I had every intention of checking out the clambake at The Galley, but when I went to the website, I found out their last one was the weekend before. The weather was phenomenal, so I decided to drive out to Pickle Bill’s in Grand River. Grand River is just past Mentor on Route 2. Don’t rely on the GPS, because we ended up routed to Madison once and I was an hour late for my birthday party years ago. Coming from Cleveland take 90 East to Rte. 2 East, then take Rte. 2 East to Rte. 44 North, turn left (heading north) and go 1.5 miles to Olive St. and turn right at the red crab sign. Drive down the hill and you’ll the big colorful complex right on the Grand River. I enjoyed the fall colors while my car odometer hit 200,000 miles. I arrived there shortly after 3:30 and was seated right away at a table on the inside patio. I found out later that I missed some friends by 10 minutes when they posted they had been at Pickle Bill’s on Facebook.
I luckily found a parking spot right in front as someone drove away, but there is a small parking lot to the left just beyond the “lighthouse” as well as a larger parking lot just before the Brennan’s parking lot (do NOT park in the Brennan’s parking lot).
Pickle Bill’s is always a place to get good seafood with a view of the Grand River. The decor is… let’s just say… eclectic. You walk past a lobster in the foyer and an alligator in the lobby to get seated. Fishing nets, maritime artifacts, and all manner of ocean-inspired objects cover the walls and ceilings throughout the complex. The bathroom is also pretty whimsical – as is the bar seating (swings) upstairs. I enjoyed the more subdued inside patio with the river view and 1970s tunes. I was greeted by a friendly and efficient server who took my order. I ordered a fun little cocktail that was quite tasty (a Malibu Barbie Pink, which is made with 2 oz of Malibu coconut rum, mixed with pineapple juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, and a splash of grenadine. Very fruity, very pink, but delicious) and my clambake. They offer four choices: chicken, crab legs, fried perch or whole Maine lobster (prices range between $35.99 to $64.99). The clambakes feature a dozen middle neck clams with clam chowder, corn on the cob, sweet potato, a slice of cantaloupe, and their fried dough and cinnamon honey butter.
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The clam chowder and clams came out of the kitchen very quickly and were accompanied by melted butter and a little container of clam broth. You’ve got to love the places who serve clam broth! The clams were tender and tasty, and the clam chowder was chock full of clam and potato. There was only one broken shell and no unopened or gritty clams.
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I chose the crab legs, which are one of my favorite things to eat. I can crack a crab pretty efficiently. I started with the small legs and worked my way to the big claw. Tasty stuff dipped in another container of melted butter. Even the weird flesh in the compartments where it pulled from the body was perfectly cooked, which isn’t usually the case and can easily be overcooked. I used the cinnamon honey butter on the sweet potato, letting it melt into the flesh. The corn was also some of the best I’ve had yet this year. The melon was also perfectly ripe. I enjoyed everything and finished the entire clambake with no leftovers, which is rare. I walked past the line that had formed in the lobby at shortly before 5 p.m. (so get there early if you don’t like a line), got in my car and headed home into the setting sun. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.
Pickle Bill’s will be serving their clambakes through the end of November, but they serve seafood and all-you-can-eat crab legs year-round (I never go AYCE because I can never eat enough to make it worth it). I may or may not go back to try the perch with the clambake, because that is definitely a unique choice you don’t see everywhere.
Contact info:
Pickle Bill’s
101 River Street
Grand River, OH 44045
1-440-352-6343
