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Perfectly Prepared Gulf Coast Shrimp!

My Lyft Driver Maria, can drop me off and pick me up at the front door.

LINK FOR PHONE NUMBER AND HOURS:

Your Checklist

Front Door Drop Off?
Yes

Where Is This?

On the seawall between 35th and 36th Street, just before a large motel.
Look for this sign and turn right into the parking lot.

Low Barrier/Handicapped Access?
Yes

Cost?
$$ Low/Moderate with Daily Specials – Eat Seafood Like a Tourist with Local Prices!

Good Lighting?
Yes. From the Building and Lights on the Seawall.

By Marsha Wilson Rappaport

 There is a reason that Galveston Island attracts over 7 million tourists a year. Shrimp caught fresh in the Gulf of Mexico or Galveston Bay is one of those reasons that folks from the big city drive an hour or more to enjoy eating on the Island.

One of the standout eateries on an Island replete with delicious food is The Gumbo Diner at 36th and Seawall. Automatically, you can be assured that this is a great choice. Because of the top-notch quality and moderate prices, it is a favorite of the locals. The food is advertised as “Classic American Dining with a New Orleans flair”. However, for local seafood aficionados who can spot a frozen imported shrimp from a mile away, it is the “good stuff at a price I can afford”.

 The Gumbo Diner is on the seawall, but close enough to parallel island streets that getting there in your Lyft is a quick ride even on busy days during the tourist season.

The shrimp at the Gumbo Diner stands out for a host of reasons. The quantity is robust. You are getting large shrimp in a quantity that justifies the price. The cooking technique honors the shrimp. The shrimp served are not over-fried in a way that many tourist traps produce when they assume that beer-chugging tourists won’t know the difference. The shrimp are cooked to a delightfully tender opaque doneness. The crispy coating is light, because it avoids the overpowering breading used on a lesser quality shrimp.

 Moreover, because this eatery is locally owned, you can make outrageous substitutions. On my last visit, because my digestive system was out of whack, I committed a food sacrilege. I ordered creamy mashed potatoes instead of the obligatory French fries. It branded me as a food heretic, but my tummy was soothed.

One of the reasons Gumbo Diner is so good is that it is locally owned by the Galveston Restaurant Group. The owners are the Smeccas and the Harts, who are Galveston Island families with rich traditions that epitomize the American Dream.

Shrimp at the Gumbo Diner – Award Worthy!

The Gumbo Diner, 3602 Seawall Blvd. Galveston, Texas 77550, 409-762-3232, www.gumbodiner.com