Locals

Another fantastic meal today. Hubby got bison burger w Swiss cheese and bacon. I got elk (!) with pineapple (this is the only place I do that and it’s amazing!) fenugreek cheese and garlic aioli. Kids got tasty grilled cheese and mashed potatoes and gravy. Service was great as always. I don’t know how or why we always get here when it’s not too crowded but getting seated right away is no issue to me when looking forward to another fantastic meal at Locals.

This place is amazing. Fairhope has a lot of great food spots. This may be the best. BYOB in evening. UPDATE. ANOTHER GREAT MEAL ²⁄₂₀₁₆. I have posted the menu today (April 2016)

Had the owner (Ashley?) as our waitress. Could not have been more pleasant. Recommended the Shrimp & Grits. Most amazing bowl of food ever. Would be great on a chilly day. Bread was good too.

I LOVE Locals! Shrimp & Grits is my favorite! Rich and creamy and the shrimp was cooked perfectly! Staff was very friendly and helpful. My husband had a hard time choosing and our server suggested a burger and he LOVED IT! And he’s VERY picky. We will definitely be back!!!

First thing’s first Michelle (our server) was awesome!
Now that we have addressed that, lets get to the food which was equally awesome. My wife and I decided to try something a little different so we strolled into Locals. I had the lamb burger with the Cajun cheese and various fixings. The lamb was lightly seasoned and surprisingly juicy. It was one of the best burgers I have had. My wife had the grass fed beef burger which was cooked to perfection. We both had the fresh cut fries which were heavily seasoned and oh so delicious. Our compliments to the chef which happens to be Michelle’s husband. We will definitely be returning!

First time eating here and it was hands down best hamburger EVER! Love that they use local and fresh ingredients, you can taste the freshness! Michelle was our server and she was so pleasant and attentive! My husband and I will definitely be back!

Good burgers, large and juicy. One special meat, which was kangaroo when we went. We chose grass fed beef. You can choose your own options, I had a Gouda with mushrooms and garlic aioli. The bread is a bit thick but everything is made there. Loved that the fries were fresh cut. Finished off with bread pudding, too sweet but good. It was perfect to take home and top with vanilla ice cream. It was full for lunch and only 1 server. She was great but it was slow at the end.

Burgers are overpriced and tasteless. We had the bison, kangaroo and beef burgers with two sides. Total came up to 50+ before tips. Without ketchup, the medium cooked burgers are way too dry. #dontbelievethehype

Believe the hype. SHRIMP AND GRITS!!! Hard to imagine any better.
The bread pudding also rang my bell.
Only down side was how lonnnggggg it takes for food to come out. But once you’re eating you’ll forget about that.

Best fries in town and their bison burger is delicious. Friendly service. More of a lunch place then dinner.

This small restaurant is a gem. The waitress could not have been more helpful. They specialize in dishes and food made with local products. A sign posted in the front of the restaurant advertised for breakfast, «the best shrimp and grits anywhere.» Indeed, at the end of a two week road trip through the South, and after sampling many versions of shrimp and grits (Charleston, Savannah and even Commanders in New Orleans, Charleston, etc.) this was the very best version!

Best food ever. I get the shrimp and grits for breakfast and lunch! Service is very fast – we can even eat here on a one hour lunch break without a problem.

My friend and I decided to ditch our husbands today and have a girls day in Fairhope. Even though I’ve been a tiny bit unhappy about Locals being here (because it was formerly the bakery who baked the king cake that was my wedding cake), we saw the specials on the chalkboard outside and knew that’s what we wanted for lunch.
After a brief glance at the menu, I settled on the shrimp and grits. I can honestly say they were the second best I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot. These were served in a cream sauce with peppers, onions and chunks of Conecuh sausage. My friend had the blackened mahi sandwich and it was spot on as well. I know because I’m that friend that will reach over and eat off your plate. She doesn’t mind and that’s probably why we’re friends. They had a pecan bread pudding for dessert, but wouldn’t you know we were too stuffed to try it. Another menu item was the Ashley veggie burger, which obviously wasn’t named in my honor as I’m more carnivorous than a Tyrannosaurs Rex. We had a good laugh over it, but the waitress said vegetarians seem to love it.
The prices were on par for lunch prices in Fairhope, about $ 20 each. The service was good.
I guess I’m over my selfish little tantrum and will go back. Maybe I’ll take my husband on our anniversary.

