The Ropewalk - Chilling on the Chincoteague Waterfront

Chincoteague Island, VA is one of those rare places that many people have heard of but few have visited. Whether browsing the Main Street stores and tidy waterfront park of this little island of 2,900 residents or soaking up the sun on Assateague National Seashore, there is so much to do in Chincoteague and the closer you look, the more you see.

For many visitors to this Eastern Shore island, the dining expectations would be strictly seafood. But while there are few things better to eat in Chincoteague than blue crabs, fresh-caught flounder and Old Salts on the half shell, sometimes I just want to kick back with a cold draft and something deep fried. And that's when I head off to Ropewalk.

Situated in the center of the island’s historic downtown section, Ropewalk faces Chincoteague Bay, with sweeping views of optic green marshlands and sparkling water all the way across to the Delmarva Peninsula mainland. The restaurant hugs the water with a sandy beach bar bearing live palm trees which, though covered over the winter, seem to have taken root  as well as the joint itself. Inside, Ropewalk is a large, windowed restaurant-turned-sports bar, with multiple large televisions, expansive views of the waterfront and a motif that curiously blends the beach with Ronald Reagan. Upstairs is said to have a multipurpose area for special parties, but, truthfully, I rarely make it past the outdoor beach bar.

It’s easy to get caught up in Ropewalk’s tourist-friendly atmosphere, complete with live, barefoot musical entertainment outside that changes throughout the day and evening. At a glance the menu is predictable because, hey, it’s a short summer season on the Eastern Shore and restaurants need to get it while they can before the Big Lonely -- when the wind and water is cold and tumbleweeds practically roll down Mainstreet.  But look a little closer and you will start to see some local fare that sings of the South, like fried green tomatoes, cornmeal-crusted pickles and peel-n-eat shrimp. Round it off with some seared tuna and there is little more needed to make me happy. Local beer on tap washes these starters down which, for me, mark both the beginning and end of the meal. There is, of course, an array of very good-looking seafood and other item’s on the menu. But I’ve never managed to have them, since my Ropewalk yearning is rarely for a full-on dining experience, but rather to just chillax in the sand by the water listening to a pretty good cover artist strumming Buffet.

Because sometimes it’s just that simple.