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    The Wheelhouse

    3.3 (264 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, Bars
    Open 11:30 am - 11:30 pm

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    THE WHEELHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Trendy
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - The Wheelhouse

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    Salmon BLT
    Julie S.

    We arrived on a Saturday night with 8 people and waited for about 30minutes on the patio. Once seated, our server was friendly and we enjoyed food. My parents had the smoked salmon BLT and it was super yummy (I enjoyed left overs the next day!). I enjoyed old bay shrimp tacos. The chips were Cape Cod bag of chips, just fyi. We also had a great dessert selection!

    Great tasting oysters
    Sal R.

    The Wheelhouse offers menu items that are consistently tasty. They always have delicious seafood specials and their raw bar is well stocked. Great place for a date night as it has pleasant water

    Perfect Smith Island Coconut Cake- not too sweet.
    Charles H.

    Still is the best Happy Hour in Lewes. Now even better with the addition of live music (on Fridays at least.) Didn't have the Buck A Shuck oysters before. They were pretty good. 2 of my 5(?) tasted a little "off" but they had no ill effects on me. Buffalo Shrimp ($12) were great. Almost no breading, not too spicy and much bigger than "popcorn" size. More like bite-size mediums. Grouper Fingers ($11 for 3) seemed bigger and possibly even better than before. Can't beat $6 for Dogfish Head!

    Fried clam and fried calamari
    Kimberly A.

    Excellent service and a nice view. The drinks were amazing and they had an extensive menu. Fried clams and calamari was excellent and the wasabi mayo was phenomenal. Poke bowl was more deconstructed than I expected but it was delicious too. Can't wait to return :)

    Mac n cheese
    James T.

    OK so we went back anyway this year and....it was a lot better! Huh. Gotta tell it like it is right? Tuesday evening, sat outside in the sun with enough wind to keep bugs down. Servers were perky and fairly attentive other than forgetting to bring my Stormy Monday cocktail (forgivable). I got the daily catch with grilled sea bass on succotash with potato, really good. Wife and daughter (who's just lately eating fish) both got grouper sandwiches and loved them. Boy got mac n cheese, huge bowl and tasty although they really mean for you to up-buy with crab or something. Oh and the jerk chicken skewers are very good, nice portion and lit sauce. We didn't order anything fried, they still don't make rice for some reason but get on their wavelength and it can work.

    Clams
    Jackie F.

    Terrific raw bar clams and oysters for $1 apiece.Orange and grapefruit crush drinks are refreshing . I heartily recommend this restaurant with lovely outside seating overlooking the docks and Lewes bridge .Excellent service!!

    Views of water canal.
    April L.

    Great Happy specials. The Grouper bites are delicious! Taste like they jumped out of the ocean and on to your plate. Margaritas specials good too. We also tried the buck a shuck oysters which were amazing. You know what they say. Eat fish live longer eat oysters love longer. lol. Wheelhouse was definitely in my Wheelhouse of great value happy hours.

    Brad M.

    Just a short walk over the bridge from historic Lewes, this would be our go-to spot for date night if we lived nearby. With a large deck and indoor/outdoor seating with multiple bars, it's easy to find a seat, and there's not a bad spot in the house. The service was friendly and efficient. I had to enjoy ordering fresh fish from the dock, so I went with the grouper sandwich, which was perfectly tender and paired with crunchy slaw. The entire menu looked fantastic

    Dee M.

    Friday at lunchtime but ordering a dinner sized entree because we were starving. We got the one server who didn't want to be working. He rushed us to order and then we never saw him again until my dining partner went looking for him 3x. You see runners deliver food here and they just plop it down and run. I personally had corn on the cob, and fingerling potatoes. No butter supplied for either. That was the first run we had to make for server. Second was beverage refills and napkins. 3rd run for the MIA server was for our check after sitting 20 minutes with empty plates that were pushed aside indicating we were done. To be fair we felt the food was decent although my grouper could have been warmer as well as my corn on the cob. Every other server we saw was efficient,friendly and on point for their patrons. We know this because we had to engage them to do things for us and when they saw what outdoor table we were at they acted like they might be used to doing things for this server. But, they were polite and professional. This place has a fabulous canal location which is a 10. It'a pretty outside. I hope to return a few times this summer and perhaps be able to raise the rating.

