Bill's is one of the long established restaurants on the island with the reputation and high prices. Â We ate there Monday for a late lunch (Bill's famous crab cake sandwich with hollandaise sauce and string fries). Â On my 120 point scale (30 points each for food, service, cleanliness, ambiance), I scored Bill's at 88 (22-24-22-20), which is not what I would expect for a $$ restaurant.
Review Source:Accepts reservations?.... Kind of.
My boyfriend and I visited the island for the July 4th weekend, so I figured making a reservation for dinner on Friday night was a good idea considering how most of the lodging was booked up. I called the morning we planned to dine there and made a reservation for 7:30 - no problem, I was told. Later in the day, we were running a bit late, so I called back and asked if we could make it 7:45, since I didn't want our table to be given away - still not a problem. When we arrived around 7:35/7:40, I checked in and the host verified that I had a reservation at 7:45, rescheduled from 7:30. The place was very busy, but we felt confident since we made a reservation that we would be seated shortly... We then proceeded to wait for about 45-50 minutes for a table to open up. We were chatting with a family visiting from NZ who had made a reservation for 7:30 and were experiencing the same problem. The father spoke with the host and was told that guests were seated based on the time they arrived.... so, in essence, even though we had both made reservations and arrived before the appointed time, guests who had arrived earlier without reservations were seated before us. The family's name was one higher on the list than ours, so they graciously invited us to dine with them to help cut down on wait time.
As for the food and service, I would rate it at 3/5. I had the crab cakes, which are considered one of the chef's specialities. They come either broiled (which I chose) or fried with a hollandaise sauce. I had expected the crab cakes to be breaded and have a crispy outside, but I really couldn't tell because of the "sauce". The hollandaise sauce was like none I had ever had before - it was more thick cheese covering than sauce (which one might expect to see on a baked pasta dish) and had been put on prior to broiling, so that the crab cakes were unable to brown and were "trapped" beneath it. They had a good flavor, but overall this dish was nothing to write home about. My boyfriend had the New York strip steak, which he really enjoyed. All sauces come in pre-packaged plastic containers - salad dressings, sauce for the oysters, sour cream, etc - which I found to be a little tacky as this was billed as the best restaurant on the island. The bread was very good and is covered in a kind of butter/oil glaze. There are no draft beers, only bottles. Overall, it was an okay meal, but I would try another restaurant if we ever return to the island. Had our reservations been honored, I would have enjoyed this meal much more. The best part of it was the good conversation with the new friends we made.
Bill's was pretty pricey for a lackluster meal. The best thing we ate was the bread, which is soft and delicious.
They were out of soft shell crab so I had the Crab Imperial. Don't get the Crab Imperial. It's two plates of crab meat in a sweet heavy cream sauce, like a filet stuffing that never made it to the right entree.
My wife's baked potato was undercooked but we had this conversation about her broiled flounder:
Me: "What did you think about the flounder? I'm writing the Yelp review."
Wife: "Oh, write about yours, don't write about mine."
Me: "Didn't you say you were disappointed?"
Wife: "I mean, it wasn't poorly cooked or anything. "
Me: "But what was disappointing about it?"
Wife: "I don't know, I guess the whole experience was disappointing."
Well put, wife.
Now Woody's BBQ was f-ing amazing. Get a pulled pork sandwich then make out with your wife in the car.
Classic seafood restaurant on the island. My grandmother lived in Chincoteague for years and she loved this place. I went back to visit in her honor and was beyond pleased.
The service was impeccable--all the staff was very warm and kind. The food was delicious. I had stuffed shrimp and they were SO GOOD. I tasted my sister's crabcakes which were also so good. My mother and stepfather also had fish dishes which I tried and they were also tasty.
If you want to go to a nicer seafood restaurant while you're visiting Chincoteague this is the place to go!
Great for breakfast. No idea about other meals but really good breakfast dishes. We had breakfast the last two mornings here, one of only two places that we ate more than once on our trip. The pecan pancakes were delicious as was the banana french toast. The kids pancakes were great, fresh berries were nice. Red, White and Blue waffle was a giant Belgian waffle piled with fresh blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream. Only miss was the corned beef hash, it was canned and very salty but at least they crisped it up on a griddle. I didn't get any brunch drinks but saw a couple of Bloody Marys and Mimosas go by that looked quite delicious if you are so inclined.
