fisher's at orange beach marina - upstairs

service needs major help!. while the food atfisher'sis good, their service is lacking. we asked questions about the menu, specifically what the seasonal abita beer was and where the oysters were from. we were informed that despite what the menu said, they didn't have a seasonal beer and they only had 1 oyster "choice", not 2, as listed. they were apparently out of the 1 by the glass rosé option as well. this was not memorial day weekend, this was 3 days after, which is plenty of time for a restaurant to restock.
after ordering an entree it was delivered to the table not as represented. when questioned about it they conceded that they used the wrong shrimp and would remake the entree. the food was left in front of the guest. after 10 minutes the server came over and asked if she could remove it, we said yes. the manager then came over to scold us for sending it back! she was extremely passive aggressive and rude. apparently she thought she could just have the correct shrimp cooked and then dump them into an already prepared, now cold from sitting out on the table, dish.
we have never been made to feel like idiots at a restaurant before, but the manager atfisher'ssucceeded.

yes. finally, an outstanding dinner destination on the gulf.... romantic with exceptional decor, great outdoor seating and bar. outstanding fresh gulf offerings like red snapper and flounder stuffed with shrimp - many dishes with a genuine touch of new orleans flavor for those who miss the crescent city. favorites included oysters earle, pork cheek with butternut squash, above-mentioned fish entrees. crab claws were yummy. didn't get a chance to try the crawfish beignets or any of the salads but can't wait to return to try them. top-notch desserts: lemon buttermilk pie was out of sight, house-made sorbet was great and creme brulee with fresh blueberries was comforting as it should be. almost forgot cocktails!fisher'sspecial bacon-infused bloody mary mix is awesome, but do yourself a favor and get the old fashioned if you're a bourbon drinker. as a new orleans native & foodie, i've been vacationing along the gulf my whole life and am so happy to have this new essential dining destination. johnny fisher, the gm and chef bill briand clearly love what they do and it shows!

fisher's dockside

(note: it's apparent that some reviewers have commingled two restaurants at the same location.fisher'sdockside, at ground level, is casual and mainstream. fishers upstairs is pricey fine dining. so when reading reviews, make sure it's clear to which restaurant the reviewer is referring.)

as a long-time resident of orange beach, i've been tofisher'sdockside several times. two visiting friends and i went there last friday at 7:15 pm. some observations:

- the food has "always" been very good. i've experienced only one occasion otherwise (below). i'm an omnivore, and the vegetable wrap is my absolute favorite.

- the house wines - kenwood i believe - are also very good.

- the diminutive greeter who took our name for seating seemed a tad brusque, dogmatic, and nonchalant.  a hostess refresher course would be advisable.

- the lady who subsequently seated us, victoria, was extremely congenial and professional. this completely abrogated our initial disappointment. i found out later victoria is the manager, which is clearly well-deserved.

- our server, blythe, was friendly, efficient, and helpful. one member of our party (who has enjoyed here several times) disliked their sandwich. that's a first in our experience, and the bill was adjusted accordingly. again, high marks for blythe and fisher's.

- the restaurant was visibly understaffed. the servers were really moving, but clearly need more help when it takes 18 minutes to bring a beer.

- i have brought many out of town guests tofisher'ssince they first opened, and will continue to do so. there are but five or six restaurants in orange beach that i can highly recommend, andfisher'sdockside is one of them.

- an excellent value. keep up the good work.

gluten free. when i asked for glluten free suggestions, the chef came to my table and we discussed my options. this was very reassuring; i felt that i would indeed be able to trust the food i was served. not only was it gluten free, it was creative and delicious.fisher'shas become my restaurant of choice in alabama. the creativity is truly inspiring. i was very impressed with the chef's willingness to share his cooking techniques. this would be an excellent chef for a cooking lesson. his concept of preparing parsnips is inspired.

wow!. we had to go see what all of the hype was about. now we know -fisher'sis something special. well worth the drive. we ate dockside and the courtbuillion was as good as it gets. we can't wait to try upstairs. the manager gave us a tour and it was absolutely gorgeous. everyone we met was so nice. homerun!!!

i have been tofisher'stwice. both times were to the downstairs part of the restaurant. service was slow both times. on the first visit my appetizer was brought out after my meal. on both visits, the food was bland, disappointing, and lukewarm. i was really hoping to like it since i am at orange beach marina fairly often, and i loved calypso joe's, but i can't think of a single good thing to say about fisher's. hopefully the upstairs portion of the restaurant is better, but i'm probably not going to a fine dining restaurant after being out fishing all day. don't waste your time or money at fisher's.
update: i decided to tryfisher'sdownstairs again. it was still awful. i'm really disappointed since i am at the marina so much.

