We stopped by for an afternoon snack and received outstanding service. Very good crab cakes and mussels. Like another said it's not a fancy place, but the food is very very good.
(5)
C B.
Filthy & Flavorless. Frozen veggies, table & chairs sticky & dusty; Grimey. Tried the Grotto 4 years ago. I saw they fixed up the outside; unfortunately, that's where the improvements end. Too bad. Charleston OR is in need of a GOOD restaurant.
(1)
Michelle W.
Great food - horrible service- really need to get their act together- totally made a great meal a horrible experience
(1)
Brigitta k.
Bad/ slow service, it's really hard to flag the waitress down. Place is old and rundown, when you walk in first thing you see is flies flying around. Food is just ok, kinda overpriced.
(2)
Connie G.
well what can I say. We wanted a special seafood meal while visiting the area. no decor to start with. waitress was slow to sit us. It has tha apearance of coffee shop. waitress is hostess & she kept going into kitchen, so maybe a cook. They have special meals for $10.00. I ordered scallops & prawns, only one side came. I got a potato & had a extra salad. So for $20.00 I got 4 one knch,scallops 3 small shrimp. this would be fine in a excellent gourmet restaurant but the food was not tasty and overpriced.
(1)
Samantha S.
I came here on a Tuesday right when they opened and had no one in the restaurant but me. Didn't have a long wait (ten minutes), but my waitress admitted to "zapping" my chowder. Chowder was way too watery for me but the taste was ok. Definitely not $5 a bowl worthy.
(2)
Autumn H.
We stopped here around 3 pm on a Saturday and while there was a large group in the annex, we were beyond shocked at how bad the service was. It took some time to be acknowledged and seated and then began the fiasco. Our drink orders were taken right away, but my son dropped his fork and we were told she would bring another (never happened). After recieving drinks, the waitress did not come back to take our order for 20 minutes! She was cleaning tables near us and asked if she had taken our order yet when we said no, she asked why we didn't say something. ?!?!! She said she would refill our coffee but did not come back until my husband stopped her 15 minutes later. When food finally arrived it was not for our table, but a table who had been waiting for their food when we were seated. Another table waited an hour only to be told their order was lost when the waitress dropped the IPad she used to take orders. When my son asked for water, she took his soda cup, dumped it and put water, no ice, in it from the tap. Without even rinsing out the soda. When it came, the fish tacos were superb, but the fish and chips were served without tarter sauce or fries/chips... so it was just fish. It was good but who serves it without tarter sauce. She never came back to check on us, so we just went without. We can only assume she was fired or sent home. The kid's food was passable and cheap. Good price, decent food, but dirty and unpleasant smelling at first, and dear God the worst waitress EVER. If I wanted that, I would stay home and let my husband cook... Bottom line? Avoid if you are already hungry, not paitent, or ever worked in food service.
(1)
Maggi O.
Horrible service! They took their sweet time to get us seated, and then it took about a half hour to even say they were getting back to us but didn't come back. They are not very fast so if you want to sit and wait for a long time this is your place to go but if you want good service and a nice place to eat then I don't recommend going to Fishermans grotto at all. We didn't even get water after being seated. We ended up leaving. It was absolutely awful! They don't even deserve my one star rating!
(1)
Brandi F.
I love eating here this place has a special place in my heart I had my reception after my wedding here their food is amazing great portions anything I ordered off the menu has blown my mind I have nothing bad to say about this place. I make the two and a half hour drive just to eat here sometimes amazing wouldn't change a thing
(5)
Darice H.
Lets start with it took us 15 mins to be seated . After we were seated she walked away without taking a drink order . After about 20 mins or so she finally came back and took are order. food was bland and barely edible .
(1)
Russell T.
We were the only ones there in this big empty cold space, like a masoleum. You would think ,o good fast service then. Wrong ,was seated then had to wait for water, then had to wait for drinks, then had to wait for chowder. Then had to wait for the waitress to remember we were there. Everything echoed as she was bs with the cook. 25 mins later food came out. Would hate to be there if it was busy. But I kind of doubt it because the food was nothing to write home about. Seafood is the fastest thing you can cook. I don't know why everything took forever. But if the owner is reading this you might remind your help to bs on their own time because you can hear everything when your place is empty.
(2)
Linda L.
My family of four stopped by after the place we wanted to go to was not open. The kids were hungry so we figured we would tried this place. Took awhile for our server to even bring us water. She finally came to get our order and then we waited as my 9 year old noted "forever" to get two bowls of clam chowder and some burgers. During our wait, folks at two different tables got up and left because they were not getting their food or service. Aside from my crab burger, the rest of the food was somewhat blah. Would not recommend unless that is your only option but get ready to wait.
(2)
Lori V.
The food was good but not worth the hour long wait. Took at least 15 minutes to be seated then the people seated after us got drinks and their meal before us. When all was said and done it was an hour and a half lunch. Service was slow and not friendly. Would not recommend!
(1)
Mia T.
This isn't a fancy seafood restaurant. This is the place where locals eat. My son had the 5pc fish & chips & I had the chowder bread bowl & shrimp cocktail!!! We will be back!!!! Too bad the table next to us got up & left!!!