Come hungry, you will not leave that way.
I love Bill's. I come every time I'm in Chincoteague. Â It's homey and transports me back to a time before my own. Â Crisp martinis, local oysters, blackened fish with blue crab on top, asparagus. Â These are the things that I think about when I think about the American dream. Â That, and air craft carriers with white picket fences.
Review Source:We had breakfast here and ordered the steak and eggs and crab Benedict, both which are recommended on their menu.
The steak was huge with lots of fat throughout, just the way I like it. It was good cut and quality is better than most places that serve steak and eggs.
The crab Benedict was tasty. I would order it again even though it was pricey. Get the sauce on the side. They went a bit overboard with it.
My boyfriend and I went here on a Saturday night. It was our first time in Chincoteague and a rainy day, so we decided to make a reservation early in the day (11:00 am) to ensure a seat at what everybody was calling "the best restaurant in town." We arrived at 7:55 pm for our 8:00 pm reservation and were told it was a slight wait. "Slight" to me is 5 minutes. We were finally seated at 8:45 pm (NOT OK in my book when I have a reservation). No one; not the maitre d', not the waitress, not even the manager or owner offered customers a discount or complimentary appetizer or dessert to make up for the horrendous wait. I could not believe it.
I didn't say anything the way I usually would because it was a romantic night out that I didn't want to spoil with my complaining.
Our waitress was OK. Friendly enough but did not apologize or acknowledge how long we waited. Our food was OK. Nothing to write home about, but good. We ordered the crab dip which was crab meat with cheddar cheese melted on top. It was forgettable. I had a $6 glass of Pinot Grigio which tasted how one would imagine a $6 glass of Pinot Grigio to taste. I ordered the scallops broiled which were very good but slightly chewy (I'm from the S.C. coast and am extremely picky about how seafood is prepared). My boyfriend ordered the fried flounder which was way too much food (two whole pieces of fish) which was OK. He seemed to like it. We both had the mashed potatoes with ham hock which, sadly, was probably the highlight of the meal.
The meal was OK but didn't really make up for the absurd amount of time we had to wait with a reservation.
Just had a wonderful meal at Bill's. The clam chowder was great, nice and meaty with plenty of potatoes. My father and I had the broiled combo platter. YUM! Paul and my mom had the panko crusted grouper special, and was nicely done, great flavor. Our server was VERY attentive, my iced tea and the folks coffee never went empty. Would recommend this place to anyone.
Review Source:Going down to Chincoteague, I had low expectations for finding good food in the area. I figured seafood would be a safe bet...and Bill's was really good seafood.
As some have mentioned, the Cream of Crab soup is delicious and I could make a meal of just that. It was savory and chunky with crabmeat. I lick my bowl if it wasn't so impolite.
Moving on, I have the scallop and shrimp brochettes -- which were two big skewers of grilled veggies, shrimp, and scallops. They were cooked perfectly and had been prepped so they didn't burn or get overcooked. It was served over wild rice and came with two sides -- I chose a garden salad and green beans.
Colleagues of mine got the seared ahi tuna and enjoyed it as well and Bill's had a good selection of wine and we were able to enjoy a couple of bottles of a good Australian Shiraz at a really reasonable price.
All-in-all, I'd go back here again next time I'm in Chincoteague and I'd recommend it to coworkers travelling to that area, too.
Dined at Bill's last Saturday night with a few girlfriends. Â Service was EXCELLENT... our waitress was on point. Â We had the blooming onion appetizer - delicious. Â I had the pork loin and my friends got the stuffed shrimp. Â Everyone really loved their meals. Â I really loved the sweet potato mash that came with the pork loin, and the Granny Smith apple coleslaw. Â They also serve you with a loaf of honey bread... SO GOOD!
I rarely feel this impressed with a meal, so Bill's gets 5 stars in my book.
Things that made me happy: AMAZING OYSTERS on the half shell.
Things that made me sad: "honey mustard" dressing thicker than wallpaper paste with next to no flavor, brown sugar saturated salmon titled "pecan crusted" (who needs dessert?), broken restroom door lock (nobody loves company), server's failure to take our drink order (we had to stop her before she ran off) and failure to ask if we wanted a second drink, and husband's indifferent pork chop (he's easy to please. It should have been a no-brainer). For $100, I expect better. I don't love oysters that much. We won't be back, sadly.
