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Sonny's Place

4.1 (260 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 1:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

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Sonny's Place Photos

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SONNY'S PLACE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Divey
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Sonny's Place

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Reviews With Photos

Charlene P.

Kinda embarrassed that I have missed Sonny's for years. It has a long and rich history. We arrived right at opening. Tables started filling in quickly. Our waitress was really sweet and advised us against ordering a whole muffuletta. She was right because our 1/2 was so ginormous. It was delicious. I left stuffed, happy, and did not break the bank!!!!

Sandra K.

So yes I know all the food I posted is brown or yellow. Listen, you aren't coming to this place to stick to a diet. You're coming here for the vibes. It's a local place and has been around since 1944. It's a dive-y place and has old pictures up and plaques on booths. I grew up in Galveston but didn't come here until I was an adult because Galveston was integrated but not at certain places back in the day. Now it's open to all and easier to blend in but it's still a place where locals come. Fridays are gumbo nights and theirs is special. The spaghetti with meat sauce is also a classic as well as the grilled muffuletta which is huge if you get more than 1/4 piece. Service is friendly and fast which is much appreciated with a three year old. You're coming for the ambience and the vibes and good prices and easy living. Street parking is usually available.

That's half of a grilled muffalata!!!
Dan B.

What an amazing hole in the wall diamond! The grilled muffalta is insane!! So worth a stop while on the island

Inside
Katherine C.

Sonny's is an island treasure. Sonny's is Galveston's oldest bar and restaurant. As a local, I have tried many things on the menu, but nothing compares to the Muffelatta and Grilled Muffelatta. You can order it 1/4, 1/2 or whole. If you order it whole, hope you are hungry or have a partner to share. The atmosphere is casual and you can watch sports on multiple flat screens. You can also just come here to hang out with friends while playing pool, shuffle boards, and pinball. You'll meet locals and get a true feel for the island life. Christmas decorations are up year round, so bring the cheer. Be careful because all patrons are expected to abide by the southern way: watch your language and behave.

Pinball machines
Susan W.

We ate here tonight. We were a bit hesitant as it looked like just a bar from the outside. I ordered the grilled ham and cheese it was really good. My husband ordered the burger, he said it was great. My grand daughter ordered the chili cheese fries and the Parmesan cheese pasta, she said it was awesome. I did try her food as well and it was really good too. After dinner we played pool and pinball. It was one of the best nights we have had in a long time. The staff was amazing, very kind, considerate and fun to talk with as well as doing a great job. We will definitely come back here again on our next visit to Galveston. Don't let the outside of this place keep you from coming into a great place......take a chance! Thank you for making our night! You all are the best!

Seafood gumbo
Preston I.

It took me over two years of living in Galveston, but I finally made it to Sonny's Place. This restaurant has been around forever, so it has become a very well-known establishment among Galveston locals. I came for a Friday lunch and ordered a bowl of the seafood gumbo and the dressed shrimp bun. Both were really good! The gumbo came out hot and was very flavorful. It also had a respectable amount of shrimp. I'm definitely ordering the large bowl next time. The shrimp bun was a decent size and filled with fried jumbo shrimp, veggies, and their homemade tartar sauce. The bread was nicely toasted and tasted great. The sandwich might fall apart while you're digging in, so ask for a fork if you're too modest to pick up the falling shrimp with your hands. The service was fast and attentive. And the owner came by our table to tell us a funny dad joke. I loved that a lot. I can see why this place has withstood the test of time.

Grilled Muffeletta.
Greg P.

Came here about 4 years ago on a suggestion. Ordered 1/2 muffeletta. Could only eat 1/4. But man it was good. Came to Houston for a visit and made it a point to come back for another Muffeletta. Not disappointed. The place is definitely a hole in the wall but if you come to Galveston make sure you stop in for a Muffeletta. Besides, who's ever hear of a Muffeletta??? You won't be disappointed.

Grilled Muffuletta

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3 months ago

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4 days ago

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1 year ago

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2 months ago

There's a reason this place has been there for three generations. Always feels like home no matter how many years go by.

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3 months ago

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

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10 months ago

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1 year ago

Best grilled muffuletta ever. Order a whole and you will have leftovers for days! It could feed 4 people. Once a month must in our house!

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

Sonny's a great place, however, they do not have a good way to get a wheelchair inside, so we will have to order from Uber or DoorDash

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7 years ago

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2 years ago

The best on Hamburgers on the island. Great service I've cold beer. Really cold beer

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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4 years ago

Cool historical place. Beer selection is a bit limited. The grilled muffuletta was pretty good.

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Great place, service was good and food was great. The vibe is old school cool, it's a place you feel like you're with family

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Richard and staff make some very delicious food. Whenever I'm in Galveston I make my way there for toasted muffuletta!

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

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Page 1 of 7

Ask the Community - Sonny's Place

Is there parking available?

Yes, in front, to the side, down the block and from 19th and its corner down all the way to the school. Be cognizant though, and be respectful of neighborhood driveways.

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Shark Shack Beach Bar & Grill - Grilled Shrimp over Fettuccine Alfredo!

