Gaido's Seafood Restaurant

It was my first time in Galveston since Galveston Island was battered by Hurricane Ike in September, 2008. Sadly, there are still signs of hurricane damage around the island such as missing signs, damaged buildings, blue tarps on roofs and boats sitting on land. Reconstruction is under way, but outside the main tourist areas, there is still hurricane damage and the city is hurting.

I wanted to see how one Galveston institution, Gaido's Seafood Restaurant, was doing. This restaurant is a Galveston tradition and Houstonians will make the hour drive just for fresh seafood with a fantastic view.

Founded in 1911, Gaido's is a part of Galveston's local history. Specializing in fresh seafood, Gaido's is known for fresh catfish, salmon, mahi mahi, tuna, snapper and shrimp. Non-seafood items such as chicken and filet mignon are also available but the seafood is what makes Gaido's locally famous.

Seafood is made the way you like it. Visitors can request their seafood to be fried, grilled, blackened, served dusted in flour and butter or served crusted in crackers. The shrimp, especially, is very fresh as this is caught locally in the Gulf of Mexico.

If you are lucky, you may get a table by a window, as views look directly at the Gulf of Mexico. Diners can watch the waves and swimmers at the beach.

Dress for Gaido's is casual. The dining room, while dated, is filled with interesting photos of Galveston's history. Galveston has weathered some severe hurricanes in its past. This city has the sad distinction of the most deadly natural disaster in the United States as this city was nearly wiped out by a hurricane in 1900.

Prices at Gaido's are not cheap (roughly $15-$30 for a main course) but if you are visiting Galveston, it is worth a stop into Gaido's just to watch the ocean, experience some history and enjoy the fish. The seafood is really fresh.