(5)
rob b.
I love this place! I absolutely do not understand some of the reviews I see here. The owner is the daughter of a fisherman and has access to top quality fish. The service has been great and accommodating. I am willing to add 20 miles to go here. This review is coming from an ex commercial fisherman. I am pretty particular about my seafood and this place floats my boat! To be fair, the atmosphere is not the draw. Meanwhile, the awards on the wall do some talking for themselves. Do you want quality food or ambiance? If you answer "both", go somewhere more expensive, and likely lower quality. This place decided to focus on the food. I get it.
(5)
Michael G.
Ate here last night, food was not too bad but the decor was very outdated and the server was about as friendly as a stump. Most of the food was pre-made and just fried in the back. The biggest issue was the cleanliness of the restroom that I used on the way out ( would of walked out without eating if I would have went in first).
(2)
Bronwyn E.
This place has free wi-fi. It is a little out dated atmosphere wise, and there isn't much of an ocean view. However, with that being said, I have to say that the prices were very reasonable. Three people in my group, and the whole bill was less than $30 with an appetizer included. Most sandwiches were only $6-8 even for dinner. A small dinner salad with shrimp was on the menu for only $4. Nice to see decent prices when the economy is tough. I shared the tuna melt and salmon burger. Both tasted good and had tasty fries. As an appetizer, we ordered the fried pickles. These were a tasty treat that you can't find too many places that serve that. They were flavorful and addicting. It was a bargain compared to other seafood restaurants on the coast. We were pleased. They sell locally made jams cranberry, blueberry, etc. for a reasonable price near the cashier, and also have a spritual uplifting gift book section by the counter as a bonus. We were satisified. We visited here after a long day drive down to the beautiful shore acres state park.
(3)
Coastal G.
This place used to be very good. The last 3 Times we have went were awful. The place itself is filthy on the inside and the water glasses and silverware are far from clean. Flies are allover in the eating and kitchen area. The food is pretty pricey and is not worth talking about. Service is ok but it's hard to get past the filth and flies.
(2)
Carla H.
Yikes! We usually stop at this place (or are taken to this place, rather) on our yearly trip to the Coos Bay area. I do like the waitress with the unique laugh and the owner is pleasant, but the restaurant is so stink rotten filthy that it seriously grosses me out to eat here. The food is all friend and not very good, and overpriced at that. But really, the place is so nasty that you probably wouldn't want to get as far as actually ordering any food.
(1)
Wendy B.
We were steered here by a local. We were looking for good seafood (especially oysters) at reasonable prices, and ambiance was not part of the criteria. So, indeed, this was a dive-y kind of place overlooking the humble waterfront. And a loose managerial style, to put it mildly. Had to go looking for someone since there was no hostess, only to find out... we get to seat ourselves. Verrrrrrry casual, no doubt about it. First, a cup of clam chowdah for each of us. Thick and creamy. The only negative, it was made with some dried vegetables. Tasted pretty good even though. FYI - finely minced clams instead of big chunks. Ordered an appetizer combo of (2 ea) clams, oysters, scallops, calamari, prawns. All battered and fried. Beautifully done, very tender, and the breading was light and flaky. My favorites, if I had to choose, were the calamari, prawns, and scallops. Enjoyed this very much, but this was a huge platter. I had also stupidly ordered a 3 piece fish dinner thinking I was over the top hungry because I had eaten vey little in the past 12 hours. Big mistake! And Mr. B had fries and fried oysters. Then, suddenly it hit me, too much fried food, and I couldn't look at it anymore. Almost all of the fish was surrrendered to the to-go box. Too bad, it would have been better when freshly done. My fault. Everything was really good, far better than a highly recommended fish and chips place we had been steered to while in Victoria, Canada (same road trip). Actually, one of the best I have ever had. And the cocktail sauce and tartar sauce were out of this world. But, a lesson in self-restraint, especially where "fried" was in the description, would have been good before hand.
Mediocre food, indifferent service, expensive, dirty. The staff spent most of the time I was there sitting at one of the other tables, talking with friends. Clam chowder was tasty, but came out cold. The vegetables which accompanied the $20 main course (lunch menu) were served to me still frozen. The dining area was dirty and depressing, and felt like Depression-era Appalachia. I would drive a long way rather than return here.
(1)
Peggy U.
Sorry to say we really can't recommend this place. It seems very down at heel and smelled unpleasant. Grubby carpet, shabby furniture The place is in desperate need of a makeover, or at the very least a good cleaning We would have left immediately but we were hungry and it was raining. The clam chowder was passable, if you like potato soup. Very stingy on the clams. The fish and chips were certainly not the worst ever, but far from the best. At least our waitress was pleasant.
(1)
Adrienne H.
I was pointed here by a friend of mine who told me about Fisherman's Grotto so I had a chance on going there and I ordered the clam strips. It was good. There is just one thing, make sure you are in no rush, it will take a little while for your order, just be patient. Hey, Restaurant Impossible, please come to this restaurant, it needs the help!
(3)
Rebecca S.
