Gropp’s Famous Fish of Stroh

My friend… You have been out of business for years… But you are still more tech savvy than Pete’s Fabulous Fish…

The phone book lists this place as «Pete’s Fabulous Fish,» and that’s how they answer the phone, so I don’t know where the «Gropp’s» comes from … Anyway, I went there for my birthday dinner while visiting relatives in the area. It was just OK — the «fabulous» fish actually wasn’t all that good, steak was just OK. Coconut shrimp, however, was very good. The waitress was attentive without being intrusive and was quite accomodating. It got VERY busy, though, and they kept trying to cram groups of 10 or more into a space that might have seated 8 comfortably.

Gropp’s has been a family tradition for as long as I can remember. I’ve never been there when there hasn’t been at least a 15 minute wait, but I’ve only ever been there in the summertime. I’m not even sure if they’re open in the winter months. The restrooms are large and spacious. There is just the one per gender, so there might be a wait. They are hilariously labeled «Buoys» and «Gulls» which cracks me up since I love word play.
Rightly famous for their fish, it is light, flaky and perfectly delicious. The tartar sauce comes in pitchers (that’s right, PITCHERS) on the table. Depending how hungry you are, you can have a 4 or 8 oz portion with a baked potato and unlimited salad bar. The eccentric nautical items tacked up on the walls aren’t anything new, but the plates that are in the shape of fishes were a childhood favorite of mine. (Truth be told, I still love the fish shaped plates, with the perfectly partitioned head ideal for your tartar sauce). The salad bar is whimsically shaped like a dinghy (but with a sneeze guard). The salad plates are seashells. The salad bar is far from metropolitan but boasts slaw, cottage cheese, soup and desserts. Another childhood favorite also on the salad bar, were the goldfish crackers which I found hilarious to eat with real fish.