Snoopy’s Pier History
It’s been years since we’ve been to Snoopy’s Pier, a restaurant created because of the Redfish Wars back in the ’80s. At that time commercial fisherman Ernie Butler decided to hang up his net and begin cooking what other fisherman caught.
I recall with fondness the tiny dive with the simple menu, the down market, unpretentious atmosphere, and dining on the old wooden deck overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. The service was fast, and the seafood was always good.
Through the years—even though expanding its footprint—Snoopy’s has retained its downhome atmosphere. Word spread of the excellent seafood they serve, and soon the burgeoning crowds required more interior room and additional deck space.
Dinner at Snoopy’s Pier
Walking through the door at Snoopy’s Pier, we happily discover it is still the original Snoopy’s at its heart. The same counter to order from—although many more selections, this is hard—the same friendly service. The same drill: order, find a table, wait, return inside to get your food, then dig in.
Luckily, when we arrive, we are the first in line to order. And there are a plethora of empty tables outside. But first things first, what to eat. We have the option of being healthy and having a salad. We could be economical and order a sandwich. Or we could even choose a half order of almost anything. But we don’t. It is not often that we have the opportunity to eat fresh deep-fried seafood while sitting on a deck overlooking the Intracoastal. We are greedy and order two full dinners with two Texas Shiner Bocks to wash everything down.
The decks these days are not the weathered wood of yore, but they are shiny and new—and go on forever! They wander along the edge of the group of buildings that have become part of the Snoopy’s empire, crawling into nooks, creating crannies, and giving you myriad choices. We find a table for two with a view of the setting sun for me, and the JFK Causeway Bridge for Michael. It’s a toss-up as to which is better.
Michael’s name is called over the loudspeaker, and he leaves to pick up our food. I follow, heading for the condiment bar to fill the little white paper cups with red sauce and tartar sauce.
Sitting in socially distanced comfort, we watch the fading sunlight in the west, while in the near distance, the JFK Causeway towers above us. We eat the most delicious crispy fried fish, golden fried shrimp, and fried oysters fresh from the Texas Gulf we have had in ages.
The weather is perfection. So is the seafood. I’d come back every day if I could. If only… But the Tarpon Inn in Port Aransas awaits, and I haven’t yet figured out how to be in two places at once.
For more information on Snoopy’s Pier, their location, hours, and menu, click on the link below.
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