ORANGE BEACH — Everyone loves a good deal on dining out, whether it's snowbirds flocking south for the winter or Alabama Gulf Coast locals looking to grab table space during the slower offseason.

Did you know The Wharf has restaurant specials and family meals offered daily?

Myra Hicks, with the Wharf Restaurant Management group, enlightened a crowd about the various deals at the Feb. 7 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (GSOBT) Winter Showcase event, a recurring lecture, panel and information series spanning myraid facets of life and offerings on Pleasure Island.

"We have been in this business since 2006 when we started Ginny Lane's," Hicks said on the featured Wharf restaurants. "Shortly after that, we opened up Villaggio, and then in 2019 we opened up YoHo Rum and Tacos, and then in 2020 we opened Mile Marker 158."

Hicks said there are "a lot of specials" at these restaurants during the offseason, from wine pairings and happy hour deals to family meals. The first thing she talked about was the paired wine and cocktail dinners.

Each restaurant has its own menu and day for the paring dinners that are listed on their individual websites or social media pages. All pairing dinners are reservation only, "so make sure you make those in advance."

"We also do family meals at each restaurant," Hicks mentioned as another offseason deal. "A family meal feeds a family of four; each restaurant has different ones."

The first restaurant Hicks talked about was Ginny Lane. Hicks said happy hour is every day (except during special events and concert days) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and includes drink specials like $1 select cocktails (one per person, per day), $10 off wine bottles, pitchers of Miller Lite or Yuengling for $10 and 50% off beer, martinis and wine by the glass.

"Small plates" on the happy hour menu are available every day from 3 to 6 p.m. and include options like chicken wings, coconut shrimp, nachos, crab cake sliders and other side dishes like Cajun boiled peanuts, spinach artichoke dip and a cheese board.

Hicks said Ginny Lane's family meals include house or Caesar salad and cornbread and have options such as shrimp and grits or a meat-and-two, which has meat options like meatloaf, porkchop, steak and chicken with your choice of two side options.

"Also on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Ginny Lane, we have prime rib. It is $19.99. It comes with a salad and a baked potato," Hicks said.

The next restaurant Hicks spoke on is the "newest addition to our family," Mile Marker 158 Dockside.
"It's our best kept secret, hidden gem of Orange Beach so to speak," Hicks said. "A lot of people don't know about it and have never been here."

Hicks said Mile Marker is home to "the 25-cent cocktails" (one per person, per day). They have "early bird lunch specials" from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and they include options such as hamburger steak, chicken alfredo, shrimp po'boy and a potato encrusted flounder.

Wednesdays at Mile Marker are lasagna nights where $16 will get you lasagna, garlic bread, a side salad and a glass of wine. On Sunday's kids eat free from 2 to 6 p.m.

Family meal options at Mile Marker include chicken or shrimp alfredo, seafood pasta, teriyaki glazed salmon and fish of the day.

YoHo Rum and Tacos was the next restaurant Hicks spoke on.

"Everybody knows about our taco Tuesday and Thursday, right?" Hicks said. "If you don't, then you've got to come. It is one-of-a-kind. So, Tuesday's and Thursdays, all day long, all night long, we have $3 margaritas and $3 rum cocktails in a big 20-ounce cup for them. You can drink as many as you want, just be careful when you leave!"

Also on Taco Tuesday and Thursday, tacos are $2.50 all day long. Happy hour is from noon to 6 p.m. daily (excluding event and concert nights) and include specials on drinks and appetizers like cannon ball shrimp, chicken wings, pizza and nachos.

Every Sunday's YoHO hosts bingo at 4:30 p.m. with five rounds of free bingo with happy hour specials and prizes to be won. Family meals at YoHO include wings, tacos, chicken enchiladas and family sized fajitas.

Hicks then spoke on Villaggio Grille, where you can find "the best pizzas in town." Daily happy hour specials are served from 2 to 6 p.m. that include half off all pizzas, $8 short rib bruschetta, $8 meatballs and polenta, $4 house wine, $4 martinis (available from noon to 6 p.m.) and $3 domestic beer and well drinks. Family meals at Villaggio include 10-layer lasagna, chicken or shrimp alfredo, grilled salmon and spicy rigatoni.

WHAT ABOUT MARGARITAVILLE?

Hicks did not speak on the upcoming Margaritaville developments, but the topic was recently covered at the city's Feb. 10 planning commission meeting where the Waterfront District site plan review was approved for recommendation to the council.

Griffin Powell, city planner for Orange Beach, said the site plan will be a "mixed-use resort development" with 160 hotel rooms, 49 condominium units, 76,000-plus square feet of retail/restaurant/commercial space and a marina with 43 transient boat slips.

Also, in the district's main building, there will be an arcade, offices, a ballroom and fitness room. According to Powell, this site plan review will not require council approval.

"This is a site plan review under General Business zoning," Powell said, "so only Planning Commission approval is required. No city council approval is needed since it does not involve a rezoning."

Because of this, Powell said, the site will be able to apply for site and building permits when they are ready.