The Pearl - Gulfport

The Pearl has been a staple for many years, initially located on Treasure Island and now found in Gulfport. The menu offers an intriguing blend of Moroccan and French cuisine that exudes a nostalgic vibe reminiscent of the 1980s. It’s noteworthy that online reservations aren’t available, checks are handwritten, and the servers lack visible tattoos. However, some of the old-fashioned practices are a delightful touch, such as the traditional bread service and well-composed meals featuring a protein, starch, and vegetable. Happy hour is a great deal, with wine priced at just $5 for a generous pour. We had the chance to compare the $5 happy hour Cabernet to a $10 option from the regular menu, and surprisingly, we found the happy hour version to be superior. To start, we ordered an appetizer of figs wrapped in bacon and drizzled with balsamic. While I would have preferred Manchego cheese in place of the somewhat overpowering cream cheese, it was still quite delicious. They also offer an appealing early bird menu for just $15. My wife chose the Chicken Marsala with couscous and vegetables from that menu, which came with a nice salad. For my main course, I opted for the Lamb Tagine from the regular menu, which also included a salad. The tagine was a substantial portion with couscous, a delightful gravy, and plenty of veggies. However, I would have preferred lamb pieces rather than the lamb shank that was served, as it was a bit fatty and difficult to separate from the bone. I also hope they will reintroduce a chicken tagine option in the future. Overall, we enjoyed a very good meal at a reasonable price, and I would certainly recommend this restaurant and look forward to returning.

The service was extremely friendly, and the food was outstanding. I highly recommend this restaurant!

I visited this restaurant for a special engagement dinner, and considering our $400 bill, I expected a bit more in terms of service. It would have been nice if they offered at least a complimentary bottle of wine for the table. The lobster bites, priced at $22, were disappointingly small—just barely a bite. The Moroccan flounder didn't impress either; the heavy red sauce overwhelmed the flavor of the fish and everything else on the plate. However, the stuffed pork chop was the highlight of the evening—it was excellent.

We had the “early” menu for 15 bucks , great prices for a great meal! Looking forward to eat from the full menu next time !

Coquille St Jaques was not good, Veal Picatta was tough. Overall the consensus from our group of ten was very mediocre for the price. Was much better before the move from Treasure Island.