MARKET BY THE BAY, Daphne — Restaurant in Daphne

I have been dining at Market By the Bay many years. I wish they had kept the other location and sold this location. Parking here is ALWAYS a problem. There are about 4 parking spaces in front of the restuarant! Then, there is parking to the South, North, and along the street, if you can find a space!! This visit, I concluded would be my last. I found a parking space on the North and thought that it was immediately next to the restaurant. Well, it was NOT! I entered a new store! Luckily the people were just setting up this new store were not upset at me. I go across the paved lot to Market By the Bay and only one server is there. She is busy but very slow in doing anything. Since I selected the table and said I was going to wash my hands, when I returned, as many times as she passed the table she never grabbed a menu and table setting to drop on the table as she passed it at least 4 to 6 times! I was a server/waitress in my younger years and multi-tasking like that was nothing! When I returned, she passed me by at least 3 times and not at any great speed to accomplish anything in a timely manner. I asked if she was the only person on duty and she said there was one more. The other person stayed out of sight for quite a while. When she came in she looked like a lost teenager wishing she was not there. She had nothing in her hands, walked to a table, and walked back with nothing, not even a dirty plate. I guess they do not clear dirty plates until you leave. 🤣🤑 The only thing I could order was a burger, because of high chokesterol. I wanted a bowl of gumbo but do not recall seeing it on the menu.. I whoosh down the hamburger and got out of there to rush to my appointment 9 miles South. While sitting there waiting for the burger I decided that I would never come here again. That there was nothing here good for me. The parking is a nightmare. The atmosphere is awfully with the "post" in the dining area. With tables 2 feet ftom the bathroom. With the kitchen entrance just off from the enclosed dining and bathroom area. All areas are tight, closely nit areas. This restaurant needs to relocate elsewhere!! This is NOT a good location, nor a good dining experience. You are frustrated before you even get your food. The parking and entrance to a restuarant with good food should not frustrate the customer before they sit down to dine. Surely, Market By the Bay has enough funds saved to find a piece of land and build their own restaurant that provides a nice dining experience with great food and...

Atmosphere This evening, the bar and restaurant offered plenty of seating options, both indoors and outdoors. However, it's worth noting that parking can become quite congested during peak times. As guests enter through the front doors, a hostess greets them on the left, while coolers filled with homemade treats are showcased on the right, next to the bar entrance. The venue features a variety of high-top and table seating, accommodating patrons of all kinds. Overall, the space was immaculate and tastefully decorated.

Food We kicked off our dining experience with Hand-Battered Fried Pickles and Boudin Egg Rolls as appetizers. Each dish was accompanied by delightful dipping sauces that enhanced our enjoyment. For the main course, we opted for a selection of kids' meals (Hamburger and Grilled Shrimp) alongside adult platters that included Alabama Crab Cake Stack, Skewered Shrimp, and a Hamburger, paired with sides like Steak Fries, Cheddar Cheese Grits, Coleslaw, and a Side Salad. Our table preferred the slaw and grits and the seafood dishes. The only downside we encountered was the use of generic artificial sweeteners. While I understand this is a cost-saving measure, it was disappointing and didn’t compare to name-brand options, which detracted from my enjoyment of unsweet tea with my meal. Although we didn’t have room for dessert, I plan to return (with Splenda) to sample some of those delectable options.

Service Throughout our visit, we interacted with one employee who served as both our hostess and server. She was incredibly helpful, answering questions about the menu and providing general information. Despite being busy, she efficiently kept all cups filled, delivered food promptly to each table, ensured order accuracy, and offered condiments, silverware, sauces, and extra plates. She was friendly, efficient,...

The “new” Market By the Bay is in many ways just like the old Market By the Bay. It is still a great place for locals to get good seafood meals. But it’s changed in a few ways that are positive changes. The menu is still mostly simple, solid basic gulf coast seafood standards. Gumbo, shrimp poboys, crab claws and a variety of fried seafood platters. All delicious and good sized portions. That keeps locals coming back regularly. The changes include a full service dining room where everything from ordering to settling your check is now done. This is a change from the old MBTB where you ordered and paid at the counter and could eat in the dining room but didn’t have the staff and amenities of a full service dining room. They’ve also added to front with improved wheelchair access over what the building originally had, plus added a prepared meals cooler for those without the time to wait or who want to grab something quick to eat at home and some additions to the menu, including some daily specials from Tuesday through Friday, such as loaded seafood baked potatoes, BBQ shrimp and a Low Country Shrimp Boil in a bag and Red Beans and rice. Today had a leisurely lunch of gumbo and crab claws delivered by a very personable young man named Ethan who did a fabulous job of making sure we had everything we needed and that our food was to our satisfaction. I highly recommend the “new” Market By the Bay and using the dining room if you have the time. And if you don’t have the time you can still call ahead to place you order of your favorites or grab something from the cooler of...