This place used to be #1 but the quality has certainly been on the decline of the past couple of years. Food is average at best and prices are high. It's worth your we to stop in for drinks- storm cloud or brandy Alexander's. Other than that, there are many better places to eat on the island.
Review Source:As others have said, no stop on Kelleys Island is complete without a stop at The Village Pump and its famous Brandy Alexander. Â Once you and your group have made the committement to "start the night," The Pump is typically the place to begin. Â I've spent countless hours at the pool table making many new friends and memories. Â Be sure to get your Brandy Alexander at the start and then proceed to sit at the bar and enjoy conversation with a more local crowd. Â Large groups will enjoy The Pump's lemon drop pitchers as a fun and light party shot. Â If you end up here early enough to eat, the food is generally some of the best on the island. Â
One thing that I have not seen mentioned (sorry if I missed it)---at least one halloween in your life has to be spent here. Â We will usually rent a condo for halloween weekend (as the boat is usually wrapped for the winter by this time). Â Split among 8-10 people, it makes for a cheap/fun weekend. Â It is an absolute gem of a time.
Everything on Kelleys (no apostrophe, even though one is DIRELY needed...) is overpriced. That is the cost of spending your time (and money) on an island.
That being said, you really don't get much for your money at The Village Pump.
If you want beer etc., the Pump is probably just fine. If you want to focus on food in a more sober state, there are better places to eat on the island. And service is adequate at best.
My wife ordered the spinach salad, requesting twice "hold the bacon." She got bacon, or, more accurately put, I got bacon. Â
The famous walleye bites were good fish, but not anything I'd call worthy of fame (sorry Mammalluh). They were tasty, especially wrapped in bacon. Bacon goes OK in chicken noodle soup, too.
In sum, drink at the Pump for island color. Eat elsewhere for good food.
Best place on the island for food. The hummus dip and the spinach and artichoke dip are my absolute favorite.
Great perch sandwiches and hamburgers.
Best bartender service you'll get on the island.
And of course - it is the home of the BRANDY ALEXANDER! The most delicious alcoholic beverage you will ever taste.
Great place for drinks but we thought the food was not that good and was overpriced. Â We paid $13.95 for a basket of fries basically because there was only four very small pieces of fish in the perch basket. Â Very disappointed with the food but the drinks and people watching was a hoot. Â Everyone was drunk there! Very funny people at the bar and when the boat from hell shows up "goodtimes I" and all those people come in the bar it gets even crazier!
Review Source:We were on Kelleys Island at the beginning of August 2011. Â I wanted to go to The Village Pump for a Brandy Alexander. Â I would go back JUST for one of those! Â The food was pretty good - not fabulous. Â Had the fish and chips, and it was okay. Â My favorite thing was definitely the Brandy Alexander.
Review Source:All hype. I think a lot of drunks have reviewed the place and most food tastes good with a buzz.
First, it is over priced. Second, I got three times as much fries per perch for the "famous" perch basket. Third, they have NO kids meals and fries were extra. For a family of five I ended up dropping $90 on burgers and perch baskets.
The rest is picky: we were served by at least six people -- that is strange. I couldn't tell a waiter from a bartender or a cook. However, they were all very friendly and quick. My sweet potato fries were undercooked or they were in the freezer too long, I'm not sure which but I wouldn't recommend ordering them here. And, they have one beer on draft: a Canadian beer.
I was a tiny bit tipsy upon entering "The Pump" so most of it is kinda blurry. So -- what else is any self respecting woman to do at that point? Drink some more.
This place is known for their frozen Brandy Alexander's. They're pretty tasty and even served by the pitcher. Â
Yep, like everyone says... the perch is pretty decent. The portions are enough for 3 people -- which is why I shared with my mama and sis.
Something you MUST try here -- the lobster chowder. It was out of this world delicious. I wish I would have just ordered a bowl of that and called it a meal.
And in closing, watch out for drunken bathroom cougars who want to pick fights over nothing.
"Where all the locals go to drink"
Tis true. Â Good place to go as an islander as you'll run into someone you know everyday. Â Jukebox, pool table, popcorn and a chill atmosphere. Â
Foodwise, awesome artichoke dip, steak bites and wings. Â Not a big fish eater but I'm sure the perch is great like everyone says. Â
Big fan of their t-shirts, too. Â Sold at a white house on division street across from caddy shack square. Â Good quality/Non-ugly island wear.
Bottom Line: If we are in the area again for lunch we will probably try somewhere else just for the sake of variety, but I would certainly be happy to eat there again.
We ate there for lunch, there was not a crowd but it didn't feel empty either. Â I got the burger and my wife got the daily lunch special, which was fried shrimp with coleslaw and fries. Â It was good bar lunch food, but nothing special. Â The prices are pretty good for being on an island, and the staff was friendly and attentive.
I love the pump! Been going there since I was a wee tot. Really good atmosphere. Friendly bartenders, good greasy bar food.
Things can get sort of out of hand on Friday nights when the "party cruise ship" Goodtimes I (or as my family has always called it, the Boat from Hell) docks, but I just do my best to stay clear of downtown during those times.
I don't go to Cleveland without renting a car and driving up to Kelleys and eating at the Pump. Â I usually get to Ohio on business at least once a year and virtually always allow myself time to head to Kelleys. Â The Island is one of several islands along the western end of lake Erie, these islands are one of the best kept secrets in the US and Kelleys is no exception. Â
The Pump is open most of the year, I think the owner closes the place for January when he goes to Florida so for locals it is at times the only place to eat on the Island (West Bay Inn also stays open into the winter). The Perch and Walleye are arguably the best on the Lake (there is a place on South Bass island that may be better but it is a private club and the Anchor and Wheel Inn on Pelee island) and an absolute must order. Â The bar is always a hoot with locals and tourist swapping fish tails. Â As the T shirt says "It is a quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem". Â Short walk to ferry landing and cab ride to airport (or Bird's house). Â If you boat over plenty of docking at new harbor across the street.
The Village Pump is a great place to get a good meal on Kelleys Island. This fun bar/restaurant is located in Downtown Kelleys. You can look out at the lake and at Marblehead from the front of the restaurant. The interior has seen better days; it looks a little aged. We were lucky enough to get a table facing outside towards the lake, transforming just a dinner into a dinner with a view. There is a great selection of food to order from, with an emphasis on Lake Erie fish and standard American fare. I ordered a perch dinner. I have to say that the perch is the best I've ever had. First, it came with a starter salad which was bigger and better than I expected. Starter salads can be hit or miss at bars, but this was really good. It's just your standard house salad components, but the balsamic dressing is what really stands out. The perch dinner was phenomenal. Again, best perch I've ever had. All perch that they served was caught that same day, which I understand is the only time it tastes great. Freshwater fish lose flavor quickly. It came with a great tarter sauce which made a great thing even better. I forget what I ordered on the side (it's been a couple of weeks). Overall, if you're on Kelleys and need a good place to sit down and enjoy a great meal, the Village Pump is the place to go.
Review Source:
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