Thought we would try this place on a whim on our way out of town. Immediately upon walking in, I noticed that it smelled like they had only recently become a non-smoking restaurant. The place looked pretty sad too. The walls and paneling could really use some new appetite-friendly paint, and the fluorescent lights should be replaced or at least cleaned more often. The light covers were full of bugs. There were also two very sad looking fish tanks. They were half-covered in green algae, not well taken care of, so it seems like they just need to go. The fish in them are pretty sparse and boring to look at anyway. The cash register looked like it had spent some time in the fish tank too, since it was covered in green grime. The bathrooms were similar. The ladies' room was dirty, dark and dismal. There was no lock on the handicapped stall door, (the other stall was too scary and dark to risk entering) and when I walked in to the room there was a large spider hanging from the ceiling to greet me. The only positive I have to say for decorating is this place has some nice pictures on the walls and some newer looking orchids in the windows. As for the service, our waitress was friendly enough, but when I asked for the location of the restroom the other older waitress was rather gruff. The food was not worth the price. The fried seafood appetizer was pretty average taste-wise and slightly over-breaded. My partner and I also shared a plate of pasta which had an awful thin sauce and possibly the worst noodles I've ever had at a restaurant. I would not eat there again unless they do an overhaul of their menu and clean up the place. Perhaps Gordon Ramsay should do a Kitchen Nightmares episode there. Also, it would be nice to not have to see all the religious advertising when walking in, that can put some people off their appetites.
(1)
Laila R.
We were starving and I didn't want to leave to try another place so I got something on the menu. I was really craving steamed crab and just good plain seafood, but everything on the menu is fried practically, and that's great when your in the mood for it but not what I wanted. And practically not a good sign of a cook anyone can fry something show me your real cooking techniques. The prices were kind of high considering they are right next to the bay and they probably catch it themselves. So the food took a long time, and it was nothing special. The plus - The fish pieces in the fish in chips were large and fresh you could tell but the batter was too floury, I could taste the flour. The ciopino although the flavor was ok and had lots of seafood it was not true ciopino flavor it tasted like too much Italian seasoning.
(2)
Donald M.
Always a good place to go for a seafood meal. Six dollar lunch and ten dollar dinner are great deals that can be found on the back of the menu. Whenever we have company in town it's a regular stop for an inexpensive hearty lunch. Nothing fancy or gourmet about the place, but never less than satisfied.
(4)
Anjelah S.
Ok...it's just going downhill from here. NO more fresh onion rings. OHhHhh my GOD..what has this place done? That really sucks, because that was the only thing I really enjoyed there. OK, So try something new. I ordered the Special of the day for 10.95. Beer battered tuna with 2 side orders. Service was SLoOoOoooow and the waitress looked like she just crawled out of bed. Not the happiest camper either. When the meal finally came I was really surprised how big it was. I was thinking they must of made a mistake because it looked like a kids meal. Small pieces of tuna deep fried with big chunks of batter on them. 2 tablespoons of garlicky mashed potatoes and about a tablespoon of coleslaw. Whoopee dooo. All that for 10.95? Can we say appetizer? The meal tasted ok, but not worth it. I would of maybe expected that price for that size of meal in a fancy restaurant, but this place is a dive, and smells like old people. I won't be going back.
(1)
Bob G.
We are out camping at Sunset Bay State Park & since it's our anniversary decided to enjoy a seafood dinner in Charleston, but not here. We came in and first off, the place reeked of dead seafood. The waitresses were all serving patrons, but when one looked up, she asked how many & we told her 5. She pointed to a large table and told us "Sit There". Another waitress threw down 5 menus and walked off! My daughter was thinking crab and none was found on the menu, is spite of a pile of crab pots setting across the street. I walked outside to call another restaurant - they had crab & we still hadn't been aproached so we left. Bad stench plus bad customer service doesn't make sense in such a small town with so many seafood restaurants.
(1)
Suki D.
Dirty. Shabby. long long wait "steamed veges" frozen medley. Ok food and clam chowder. If missing teeth in staff and clientele ur cup of tea, go for it.
(1)
Tom M.
Clam chowder is five star. Grilled oyster sandwich fantastic. Great reasonably priced to eat.
(4)
Kathleen D.
To be totally fair I have to come back another day other than Mother's Day. By the time time we got there it was nearly 2 P.M. and it was packed with a 15 minutes wait. The waitress were all super friendly. I was surprised by some of the other reviews which state the opposite. They were very casual and family friendly. By 2:10 several patrons had finished leaving 4 empty tables around us. We ordered and our meals came 40 minutes later. During our meal the un-cleared 4 tables remained just that. It was no longer busy and people needing tables. I'm not sure why uncleared/dirty tables bother me so much but they do. Never the less, my clam chowder was very good and my only fault with it was that the clams were microscopic. It was a good creamy chowder base only wish there could have been more than 1/8 teaspoon of clams in it. We wondered if this is the way it always is, busy, uncleared, messy carpets... If it is we really recommend this place for "Restaurant Impossible." I heard several waitresses say to patrons as they brought checks to the tables, "Sorry it took so long, Hope it was worth the wait!" When they said it to us, it was the third time I had heard them say it and wondered if that was their mantra. Don't be in a hurry, take your time, have patience and bring a can of clams to add to the chowder ... shhhh....
