Southern Cafe in Seaside

[elgordoboy]

I sort of feel the urge to stand up for Great Southern Cafe in Seaside. It's good. My friends ate there 3 times last week and wanted to go back again. Shades was so tired, and its atmosphere was intimidatingly conservative (Fox News running 24/7 can make you lose your appetite). People who miss Shades should still be able to go there; its owner told me that they were just moving down 30-A, to a bigger space.

A lot can happen in two years. I had the grits and grillades there a while back and they were pretty tasty. The dish appeared to have been reheated in the microwave as it had that crusty edge on the sauce like a Stouffer's lasagna when you left it in just a tad too long. I am not complaining as I love that burnt, crusty bit......I wonder if that qualifies as a technique? lol

 

[avalon]

Glad you miss "old Shades"

I was a bartender at Shades for five years or so , back in the day... Even before the guys from Taco Mac bought it, Seaside never found it to be "hip" enough. No fancy sauces or waiters in black. However, I am sorry to hear not good things about Great Southern. Some of these comments are almost mean. I thought only the positive was welcome on the restaurant forum, I guess it depends on what restaurant is being discussed.

 

[scooterbug44]

Great Southern has some yummy dishes!

Shades had good crab cakes and french fries, but you went there for a quick meal kids would eat, not cuisine or great service.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I did buy a very tasty, $6 eek Newcastle at Great Southern Cafe, recently.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I think it should be pointed out that the criticisms above are almost 2 years old. I have heard good things about the place as of late, but it certainly had some growing pains.

 

[scooterbug44]

I did buy a very tasty, $6 eek Newcastle at Great Southern Cafe, recently.

An overpriced beer on 30-A - almost as rare as a tourist w/ a sunburn. ;-)

 

[Smiling JOe]

scooter, you are spot-on. I guess I should expect beer to cost $6 plus tip, when lemonade in Seaside cost $4+. Thank God for the bars with better prices on beer!

 

[scooterbug44]

Gotta love Hurricane and Sally's prices !

 

[elgordoboy]

I was a bartender at Shades for five years or so , back in the day... Even before the guys from Taco Mac bought it, Seaside never found it to be "hip" enough. No fancy sauces or waiters in black. However, I am sorry to hear not good things about Great Southern. Some of these comments are almost mean. I thought only the positive was welcome on the restaurant forum, I guess it depends on what restaurant is being discussed.

This thread was dredged up from two years ago and it appears the negative comments were from when it was new. Two years at the rent I am sure Great Southern is paying must mean they are ok at something. If I have a vote - I prefer to hear someone's experience positive or negative if posted in a sensible manner and then read refutations it gives balance. I didn't see any "bashing".

 

[DuneLaker]

So, who does own it now? Is it Collier Merrell, businessman and major political contributor, of Pensacola? He owned the Florida Fish House on Main in Pensacola and Joe Scarborough even had his office upstairs. Or has he sold it like he and his family did with a lot of their Orange Beach condos at auction that was mentioned on another thread a month or so ago? Are they the majority owners of this Great Southern? Joe Scarborough was at the SoWal July 4th Parade a few years ago and set up in Seaside for his show.