Another reviewer rightly commented that if one bills (no pun intended) oneself as a high end eatery, one should deliver. I agree that Bill's failed.
Want really good, consistent, unpretentious fresh food that makes you happy? Try Sea Star on Maddox. Want indifferent, flavor-saturated glop? Visit Bill's.
My husband and I stopped here for lunch today and I had a turkey club sandwich and he devoured a bacon cheeseburger. They have other great food on the menu as well, we just stopped for lunch while visiting the island. The food was great, and they are very generous with their portions, and the service was great as well.
Review Source:My wife and I have been to Bills a few times, so I feel like I should write some kind of review.
First; and foremost, get a reservation. Trust me. Bills opens at 6 for dinner and they stop seating around nine, during those three hours they are mostly packed.
We have tried many different dishes and most were a whopping success. Even the less successful dishes were pretty darned good. Steaks are big and flavorful, pork chops rock, osso buco was mouth watering, and the scallops were cooked perfectly. Unfortunately the shrimp and lobster claws were way over cooked.
The service is always excellent. The wait staff is well trained and very professional in their business.
The decor is fitting for the location.
'Nuff said
Food was good, but they were fairly crushed, even in October. Service was barely a step above roadside diner. Got seated right by the door and had to eat under the "hurry up" glare of all the hungry folks waiting for a table. Had the special, a blackened mahi. Was cooked nicely, but plated with a dish of blechy steamed yellow squash. Salads were served with dressing in plastic cups. Carrot Cake dessert was decent, if gooey. Was good for splitting. Could have been better with real whipped cream vs out of a can. Prices were high for what they delivered.
Review Source:The bartender knows how to make the perfect martini and cosmo which is normally a good sign and a great way to start off a meal. Â Nice interior, fits the island feel maybe tries a little too hard to be upscale.
Starting off with New England Clam Chowder is a nice way to start a seafood meal, nice chunks of clam and potatoes but did lack the black pepper normally found in a good chowder.
The Seafood Marinari had a few issues, because of the various types of seafood in the dish I'm sure it's difficult to not overcook some to insure the others were done but the shrimp and clams were overdone to the point of being chewy. Â The lobster claw was perfect and the scallops and oysters were a little overcooked but still tasty. Â The marinari sauce was a bit over the edge with the garlic. Â
The stuffed Shrimp special was cooked perfect and had well balanced flavors but the side dish of green beans were a tad undercooked.
A few side notes, with the prices on the menu a few things seemed out of order. Â Salad dressing served in plastic ramekins and plastic lids didn't fit the feel of the restaurant. Â The restrooms were clean, which is always a good sign. Â
I would try Bills again but might not order the seafood dishes which is a shame because it's in a seaport town.
This place just nails it. Straightforward American seafood that is consistently good - I enjoyed my meal here four years ago, and I enjoyed another meal here last weekend. Our table ordered an array of shellfish, fish, and even a steak. Everything was cooked correctly, tasted great, and came out exactly as we ordered it. Also, the restaurant was extremely accomodating of the two toddlers we brought with us, both of whom enjoyed their food. In fact, the spaghetti from the kid's menu was much better than a lot of adult pastas I've had recently. I admit we giggled about the "tropical shrimp salad" that comes as an option with the seafood entrees, but the truth is I devoured mine, and it's a much welcome change from the typical mixed greens with two cherry tomatoes and two slices of old cucumber. The steak-eater in our crowd swears by the steaks at this place, and for my part I was very pleased with my fried Chincoteague oysters. Serving sizes are Virginia-sized - no one will leave hungry. As some people have noted, it's possible to spend a good bit of money here, but for quality food I think the prices are fair. And the "premium" beers are only $4 (I do wish they'd add a couple of better beers to their list of very standard mass-market brews).
I highly recommend you eat at Bill's Seafood if you're staying on the island. And it's a very good idea to make reservations. We walked right in at 6pm but by 7:30pm there was a line out the door on a Friday night.
Went here for dinner labor day weekend. The restaurant itself is very nice, especially for more laid back type of restaurants in the town.
