“Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded,” Yogi Berra

Long-time professional baseball player and manager, Yogi Berra, famous for his jumbled sayings that always made a point seemed to say it best. “It ain’t over til it’s over,” and “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” are some of my favorites. 

Yogi-isms, as they became known, tell it like it is, so “You can observe a lot just by watching,” is what I did when I met Blakeley Ellis, Executive Director CCA-Alabama for lunch at The Sloop in Gulf Shores. 

As I was walking in, a man in shorts and a Sloop t-shirt asked how I was doing. I wasn’t sure if this was someone I should know or if he was just being friendly. Turns out B.R., is co-owner of The Sloop, a sports bar and restaurant tucked under the Highway 59 Bridge in Gulf Shores.  He picked up quickly that I was a newbie to The Sloop who pride themselves on catering to the locals. 

Tourists are accepted, but not encouraged. “We don’t do a lick of advertising,” B.R. tells me. “We like our regulars.” At first glance, The Sloop is a fun place that was once an old house converted into a sports bar and restaurant.  It has a  big bar that dominates the main room, with plentiful Large-screen TVs, and a few locals sitting at the bar enjoying a libation or having a bite to eat.

We take a table inside and peruse the menu. I wanted to come here because I’d had three people tell me about The Sloop, but I didn’t even know where it was. I mentioned to B.R. that I would probably do a story on our lunch. I could sense the reluctance in the attention this might garner, but B.R. seemed accepting of the idea, so he came back with his business card and two of “The Sloop” stickers for us to proudly display.

I ordered the Shrimp bisque and the stuffed mushrooms to share, which came with toasted pita strips for dipping in a nice sauce. Known for their Philly-style cheesesteaks, that come with homemade chips, that’s what we both ordered for our meal. We ate every bite. Satiated, we passed on dessert.

Afterward, we discussed CCA-Alabama and its program, and then Blakeley had to get back to work. I stuck around a minute to get a little more information from our server, Rachel, who was very attentive during our lunch, while busily waiting on other tables and the bar crowd. 

Rachel, who is originally from Shreveport, has been working at The Sloop for about a year and tells me “It’s very local. It’s a safe place away from the tourist spots, and we have a little club of everyday locals.” Known for the Cheesesteak, the number one seller, the Eggroll Cheesesteak is the second most popular item on the menu.

In the back,  there is an outdoor porch and a bandstand in the corner of a fenced-in courtyard. Rachel tells me they have live music with local bands playing Thursday through Saturday. “Some nights the music is from 7 ‘till 10, and other nights it’s 8 till 11.” She wasn’t specific on which nights, so I gather it’s their casual, local vibe that’s unregimented and they like it that way. She also tells me they are going to start doing breakfast soon.

The Sloop has been open for about 4 years and has a laid-back atmosphere with friendly staff. Don’t be surprised to get a wary look to determine if you are local or just passing through on vacation. I imagine football season will be big as they are definitely a sports bar. 

People like watching sports with people they know, so you might want to establish some sort of recognition to be admitted to “The Club” if you are planning on stopping by to watch a game. I think it would be fun. On his way out, B.R. stopped by to say goodbye, so I think our application to the club is receiving serious attention. Just don’t tell too many people…  We don’t want it to become too popular!