Many folks think of only the East or West Coast but there's a great big swath of land in the middle that offers some pretty awesome opportunities for foodies looking to fill their hungry bellies. It might not be as "fancy", "healthy", or "pretty" as the stuff you see on Tiktok from folks in San Diego but the Great Lakes region has some incredible food that goes perfectly with beer and will certainly put a smile on your face. This is exactly what we found at The Brick House in Port Clinton, Ohio.
For those of you who aren't familiar with Port Clinton, it's just west of Sandusky (home of Cedar Point) and it's the site of the Miller Ferry to Put-in-Bay - one of the country's best party islands for guys that love hanging out on boats and drinking on hot summer days. Lake Erie Shores is a fantastic place to explore since it blends a sort of "New England" feel with fish shops where you can get a pint of local beer while watching the water and a blue-collar environment where good food is defined by taste and how filling it is rather than just simply how pretty it is.
We stopped by The Brick House on our recent road trip and it was a place that I can't wait to go back to again sometime soon.
Honestly, I'm a sucker for any place where the waitress can answer quickly and precisely where the fish came from and this is doubly so when it's fresh and local caught. In this case the Walley Bites and Lake Erie Yellow Perch come from the waters just off-shore and you can taste the difference.
Our meal started off with the Brick & Mortar - "a buttery blend of cheeses, spices, and chipped beef baked in a bread bowl served with bread cubes and pretzels" and the Balogna Sticks - deep fried and served with pub mustard and Brick House Beer cheese.
Both of these appetizers were fantastic and though others might turn their noses at chipped beef and bologna ... that's why I love places like this. In fact, I think it also deserves to be said that while many of you probably think of bologna as cheap thin sliced meat in a package, when it comes from a quality source it can be very tasty (especially when grilled or fried). That was certainly the case here and while the rest of our meal was equally tasty ... I sorta wish I'd tried other "Foundations" such as their Cheese Curds, Giant Baked Pretzel, Fried Ravioli etc.
It all looked so good coming out!
We probably over ordered but we wanted to take some home for later, so it all worked out.
Next up was the Walleye Bites - lightly breaded and served with house made tarter sauce and served with chips, fries, or onion rings. As mentioned previously this walleye was incredibly fresh, flaky, tender, and had a great flavor without being overpowered by the batter as sometimes can happen.
Any good pub is going to need to have great pizza and we weren't disappointed here either. They have a huge selection of special pies ranging from Chicken Parmesan to Crab Rangoon to Redskin (chipotle ranch base with cheddar cheese, redskin potatoes, bacon, kielbasa, and chives), and our pick ... Cheeseburger (ground beef, cheese, tomatoes, pickles, and secret sauce).
I can't say enough good things about this place. So, if you are off exploring Port Clinton or looking to grab a bite after getting back from the ferry - The Brick House should be on your list of places to go for a tasty meal and good beer.
