reuben, go to Napoleon House in New Orleans. The fish and chips were fine. The wings were also okay, but nothing memorable. The chicken pot pie was unique and clearly made fresh. It contained shredded chicken, which was a little different, and had a strong spice flavor that I couldn't identify (tarragon). I didn't dislike it, but I wouldn't reorder. The Old Fashioned was disappointing. The Guinness and French 75 were both good and met expectations. None of the food was actually bad. We simply had much higher expectations based on the restaurant's reputation and what we were told they do exceptionally well. Service was good, and the atmosphere was cool. Overall, it's an interesting place, but the food didn't live up to the hype. Clearly, I'm in the minority because this place has excellent reviews--especially on Yelp, where reviewers can be pretty tough. I don't enjoy leaving negative reviews because food is subjective, and this may simply be a "tomayto, tomahto" situation. Everything I found average could be amazing to someone else. This was just my experience.

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The Galway Irish Public House - Lots of TVs if you want to catch a game

Lots of TVs if you want to catch a game

The Galway Irish Public House - Large bar area

Large bar area

The Galway Irish Public House - Taps

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Taps

The Sloop - "THE" Italiano. I didn't take a picture last time. Says something about a place that is packed on a Thursday in November at 2:30

The Sloop

4.6(273 reviews)
1.7 mi
•$$

Best chili dog ever! Cool lil hole in the wall. Makes me think that a homeless man that lived under…read morea bridge and said hey, I like food and I like living under this bridge and decided to make his dream come true lol. Adorable quaint friendly stop.

It's been 6 years since my 4 star and gotta report that this spot is a solid 5 and continuing to…read moreimpress!!! ​My honey and I were already regular locals back then, but over the years they have somehow continue to kick things another level when you're not paying attention :-); The Philly cheesesteaks are still the absolute gold standard around here, which is saying a lot coming from someone who used to live right in Philadelphia and knows the real deal. I have a few faves like the cheesy mushrooms and the BBQ shrimp, and nowadaya you can't just look at the regular menu. You have to check out their daily specials board because they are constantly knocking it out of the park with creative new dishes and fresh catches. ​The atmosphere is just even more welcoming, but the outdoor seating is much improved with some sand and stage, perfect for enjoying the coastal breeze. They updated their operating hours too, so they are now open daily from 11 AM to 10 PM. Whether you want to escape the usual tourist trap seafood lines, watch a game on their big screens, or just grab a ice cold beer, or really strong drink, with friendly folks, this place just keeps getting better. If you haven't been by lately, you are seriously missing out. Highly recommended!!! 5/26/26

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The Sloop - OMG I'm in heaven!

OMG I'm in heaven!

The Sloop - Cheesesteak fries- amazing

Cheesesteak fries- amazing

The Sloop - A lot of parking

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A lot of parking

LuLu's Gulf Shores - Peel n Eat Shrimp

LuLu's Gulf Shores

3.6(2.4k reviews)
1.9 mi
•$$
Kid friendly
Outdoor seating

Lulu's is definitely a top spot for Orange Beach/ Gulf Shores area and a place I always look…read moreforward to come back to! The menu item I always get is their Gumbo! It is so good and flavorful! They have 2 options- shrimp/crab or chicken/sausage. I'll eat the sausage, but I'm not always the biggest fan of sausage, so the fact they have an option without is just perfect! This trip we also had the Key West bowl with blacked shrimp and also the peel and eat shrimp, with the chip sampler to start. Trips before we've also had the fish tacos, blackened grouper, and fried green tomatoes. They have great cocktails! I love the loopty Lu lemonade! Lots of things to do for the kids- outdoor games and an arcade room! WARNING! Their draft beer system was not working and our wait staff said it's been out all summer. Just as a FYI to those specifically coming for that vibe.

Amazing!! They have an entire menu book dedicated to various food allergies!! As someone who has to…read morebe gluten and dairy free, this was DOPE!! I got the bowl with shrimp and it was yummy! The sauces were good too! Manager came over and took my order separate and it was brought out separate too! Such an impressive display of care and concern for doing things right! Our waitress was super nice in general too. Cool atmosphere, cool location, love the fun theme. We loved it!!

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LuLu's Gulf Shores - Crab Soup and Gumbo!

Crab Soup and Gumbo!