Locals is nestled in the heart of downtown Fairhope, and boasts using only local ingredients when possible. The food was good for breakfast, but had unfortunately slow service. It seemed that it was the boy’s first high school job, and he seemed obliviously inattentive. I noticed multiple parties sit down, not receive service in 10 minutes, and get up and go across the street to another restaurant.
That being said, the cool thing about Locals is your ability to combine any of the listed ingredients they have in the kitchen and create your own entrée. Unfortunately I didn’t really know about this until I saw the table next to mine getting these crazy awesome breakfast sandwiches nowhere to be found on the menu.
My boyfriend said the cheesy grits were fantastic, and I have to say the hashbrowns were pretty great too!

My husband and I ate there when we were in town house hunting. My experience wasn’t good at all. It took forever for someone to wait on us, and once they finally did, it took forever to get our food. I told them well done on my burger. It was more of a medium, almost rare. I was starving and we wee in a hurry for our next appointment, so I ate around the edges that seemed done. The fries were greasy and tasted like they had been sitting there and they just dumped them back into the grease to reheat them. They never came back to even check on us or refill our drinks. We had to ask someone else for our check. I was hoping for a better experience because I love small quaint places like that, but I don’t think I’ll ever go back even now that I live in Fairhope.

Excellent burgers & fries! The bison burger is a win! Fresh Focaccia bread & a variety of local cheeses & sauces pushes it over the top. Fries are fresh cut & are seasoned well! Service is a little spotty, but when you go to the restroom, you pass the owner cooking the burgers. Local at its finest!

Went for dinner with wife and 2 kids.
Small place. Simple inside.
Menu is a bit confusing but it just takes getting used to. I appreciate the uniqueness.
This is a specialty burger place and they do everything by hand. Plenty of non traditional choices.
I had the grass fed beef burger and fries.
It was real good. Fries are hand cut.
Only food complaint. I had a hard time opening my mouth wide enough for a bite. The burger sandwich’s are really thick– not the patty, the overall sandwich.

Great! This is a must if you’re in the area. Not the typical burger joint. Excellent variety and flavor. I had the chicken with viper sauce! Awesome!

At our thirteen year-​old son’s urging, we gave «Locals»
In Fairhope a try. Now, in all honesty, the only reason my son wanted to dine at Locals was because a classmate had mentioned that he could eat Llama and Kangaroo burgers there.
It is true that they do serve exotic meats at Locals, but it is rotating menu based on what is fresh and available, so it varies.
On our visit, the wild game being served was boar.
All meats are served as burgers on fresh, in-​house baked rolls.
My son had the boar burger, while my wife had the grass fed beef burger.
I opted for the special, which was local shrimp and grits, with a cup of gumbo.
My son, with juice running down his arms, said it was the «best burger he ever had». My wife agreed.
My gumbo was of a dark roux with large shrimp and was very good. The shrimp and grits were good as well, albeit slightly rich, perhaps a bit less cream sauce next time?
«Locals» endeavors to use locally grown vegetables and local seafood and other ingredients as well.
Even their cheese’s are fresh made right up the road at «Sweet Home Farms».
The are happy to let customers bring their own alcoholic beverages and do not charge a «cork fee».
I look forward to our next visit.

I’m all for the locally sourced food and helping the community, but the lack of variety on the menu turned me off.
The menu is burgers, salads and a few sides. That’s it. We didn’t realize it until after ordering drinks, so we stuck it out. The downside to it all, that has nothing to do with Locals, is that we’d had two burgers in the last two days. So having another burger was the last thing we wanted. However, we made it work.
I got a black bean burger, made in house, without a bun/​cheese/​toppings and two sauces: one a peppercorn mustard and another was a sweet relish. I preferred the relish, but the peppercorn was good. I opted for a salad with balsamic, mixed greens loaded with other good stuff. All tasted fresh and yummy!
Boyfriend opted for the special Mahi sandwich, but it was hard to eat because of the ridiculous amount of caramelized onions and sauces/​juices that made the bottom bun soggy. They graciously gave him another one, but put it on a really small saucer that didn’t help the situation. Overall, he made it work and enjoyed his sandwich.
I’m willing to give this place another shot when I haven’t eaten burgers for the last few days.