Hazel's Nook

08/16/2024

Look at all the memories 🥹 Thank you Gulf Shores Museum for sharing!

TBT The original Hazel's Restaurant Gulf Shores Alabama.

07/21/2024

If you ever wanted to know the story behind Hazel’s Nook, this is a great read from our friends at Gulf Coast Media.

Richard Schwartz has had a long career in the restaurant business on the island. Over the past 44 years, he has seen the area grow and has opened, closed, sold and built several restaurants. At one …

07/16/2024

Thank you Gulf Coast Media for sharing. We wish our friends at Duck's Diner success with their new Gulf Shores location!

Hazel’s Nook has been filling the hungry mouth in Gulf Shores since 1957, so when it was announced that the restaurant would close, the chatter on social media erupted. But there is no …

07/16/2024

Thank you to everyone who came by to see us over the past few days! Friends, family, former employees, and everyone in between. It will take us days to go through all of the stories, comments, and love that you have shared with us on social media. Hazel would have been proud 🥰

07/15/2024

Rise and dine one more time with us! We're serving the good stuff till 2!

07/14/2024

Thank you for sharing our story OBA Community Website ❤️

Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Richard Schwartz leans forward in his chair a twinkle in his eye as he tells stories about times past in his years as a restaurateur in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, 44 years to be exact. Those memories recently came full circle with the sale of the first property he...

07/14/2024

Another beautiful day. Another tasty buffet! Rise and dine with us when you want. We serve breakfast all day, with lunch added at 11!

07/13/2024

Thank you for this wonderful write-up, al.com! We appreciate your support over the years.

Hazel's Nook has fed generations of Alabama Gulf Coast vacationers since 1957.

07/13/2024

Welcome to the weekend! We're serving breakfast all day with lunch added at 11. Come and git you some!

07/12/2024

A daughter's memories of growing up at Hazel's Nook by Jill Schwartz Middleton

Everything I ever needed to know I learned at Hazel’s Nook! I learned that the customer is always right. Take care of your customers and your employees and they will take care of you! I learned how to make change at a cash register at the age of 8. (I learned how to break an adding machine at 7 but that’s a different story) I learned that welcoming guests as they come through the front door and saying “thank you, come back to see us” as they leave is the most important job of all. I learned the best place to take a nap was in booth 4. The best pick me up snack was a frozen peppermint patty and the best place for a cool down was on a box of lettuce in the walk-in refrigerator. I learned how to peel and butterfly shrimp and roll silverware till your hands cramped. I learned how to run the dishwasher when the dishwasher didn’t make it in to work that morning. I learned that if you happen to accidentally spill tea on a customer your dad won’t kill you, but he will buy her a new cashmere sweater. I also saw my dad buy an employee a car when they were having car trouble. I learned that if you run out of potatoes or bacon you jump in your El Camino and run to Winn Dixie. I learned to save the best parking spots for “paying customers”. I learned “if you don’t have nothing to do, don’t do it in the door!” I learned that it’s important to support local ball teams, charities and church fundraisers. I learned after hurricanes to be the first ones back on the island so you can serve a hot meal to all the city employees, policemen, firemen, first responders and Power Company! I learned true work ethic at its finest by watching my dad work 24/7/365 because he knew so many people counted on him.

I still see my grandfather “Doc” perched on the green stool in the corner behind the bar and my grandmother “Muz” sitting at table 1 both just beaming with pride. I see the framed picture of Hazel Scruggs hanging above the window. I see the signed Blue Angels picture framed and hanging on the wall next to the framed family Chatom store.

My best friend’s growing up at The Nook were Mattie, Virginia, Louise, Larry, Clarence, Diane, Alicia, Tammy, Sandy, Lisa, Missy and Kristy. They would fix my hair and get me into and out of a lot of trouble. They served as referees when my little brother Richard and I would get into “arguments”. We would run circles around the Nook and sometimes end up on the roof throwing rocks at each other. On my 16th birthday when I ran over my little brother Jimmy’s bike they came to my rescue. Mattie Bullard always had my back, even when I was wrong, discipline had to go through her first. She wasn’t easy to go through! She always made me the biggest dumpling and her chicken and dumplings were the very best ever!

When my baby brother David was being born and my parents were busy birthing him, I got to accept on their behalf the honor of The State’s Official Biscuit Proclamation from Governor Fob James. Those biscuits would feed my friends and me before school and those same biscuits served me well to get out of speeding tickets, but now I’m just telling on myself.

Hazel’s Nook was the best place to start your day, close a deal, sell a cell phone or shoot the breeze. Hazel’s Nook served comfort food like no one else and as an adult I found her calling my name a time or two.

Hazel’s Nook raised me. Heck, she raised all of us! She was the springboard for all that my dad has accomplished over his career in the restaurant business and boy that says a lot! She’s been really good to our family, and we are immeasurably grateful! Our entire family extends our warmest gratitude to all our loyal customers and amazing employees over the last 45 years! This chapter in the history of Gulf Shores is closing but we know that the new owners will be hugely successful and herald in the future generations of guests with open arms and serve our community well! We wish them the very best!

07/12/2024

It's finally Friday, and that can only mean one thing... it's time for a fish fry! Get the best breakfast at the beach from 6:30-11 and lunch from 11-2.

07/11/2024

Get the best breakfast at the beach from 6:30-11 and lunch from 11-2!