LuLu's Gulf Shores - LuLu's Shrimp Tacos

LuLu's Shrimp Tacos

LuLu's Gulf Shores - LuLu's Key Lime Pie

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LuLu's Key Lime Pie

Pink Pony Pub

Pink Pony Pub

3.1(566 reviews)
0.3 mi
•$$

We chose this spot for our final dinner of the trip, and it was a great place to spend our last…read moreevening. We were seated on the corner of the patio, which provided a beautiful view and a relaxing atmosphere. Several other guests warned us about aggressive seagulls, but thankfully they weren't an issue during our visit. To start, we ordered the buffalo dip. It was tasty and well-prepared, though it was fairly simple and something that could easily be recreated at home. For my entrée, I ordered the sourdough burger without onions and added bacon. The burger was juicy, flavorful, and cooked just right. My husband went with the Double Pony Burger, which was absolutely massive. He thoroughly enjoyed it and had no complaints. I also tried the Seven-Headed Dragon cocktail, which is similar to a Long Island Iced Tea. It was delicious, packed a serious punch, and is definitely not a drink to underestimate! Our server was friendly and pleasant, although there were a few times when he seemed to disappear for a while, and our food took a bit longer to arrive than we expected. Even so, the atmosphere helped make up for the wait. As we were finishing up, they were getting ready to start karaoke, which looked like it would be a lot of fun and added to the lively beach-town vibe. Overall, we enjoyed our meal, the waterfront setting, and the laid-back atmosphere. While service could have been a little more attentive, I would absolutely come back for a cocktail, an appetizer, and to enjoy the view again.

One of the few bars I checked out during my time in gulf shores and it was okay…read more Drinks were fine, just extremely sweet. The food we got a a bit cold but good. The service was okay but our bartender added their tip themselves which wasn't great. Might come back one day. The tags in the bathroom were cool as heck though.

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Pink Pony Pub
Pink Pony Pub - Raw Oysters

Raw Oysters

Pink Pony Pub - View outside

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View outside

The Hangout

The Hangout

3.3(1.8k reviews)
0.3 mi
•$$

This is such a great place! It really lives up to its name because this is definitely THE HANGOUT…read moreSPOT! The restaurant is HUGE! We got there a little after 6 PM on a Sunday during Labor Day weekend, and even with how busy they were, they were able to seat our group of 29 people within about 20 minutes! The one thing I will say is parking is HORRIBLE. For a place this big, in such a busy tourist area, I definitely think they need to expand their parking situation. We ended up having to park across the street and pay for parking. Other than that, this place was really nice! It's right on the beach, they had a live band playing, and today they even had a foam party for the kids, which was such a fun plus! The atmosphere was definitely a vibe! The food was good, but SUPER pricey! I think you're definitely paying for the whole experience and atmosphere as well. Overall, we had a great time! If we come back to Gulf Shores, I would definitely come back here.

If you're looking for a place to just grab lunch...this is way more than that…read more We stopped by during the day expecting good food and beach vibes, but ended up getting a full-on show. At one point the staff broke out into a huge dance party right in the middle of the restaurant, getting kids, parents, and even a few reluctant dads standing on their chairs and joining the fun. It was one of those moments where you couldn't help but smile. Outside there's something for everyone--yard games, a foam party for the kids, bungee-style trampolines, beach access, and plenty of places to hang out (pun absolutely intended). I can only imagine how much fun this place is at night with live music. The nachos were piled ridiculously high and disappeared much faster than they should have. Service was upbeat, attentive, and clearly focused on making sure everyone was having a good time. Don't skip the gift shop either. We left with a couple of super cute T-shirts and can koozies to remember the trip. The Hangout isn't just somewhere to eat--it's somewhere to make vacation memories. I'd happily come back.

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The Hangout - Inside of restaurant

Inside of restaurant

The Hangout
The Hangout - The Hangout

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The Hangout

MudBugs Pub - SOFTSHELL POBOYS OUT OF THIS WORLD

MudBugs Pub

2.8(73 reviews)
0.1 mi
•$

I never expected my first visit to MudBugs to be because my dog accidentally locked me out of my…read morehouse at 1:00 a.m. during a tropical storm! Josh, one of the security guys, went completely out of his way to help me when I had no phone, no wallet, and nowhere to go. He let me use his phone, helped me figure out my options after the police and locksmiths couldn't help, and connected me with his friend, Mike from Mike's Jersey Taxi. Mike literally got out of bed in the middle of the night and drove me and my Labrador 45 minutes each way so I could get a spare key and make it safely back home. Both Josh and Mike showed an incredible level of kindness that I'll never forget. Thank you both for turning a really awful night into one that reminded me there are still genuinely good people out there. I'll definitely be checking out MudBugs in the near future!

You must must must try the Rockefeller dip, especially if you enjoy spicy food. It is fantastic…read more The wings are always delicious and exactly what I am expecting and wanting. But today we ordered the dip, and holy moly!!! It's delicious and I've not had anything quite like it. Ok... let's talk about Mud Bugs as a bar. The staff works together and they lift each other up and they're having fun doing it. The drinks are great and you cannot beat the prices. Karaoke inside, Doug(!!!) playing live in front, watch a game in the back there's a vibe for everyone. For the transient and the locals this is a fun, safe place to be.

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MudBugs Pub
MudBugs Pub - SMASH BURGERS

SMASH BURGERS

MudBugs Pub - The grand entrance to mud bugs.

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The grand entrance to mud bugs.

Papa Rocco's - bars - Updated October 2026

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