(3)
Sharon H.
All you have to do is walk in the door. No one to greet or seat you, then when someone does realize you are there--their apron is sporting a sampling of most entrees on the menu! Had to wait a long time before the waitress chose to acknowledge we were there. The food was okay, but the service was lousy! We felt like areal bother to the waitress. Another couple was seated and forgotten. They got up and left. Waitress said "Oh well!" when told by other customers about the couple leaving. Suggestion: TRY SOME PLACE ELSE!
(1)
Ronn C.
The food was very good. I had the clam chowder and it's "as good as it gets" my wife had the calamari and it was the bomb! Nice thick slices not the pan-fried mass produced junk you get at most places. It was well worth the $6 dollars for the side order, and they gave a nice portion too. If you go there they have lots of parking but it's not paved. If it's a real wet and miserable day be aware. Waiting for our bill to be taken to us got old pretty fast. They should really work on that side of the business, but overall it was well worth the time to eat there.
(3)
Lee W.
Fisherman's Grotto blows. The service stinks, the interior is ugly, and the quality of the food-with the exception of the chowder- is a vile and worthless attempt at seafood. We had the grilled oysters and they arrived smothered in breading. When we looked perplexed(even more of an issue because of my girlfriend's gluten intolerance) the waitress said they do that so they don't stick to the grill. They looked fried, tasted fried, smelled fried and were fried. To make matters worse they charged $13 for these sad looking breaded oysters. They then charged us for the additional oysters that were offered by the waitress without breading. No mention of a charge, just got the news as I paid my $35 bill. We ordered prawns as an appetizer. When we asked if the prawns were sauteed in butter the waitress asked why, when we said it was because we couldn't eat dairy, she said "oh, well we cook them in margarine." Classy. I know Charleston can use all the help in the world, but seriously, this place is so devoid of redeeming qualities that your taste buds would get more pleasure out of of licking the empty oyster shells at the local seafood processing plants than dropping 35 dollars on a shit lunch at this wretched business.
(1)
Mark J.
Claimed to be the best seafood in town. Dirty surroundings, mediocre food, and high prices suggest there are better places.
(2)
Jack E.
Tasteless food. Needs a good cook.
(2)
Andrew A.
Had the seafood Cioppini. Was very good. Might be a little to spicy for some people. I thought it was great. The place could use a good cleaning.
(3)
Jenny C.
This is my in-law's favorite place for seafood. If this was located in LB they'd only get 3 stars because the interior is pretty horrendous. The seats are cheap vinyl and metal, the ambiance is cafeteria-esque, and there's a revolving stand of Christian novels and self-help books. However, they are known here for their deep-fried seafood and they do it well. The regular batter is light and airy, the beer batter is a little more substantial and crunchy. The cod is very good quality, don't bother to pay more for halibut. The clam chowder is Elmer's paste-like, so skip it. 4 stars because it is undeniably damn good fish and chips. Can I have an amen?
(4)
Isabelle L.
This is a great fish and chips place. A lot of different choices: fish and chips in different sizes but also sandwiches, salads, grilled or fried fish, calamari... The neat thing is instead of just fish and chips for almost of the dishes you can have either fries, mashed or baked potato or chowder. Even for chowder you can choose between the tradtional clam version or the one made with smoked salmon. We had fish and chips which was perfect, not greasy at all and fresh tasting, grilled calamari was nice as well and the smoked salmon chowder was outstanding. Just be warned one of the waitress has a contagious laugh and before you know it you'll be laughing while enjoying your food and you won't even know what made you laugh. Good food.
(4)
R.A. P.
My lady friend and I ate our mid-day main meal here. She had clam chowder and a salad while I had the battered deep-fried fish and a baked potato. Service was good and pleasant. The interior is not the most plush around but it is acceptable. The place is clean. As to the food, the fish I had was lightly battered instead of some "assault and battery" thick greasy stuff. The fish being served was cod and there was no fishiness to the taste. The flavor was fine and the fish gets an A+ in my book. My lady friend's salad was large and full of all sorts of goodies. She loves her salads and was quite happy with it as she also was with the clam chowder. I just wish they served a real big baked potato as I LOVE my spuds! Otherwise I have no complaints at all about the food, only good memories! Price-wise this isn't a cheap place but it isn't as expensive as some ofher higher line places in the Charleston Boat Basin are. I'd love to try more of their dishes and it is a definite repeat place for eating out at. One caveat: The parking lot is not paved, so if you have a nice car and wear nice clothes, please do be careful with the mud and puddles. If I owned this place, a layer of asphalt and proper striping would be in place to upgrade the eyeball image for the people who drive by and thus attract more business. After all, who wants to look like a rural dive of a place these days? Charleston is on the upgrade and having paved parking is part of the deal folks. I don't need my car or my shoes muddied up and the owners of the place don't need their floor muddied up either.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Dan P.