amazing renovation and food. i had the pleasure of eating atfisher'sduring my last trip to the bay area. the food and atmosphere were incredible, and a welcome change to calypso joe's. the food options were incredible, and the amberjack and grits was one of the best seafood dishes i have ever had. the hushpuppies were underwhelming, and i would opt with just the crab claws and perhaps another appetizer instead. i did not get a chance to dine in the upstairs restaurant as i was not in the area that long, but i have only heard positive things about it.

knew right away thatfisher'swas going to be a great experience: preprandial i always enjoy a sazerac and without hesitation and in stylish presentation i was promptly delighted. our appetizers and entrees were as expertly prepared and as delightfully enjoyed. we dined on a busy evening, but the service was as attentive and courteous as if we were the only patrons. will be going back soon!

fisher's exceeds expectations!. lured in by word of mouth, we were fairly sure it would be good, butfisher'sexceeded in every area! the brussel sprouts with ginger and bacon danced in our mouths! the flounder stuffed with gulf shrimp and cornbread stuffing was moist with a lemon beurre blanc infusion. the filet mignon was tender, cooked perfectly, and was seasoned to perfection. the luxurious ambiance, quality food concepts, and excellent service made this dining experience a winner! we will definitely be back!
clea from atlanta

fantastic!. i have been tofisher'sseveral times with friends who own a home in the gulf shores. each visit tofisher'swe have been treated with exceptional service from the waitstaff, bar tenders, and general management. the food is something to write home about; healthy portions, comfort food including delightful crab cakes, fine seafood preparations, and warm sweet treats such as the pineapple upside down cake. cocktails are made with care from bar tenders lee and robert and the wine selection is vast. i also hear that the barrels above the bar contain house made moonshine. the location of the restaurant is also wonderful. located next to a marina, you'll find a variety of diners on hand. the experience of dining atfisher'sis enhanced by the warm, welcoming decor. from the light blue walls to the "hello beautiful" pillow, diners feel comforted and relaxed. thank you for a great experience. we will be back many times over.

i've eaten atfisher'sa couple times. each time the food for myself and guests was exceptionally delicious, including seafood and steaks. i had their daily special last summer, creole style low country shrimp and grits. it was awesome! i've had shrimp and grits several other places that didn't compare. i hope they put it on their regular menu.

grand slam, bases loaded. we have been tofisher'smany times, and it has easily become our 'favorite.' from the minute you drive up, you realize thatfisher'sis different...a cut above.

the decor is stunning, classy, 'crisp' and yet comfortable. the staff is great, something hard to find in 'beach towns.'

the food is creative without being overboard. an emphasis on local fresh ingredients is obvious from the first taste. we have several favorites, but the duck is downright decadent.

super credit goes to kyle, who assembled one of--if not the--best wine lists on the gulf coast. we prefer to eat at the bar, and the staff is awesome. always meet interesting people, too.

johnny fisher is driven by a passion for perfection, and fishers should continue to set the mark for others to strive for.

in this one particular harbor.... you can findfisher'supstairs orfisher'sdownstairs. i've only dined downstairs and got lit up drunk on boat drinks after i ate. excellent establishment. hands down to mr. fisher.

upstairs / downstairs. never having been before, and based on positive recommendations, on thursday i called and made a reservation for friday, 9/13 - no problem. i was asked if we preferred to dine inside or outside? i said outside - no problem. friday afternoon, i received a call back, confirming our reservation - no problem (and good business on their part). the woman on the phone had a follow-up question - upstairs or downstairs? i said downstairs - that answer turned out to be (and was) a problem - upstairs and downstairs are two different concepts and two different operations working under the single umbrella of "fisher's". downstairs is a much more casual operation, with a simplified (and different) menu than upstairs. this isn't evident onfisher'scurrent, "under construction" website, nor was it disclosed by the woman asking our preferences on the phone. it only became evident after we were seated and we were discussing the restaurant with levi, our server, who offered to get us a copy of the "upstairs" menu. that said, the food and service downstairs were both good, but not outstanding, and a bit pricey - we spent just as much and had a much better experience at lucy-b-goode. the "problem" we experienced is simply one of unmet expectations, not the food, service or environment, compared to the apparently-stellar upstairs operation.

great experience at fisher's. we enjoyed some outstanding meals during our one-week stay in orange beach, but by farfisher'swas our best experience. a woman named debbie at wildflowers boutique told us about it and we were very pleased. she recommended that we make reservations. we did and there was no wait time. the staff was attentive, informative and food was great. i had the divers scallops and my husband had the special which was snapper. both entrees just melted in your mouth. i had a cocktail called "the necessity" and my husband tried "sea spray." we both were happy with our choices. owners johnny and beth fisher seem to go out of their way to be friendly with their guests. we'll be back.