The wait is over. Two years after the initial announcement, The Blind Tiger restaurant has opened on the Fairhope Pier.

The TBT brand first opened in 2013 and is based in Mississippi with locations in Bay St. Louis, Biloxi Beach and Pass Christian. The Fairhope restaurant was announced to the public at the end of August 2022 with a projected opening date of early 2023.

The Fairhope Pier is a popular tourist destination and a favorite for local walkers, runners, fishermen and sunset seekers. The longer the restaurant took to open, the more questions flooded local "What's Happening" groups on Facebook. The restaurant soft-opened at the end of August and officially welcomed diners Aug. 30.

My husband, Mike, and I decided to give TBT a go Saturday, Sept. 7. As we drove down the hill, it became clear we were not the only ones hoping to beat the lunch rush. The timing has coincided with the closure of South Beach Park, the fountain and half of the parking for construction, and the parking lot nearest the pier was full so we parked in the North Beach parking area.

The exterior has gotten new paint and signage, and the inside got a facelift. Despite being busy, we did not wait long to be seated outside on the covered deck. One standout feature is the TBT bar. Windows on the exterior deck side roll-up, which add an indoor/outdoor feel to the bar and even more bar seating outside. Three televisions (two outside and one inside) were tuned to college football.

A large chalkboard on the wall on the deck listed menu items available while our sever read off a list of additional daily specials. There was not a physical drink menu to explore, but she asked what I was in the mood for and made suggestions. I ordered the Pink Cadillac, which was described as a cranberry-based margarita. It was more like a cosmopolitan as it was served in a martini glass. It was tasty either way.

The menu options available during our visit included a taco of the day, cantina wings, smash burger, smoked tuna dip, royal red shrimp, seared tuna and conch fritters. I ordered the smash burger, and Mike ordered the mahi sandwich special.

Our food arrived promptly. The burger was not what I would consider a smash burger as the patty wasn't thin with crispy bits, but it was good and served with French fries. Mike's mahi sandwich was served on a large roll with French fries on the side. We were happy with the food considering TBT had only been open for a week. It takes time to work out the kinks of a new kitchen and menu.

If you are eating outside, make sure to get napkins from the staff because they were hard to come by on our visit.

The restaurant is a great place to meet up with friends, watch the game or grab a bite before or after you go out on the boat. The staff was nice and worked hard to keep everyone happy. The deck will be the place to be for sunset dining due to the unencumbered views.

It was a good first impression. The comments on social media have raved about the food, service and views. It is worth a visit if you are in the area, and be sure to check The Blind Tiger Facebook page for hours. The current hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3-10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

The Blind Tiger is at 1 Fairhope Ave.