On a beautiful day in downtown Mobile, one might drive down historic Dauphin Street, windows down, feeling that mix of live oaks, bay breeze, and the hum of the Port City at lunchtime. The street is lined with restaurants, shops, and bars, each with its own story, but there’s one spot that carries a little extra flavor of fame.

Because on the very stretch between Joachim and Conception, a bright red Corvette once pulled up and parked right out front. Behind the wheel was none other than Guy Fieri, his arrival turning heads as he stepped out and headed into Roosters. You probably won’t snag a parking spot as good as Guy’s that day, but trust me, it’s worth the short walk just to follow the scent of sizzling tacos, grilled Gulf shrimp, and smoked barbacoa drifting down Dauphin Street.

Frankie Little didn’t begin as a celebrity chef in a flashy kitchen. He grew up on a farm in Foley, Alabama, next door to his grandparents, deeply immersed in the rhythms of rural life in Baldwin County, like fishing, blackberry patches, home-grown produce, and meals cooked from scratch. It was a time when farm-to-table wasn’t a movement; it was simply how people ate. 

He’ll tell you that his grandmother spent part of her youth in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama, creating experiences that infused his palate early on with Latin American influences. That cross-cultural flavor became the foundation of Roosters’ menu: fresh, bold, and vibrant dishes served with the soul of the Gulf Coast.

When Frankie opened Roosters in 2017, his vision was never just tacos and tequila. He wanted a place that celebrated the community, honored local ingredients, and lifted the people who made the food possible. Every decision in the restaurant, from the menu to the music, is designed to bring people together around a shared table.

What truly sets Roosters apart is the intentional way it sources locally and gives nearby farmers and producers a platform. Their corn tortillas, for example, come from E&H Tortilleria in Baldwin County, made with heirloom corn grown at Bayou Cora Farms in Bon Secour. That same corn dates back to the 1880s, preserved by generations of Alabamians. Gulf seafood appears across the menu, reflecting a true sense of place. This is a taste of Mobile, Alabama food, through and through.

Guests can taste that authenticity in dishes like the jerk chicken taco layered with grilled pineapple and mango habanero sauce, or the chorizo taco topped with sweet plantains and cotija cheese. The carnitas pork taco, with pickled red onion, cilantro, habanero sauce, and queso fresco, might be the perfect bite of what Roosters does best: use real ingredients, a taste of real heat, and a bite of really good food.

For food lovers, that moment when Guy Fieri’s red Corvette rolled up to Roosters was pure gold. When Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives chose the restaurant for its Gulf Coast feature, it wasn’t just national exposure; it was validation for the local culinary movement Frankie had been championing all along. Fieri and his crew featured two of Rooster’s standout dishes: the Surf & Turf Burrito and the Torta de Carnitas. 

The burrito is a masterpiece - grilled Gulf shrimp and barbacoa brisket tucked into a flour tortilla with Spanish rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, chipotle cream, and a generous pour of queso blanco and chorizo on top. The torta, with crispy braised pork, pickled red onions, black bean purée, cilantro, and queso fresco, is just as craveable, layered with flavors that tell the story of both Latin America and the Gulf Coast.

Inside the restaurant, the moment lives on. The Hot Sauce Bar is a colorful wall lined with dozens of bottles of locally made hot sauce. Above the bar hangs a framed photo of Fieri himself, signed and smiling. It’s a badge of honor and a reminder that Mobile’s food scene has something special to offer the world.

Spend a few minutes inside Roosters, and you’ll see why it’s more than a restaurant; it’s a gathering place. The energy is warm, easy, and distinctly local. Regulars sit shoulder-to-shoulder with first-time visitors. Families linger over lunch, and college students swing by for late-night tacos.

Frankie’s commitment to showcasing those local artisans is the same spirit that drives his kitchen team. Many of his employees have been with him for years, learning, growing, and becoming part of a culinary family. Frankie likes to say Roosters isn’t just in the food business, it’s in the human experience business. Every taco, every plate, every conversation between server and guest carries that message forward.

For those of us exploring the Gulf Coast’s food scene, Roosters deserves a spot near the top of that list. It captures the essence of this region with its mix of cultures, the pride in local ingredients, and the sense of community that makes the Gulf Coast so special. It’s a restaurant with national recognition and local soul, one that celebrates the people and the land behind every bite. 

Even as Frankie looks toward the future, exploring opportunities to expand the Roosters brand, he’s made one thing clear: the local sourcing and community spirit that started it all must remain at its core. Because when you walk into Roosters, you’re not just grabbing lunch or dinner, you’re stepping into a story that began on a Baldwin County farm, made its way to Flavortown, and now lives on in every taco, every smile, and every bite that tastes like home.

Chris Andrews
Bienville Bites Food Tour
251-591-6093
bienvillebitesfoodtour.com