Always excellent food and service. Literally feel like your beachside because the seafood is so fresh and delicious.

We've been fans for years but the last two visits were disappointing. Last night the a tomato basil lobster bisque really pulled my rating today up! Past that, the "bang bang shrimp" was okay but the presentation made it and the fried pickles unappetizing. There were no hush puppies in the house. It just wasn't worth the price. Will make the trip to Bonefish instead. Sad; we really loved PR. read more

This is our second visit since the new ownership took over. As bad as the first visit was, the second left a lot to be desired. The Calamari was still on point but at what seemed to be a half portion. The po-boy however was served on what could only be described as a soft hotdog bun. For $18 I expected much more than what we received. The reef has gone cheap under the new ownership. I would always send people here when asked where to get good seafood. The reef now just just seems like run of the mill overpriced bar food. read more

Seafood inland? Yes, the best fried cod around these parts. This restaurant has a cramped parking lot at the front of the restaurant but plenty in the back. There isn't a lot of room in their lobby to stand around so we opted for outside. I was wowed by the food but the wait time and staff were not the friendless on this Saturday evening. We waited 30 minutes to sit down and the waitress took even longer to even say hello. When we did get greeted we were able to put the drink and food order right away. I ordered the fried cod dinner and chose waffle fries and a salad to round out the meal. I am telling you the cod was unbelievable. It was perfectly cooked. Not over fried and the batter was crispy to the bite but the fish was soft and flaky. The waffle fries were good and I had plenty of them, even a few to share. I couldn't share my fish though. It was that good. Can't wait to come back and have some! read more

Pelican's Reef - House salad with ranch - Seafood Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I love the stuffed grouper here! They make the best homemade ranch to go with salad. Got the twice baked potato and it really didn't have much flavor. I expected chives or more butter in the potato. The lobster fritters were OK. There was very little lobster in them. The service is always excellent when I go! I like this place because their seafood is fresh and the service never lets me down. read more

Front desk lady was rood and combative. We have eaten there many times and will never go back after being treated so rudely

Cajun Grilled Grooper was excellent. Sweet Potato fries were the best I have ever had. Very good My wife had the coconut shrimp which was also very good. Cole slaw was unique and very tasty. Neat environment- kind of feel like you are in Key West or island environment. Great service. Can't wait to go back. read more

I still can't believe this place is in Anderson Township OH. Seafood is fresh and well prepared. Love the combo baskets. If you like fried Oysters this is the place to go. Nice casual atmosphere and is truly one of Cincinnati's hidden treasures. Nice Bar, TV's for sports. I think March Madness and Pelican's Reef would be a winning combo for any seafood lover in Cincinnati. read more

Had lunch there today. Cute decor, excellent service and delicious food. Everything was great (lobster bisque, fries, hand breaded cod, chicken sandwich, even the salad) but I have to rave about the onion rings!! Hot, crispy, crunchy and delicious. It's so hard to find really good onion rings so now I know where to go. read more

I was meeting friends for dinner in the area, and they suggested Pelican Reef. I usually shy away from seafood places this far from the ocean, but the reviews looked promising. Food: I ordered a combination basket with crab cakes and shrimp, with fries and a salad as my sides. My wife ordered the cod basket. We had the crab wontons as appetizers. Everything came out piping out, and fresh! The crab cakes were soft, with plenty of crab. The shrimp were large, and perfectly breaded. The cod was fresh, flakey and also breaded just right. A little skimpy on the fries, but I did have a huge salad as my other side. Menu is heavy on the deep fried options, but does have some other choices. Service: We were promptly seated, having arrived around 6PM during the week. Our drink orders were quickly taken, and our sever was very attentive, despite her running around between multiple tables. Our glasses were kept full, and she kept checking in on us. Our checks also came out promptly, without making us feel rushed. Facilities: Pelicans Reef is inconspicuously located in a shopping center, with ample parking. Most of the parking is behind the shopping center. The decor is very seafood bar & grill, what you would expect from a location much closer to salt water. There's ample seating, with booths, tables, high tops and seating at the bar. read more