We stopped by for an afternoon snack and received outstanding service. Very good crab cakes and mussels. Like another said it's not a fancy place, but the food is very very good.
(5)C B.
Filthy & Flavorless. Frozen veggies, table & chairs sticky & dusty; Grimey. Tried the Grotto 4 years ago. I saw they fixed up the outside; unfortunately, that's where the improvements end. Too bad. Charleston OR is in need of a GOOD restaurant.
(1)Michelle W.
Great food - horrible service- really need to get their act together- totally made a great meal a horrible experience
(1)Brigitta k.
Bad/ slow service, it's really hard to flag the waitress down. Place is old and rundown, when you walk in first thing you see is flies flying around. Food is just ok, kinda overpriced.
(2)Connie G.
well what can I say. We wanted a special seafood meal while visiting the area. no decor to start with. waitress was slow to sit us. It has tha apearance of coffee shop. waitress is hostess & she kept going into kitchen, so maybe a cook. They have special meals for $10.00. I ordered scallops & prawns, only one side came. I got a potato & had a extra salad. So for $20.00 I got 4 one knch,scallops 3 small shrimp. this would be fine in a excellent gourmet restaurant but the food was not tasty and overpriced.
(1)Samantha S.
I came here on a Tuesday right when they opened and had no one in the restaurant but me. Didn't have a long wait (ten minutes), but my waitress admitted to "zapping" my chowder. Chowder was way too watery for me but the taste was ok. Definitely not $5 a bowl worthy.
(2)Autumn H.
We stopped here around 3 pm on a Saturday and while there was a large group in the annex, we were beyond shocked at how bad the service was. It took some time to be acknowledged and seated and then began the fiasco. Our drink orders were taken right away, but my son dropped his fork and we were told she would bring another (never happened). After recieving drinks, the waitress did not come back to take our order for 20 minutes! She was cleaning tables near us and asked if she had taken our order yet when we said no, she asked why we didn't say something. ?!?!! She said she would refill our coffee but did not come back until my husband stopped her 15 minutes later. When food finally arrived it was not for our table, but a table who had been waiting for their food when we were seated. Another table waited an hour only to be told their order was lost when the waitress dropped the IPad she used to take orders. When my son asked for water, she took his soda cup, dumped it and put water, no ice, in it from the tap. Without even rinsing out the soda. When it came, the fish tacos were superb, but the fish and chips were served without tarter sauce or fries/chips... so it was just fish. It was good but who serves it without tarter sauce. She never came back to check on us, so we just went without. We can only assume she was fired or sent home. The kid's food was passable and cheap. Good price, decent food, but dirty and unpleasant smelling at first, and dear God the worst waitress EVER. If I wanted that, I would stay home and let my husband cook... Bottom line? Avoid if you are already hungry, not paitent, or ever worked in food service.
(1)Maggi O.
Horrible service! They took their sweet time to get us seated, and then it took about a half hour to even say they were getting back to us but didn't come back. They are not very fast so if you want to sit and wait for a long time this is your place to go but if you want good service and a nice place to eat then I don't recommend going to Fishermans grotto at all. We didn't even get water after being seated. We ended up leaving. It was absolutely awful! They don't even deserve my one star rating!
(1)Brandi F.
I love eating here this place has a special place in my heart I had my reception after my wedding here their food is amazing great portions anything I ordered off the menu has blown my mind I have nothing bad to say about this place. I make the two and a half hour drive just to eat here sometimes amazing wouldn't change a thing
(5)Darice H.
Lets start with it took us 15 mins to be seated . After we were seated she walked away without taking a drink order . After about 20 mins or so she finally came back and took are order. food was bland and barely edible .
(1)Russell T.
We were the only ones there in this big empty cold space, like a masoleum. You would think ,o good fast service then. Wrong ,was seated then had to wait for water, then had to wait for drinks, then had to wait for chowder. Then had to wait for the waitress to remember we were there. Everything echoed as she was bs with the cook. 25 mins later food came out. Would hate to be there if it was busy. But I kind of doubt it because the food was nothing to write home about. Seafood is the fastest thing you can cook. I don't know why everything took forever. But if the owner is reading this you might remind your help to bs on their own time because you can hear everything when your place is empty.
(2)Linda L.
My family of four stopped by after the place we wanted to go to was not open. The kids were hungry so we figured we would tried this place. Took awhile for our server to even bring us water. She finally came to get our order and then we waited as my 9 year old noted "forever" to get two bowls of clam chowder and some burgers. During our wait, folks at two different tables got up and left because they were not getting their food or service. Aside from my crab burger, the rest of the food was somewhat blah. Would not recommend unless that is your only option but get ready to wait.
(2)Lori V.
The food was good but not worth the hour long wait. Took at least 15 minutes to be seated then the people seated after us got drinks and their meal before us. When all was said and done it was an hour and a half lunch. Service was slow and not friendly. Would not recommend!
(1)Mia T.
This isn't a fancy seafood restaurant. This is the place where locals eat. My son had the 5pc fish & chips & I had the chowder bread bowl & shrimp cocktail!!! We will be back!!!! Too bad the table next to us got up & left!!!
(5)rob b.
