Searching for restaurants that three disparate-minded individuals might agree on is not the easiest thing I have ever done. I zoom in on Google Maps, looking more closely. There is an icon for a restaurant very close to the water. It looks promising. I announce to anyone who is listening, “We’re going to Moondog for lunch. And just so you know, we’re not going for the food. We’re going for the atmosphere.”
Moondog – “Is it even open?”
Michael is highly skeptical that there is a restaurant anywhere close by as I tell him where it is and where he should turn. However, following his nose and my instructions, suddenly, we are here. I was expecting a small weather-worn shack, but it is a two-story building that towers above us.
“Is it even open?” he asks.
“Of course,” I say, “See the sign in the second-story window?”
OPEN, it whispers. Only the O glows a brilliant red. All other letters are dark. I hope the O counts.
We are greeted at the door by a hostess-server who leads us through the interior to the outdoor deck – our preference. All the tables by the water – which is also our preference – are taken except a table designated for six. The three of us look at it longingly and are told, “NO.” Not that curtly, but still, in NO uncertain terms.
Looking around for a place to eat in the sun with a little bit of shade and as near to the water as possible, we settle on a table for four that is close enough. Perfect enough. Then we play musical chairs trying to make each other happy with sun, shade, and a perfect view.
Being Here
I feel like I have won the lottery. I love this place – unpretentious Moondog Seaside Eatery. And it is funky with its weathered wood and ample-bottomed bikini-clad cowboy boot-clad stools, each one standing next to a stool shaped like a long-tailed horse’s rump. The entire area is draped with torn and tattered nets. And – most importantly – it is directly on the water’s edge. Who cares what the food is like?
Since we are hungry, when our server appears, we all order – the same thing – a bowl of gumbo. Not very original, I know, and not very disparate-like at all! The roux is pale, not the deep, dark, almost black roux we expect when ordering gumbo, but the flavor is good with just enough heat. I threw in an order of pulled pork nachos to share, and they are good, too. My preference would have been queso blanketing the chips, not shredded cheese – but you can’t have everything.
We contentedly sit and sip and nibble, watching the oyster boats come into port, unload their bounty, and then leave again to continue their workday in the sun and on the sea. The afternoon is so pleasant, and the setting is so stellar that all we want is to sit, and just be – not move an inch from where we are perched.
Looking around, I notice that we are the last group sitting here on this perfect afternoon. Sadly, we push ourselves away from the table, forcing ourselves to stand. To move.
Moondog Seaside Eatery
Moondog Seaside Eatery is a hidden gem nestled right on the water in Fulton, Texas. The restaurant has scenic views, fresh seafood, and a full bar. Their menu – from nachos to crab cakes and fish tacos – celebrates the bounty of the Gulf. Moondog’s also offers items from the land – beef, pork, and chicken. Their beer is ice cold – purported to be the coldest beer in town (which, for me, is all-important), and the Gulf Coast ambiance can’t be beat. According to our server, Moondog’s has been in business for seventeen years. I’m not sure how it totally escaped my radar because we have been this way more times than I can count. I’m glad Moondog finally called my name.
I’m not sure where the name Moondog came from, but based on the surfboard decor and the bikini-clad bottoms, I feel the owner must have been a fan of the long-ago Gidget movies, where a surfer who loved to surf by moonlight acquired the name Moondoggie.
Address: 100 N Casterline Dr, Fulton, TX 78358
Phone: (361) 729-6200
Facebook Page: Moondog Seaside Eatery
HOURS
- Monday11 AM–9 PM
- Tuesday Closed
- Wednesday11 AM–9 PM
- Thursday11 AM–9 PM
- Friday 11 AM–9 PM
- Saturday11 AM–9 PM
- Sunday11 AM–9 PM
For more information on the Rockport-Fulton area along the Texas Gulf Coast, click on the following link:
https://www.rockport-fulton.org/100-Things-To-Do
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.