    French Dip
    Chad F.

    We have been to the last couple of Fisherman Wharf restaurants and i'd say this is the best one yet. The Wheelhouse is connected to Zogg's on the Rehobeth boardwalk so I immediately knew it was going to be good. The food alone for the price is awesome! I paid more at local eateries for less quality food. I see lots of server complaints on Yelp. Maybe we just got lucky or it was a weekend shift, but our service was excellent. And mind you, this was our second visit this season. The ambience of the Indian River is what makes it so inviting. Seeing the boats and of course the little town of Lewes and it's shopping is right over the river. We plan to make this our go-to staple this summer since we have a camper in the area.

    Grouper fries

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    1 year ago

    The service was great with Victoria! The food was very good, hot and good amount for the price! Would highly recommend this restaurant!

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    10 months ago

    Fresh seafood, large portions, outdoor covered dining, and service was great. Go try for yourself!!!

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    1 year ago

    Corndog was raw, but they did give us a full refund for it. The nachos are fire though. The view is nice as well.

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    Grouper fingers and grilled corn bread were absolutely the best ever! Service and environment were excellent!

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    Page 1 of 7

    The Wheelhouse Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Wheelhouse

    Does the wheelhouse allow dogs (or have a dog friendly section) like Irish Eyes does?

    Yes, dogs are allowed outside on the patio, on a leash. This applies both to the bar side and to the restaurant side.

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    Striper Bites - Summer nights on the patio

    Striper Bites

    4.0(358 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Cute seafood restaurant right on the water. I found the experience very much like one I could…read moreexpect in New England. The food backs it up as well. Once I saw shrimp and grits on the menu, I immediately zeroed in on that. I love shrimp and grits going back to my Winchester days. Succulent shrimp, cheesy grits, and a nice porky meat to give it extra character. Here they use chorizo. But ham or bacon are good options as well. I also like that they give you eight big pieces of shrimp. Not like other restaurants that only give you two or four prawns and call it a day. The crab bisque is good too. A tasty soup that works well this time of year. Even though it was cold the first go around, the second one tasted hot and fresh. Of course it would taste good. The Delmarva region is abundant in crabs. Just as I would expect a clam chowder to taste great in New England or Manhattan. One thing to nitpick, it should come with oyster crackers, not saltines. They work better when it comes to a bisque or a chowder. Besides that, I have little to complain about.

    The common theme in many of the reviews for Striper Bites is "...it's a favorite of the locals..."…read more Lewes, DE is one of my favorite places for quick weekend trips, and after visiting Striper Bites quite often, not only is this place a favorite of the locals, but for us "tourists" also. Located in the quaint downtown, Striper Bites pays homage to Lewes' history as a former Dutch whaling and port city with nautical themed decor. Large wooden barrels, ship steering wheels, mounted fish and nets adorn the walls and accent the dark wooden furniture and color palette. There is a diverse menu, but when I'm in town with friends and family...I keep it simple. I'll usually start with one of the many beers on draft; check the chalkboard for what's on tap from the ever changing selection. The crab dip is an AMAZING appetizer. Chunks of crab meat are mixed in with cheese, given a quick bake, and served with buttered toast points. Great for sharing. You can also ask for additional pieces of bread (which I usually do) to sop up any residual dip. The bistro burger is nothing fancy...but everything a good pub style burger should be. A well seasoned angus beef patty is grilled is topped with aged white cheddar, bacon jam, house sauce, arugula, and nestled in a briche bun. The side of fries are also nice and crispy. Honestly, I've had the fish and chips, the fried shrimp, and other seafood dishes, and no suprise, it's all good. Service is always friendly, but not always as "prompt" when it gets busy - which in the summer during the high tourist season - but that's to be understood. Every town needs a neighborhood gathering spot like Striper Bites.