Great little spot. Fish is always very good. What throws me into a tailspin is that the tartar sauce sux, and the sides are not good. If there was improvement in those areas, it would be one of my favorite places. read more

This place is great. They have really unique seafood dishes, at least for Cincinnati. Cool neighborhood atmosphere. Good food. Really nice place, and I'm glad I finally checked it out! I had the Broiled Stuffed Grouper once, amazing, and then also the good Stuffed Sole. The Grouper was wonderful, and I have to have it again. read more

It was good! Clam chowder was delicious. The sea bass and mashed potato special was spot on. Mom and dad got fried oysters and enjoyed them. Hubs got the king crab- they were already cracked so he was a little disappointed- he likes that experience lol. The only issue is the lady who came to our table and asked if we were "done"... I know it was busy but we had just spent $180, we should be able to stay and enjoy an after dinner drink. We felt pushed out and the event was cut short. I would have given a 5 if not for that. read more

Pelican's Reef is one of my favorite restaurants in the Cincy area. It's this little neighborhood place in a strip mall and I've been eating here since the early 90s when a good friend did a short stint as the bartender and introduced me to the place (L.V. hit me with another one!!). He's been long gone, but I still visit and enjoy the great food. It really is excellent. If they're trying to be like a coastal seafood bar/pub al la Florida style... well I think they're doing a pretty good job of it actually. It's got a great vibe as a fun, neighborhood bar/grill place, and the service has always been excellent - even during busy dinner rush. However, I do try to avoid those times because even with the overflow parking on the hill behind the strip mall, you could really be out of luck finding a spot if it's a busy night. They've got a fresh catch chalkboard with market prices and a lot of different menu choices. But I usually go for the shellfish baskets of some variety. Awesome pan-fried crab cakes but I am not too keen on the chipotle tartar sauce... give me some traditional remoulade. The fish tacos are excellent and I really like the Jamaican relish. But the real killer is the Caribbean Shellfish Stew. AWESOME! A bit pricey but it is so tasty. Lobster fritters, peel and eat prawns... okay, I'm getting hungry for seafood just thinking about all the tasty things I've sampled from their menu and it's only 7:30 am. I can haz seafood for breakfast can't I? read more

It seems there aren't many seafood places in Cincinnati that fall in between Long John's (aka "Chicken of the Sea") and McCormick & Schmick's (aka "You Want How Much for a Piece of Fish??"). Luckily, there's Pelican's Reef. Seafood is all about fresh. If there's not a line out the door at a seafood restaurant, your seafood isn't going to be fresh, it's probably from the day before or worse. There's always a line at Pelican's reef after 6:00, and the seafood shows it. It's always fresh and exceptionally well prepared. Most of the preps are simple, allowing the freshness of the seafood speak for itself. The sides are just OK, focus on the seafood. Ironically, the only real disappointment for me is the Ceasar Salad; Ceasar is all about the saltiness from the anchovies in the dressing; here you can barely tell they're there (I'm not sure they are). And if it's sweet, it's simply not Ceasar, look it up in a cookbook, not a single one calls for corn syrup. That said, it tasted OK if you like sweet dressings, but for me it was a let down. The prices are reasonable, the service brisk and competent, much better than you'd expect from someplace that hires so many local high school kids :) - kudos guys, you must treat 'em right! If you're the type who wants to scream every time you ask for hot sauce and receive a bottle of Tobasco, you're in for a treat at Pelican's Reef- they have three bottles of small batch hot sauce at every table - a fiery habanero mustard, a chipotle and and a very tasty generic red pepper sauce . Put all that in a casual Floridian atmosphere and you have a winning seafood restaurant that should be around for years to come. read more

