The fresh seafood at the Reel Inn Restaurant & Dock Bar speaks for itself. The family owned and operated restaurant boasts a fantastic location on the water at Harbour Island on 14th Street. It’s the headquarters of the White Marlin Open, which is the largest billfish tournament in the world. But the restaurant tucked away on the bay in the gated Harbour Island community is open to the public every day. Tell the friendly gate attendant that you’re going to the Reel Inn, and she’ll kindly direct you toward free parking spots. Even better, arrive by boat and enjoy free boat docking among jaw-dropping fishing vessels.

Flowers, flags, reggae music, corn hole games, and swank outdoor lounge couches along the pool, as well as an indoor and outdoor dining patio, add to the serene ambiance at the Reel Inn. Taking all of these attractive features into consideration, the Reel Inn’s fresh seafood remains the number one reason you’ll see regular customers returning time after time to the Reel Inn.

I had dinner at the Reel Inn this week with my fiancé, Joey Steward. Husband-and-wife owners Scott “Spunky” Lathroum and Angie Lathroum immediately greeted us with friendly hugs and smiles. I always look forward to visiting the Reel Inn to catch up with this wonderful family. Their son, Jake, attends nearby Stephen Decatur High School and works at the family restaurant. After many consecutive years of summer employment at the Reel Inn, the Lathroum’s two daughters, Ali & Chele, are each busy attending college this year.

Spunky escorted us to an intimate table beneath the decorative lights on the outdoor patio. It was Tuesday, which is Taco Night at the Reel Inn with an acoustic performance by local reggae artist Kaleb Brown. Our pleasant server, Angie, presented us with an extensive wine list and told us about the daily specials. The Fresh Catch of the Day was Rockfish, topped with Crab Imperial. Build-your-own tacos are available with shrimp, chicken, or Mahi Mahi, and served with grilled, soft tortilla shells; fresh shredded cheddar cheese; fresh guacamole; sour cream; and fresh Pico de Gallo. A special appetizer on Tuesday was Crab Lump Cocktail.

Joey and I began our meal with the daily special and our favorite appetizer, the Assawoman Combo, which is an irresistible trio of Steamed Shrimp, Blackened Scallops with mango habenero sauce, and seared, medium rare Tuna Bites with seaweed & pickled ginger. “Our homemade Reel Spring Rolls—shrimp, wasabi, and seaweed rolled and flash fried—are my favorite appetizer,” suggested Angie. Everything on the Assawoman Combo is fresh and savory, but the Crab Lump Cocktail stole the show. Served in a margarita glass, the appetizer is nothing but jumbo lump crabmeat piled high on top of a delicious small salad. “It’s like they took the meatiest part of steamed crabs, picked them for us, and presented them to us in a pretty cocktail glass,” said Joey. Indeed, the Reel Inn scores major points for presentation. And, the fresh food speaks for itself.

For our main course, I ordered the Mahi Tacos and Joey ordered the Rockfish Imperial. Many restaurants at the beach offer fish tacos, but the Reel Inn serves only the freshest ingredients in a huge wooden bowl, so patrons can build the tacos themselves, similar to fajitas. It’s fun, fresh, and a must try! Plus, the Mahi Tacos include a whole filet of Mahi Mahi.

The Rockfish Imperial is simply divine. The combination of creamy lump imperial with fresh Rockfish is a win-win. “I can’t tell where the Rockfish ends and the jumbo lump crab imperial begins,” said Joey.

Other popular entrées at the Reel Inn are an eight-ounce Filet Mignon with a hint of Reel Inn seasoning, the Surf & Turf with an exquisite crab cake, a 14-ounce Butcher Cut Ribeye, a Tuna steak, and the Captain’s Platter—blackened scallops, jumbo shrimp, and a crab cake. “All of our meats come from a local butcher shop,” explained Spunky.

The Reel Inn also serves up an array of light fare, such as the Reel Tuna Sandwich, Crab Cake Sandwich, and Shrimp Salad Sandwich or Wrap. Fresh, six-ounce Burgers are served with provolone or American cheese, or blackened and topped with crumbled bleu cheese. The Chicken Chesapeake Wrap is grilled Jerk Chicken wrapped in Crab Dip. Fried Oyster Po Boy Sandwich is prepared exactly as it should be, with shredded cabbage, tomato, and chipotle mayo. Another lip-smacking sandwich is the BLTA—bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Classic appetizers like French Fries, Chicken Tenders, Crab Balls, Buffalo Wings, Mozzarella Sticks, and Crab Pretzel are also available.

The Reel Inn serves lunch from 11:00 to 5:00, and dinner from 5:00 – 10:00. Happy Hour is daily from 3:00 to 6:00 and 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM, with discounted Orange Crushes and other specials. Monday is $5 Burger Night, and Sunday and Tuesday are Reggae Nights with Kaleb Brown and discounts on Margaritas and Coronas. Every Thursday, local musicians the Poole Brothers perform from 6:00 to 9:00.

Pass through the gate at Harbor Island on 14th Street to find the Reel Inn Restaurant & Dock Bar, which is open to the public. For those of you arriving by boat, the GPS coordinates are N 38, 20.659’ and W 75 degrees, 5.055’ and the Loran numbers are 27088.7 and 42326.2. Call 410-289-3511 for more information, or for details on free car and boat parking. The 40th Anniversary White Marlin Open is scheduled for August 5-9, 2013. The Reel Inn is also available for weddings and private parties. I consider the Reel Inn as my favorite restaurant in Ocean City, and I always recommend it to friends, family, and Coconut Times readers.