    Photos
    Striper Bites - Summer 2020

    Summer 2020

    Striper Bites - Dining Room

    Dining Room

    Striper Bites - Cedar plank Bronzino (special)

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    Cedar plank Bronzino (special)

    Irish Eyes Pub & Restaurant - Simple Caesar salad but good

    Irish Eyes Pub & Restaurant

    3.4(365 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Stopped by twice during our stay in Lewes... First ~ the…read morepeople of Lewes are amazing. So welcoming, kind, and willing to share local knowledge. Irish Eyes Staff ~ All were attentive and eager to help. Really fun crowd... games were on, live music. Bartenders were great, handled our 6-8 person party with skill and friendliness... The single off-note was a young woman bartender, blonde hair, at the back deck bar (Fri & Sat eve, 8pm or so)... Super dismissive, rude at times, def a chip on her shoulder. She missed out on lots of tip $. Even rude to the women in our party. Interacted with her twice, separate evenings. Same both nights. We sort of felt like something was off, felt sorry for her, so we tipped well the first night. But 2nd night, same poor showing on her part. She lost the house $ as well, because we left earlier than we intended to. She is our only bad memory from an otherwise amazing weekend in Lewes. Moral of the story... Def stop at Irish Eyes... great place to take in a game... avoid whoever that bartender is!

    We decided to try this place for the first time on Cinco de Mayo. We sat on the patio and it was…read morevery windy, so they did have to roll most of the windows down. Margaritas were tasty and big, but not strong. I ordered the grilled shrimp. It was a real PITA to get the shrimp off the 2 skewers. They were tasty, but the pineapple salsa was too spicy for me. Husband had seafood pasta, very good. We were pestered by flies as soon as our food arrived. This place might want to get some of those fly fans for the outdoor tables.

    Photos
    Irish Eyes Pub & Restaurant - Forget the cake - the groom kinda loves donuts! (10/5/24)

    Forget the cake - the groom kinda loves donuts! (10/5/24)

    Irish Eyes Pub & Restaurant - Some shells were empty. Seafood special.

    Some shells were empty. Seafood special.

    Irish Eyes Pub & Restaurant - Hot  sauce

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    Hot sauce

    Big Oyster Brewery - Inside with small bar

    Big Oyster Brewery

    4.1(321 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Always wonderful! The happy hour is such a bargain! $16 for 12 Deleware oysters! $5 house wines!…read more$17 steam pot! I love the ambiance, as well as the beer. Every year, I visit here as soon as I get to Lewes! The servers are so kind and no one has ever gotten my order wrong.

    This seafood restaurant is set away from the busy route 1 highway but just several minutes away…read morefrom the Tanger outlet mall. Was worth visiting! In spite the busyness, my party of 5 was able to get seated fairly quick, since we chose to sit outside. Though it was a muggy day, there was a nice breeze out in the area by the kids activities. This play area is probably the best draw if you have a family with young kids as there's a playground, ping pong table, cornhole, fuse ball tables, basketball hoops and even an area to kick the ball in the sand. My 7-year old had a blast while we waited for our food. Came here bc of a friend's rec. Got the full steamer pot to share with hubby that came an assortment of clams, mussels, shrimps along with a corn and a few bratwurst. It was yummy but definitely could've had more. Kids said their salmon kids meal were ok as salmon was a bit overcooked and lacking seasoning, however their side of fried brussel sprouts were delicious. My friend seemed to have enjoyed her chicken Philly cheesesteak. Would come back again to take advantage of HH special between 4-6pm, which only applies when inside the restaurant as it would've been 1/2 the price for the steamer pot.

    Photos
    Big Oyster Brewery - View from parking lot.

    View from parking lot.

    Big Oyster Brewery - Indoor tent that you can bring your dog with you.

    Indoor tent that you can bring your dog with you.

    Big Oyster Brewery

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    Grain On The Rocks

    Grain On The Rocks

    2.9(150 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    I really wanted to like this place but it just didn't do it! Beautiful day to sit outside with…read morewaterfront view for Happy Hour. Convenient to the ferry port. Location is awesome! First disappointment(s) 1 hour into HH and they did not have a few of the HH menu items - boneless wings and cheese steak egg rolls. I hope the wings were really out because the daily special was offering wings for $1 each and these were pushed. The diet soda that was served was pretty flat and had a strange flavor and was definitely an off brand. The chowder was creamy but had a very sweet flavor to it not much of other flavors. Could be canned or frozen? Double Burger was cooked well and served with a bag of Cape Cod chips. Had to ask for pickles as did several other diners. It was bland as well, was not seasoned. We also had tater tots that were served on a pool of ? ?? The French fries that my dining companion opted for with her burger were grease soaked and were an undisclosed up charge of $2! Had to try them but definitely will not be back. Had Irish Eyes down the road not been so packed that is where to go- always!

