It had probably been 15 YEARS since I'd been to any of the three Gilligan's locations, and…read morehonestly, I couldn't remember enough about my last visit to even have an opinion about it. So when a rainy Saturday night created an opportunity for a late food meetup with a friend and Gilligan's in Mechanicsburg became the destination, I was totally game. After 15 years, it was probably time for a refresher.
We arrived around 7:30 p.m. and the place was BUZZING! The parking lot was nearly full, but after a few minutes we found a spot and headed inside to discover a packed dining room and two very busy bars. Penn State was playing on TV, so apparently we'd chosen a popular night for my Gilligan's reintroduction. We managed to snag a booth near the back bar and settled in. Our server was also bartending, which seemed like quite the assignment on such a busy Saturday night, but she did a good job keeping up with us despite everything happening around her.
Since it was already later in the evening, I decided I wasn't particularly interested in an actual dinner. So I made a responsible adult decision and ordered alcohol and peanut butter pie instead. Listen, I'm 40+. Nobody can stop me! I started with a Miller Lite and then spotted a Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini on the seasonal cocktail menu. It was made with vanilla vodka, pumpkin puree, Kahlua, RumChata, espresso and pumpkin spice for $14. I'm not even a martini person, but it sounded different and fun, so CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Then came one of my favorite surprises of the evening. Gilligan's doesn't have an actual dessert menu. Instead, THEY BRING AN ENTIRE EXAMPLE TRAY OF DESSERTS TO YOUR TABLE! Excuse me?! I was both shocked and extremely pleased by this development! Why read words describing desserts when someone can simply parade the desserts directly in front of my face and let me point at the one I want?! Among the options was a slice of peanut butter pie, so obviously my decision-making process ended immediately.
When everything arrived, I was pleasantly surprised. I'd asked for the martini in a regular glass instead of a martini glass, and our server didn't skip a beat. More importantly, the drink was REALLY good! Sweet, creamy, pumpkin-spiced and exactly the kind of cozy cocktail I wanted on a rainy evening. My only suggestion would be a dollop of whipped cream on top to really complete the pumpkin-spice-latte-but-make-it-boozy experience.
Then there was the peanut butter pie. HELLO, OLD FRIEND! The filling was dense, rich and wonderfully peanut buttery, with plenty of peanut butter and chocolate goodness scattered across the top. My only complaint was that the slice wasn't approximately twice its actual size. I could have eaten another one. Possibly two. As someone whose personality remains approximately 63.8% peanut butter, I consider this important information.
My adventure buddy went the more traditional dinner route with the Pad Thai Pork Chop and mashed potatoes alongside several cocktails. Everything came out despite how packed the restaurant was, and we never felt forgotten even with our server juggling bartending duties at the same time.
Our overall bill, including tip, landed just under $200, although my adventure buddy's collection of cocktails contributed significantly to that achievement. My portion was only around $30 for a draft Miller Lite, the $14 seasonal martini and peanut butter pie, which I thought was perfectly reasonable for a Saturday night out.
After my approximately 15-year absence, I'm glad Gilligan's landed back on my radar. Is it suddenly going to become the centerpiece of my next great culinary adventure? Probably not. But for meeting a friend, grabbing dinner or drinks and hanging out for a couple hours, it's a solid choice. The service held up impressively well despite the crowd, my cocktail was delicious and, most importantly, I now know where another respectable slice of peanut butter pie lives. AND they will physically bring said peanut butter pie to my table for inspection before I commit. That's valuable information!