Sometimes the restaurant scene on Beechmont feels like a dystopian joke-like someone decided to take all the fun and originality out of the food business, which normally thrives on those principles. Thank the good lord then that we have a few select places like Pelican's Reef. What I recommend: The Conch chowder. The Calamari-truly excellent. The Conch chowder. (oops..did I say that already? Let me say it again...The Conch chowder). The shrimp and cocktail sauce appetizer. The po boy. What I do not recommend: Any alcoholic beverage that is not beer. The red snapper fish taco. The waiters/waitresses. This place is great just for a change of scene. The atmosphere reminds me so much of the places I've been, beach side, in Florida. The food all tastes fresh and there's no permeating "fish" smell. Fast but quality service. It's casual and fun with a big chalkboard menu to peruse. And, bonus, lots of parking in the back. read more

This has been a favorite place for years. Hadn't been since new owners took over and was hesitant because of a few bad reviews. I always get the Caesar salad with grilled salmon. It was just as good as before! I'll be back. read more

I haven't had anything on the menu that I did not like. The service is always solid and the seafood is some of the freshest I've seen in Cincinnati. Beyond the seafood, the beer selection is solid and they have a full bar. On occasion I've strayed from the seafood to try a non-fishish item from the menu or a special, and always find the result to be clever and delicious. Then, to end the meal, I am a huge fan of their peanut butter pie and their other dessert offerings are awesome. Even if you have not saved room, try to get a piece to go. This is the kind of place where you can get a great sandwich and a beer and be out the door for $15, or you can go nuts with appetizers, sides, and maybe an extra entree to share as tapas (I've done it several times). Only thing I don't like is the Golf Channel on the TV screens. The fish tacos, fried clams, and grouper sandwich are some of my personal favorites. I also stick with the Caesar salad and sweet potato fries for sides because they do them up to perfection. They have po-boys on the menu, but I've never tried one because I've yet to find a restaurant in Cincinnati that uses good enough bread to call a sandwich a po-boy, and I just assume that they are the same! I may eventually take that chance though, because their fried oysters are the best around. read more

Really hopeful, as the place was packed. Got the crab cakes for an appetizer and they were delicious. We were pumped! Ordered the hand breaded cod baskets, one with regular fries and one with sweet potato fries, both with cole slaw. The fries were good, sweet potato fries were tasteless, and the cole slaw had onions, which we had never seen in our lives. Bleh. The hand breaded cod was super watery, the breading just peeled off, and compared to other cod we've had, wasn't up to par. Also, cod is a light and fluffy fish, but the breading was thick and heavy. Not good at all. Won't be back and wouldn't recommend.....except the crab cakes. They were fabulous. read more

Maybe the best restaurant in Anderson. I love this joint because you can sit at the bar, eat peel and eat shrimp, get some gumbo and then be served a great fish dish. And, the prices are very reasonable. read more

This place is great. The staff was very attentive and knowledgeable of the menu and made great suggestions. The shrimp appetizer was the best. We ordered it cold and those shrimp were very large. The cocktail sauce was some of the best ever. I had the burger and that too was cooked to perfection. Definitely will return. read more

Best seafood in cincy! So yummy and a totally different vibe. Definitely one of kind. It makes for a great date night or meeting friends for dinner! Cocktails on point, dessert to die for. read more

Since moving to the area my husband and I frequent pelican at least a few times a month and have never been disappointed. We also feel the need to drag all of our friends and family to try it as well. I've tried many seafood restaurants in cincy I consider pelican the best! We almost always choose off the specials menu which rotates weekly I believe. We had to get on the email list so we could receive the specials. The staff has always been great. Very friendly and accommodating. On weekends we always make sure to get there a few minutes before 5. That's the only way to beat the rush and 5 is also when the specials start. We have also had sandwiches which have been delicious as well. This place is a must try. read more