Shark Shack Beach Bar & Grill

4.5(1.3k reviews)
0.8 mi
•$$

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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Shark Shack Beach Bar & Grill - Top Rated Seafood & Burgers in Galveston's Downtown, just 1 Block from the Cruise Ships!

Top Rated Seafood & Burgers in Galveston's Downtown, just 1 Block from the Cruise Ships!

Shark Shack Beach Bar & Grill - Redfish Tacos!
"Famous for Fish Tacos!"

Redfish Tacos! "Famous for Fish Tacos!"

Shark Shack Beach Bar & Grill - Blackened Fish tacos

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Hearsay on the Strand - Espresso Rubbed Pork Chop. Perfect crust and seasoning, and tender inside.

Hearsay on the Strand

3.9(723 reviews)
0.8 mi
•$$

Atmosphere | 4.5/5…read more Hearsay on the Strand has a beautiful interior and a great overall ambiance. The decor and lighting is elegant, relaxing and warm. However, the music was a miss for me. It didn't match the setting at all and felt disconnected from the atmosphere of the restaurant. The music selection could definitely use some improvement. (Maybe jazz, or something by definetly not pop) Service | 5/5 Our waiter, Caleb, was AMAZING! He was friendly, attentive, and provided excellent service throughout our visit. Service is the No.1 most important thing in my opinion and Caleb knocked it out the park. Food | 4/5 I ordered the braised short rib, and the meat was incredibly TENDER! While I enjoyed the texture, I do think it could have used a little more flavor. A good marinade or deeper seasoning before cooking would really help bring out the richness of the meat. Now, the grits served underneath were extremely disappointing. They were water flavored and cold. Good grits need heavy cream or half-and-half, butter, and seasoning. For a dish like this, adding cheese would help. The pairing felt like an afterthought, almost as though they were trying to find a way to use up extra grits. My recommendation: Substitute the grits for mashed potatoes and request butter on the side. I think mashed potatoes would pair much better with the short rib. I got an off menu cozy apple turn over. It would have been good but it was cold. I definitely recommend it if we ensure it's hot when it comes. They switched it out for the Crème Brûlée for me and that was good! It had such a great crunch on the top layer. Overall Experience | 4/5

YET AGAIN. This place just sucks. I am mad at myself for giving it another shot. It's still a…read morepretty restaurant and you WANT it to work. You want it to be good. But it never is. In addition to the food order being incorrect and slow, it wasn't good. The gumbo was a soup base with very little vegetable. It has chopped up pieces of white meat chicken mixed in and 2 decent shrimp thrown on top. The rice was undercooked - it was crunchy. The wedge salad had one cherry tomato split in half. The blue cheese dressing dressing was essentially mayonnaise with squares of not great blue cheese. Anyway - the island has so many great restaurants. Go somewhere with good food.

Photos
Hearsay on the Strand - Food baby.

Food baby.

Hearsay on the Strand - Deviled eggs were nicely seasoned and the "egg crate" presentation was unique.

Deviled eggs were nicely seasoned and the "egg crate" presentation was unique.

Hearsay on the Strand - Cucumber Cooler

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Cucumber Cooler

BLVD Seafood - Greek salad, full of texture and flavor. This is a half portion (we shared), so it worked well as an appetizer.

BLVD Seafood

4.4(1.8k reviews)
1.0 mi
•$$

This was a fantastic meal. We had some recommendations from people on the plane with us and we also…read morehad some recommendations from our Uber driver, but ultimately we needed to find a restaurant that had available reservations for the evening. We made an 8:00 reservation and then we're running late and called to let them know. They had no issues when we arrived even though it was 20 minutes late. The restaurant was smaller than I expected but very nice and when we arrived we were among the last tables to be seated for the evening. The servers were fantastic, and especially our server, Haley, who took care of all of our needs. She kept our water glasses full, kept checking on us and took care of all of our dinner needs. My mother and I started with the chowder and house salad. We then ordered our meal and my mother had the Cedar Plank Salmon and I had the Blvd seafood sampler with Redfish, shrimp and scallops and both of our meals were outstanding. The seafood chowder, even just a cup was huge with tons of seafood, so much so I was wondering if I'd be able to eat my meal. It was filling but I devoured the seafood and found that I love Redfish! Yvonne came over mid meal to check on us. I presume she was a manager. Blvd is an outstanding and reasonable restaurant and I highly recommend that you check it out if you are in the area or coming to Galveston for a cruise. I look forward to returning in the future.

Finally made it back here, and it's a wonderful as it was on our last visit…read more The service is top notch, and Autumn was our friendly and excellent server. She knows the menu inside and out, and made great recommendations. The atmosphere is a cozy beachside / nautical decor. The food is fantastic, cooked perfectly, the seasoning is just enough spice, and the drinks are hearty enough without being overpowering. We wanted to come back the next night, but they are sold out with no reservations available!

Photos
BLVD Seafood - Simply decorated but nice

Simply decorated but nice

BLVD Seafood - Desserts to finish your meal.

Desserts to finish your meal.

BLVD Seafood - Lemon and Blueberry Martini. Perfect.

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Lemon and Blueberry Martini. Perfect.

Sonny's Place - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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