I ordered the smothered flounder which comes stuffed with scallops and a few other seafoods and covered in hollandaise sauce. The meal was very good, though I must say that I've had better fish dishes at other seafood restaurants. However, they bring out freshly baked bread before the meal which is delicious, some of the best pre-meal bread I've tasted.
My meal came with a ceasar salad which was pretty average, but the strange thing was they brought out the dressing in small plastic ramekins. Seemed a bit tacky for a restaurant that seems to be more of a fine dining establishment. Maybe they are going for a home grown feel with that one, but it doesn't match the other amenities and level of quality of the restaurant.
Overall I enjoyed the experience and will definitely come back, but I wouldn't rate this restaurant as one of my top choices.
Coming in with very low expectations, i was fairly surprised by this brunch place. Their menu is pretty diverse and offers some nice real bunch options like eggs benedict. Portions are good, food is fresh for a decent price. Skip the coffee or OJ, they weren't really good but i have heard they have their own bloody mary bar....
Review Source:When visiting in July, 2012 we found the food very good. Â We didn't hold back and ordered everything we wanted except dessert. Â Fresh, cooked correctly but very pricey! Â We had shrimp, clams, steak (best steak on island), beer, shrimp, bread, soft drinks for my wife, water for my sons and did I mention shrimp? Â You get the idea. Â It all tasted very good.
The bill, for two adults and two children was $120 after taxes and tip. Â For me, that's very high. Â Maybe the worlds getting costlier and I'm just not catching up. Â
We made reservations ahead of time which I encourage everyone to do. Â I really have no complaints but the price. Â They didn't complain about my lack of dress but this is a vacation town. Â And the waitress was very accommodating of my sons frequent requests. Â You just pay for the privilege a bit too much. Â
So, I give the place 4.5 stars down from five. Â Next time we'll try breakfast here, ditch dinner and go to The Village Restaurant for the same food quality at a lower price. Â With beer AND wine too!
Very good. First time trying this restaurant in the 10 years I have been going to Chincoteague and it was a very nice meal. A little more "upscale" for this beach town Bill's has a nice atmosphere and very good service. We made reservations and when we arrived at 7:45 p.m. the place was packed. It took about 15-20 minutes for us to be seated but we were seated as soon as a table became available. Â After about our first 10 minutes about 20 more people were standing around the very small entry waiting for tables too - this was a little uncomfortable and probably would turn away some patrons.
The waiter was very attentive and served us crackers with pecan butter upon sitting down. With our next course - apps and salad - we were served fresh hot bread. My boyfriend started with the New England Clam Chowder and then he had a Caesar Salad (dinner comes with a salad and one side or two sides). I had the house salad which was very nice. Our entrees were the Smothered Flounder - fresh fillet of flounder topped with crab imperial, shrimp, scallops & hollandaise, baked to perfection - and Flounder - famous at Bill's since the 1960's, served fried, broiled or blackened. Both very large portions and tasty. The sides we tried were the Baked Potato and Mashed Redskin Potatoes with ham hocks & smoked cheddar - not too bad although my boyfriend said the mashed potatoes were a little dry.
Definitely a "date night" place but I've heard they have a really good lunch and breakfast too. In the heart of downtown Chincoteague so it is a great place to walk or bike to and then home after a meal.
Outstanding Food and Service for any location at any price
I have only eaten at places between Melbourne Australia and Berlin Germany heading East, so I hope that I am not overstating my like of this place. OK some of the BBQ places in Sao Paulo are unbeatable.
Pros
Perfectly prepared tasty meals
Outstanding deserts competitive with Copenhagen or Italy in taste and texture
Sophistication way beyond what you would expect to find on the shore or most places for that matter.
Simple, clean decor that is well maintained
Our waiter had the tact of a French Diplomat, very smooth
Parking in the rear
Gracious service
Cons
I only get to eat here once a year.
Recommendation
Strong recommend
Plan B, just order the "damn that's good"! carrot cake and live guilt free!
Chef Clarkson and owner Steve know the meaning of "fresh" ingredients!!! (thanks fellas!)
Although this place is not kid friendly during "high season", the atmosphere is definitely laid back and family oriented. You will know what I mean by not kid friendly. Â You'll know when you see it.
Our waitress was attentive and pleasant. The clam chowder was perfect. Creamy, melt in your mouth clam pieces, potatoes al dente, and the warmth just oozed down and coated my stomach. Just like homemade soup on a chilly day!