Always on the lookout for good seafood, particularly in Cincinnati, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Came upon this place from reviews mostly and immediately felt like I was in Florida after walking in (complete with lots of the Senior Citizen crowd). My husband and I split the Lobster fritters to start: deep-fried and tasty, but a little doughy inside. For my main course, I had the fish tacos. These I didn't love. The biggest error was being served in overly large flour tortillas--not only awkward to eat, but fish tacos simply have to be corn tortillas for me! The fish inside seemed fresh enough, but pretty bland. I recommended the stuffed grouper to another table member, based on reviews, and it was the hit of the table--everyone who tried it (including the original ordered) loved it. Service was pretty efficient and friendly and there wasn't a wait (on a Thursday night) when we arrived, but it was pretty packed. I would definitely go back based on the overall experience to try some other menu items, but skip the fish tacos! read more

Doesn't look like much from the outside and if you aren't paying attention, you may blow right by this place. Located on the first floor (and now second) of a strip mall office building, you wouldn't expect to find good seafood here. We started with the peel and eat shrimp and the lobster fritters, both were pretty good. We also tried the grouper sandwich and the sole stuffed with crab and scallops. All of the seafood was super fresh and the sides were tasty as well. Minus one star because our waitress was fairly surly, she got the job done but just was not very friendly at all. read more

One of the better seafood places in Cincinnati. Everything is fresh, according to the staff. And tasting is believing. I ordered a fried grouper sandwich, which was very well prepared. And it came with great sweet potato fries, which won me over right away. We went on a Thursday night and had to wait for a table. The place is quite a local favorite and draws a big happy hour crowd. They have a respectable beer selection. The atmosphere echoes an oceanside seafood joint, with food served in baskets with wax paper liners. Service is not especially quick, and the overall atmosphere is a bit hectic. It's worth it for the extensive menu of fresh seafood. read more

Ahi Tuna appetizer on greens with wasabi vinaigrette. Seriously? I now crave this!! A large amount of TUNA seared with a sesame seed crust! BY FAR the best tuna and best value in all of Cincinnati at only 12.00 !!! I am sold! read more

Pelican's Reef - Buschetta yummy!! - Seafood Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I ordered carry out after a long day at work. The person on the line was very patient and extremely helpful in making suggestions as I did not have their menu on hand, but loved the restaurant. I wanted to tell the manager about my great experience and to my surprise, it was the owner Patty who took my order. She wouldn't even accept my tip for superb service. I highly recommend this restaurant. Fresh, great tasting food and service to match! read more

The quality of the food is good, but nothing spectacular. My group ordered lobster bisque, crab cakes, and coconut shrimp with sweet potatoes. The bisque was good, but the crab cakes tasted just like something that you could buy frozen at the store. The coconut shrimp was tasty, but the fries had absolutely no flavor. I also wish that there was an option to reserve a table because we arrived at 6 and couldn't get a table until 7:30. While waiting upstairs at the bar, they brought us the wrong wine and our server was kinda flakey about it. When we did receive our drinks, they were delicious though. They have a great selection of wine. Overall, if you're looking for a mediocre seafood place with good drinks, this will give you the fix. If you're looking for something with higher quality and more flavor, I would go somewhere else. read more

Well I'm going to give an honest review with this place. ...the only problem is this restaurant is just great. With that said. ..now that the review is out of the bag...more people will go... making my wait longer. .etc. Now that the bs list past; I can say just about anything one orders on their m menu will be simply great. Best fried oysters from here to the east coast. Just a few weeks ago one of the specials was lane snapper. Only a few places in Florida even know what kind of snapper this is let alone have it. (it was cooked perfect) I should know I had a home in the keys for 25 yr and that fish was one of the best o tried to catch. Well not a long review I'll do . just go...tell them to feed you. ..you will be happy. PS please arrive about 7 pm to make a reservation. After you do you will understand why I say so. R read more

I've eaten here a few times in the past so I knew what to expect. Today, I tried the clam chowder. The description on the menu says.... "Best inland clam chowder anywhere". I adamantly disagree. It tasted like canned soup, at best. It was not creamy and the potatoes were in perfect little cubes, like you would find in a manufactured (not homemade) product. I also had the calamari caesar salad. It was really, really good. The portion size was huge and everything was fresh. The service was okay - it took nearly 25 minutes to get our lunch. The place was, maybe, half-full at noon. I'm sure I will go back but it's not a MUST. Visited December 2016 read more

Coconut shrimp and grouper sandwich were both amazing. The reviews are spot on and the shrimp were the best I have ever had.