I love this place! I absolutely do not understand some of the reviews I see here. The owner is the daughter of a fisherman and has access to top quality fish. The service has been great and accommodating. I am willing to add 20 miles to go here. This review is coming from an ex commercial fisherman. I am pretty particular about my seafood and this place floats my boat! To be fair, the atmosphere is not the draw. Meanwhile, the awards on the wall do some talking for themselves. Do you want quality food or ambiance? If you answer "both", go somewhere more expensive, and likely lower quality. This place decided to focus on the food. I get it.
(5)Michael G.
Ate here last night, food was not too bad but the decor was very outdated and the server was about as friendly as a stump. Most of the food was pre-made and just fried in the back. The biggest issue was the cleanliness of the restroom that I used on the way out ( would of walked out without eating if I would have went in first).
(2)Bronwyn E.
This place has free wi-fi. It is a little out dated atmosphere wise, and there isn't much of an ocean view. However, with that being said, I have to say that the prices were very reasonable. Three people in my group, and the whole bill was less than $30 with an appetizer included. Most sandwiches were only $6-8 even for dinner. A small dinner salad with shrimp was on the menu for only $4. Nice to see decent prices when the economy is tough. I shared the tuna melt and salmon burger. Both tasted good and had tasty fries. As an appetizer, we ordered the fried pickles. These were a tasty treat that you can't find too many places that serve that. They were flavorful and addicting. It was a bargain compared to other seafood restaurants on the coast. We were pleased. They sell locally made jams cranberry, blueberry, etc. for a reasonable price near the cashier, and also have a spritual uplifting gift book section by the counter as a bonus. We were satisified. We visited here after a long day drive down to the beautiful shore acres state park.
(3)Coastal G.
This place used to be very good. The last 3 Times we have went were awful. The place itself is filthy on the inside and the water glasses and silverware are far from clean. Flies are allover in the eating and kitchen area. The food is pretty pricey and is not worth talking about. Service is ok but it's hard to get past the filth and flies.
(2)Carla H.
Yikes! We usually stop at this place (or are taken to this place, rather) on our yearly trip to the Coos Bay area. I do like the waitress with the unique laugh and the owner is pleasant, but the restaurant is so stink rotten filthy that it seriously grosses me out to eat here. The food is all friend and not very good, and overpriced at that. But really, the place is so nasty that you probably wouldn't want to get as far as actually ordering any food.
(1)Wendy B.
We were steered here by a local. We were looking for good seafood (especially oysters) at reasonable prices, and ambiance was not part of the criteria. So, indeed, this was a dive-y kind of place overlooking the humble waterfront. And a loose managerial style, to put it mildly. Had to go looking for someone since there was no hostess, only to find out... we get to seat ourselves. Verrrrrrry casual, no doubt about it. First, a cup of clam chowdah for each of us. Thick and creamy. The only negative, it was made with some dried vegetables. Tasted pretty good even though. FYI - finely minced clams instead of big chunks. Ordered an appetizer combo of (2 ea) clams, oysters, scallops, calamari, prawns. All battered and fried. Beautifully done, very tender, and the breading was light and flaky. My favorites, if I had to choose, were the calamari, prawns, and scallops. Enjoyed this very much, but this was a huge platter. I had also stupidly ordered a 3 piece fish dinner thinking I was over the top hungry because I had eaten vey little in the past 12 hours. Big mistake! And Mr. B had fries and fried oysters. Then, suddenly it hit me, too much fried food, and I couldn't look at it anymore. Almost all of the fish was surrrendered to the to-go box. Too bad, it would have been better when freshly done. My fault. Everything was really good, far better than a highly recommended fish and chips place we had been steered to while in Victoria, Canada (same road trip). Actually, one of the best I have ever had. And the cocktail sauce and tartar sauce were out of this world. But, a lesson in self-restraint, especially where "fried" was in the description, would have been good before hand.
(4)Don D.
Had lunch here today. Food was good and a fair price. Deep fried food gives me a stomach ache, as did this. I should have opted for the sautéed. Anyway, good value. Nice, friendly service.
(3)Just Another Diner A.
Mediocre food, indifferent service, expensive, dirty. The staff spent most of the time I was there sitting at one of the other tables, talking with friends. Clam chowder was tasty, but came out cold. The vegetables which accompanied the $20 main course (lunch menu) were served to me still frozen. The dining area was dirty and depressing, and felt like Depression-era Appalachia. I would drive a long way rather than return here.
(1)Peggy U.
Sorry to say we really can't recommend this place. It seems very down at heel and smelled unpleasant. Grubby carpet, shabby furniture The place is in desperate need of a makeover, or at the very least a good cleaning We would have left immediately but we were hungry and it was raining. The clam chowder was passable, if you like potato soup. Very stingy on the clams. The fish and chips were certainly not the worst ever, but far from the best. At least our waitress was pleasant.
(1)Adrienne H.
I was pointed here by a friend of mine who told me about Fisherman's Grotto so I had a chance on going there and I ordered the clam strips. It was good. There is just one thing, make sure you are in no rush, it will take a little while for your order, just be patient. Hey, Restaurant Impossible, please come to this restaurant, it needs the help!