I ordered the Broiled Platter. Executed perfectly including the raw oysters..because you know, I have a thing for raw oysters.
I am definitely hooked and we can't wait to come back this Summer!! Chincoteague Island is our new family destination vacation.
(I would hold off on the caesar salad. The parmeggiano reggiano looked like it had better days)
Come for the crab cake, but avoid the interrogation chamber.
While spending a weekend getaway in Chincoteague, the wife and I decided to make this our expensive meal for our trip. We went on a Saturday night, but were turned away by the host telling us that they didn't have an open seat for 2 hours. Soo, yea, we'll come back tomorrow.
We made reservations for the next evening, and were seated right away. The lighting was the first thing I noticed. They have candles at each table, but our seat was in the direct path of a flood light from the ceiling. All night I felt like I was being interrogated by the Po-Po. It just created an odd ambiance and visual look. I'm sure most of the tables are not in this predicament.
The food was amazingly good though. The salads served their purpose, but the main entree was very well done. I elected for the surf & turf, and while my steak was a bit underdone, the crab cake was superior to most crab cakes I have eaten. The steak did have a good flavor and texture, although it was lacking in seasoning prior to cooking. My wife got a seafood dish, which she thoroughly seemed to enjoy. She didn't talk much, and that is usually a sign that she was enjoying the meal.
Meanwhile I was talking up a storm, because I apparently had SA Leroy Jethro Gibbs staring me down from behind the light.
They make their own sauces, so don't expect the store brands or A1 sauce. I missed the A1 for the steak, but their sauce was passable, despite the fact that it contained anchovies. Anchovy sauce and steak? Eh...I guess.
We elected not to get desert, and instead stopped at one of the local ice cream parlors. Given how good that was, this was a perfect night for eating!
I spent almost 3 weeks on Chincoteague during January 2012 while there for business. Â Of all the food I ate on the island as well as other places in the local area I'd definitely rate Bill's as the best. Â I wish my food budget would permit me to eat there every night!
I had the filet and it was near perfect. Â I say "near perfect" only because I would have preferred it have been salted just a little bit more. Â Otherwise the flavor was excellent and it was cooked medium-rare just as I ordered it. Â Quality was far and away above what you'd get at a chain steak place.
I didn't personally try any of the seafood but one of my co-workers had the scallops and was quite impressed with them so I may try them on the next trip.
I'm going to be back in Chincoteague next week and will definitely eat at Bill's at least one night.
Dinner for our quick visit to Chincoteague we had dinner at Bill's to sample the local seafood. Â It seemed like one of the better rated local places. Â Despite our being there off-season it was pretty busy.
Ms T and Aunt Annie had a weird Tropical Shrimp Salad that would best be avoided. Â It had canned fruit with bad honey mustard dressing. Â
The three seafood entrees were OK, made with fresh seafood, as you would expect. Â They were fairly plain, unadorned, under-seasoned and certainly not creative. Â My Broiled Flounder with shrimp, crab and scallops had good seafood flavor, but needed salt and something else, perhaps a little herb. Â It was kind of boring.
Ms T's Broiled Stuffed Shrimp had crab meat on top and were much the same as what I had. Â Aunt Annie's Crab, Shrimp and Scallops with Butter Cheese Sauce were not much different despite the addition of the sauce.
I gather that this is a local style. Â They apparently don't want to do a lot with the local seafood for fear of hiding its flavors. Â But it was not particularly memorable. Â Bill's is probably a solid three star place, but without a somewhat more creative chef, won't be much better.
They have ther own honey mustard which is really good, if it is in stock. Good seafood and selection here. Not much waiting room, and is usually packed, so make a reservation! Good breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Service is slow sometimes, but it is nice to have the sweet older waitresses.
Not a lot of room in here at all, so plan ahead.
I don't love seafood but, when in Chincoteague....
I had the smothered flounder, though I don't love crab, it was good (my boyfriend scooped up the crab and ate it). The flounder was good. Â I liked the nautical atmosphere, very typical sea shore seafood restaurant vibe. Â Also, Â we had a $20 bottle of pinot there, that I liked. Altogether I loved the food, atmosphere, the veteran waitress (one of the few people who wouldn't look odd if she chose to sport a beehive). Â Definitely call at least a couple hours ahead of time if you go on the weekend.