Want to feel like you are on an amazing vacation in South Florida? Eat here! This hidden gem is in a strip mall in Anderson and is a complete surprise!! This is some of the best fish this side of the ocean states! I started with the lobster bisque which is creamy and perfectly seasoned. Very rich! My Dad had the gumbo which I sampled and was also very good. For the main course I chose the grilled scallop Caesar salad with Cajun seasoning. It was a huge portion, the scallops were perfectly cooked and generously sized, and aside from even that it was my favorite Caesar that I've had. My dad had the crab cake basket with sweet potato fries, again which I sampled and the entire thing was delicious. Best sweet potato fries hands down. My mom had the fried scallop basket with twice baked potato, and oh did I mention the great garlic bread? For desert it was home made key lime pie and peanut butter chocolate pie both of which were heavenly. To sum it up, EVERYTHING HERE AWESOME! Added bonus, great service and good prices! read more

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My husband and and i went to Pelican a Reef for dinner tonight. We left before finishing our dinner because we did NOT feel safe in there due to COVID. It looked like an ordinary day in this restaurant. The bar stools were full with no separation between them and too many people were inside. Anderson Township is purple and we felt as though they aren't taking this as seriously as they should. We usually enjoy going here, but we won't go back for a long time. read more

Went on a friday, had to wait about 45 minutes for a table for two, I expected a wait, no big deal. Shared the fried calamari which was delicious. We both had the Cajun grilled grouper sandwich on marbled rye bread with a side of fries. Everything was really good, especially the fries. Next time, we won't go on a weekend night to hopefully avoid the crowds. read more

My first visit and I am so impressed! Tried the conch chowder which was amazing! Then I had the Oyster Po Boy. THE BEST FRIED OYSTERS IN THE CITY! I couldn't eat my bread because all of the plump and crisp oysters were falling out! The Caesar salad that I chose as a side had a sweeter homemade dressing and was divine! My boyfriend had the stuffed grouper. It had a crab and cornbread stuffing. He have it a 10! The service is also very friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable! WE WILL BE BACK!! read more

Pelican's Reef - Pelican Reef's Oyster Po Boy! - Seafood Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Great local spot in Anderson. Food and service were great. Flank steak special was perfectly cooked.

Ordered the combo basket of coconut shrimp and scallops. It comes with two sides for $16.99. For that price, my wife and I thought there would be enough shrimp and scallops for both of us. Nope! Five (bite-sized) butterflied shrimp and three (small-two-bite sized) scallops was all there was in the basket with the condiment cups. We each chose tossed salads as our two sides, which were also on the small portion size. Taste of the food was good but nothing that would qualify as a "can't wait to go back" experience. GRADE: Quality: B-; Quanity: C-. Go to Red Lobster if you want a good value (Quality: A & Quantity: A) for your money. read more

Great seafood place, and yes, in Cincinnati! The lobster bisque was only OK...I actually never detected a piece of lobster. But then my Scallop basket came... The scallops had just the right amount of breading, and were fried just the right amount, too. The highlight of the platter was the sweet potato fries. They cut them in a way I've never seen before, and it is absolutely perfect for a sweet potato fry. Very crispy on the outside, but very creamy and smooth inside. read more

Went with my family last night to pelican reef. The sea food is always excellent, however the Alfredo sauce left something to be desired. It was runny, tasteless and just plain terrible. We do like this restaurant a lot, but my grandkids don't want to go back since chicken Alfredo is their favorite thing on the menu. Please please please work on your sauce - you're so good at other things I'm surprised your sauce was so terrible. Hope to see you soon - and hope to order chicken Alfredo for my grandkids without being sorry I ordered it. Thanks for many good meals - other than last nights! read more