(3)Rebecca S.
Thought we would try this place on a whim on our way out of town. Immediately upon walking in, I noticed that it smelled like they had only recently become a non-smoking restaurant. The place looked pretty sad too. The walls and paneling could really use some new appetite-friendly paint, and the fluorescent lights should be replaced or at least cleaned more often. The light covers were full of bugs. There were also two very sad looking fish tanks. They were half-covered in green algae, not well taken care of, so it seems like they just need to go. The fish in them are pretty sparse and boring to look at anyway. The cash register looked like it had spent some time in the fish tank too, since it was covered in green grime. The bathrooms were similar. The ladies' room was dirty, dark and dismal. There was no lock on the handicapped stall door, (the other stall was too scary and dark to risk entering) and when I walked in to the room there was a large spider hanging from the ceiling to greet me. The only positive I have to say for decorating is this place has some nice pictures on the walls and some newer looking orchids in the windows. As for the service, our waitress was friendly enough, but when I asked for the location of the restroom the other older waitress was rather gruff. The food was not worth the price. The fried seafood appetizer was pretty average taste-wise and slightly over-breaded. My partner and I also shared a plate of pasta which had an awful thin sauce and possibly the worst noodles I've ever had at a restaurant. I would not eat there again unless they do an overhaul of their menu and clean up the place. Perhaps Gordon Ramsay should do a Kitchen Nightmares episode there. Also, it would be nice to not have to see all the religious advertising when walking in, that can put some people off their appetites.
(1)Laila R.
We were starving and I didn't want to leave to try another place so I got something on the menu. I was really craving steamed crab and just good plain seafood, but everything on the menu is fried practically, and that's great when your in the mood for it but not what I wanted. And practically not a good sign of a cook anyone can fry something show me your real cooking techniques. The prices were kind of high considering they are right next to the bay and they probably catch it themselves. So the food took a long time, and it was nothing special. The plus - The fish pieces in the fish in chips were large and fresh you could tell but the batter was too floury, I could taste the flour. The ciopino although the flavor was ok and had lots of seafood it was not true ciopino flavor it tasted like too much Italian seasoning.
(2)Donald M.
Always a good place to go for a seafood meal. Six dollar lunch and ten dollar dinner are great deals that can be found on the back of the menu. Whenever we have company in town it's a regular stop for an inexpensive hearty lunch. Nothing fancy or gourmet about the place, but never less than satisfied.
(4)Anjelah S.
Ok...it's just going downhill from here. NO more fresh onion rings. OHhHhh my GOD..what has this place done? That really sucks, because that was the only thing I really enjoyed there. OK, So try something new. I ordered the Special of the day for 10.95. Beer battered tuna with 2 side orders. Service was SLoOoOoooow and the waitress looked like she just crawled out of bed. Not the happiest camper either. When the meal finally came I was really surprised how big it was. I was thinking they must of made a mistake because it looked like a kids meal. Small pieces of tuna deep fried with big chunks of batter on them. 2 tablespoons of garlicky mashed potatoes and about a tablespoon of coleslaw. Whoopee dooo. All that for 10.95? Can we say appetizer? The meal tasted ok, but not worth it. I would of maybe expected that price for that size of meal in a fancy restaurant, but this place is a dive, and smells like old people. I won't be going back.
(1)Bob G.
We are out camping at Sunset Bay State Park & since it's our anniversary decided to enjoy a seafood dinner in Charleston, but not here. We came in and first off, the place reeked of dead seafood. The waitresses were all serving patrons, but when one looked up, she asked how many & we told her 5. She pointed to a large table and told us "Sit There". Another waitress threw down 5 menus and walked off! My daughter was thinking crab and none was found on the menu, is spite of a pile of crab pots setting across the street. I walked outside to call another restaurant - they had crab & we still hadn't been aproached so we left. Bad stench plus bad customer service doesn't make sense in such a small town with so many seafood restaurants.
(1)Suki D.
Dirty. Shabby. long long wait "steamed veges" frozen medley. Ok food and clam chowder. If missing teeth in staff and clientele ur cup of tea, go for it.
(1)Tom M.
Clam chowder is five star. Grilled oyster sandwich fantastic. Great reasonably priced to eat.
(4)Kathleen D.
To be totally fair I have to come back another day other than Mother's Day. By the time time we got there it was nearly 2 P.M. and it was packed with a 15 minutes wait. The waitress were all super friendly. I was surprised by some of the other reviews which state the opposite. They were very casual and family friendly. By 2:10 several patrons had finished leaving 4 empty tables around us. We ordered and our meals came 40 minutes later. During our meal the un-cleared 4 tables remained just that. It was no longer busy and people needing tables. I'm not sure why uncleared/dirty tables bother me so much but they do. Never the less, my clam chowder was very good and my only fault with it was that the clams were microscopic. It was a good creamy chowder base only wish there could have been more than 1/8 teaspoon of clams in it. We wondered if this is the way it always is, busy, uncleared, messy carpets... If it is we really recommend this place for "Restaurant Impossible." I heard several waitresses say to patrons as they brought checks to the tables, "Sorry it took so long, Hope it was worth the wait!" When they said it to us, it was the third time I had heard them say it and wondered if that was their mantra. Don't be in a hurry, take your time, have patience and bring a can of clams to add to the chowder ... shhhh....