2.5 Mehs. Â
Bill's may have been around since 1960, but I think Chincoteagueans may need to raise their standards a bit.
Sure, it looks like an upscale-ish restaurant, so the ambiance is definitely nicer than most dining establishments on the island. Â But if you want to present yourself as a finer-dining option, you gotta back that up with stellar food, and I don't think Bill's does. Â Add to that the fact that service is really, really slow, and you've got an *OK* place to eat in an area where there is a serious lack of choices...
We had dinner here last Spring when we visited, and it was wholly unmemorable. Â Seafood that didn't blow me away, despite having been pulled straight from the ocean. Â Just uninspired and typical: fried scallops (why ruin a perfectly good scallop with breading?!?), gooey, too mayo-y crab dip, blandly prepared broiled fish with even blander steamed veg. Â The food wasn't horrible, it just wasn't enough to make us feel like we should rush back any time soon.
Well, this past time visiting the island, we decided to give Bill's a go for breakfast. Â Maybe breakfast would be better? Â Meh again. Â Both omelets ordered (mine included) were runny in the middle -- I am cursed by the runny omelet! Â I haaaaaate that!! Â Home fries went straight from a freezer bag, into the deep fryer, and onto our plates. Â Corned beef hash came straight outta the can. Â Again, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great. Â
I will mention the mimosas kicked butt, however. Â Props, Bill's, because those things were huge, made with fresh OJ, and packed a serious champagne punch. Â And came with a cute little orchid garnish. Â All for the low price of $6! Â Back home, you'd get 4 oz of mimosa and be charged ten bucks for it.
Double Threat on the Island!!
First they get you with the breakfast and come right back with dinner too!!
When I come to Chincoteague which is every year I always come to Bill's their breakfast is really good, eggs well done bacon just right coffee superb.
But what really knock it out of the park is the dinner here last year I had one of the special which was salmon with 2 crabcakes on top and i have to say "My God!" i have never in my life had a crabcake this good I was disappointed though when i went the next day and it was gone =( noooooo, but its a really nice place very intimate setting if you ask me, would def. come back here i always do =)
Came here tonight for dinner and was waiting for my colleague to join me for dinner. Â Things I liked about this place:
* It's open in February. Â It's either this or Don's and the hotel recommended this place.
* They close at 9, but didn't have a problem taking our orders at 9:15 when my colleague got there. Â
* They serve a serious pour on their glasses of wine
* They chased me down to the parking lot after I forgot my credit card. Â
I had the pecan crusted salmon over the cinammon topped sweet potato mash. Â It was excellent. Â As was the crab soup. Â I'd come back. Â I actually have to, unless I want to drive 20 minutes. Â Glad that if there's one place open late that it's this one.
Bill's is one of the few places that is open year-round, which is nice if you come to Chincoteague during the quiet off season. I have eaten here a few times and have not ventured far from the flounder, now having ordered it fried and broiled. The fish is good, fresh and big.
Many other reviewers have pointed out that Bill's is a bit of a contradiction, with the well decorated interior and the salad dressing in plastic cups. They have a nice wine list, but still serve french fries with the entrees. I think they would benefit from a restaurant consultant.
But overall, Bill's is reliable. I just recommend sticking to the basics when ordering here, because I have dined with a few people who went out on a limb ordering and regretted it.
My party's leader was looking for the 'best' seafood restaurant on Chincoteague. Â Some place like city search dot com said this west the 'best' and 'nicest' and so we were suckered. Â Since it looked closed from the outside, upon walking in we were stunned by the scene inside and weren't able to process the idea that we didn't actually want to be there.
It became clear that the 'nicest' and 'best' restaurants were rural euphemisms for 'fanciest' in a land without good food to compare it to. Â And indeed it was 'rural-fancy' - table clothes, servers in tuxedo-esque attire accompanied by sneakers and wine bottles on a wall. Â But the food had that aura of a menu that was created by a decent chef long ago and has been interpreted by wave after wave of semi-ambitious regional wanna-be (but not quite) chef. Â Of our four non-kids-menu-items, I can't say one was good, and at $20+ per dish, that's just doesn't do. Â I would have been happier back at the rental grilling. Â soooooo sad. Â Anyone from cities where decent food can be found should stay the hell away from this place!