Lauria's by the Beach — Restaurant in Gulf Shores

Not sure how this place has almost 100% perfect reviews unless others have been deleted somehow. It took us almost 2 hours (1.5 hours to be exact) to get our food, a caprese salad and a pizza melt.

I understand being busy and being backed up in a restaurant. There were a few other people who ordered at similar times as us. I worked in a place a little bigger than this for 4 years, and maybe 2-3 times a week I worked shifts where it was just me up front with 1 person in the kitchen (which was exactly the situation at this restaurant, so I'm really trying to be forgiving here). Maybe it's just a misalignment of my expectations with what they're able to do, but it seems like they can't handle having more than 3 or 4 customers at a time. Maybe it's also more of a bar or a snack place and I shouldn't have expected anything similar to a restaurant, but silly me saw 5 stars. I especially don't understand how it takes so long considering so many things on the menu aren't even cooked, just assembled, but every place has their own system.

The weirdest part was getting water. I can forgive and understand having a long wait on food, been there done that 100 times, but it felt like we had to strongarm her and convince her to give us water before our meal was ready. I guess they normally bring water out with the meal? I would've even been fine with taking a sip out of a water cooler or a sink if it were available.

The food was fine. Caprese salad was a little more tomato than cheese but I know everywhere does it a little differently. Pizza melt was good but I'd be shocked if even a gas station could mess that up.

Overall, very strange experience, would absolutely not recommend unless you see few if any other customers there. The 2 staff seem like nice people so I feel bad writing this review, but the ball was dropped so hard and I don't want anyone else to risk their...

Huge THUMBS DOWN for me on Lauria's in Orange Beach for me.

My family and I had been looking forward to trying this place. I called tonight to order dinner for pick up. After taking my order, the bartender (B) who happens to be the bar manager called back to inform me they didn’t have pasto pasta. The conversation went like this:

B: “The kitchen told me they don’t have pesto pasta, so do you want something else?”

Me: Well…what pasta’s do you have?

B: Fettuccine and Spaghetti, thats it.

Me: I’m glad I asked instead of me asking for different dishes and you telling me you don’t have it.

B: OH MY GOD, do you want food from here or not?

Me: (Laughing) is there a manager?

B: I am the manager. I am the bar manager.

Me: oh well that’s double hilarious. Nope, I don’t want to order a thing. Have a good night.

PS - when I called earlier, the same woman picked up the phone but then proceeded to have a conversation with someone else for about 20 seconds before she acknowledged she answered the phone. I said hello twice before she finally said hello back to me.

If your are an Italian food restaurant and the only Pasta dishes you have available on a Monday evening at 5:30pm are Fettuccine and Spaghetti, then that’s a problem. At that point, you’re just a restaurant not an Italian food restaurant. Horrible. I’m a local and I’ll never go back nor will I take visitors that come to town for vacation there...

Out and about on another business trip, in Gulf Shores this week and stopped in to Lauria's for dinner. It was a fairly quiet Tuesday with only a half dozen people when I arrived. I grabbed a seat at the bar and was greeted with a smile by Amy, the bartender and server. The menu is small, but what they do, they do very well. A few appetizers, charcuterie boards, salads, sandwiches and flatbreads. I was hungry so I ordered the bruchetta, a small side salad, and a supreme sausage flatbread. The bruchetta was fresh and delicious with lots of flavor. (The tomatoes were awesome! ) Great little side salad, again fresh and crisp. Finally the flatbread was packed with flavorful meats, fresh veggies, and a delicious red sauce stacked on a tasty, crisp flatbread crust. Layers of smoky flavor piled high. The flatbreads are great for one, but easily shared for two if you have a couple of other goodies. (Like I said, I was very hungry.) This all went well with a nice red wine and while I didn't need it, I snuck in a little dessert of Affogato made with their house gellato. Great little find just off the beach and the service was awesome as well. Highly recommend this place if you're ready to leave the touristy joints behind and chill with some great food. They also offer both inside and outside seating. Enjoy! If you found this review helpful, please hit the...