    Grain On The Rocks is at the Lewes Ferry Port. I was looking for a place for happy hour and the…read moreplace we wanted to go to (Irish Eyes) was packed. It was a beautiful day out and we wanted something on the water as well with outdoor dining. This was our first time here and the atmosphere and outdoor dining was wonderful. The food was such a disappointment. The Happy Hour menu for food included: Loaded Tater Tots ($7), Traditional or Boneless Wings ($11), Cheesesteak Eggrolls ($9), Smash Burger ($10), New England Clam Chowder ($8) and Oyster of the Day (1/2 dz $10; dz $18). Happy hour beverages included $2 off draft beer, Rail Mixed Drinks ($6), Crushes ($9), House Wines ($6), and Canned Domestic ($4) - Miller Lite, Coors Lite, Natty BOH, and Michelob Ultra. They also had Weekly Specials (Sunday) which included Traditional Wings ($1 each) and $10 Grain Burger along with some others, you can see in the attached photo. We arrived at 5 pm and the Happy Hour Menu is from 4-6pm so we were only an hour into the Happy Hour. They were out of the "Traditional or Boneless wings ($11) but said we could order the Sunday weekly specials of traditional wings at $1 each. They were out of the Cheesesteak Eggrolls as well. I elected to have the Loaded Tater Tots from the Happy Hour menu and the Smash Burger which came with chips and the server asked if I would like to substitute the chips with fries which I agreed. The Loaded Tater Tots were cheese sauce, bacon, scallions and sour cream. They were greasy and the cheese sauce, I don't know. I couldn't even tell you what type of cheese it was. Maybe cheddar, but I'm really not sure. There were just a few pieces of bacon on it and loaded with sour cream. Not very good. The smash burger was 2 4oz beef patties with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion on a potato roll. No pickles. Who serves a burger with no pickles on it or on the side? We did request pickles and they were given. There was no offer of any ketchup or it being on the table. I asked for BBQ sauce and received that when I had a bite left of the burger. However, the BBQ sauce was very tasty. The "cheddar cheese" was a mix of cheddar and mozzarella or something and it was shredded cheese not a slice or anything. Guess they were running out of cheese and had to improvise. There was a huge chunk end piece of lettuce that should not have been on the burger, and the tomatoes were chopped not sliced. Who puts chopped tomatoes on a burger? After having this AMAZING burger in Virginia Beach a week ago at The Atlantic on Pacific for $6 on their Happy Hour menu, this was "ok". I accepted the substitute of fries with the Smash Burger over the chips. I was truly sorry I did that. They were partly raw, greasy, and I don't know how else to explain them. Just horrible. Some looked like they were overcooked but yet they were not crispy or anything. Just limp fries. Majority undercooked. To my surprise, I received the check and my burger was $12 where my sisters was $10. The only reason for the upcharge would be the substitution of the fries for the chips. Say what? There was no mention of the upcharge when offered, which is just horrible when servers don't mention any additional charge for things and the way he offered it was like it could be substituted free of charge. Needless to say, that $2 came out of his tip since he didn't have the knowledge to notify a guest of this. Not to mention the disgrace to be charging $2 additional for those undercooked and overcooked greasy piles of disgusting things they call French Fries. I also ordered a Diet Coke which I like to have with lime and what do you know, they were out of limes. This also tasted funny. It was either really cheap Cola however, it tasted more like pretty flat soda. Sitting on the dock of the Bay (hee hee get it?) was the best part of this meal. The service was ok. Things were delayed when requested, such as the pickles and BBQ sauce (which was requested at time of order). The food was horrible. The fact that they were out of so many things just an hour into happy hour and the cheapness of the cheese sauce on the tater tots that you couldn't even notice the flavor and the greasiness of it and then those fries. No, I can't get over those fries. No reputable place would ever serve fries like that. It was just horrible. I wanted to like this place, and it was a pure let down. Definitely a pass for me. Irish Eyes is right down the road; on a bad day they are better. Awesome Happy Hour menu, just make sure you get their early enough so you can get a spot at the bar (inside, porch or outside) or a high top in the bar areas.

    Photos
    Grain On The Rocks
    Grain On The Rocks
    Grain On The Rocks

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    The Wheelhouse - seafood - Updated May 2026

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