Gulf Shores Restaurant & Grill – Restaurant Review, dated July 2, 2024 – TripAdvisor rates the Creve Coeur location as a top-ranking Cajun and seafood restaurant in the St. Louis region.
CREVE COEUR, MO (StLouisRestaurantReview) We had the privilege of meeting Mr. Harry Parker, co-founder of Gulf Shores Restaurant & Grill. They offer Cajun and seafood from three locations and one food truck and provide catering for small or large events.
Mr. Parker is one of the most impressive restaurant owners we have met, and it was a pleasure to visit and get to know him. We have always loved his restaurant and its food, which has grown to three locations, one food truck, and a fourth location under consideration.
Under Mr. Parker’s leadership, the highest priorities at Gulf Shores Restaurant & Grill are customer and employee satisfaction. His focus on these areas has significantly reduced employee turnover, setting a positive example for the industry while making customers happy.
Mr. Parker’s HR experience and knowledge come from several years as a high-ranking executive with DuPont. His education includes an engineering degree from NC State University and an Executive MBA from the Wharton Business School. After retiring from the corporate world, Harry and his wife, Erica Reed Parker, moved to St. Louis and created their restaurant brand.
Their dedication to their dreams and making customers happy is genuinely inspiring. Despite the long hours and staff recruitment challenges, they work together daily to bring their vision to life—the most impressive characteristic about Mr. Parker, which should not be a surprise considering having an MBA, is that he knows his numbers and, impressively, he and his wife do their accounting and payroll.
When you walk into the restaurant, Mr. Parker might be cleaning the tables, mopping the floor, or cooking. He does whatever is necessary to keep the wheels turning. He doesn’t expect his employees to do anything he is unwilling to do, which he and his wife call “Felt Leadership.”
His wife, Erica Reed Parker, is more than just a businesswoman with an MBA from Christian Brothers University. She is also a talented gospel singer with a beautiful voice. Her music can be enjoyed on Erica Reed Music – YouTube, a testament to her multifaceted talents that many customers might find interesting. She also owns a radio station, Touched 247.
Slowing down does not appear to be in Mr. Parker’s future. He wants to tweak and refine the operations and begin selling franchises. We do not doubt that this will happen after meeting him. He has a plan that will be completed as he makes the necessary changes. He is the boss, but more importantly, he is a leader, which he learned from corporate America and has leveraged that talent to create his restaurant brand: Gulf Shores Restaurant & Grill.
All facilities are upscale, clean, and properly managed to attract Cajun fans from across the Midwest. St. Louis County’s health inspection scores are in the mid-90s to upper-90s.
Gulf Shores Restaurant & Grill has grown to three locations and one food truck, including:
- 12528 Olive Blvd, Creve Coeur, MO – Phone: 314-789-3073 – Google Rating – 4.4 Stars with 3.688 online reviews – approximately 3300 square feet – CLICK to view its restaurant directory listing. The Facebook Rating is also 4.2 Stars, with 3247 online reviews – 19K likes – and 19K followers.
- 215 Harvard Drive, Edwardsville, IL – Phone: 618-205-9508 – Google Rating – 4.1 Stars with 1,167 online reviews – approximately 3800 square feet – CLICK to view its restaurant directory listing.
- 5256 N Service Road, St Peters, MO – Phone: 636-245-0380 – Google Rating – 4.1 Stars with 801 online reviews – approximately 5200 square feet – CLICK to view its restaurant directory listing.
- A location is under consideration for the Sunset Hills area and The Landing district in downtown St. Louis.
Please Note: the Google ratings are as of June 27, 2024 @ 12:10 pm. Look at the restaurant directory listings for additional information for each location.
Gulf Shores offers:
- Dine-in
- Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Carryout
- Catering
- Food Truck
- Live Music – Check the Schedule
- Sunday Brunch – Creve Coeur & St. Peters only from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm, featuring Oysters Benedict, Gator Benedict, Steak Frittata, Famous Shrimp & Grits, Eggs Chesapeake, Crawfish & Shrimp Frittata, Bananas Foster French Toast, Shrimp & Lobster Quiche, and mixed drinks, including Gulf Shores Bloody Mary, and Orange Juice Mimosa to name a few.
Each Gulf Shores location is cleaned and staffed to serve its customers properly. The décor is appealing and creates a casual and comfortable atmosphere.
Like other restaurant owners, Mr. Parker faces multiple challenges daily, and hiring is the most difficult challenge now. He is succeeding, but it is taking longer and costing more money.
He is considering a new location in the Sunset Hills neighborhood, but nothing has been decided.
We will revise and add to this content because there is a lot more information about this establishment and its owners.
Additional resources:
- Gulf Shores Restaurant Website
- Kitchen Q&A: Gulf Shores Restaurant & Grill’s Harry Parker – October 17, 2014 – STL Magazine
- Restaurant Directory
- STL.News Covered the Review
