Cosmo's Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Orange Beach

Like many folks vacationing at Gulf Coast, we spent a lot of time looking for and eating at places on the water. Which is fine, that’s what you do when you live away from the water. But don’t sleep on Cosmo’s. This place should be on your list when you visit.

Why? It’s starts with the ambiance. Before you get seated you are surrounded by colorful walls and live music that reminded me of a Key West or Bahamas-type atmosphere.

When you are seated you will be greeted by some of the most friendly servers you may ever encounter. Our server, Savana, was so warm, kind and accommodating. And this was at the end of her shift- we came at 9:00 partly because they were open until 9:30, and most places close here at 8 or 9. We even shared a laugh over our common interest in eating piping hot food. Other severs waiting tables nearby seemed to have similar personalities.

The kitchen was killing it the night we visited, churning out food quickly and to order, even as the restaurant was slammed. My kids are simple eaters and got the cheeseburger and fries. The loved it, the portions so large they couldn’t finish their meal.

My wife got the shrimp po boy and smoked Mac and cheese. Both were sublime, and again so big she couldn’t finish. Oh, and we shared the calamari as a starter, it was fine but the house made marinara was terrific.

I ordered the special of the day- red snapper over spinach and fingerling potatoes. It was so damn tasty. The fish was fresh, perfectly seasoned and grilled, the potatoes adequate. The spinach had almost a collared green, vinegar taste to it which really elevated it. It was the best meal I had on our trip.

I also appreciate the realistic prices for beer. I think I paid $5.50 for an import- Stella- which is not bad at all.

We saw a table get their desserts and they all looked amazing, they made sounds of delight as they devoured their treats so we had to get something. We chose the key lime pie to go, and we do not regret this decision one bit.

Enjoy your time on the water, but venture 5 minutes inland away from the masses of tourists and enjoy a fine dinner in a cute, instagramable environment. This will likely be your...

Excellent—by far the best meal we had in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach. Fine dining quality at affordable prices in an approachable environment. Our server was phenomenal, VERY knowledgeable about the menu and specials! Wish we remembered her name, but if you’re reading this you know who you are. ⭐️🫵

Cocktails - Perfectly balanced, delicious, and below market prices for the area!

Entrées - Mouthwatering and cooked to perfection. We got the banana leaf Chilean sea bass and the red snapper chef’s special. Both wonderfully presented, perfectly portioned, and DELICIOUS in all aspects. Included sides were perfectly paired to bring out the best qualities of the fish, which was obviously fresh and cooked by someone who knows their way around seafood. They are not kidding when they say the sea bass is one of the best meals you can get in Alabama! The crab sauce accompanying the red snapper was out of this world. Our only sadness is that this special will likely not be available when we return, but we’re eager to see what other specials are waiting for us.

Dessert - We had the banana fritters and they completely exceeded our expectations. Perfectly fried, perfectly ripe bananas paired with an excellent banana chocolate sauce and cold vanilla ice cream made for a perfect way to end the meal.

Overall, a real gem of Orange Beach with both indoor/outdoor seating and attentive waitstaff. Shoutout to the bartender, the chef, and our waitress! We...

My wife and I were here in September, driving straight to dinner at Cosmos, arriving about 15 minutes before Happy Hour ended. We were seated, then waited for at least 20 minutes while Happy Hour passed us by. Most disappointing, until our waiter came by with exceeding apologies and a promise to charge us Happy Hour prices for everything we ordered, AND comp us a desert. We were most grateful, and all was restored! We enjoyed a dinner of fresh catch, ginger greens, salads, and the amazing savory cheesecake. Unfortunately, the drink I ordered from the bar was quite good at first, but quickly turned very watery as the ice melted so quickly. Maybe you guys could try a different type of ice? Returned to Cosmos just this weekend on a second fall visit, and enjoyed the savory cheesecake again, and a very attentive waitress. Really have enjoyed Cosmos over the years...and have just now come to write a review. While enjoying this restaurant as a favorite when we come to Orange Beach, I have just one suggestions...lay off the salt in some of the food! Savory cheesecake is way to salty to actually enjoy the flavors the chef intends to present. And some of the seasoning on the fish is too salty as well...and the ginger greens seem to boiled in salty water. Its just too much. Lay off...salt is to enhance, but your use is overpowering. We'll come back...