(3)Sharon H.
All you have to do is walk in the door. No one to greet or seat you, then when someone does realize you are there--their apron is sporting a sampling of most entrees on the menu! Had to wait a long time before the waitress chose to acknowledge we were there. The food was okay, but the service was lousy! We felt like areal bother to the waitress. Another couple was seated and forgotten. They got up and left. Waitress said "Oh well!" when told by other customers about the couple leaving. Suggestion: TRY SOME PLACE ELSE!
(1)Ronn C.
The food was very good. I had the clam chowder and it's "as good as it gets" my wife had the calamari and it was the bomb! Nice thick slices not the pan-fried mass produced junk you get at most places. It was well worth the $6 dollars for the side order, and they gave a nice portion too. If you go there they have lots of parking but it's not paved. If it's a real wet and miserable day be aware. Waiting for our bill to be taken to us got old pretty fast. They should really work on that side of the business, but overall it was well worth the time to eat there.
(3)Lee W.
Fisherman's Grotto blows. The service stinks, the interior is ugly, and the quality of the food-with the exception of the chowder- is a vile and worthless attempt at seafood. We had the grilled oysters and they arrived smothered in breading. When we looked perplexed(even more of an issue because of my girlfriend's gluten intolerance) the waitress said they do that so they don't stick to the grill. They looked fried, tasted fried, smelled fried and were fried. To make matters worse they charged $13 for these sad looking breaded oysters. They then charged us for the additional oysters that were offered by the waitress without breading. No mention of a charge, just got the news as I paid my $35 bill. We ordered prawns as an appetizer. When we asked if the prawns were sauteed in butter the waitress asked why, when we said it was because we couldn't eat dairy, she said "oh, well we cook them in margarine." Classy. I know Charleston can use all the help in the world, but seriously, this place is so devoid of redeeming qualities that your taste buds would get more pleasure out of of licking the empty oyster shells at the local seafood processing plants than dropping 35 dollars on a shit lunch at this wretched business.
(1)Mark J.
Claimed to be the best seafood in town. Dirty surroundings, mediocre food, and high prices suggest there are better places.
(2)Jack E.
Tasteless food. Needs a good cook.
(2)Andrew A.
Had the seafood Cioppini. Was very good. Might be a little to spicy for some people. I thought it was great. The place could use a good cleaning.
(3)Jenny C.
This is my in-law's favorite place for seafood. If this was located in LB they'd only get 3 stars because the interior is pretty horrendous. The seats are cheap vinyl and metal, the ambiance is cafeteria-esque, and there's a revolving stand of Christian novels and self-help books. However, they are known here for their deep-fried seafood and they do it well. The regular batter is light and airy, the beer batter is a little more substantial and crunchy. The cod is very good quality, don't bother to pay more for halibut. The clam chowder is Elmer's paste-like, so skip it. 4 stars because it is undeniably damn good fish and chips. Can I have an amen?
(4)Isabelle L.
This is a great fish and chips place. A lot of different choices: fish and chips in different sizes but also sandwiches, salads, grilled or fried fish, calamari... The neat thing is instead of just fish and chips for almost of the dishes you can have either fries, mashed or baked potato or chowder. Even for chowder you can choose between the tradtional clam version or the one made with smoked salmon. We had fish and chips which was perfect, not greasy at all and fresh tasting, grilled calamari was nice as well and the smoked salmon chowder was outstanding. Just be warned one of the waitress has a contagious laugh and before you know it you'll be laughing while enjoying your food and you won't even know what made you laugh. Good food.
(4)R.A. P.
My lady friend and I ate our mid-day main meal here. She had clam chowder and a salad while I had the battered deep-fried fish and a baked potato. Service was good and pleasant. The interior is not the most plush around but it is acceptable. The place is clean. As to the food, the fish I had was lightly battered instead of some "assault and battery" thick greasy stuff. The fish being served was cod and there was no fishiness to the taste. The flavor was fine and the fish gets an A+ in my book. My lady friend's salad was large and full of all sorts of goodies. She loves her salads and was quite happy with it as she also was with the clam chowder. I just wish they served a real big baked potato as I LOVE my spuds! Otherwise I have no complaints at all about the food, only good memories! Price-wise this isn't a cheap place but it isn't as expensive as some ofher higher line places in the Charleston Boat Basin are. I'd love to try more of their dishes and it is a definite repeat place for eating out at. One caveat: The parking lot is not paved, so if you have a nice car and wear nice clothes, please do be careful with the mud and puddles. If I owned this place, a layer of asphalt and proper striping would be in place to upgrade the eyeball image for the people who drive by and thus attract more business. After all, who wants to look like a rural dive of a place these days? Charleston is on the upgrade and having paved parking is part of the deal folks. I don't need my car or my shoes muddied up and the owners of the place don't need their floor muddied up either.
(5)