Want good seafood? Give Grady’s a try

The decision on which restaurant you are going to review when your time rolls around is usually a tough one since so many have also been done. Since my friend, Debbie, and I were going to the Graceville, Fla. outlet anyway on Saturday, we decided to review Grady’s Seafood Restaurant.

It was not my first trip to the family-owned restaurant in Graceville, Fla. It is well known for its great seafood. We arrived around 6 p.m. From the number of cars parked near the restaurant we knew we were in for a wait. The small restaurant was packed as we went inside to register. The waiting area, located next door, was packed with people making themselves comfortable while awaiting their turn. The room as filled with tables, seats and rocking chairs. Some of the customers were just rocking and chatting; others were playing checkers.

What we thought was going to be a lengthy wait only turned out to be 15 to 20 minutes. Our number was 15 and 12 through 16 was called out all at one time. We were seated next to a couple we had been chatting with in the waiting area. The waitress, Cathy, was very prompt to take our drink orders.

After spying a place full of onion rings on a nearby table, we had already decided on that. When Cathy returned with our drinks, Debbie opted for a combination of shrimp and catfish fillets, while I chose a steak and shrimp combination. There was no choice of baked potato, just fries. We both ordered a side salad and, of course, a full order of onion rings.

Our salad arrived promptly. Although it was a simple salad consisting of only lettuce and tomato, it was crisp and delicious. The waitress pointed out that most of their salad dressings were home made.

We were slightly disappointed that our meal arrived before our platter of onion rings. But when they did arrive, they were well worth the wait. Homemade, crisp and fried to perfection, the onion rings were a mouth-watering sight.

Our shrimp was delicious, and Debbie bragged continuously on her catfish fillet, and insisted that I taste it. It was, indeed, very good. My steak, however, was another story. It was just OK. It was a bit overdone and on the fatty side. But, what do you expect when you eat steak in a seafood restaurant. Debbie was served hush puppies with her meal. My meal included a couple of store-bought rolls. Debbie and I both bragged on the French fries, which were well above average.

Neither of us could finish everything on our plates. We had discussed sharing a dessert, but none were noted on the menu. I guess that was a good thing; we had enough food left over for a “to go” plate.

In addition to seafood, the menu offered a variety of items sure to please the young and old alike, including burgers and chicken fingers. The menu also includes the saga of the generations who have run the business since its beginning. The original owners, Grady and Ouida Spears, became the owners and operators of the Circle Grill in 1951. They sold that restaurant and retired, only to open Grady’s five years later. The restaurant is now operated by the third generation of the family, Larry and Sherri Skipper, who took over the business in 1996.

Grady’s décor is simple and homey, the food is delicious and the prices reasonable. I would highly recommend the seafood to anyone who hasn’t tried it.

Jane McCardle can be reached at .
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Grady’s Seafood Restaurant
Location: 981 Sixth Ave., Graceville, Fla.
Phone: (850) 263-4247
Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Rating: Three-and-a-half out of four stars