Mark’s Score 8.6
Bill’s Prime is my preferred restaurant in Chincoteague. In my view, it is, by a very long shot, the best restaurant in Chincoteague, and it achieves that distinction without any gimmicks. It isn’t conveniently located, it doesn’t have a great view, at best its atmosphere could be described as cozy (they recently completed a well-needed makeover), and their menu offers typical steak and seafood fare. My favorable review of Bill’s rests on the two most important aspects of a good dining experience, good food and service.
Bill’s Prime is practically an institution in Chincoteague, having been established back in 1960. They claim to serve the finest locally sourced seafood and steaks. I am not sure who Bill was, but the restaurant is now co-owned and managed by Steve Potts. If you are a viewer of “Delmarva Life” on WBOC you may be familiar with Steve. He is a regular guest chef on that show, demonstrating some of his more popular dishes.
I would categorize Bill’s Prime as a steak and seafood restaurant with a southern twist. Items like collard greens and pecan encrusted salmon, give Bill’s a welcome southern vibe. Having said that, I always have been a bit skeptical of surf and turf restaurants. In my experience it is rare for surf and turf restaurants to do that combination well. To be fair to Bill’s I have never ordered their turf selections. I treat it exclusively as a seafood restaurant. Why wouldn’t I, Chincoteague is on the ocean’s edge? I don’t order fish in Kansas City, and I don’t order steak on the beach. But before I opine conclusively on this issue, perhaps I should order a steak the next time I am at Bill’s. The problem is, every time I go to Bill’s there is always a seafood dish that catches my eye, and they do seafood so well, why would I order a steak?
I have eaten at Bill’s a number of times over the years, and have never had a bad meal. I have had their Po, boys, their shrimp, their crab cakes, and their New England Clam Chowder. As a native New Englander, I can tell you their chowder is authentically New England. It is one of the main reasons I keep going back. Clam chowder is so easy to make, I am always amazed at how many restaurants get it wrong.
On my last visit a few weeks ago I ordered their Grouper fish and chips (it was the special that day). The grouper was cooked perfectly, fluffy and not greasy. It came with beef steak fries (which I usually hate). Beef Steak fries are hard to get right and Bill’s were perfect, soft and fluffy on the inside, crisp and dry on the outside. Though I am not generally a fan of coleslaw, Bill’s makes some of the best coleslaw I have ever eaten.
There aren’t many restaurant choices in Chincoteague, and for my money, there is really only one choice, Bill’s.
Leave a Reply