If you’ve taken a drive on Van Buren in the last year, it has been impossible not to notice the large “Pier 81 Boiling Seafood and Bar” sign that has been taunting Enid seafood lovers for months. After a two-year process from conception to boiling, Pier 81 has officially opened to the public!
“We are really excited to be open,” said General Manager Michael Yang, “this has been a long process, but we are serving people, and that’s good.” Yang says the idea was a partnership between him and the investor (who also owns two other local restaurants Chen Garden and Jade Garden) because they have constantly heard that people wanted a seafood restaurant in town. “People would tell us all the time that there is no good seafood in Enid,” Yang said, “so we thought we could offer great seafood at a reasonable price for the community.”
As the name implies, Pier 81’s main offering is seafood boils. You pick your seafood, such as king crab, calamari, shrimp, lobster or others, you choose your sides, like potatoes, corn on the cob, or the like, choose your sauce (or flavoring) from a list of six delicious flavors, then you tell them how hot you want it (mild, spicy, or extreme!). They bring it out and serve it in a big tin, along with plenty of napkins. If you want to try a little bit of everything, you can try one of the “Combo Boils” that can include several different seafood items as well as sides. “People really seem to enjoy the Galleon Combo. There is plenty for a family to share,” Yang recommends.
While the boils are the star here, Pier 81 also offers several different appetizers (try the crabmeat fries), Po’ Boy sandwiches, pasta, soups and salads. Even if you don’t care for seafood, you will have plenty to choose from.
Pier 81 hopes to have a full bar open soon, and will start taking to-go orders around October 1 while they are working out first week jitters. There is also a party room that can seat up to 20, if you have a large group. Current hours are 7 days a week, Sunday to Thursday from 11 am – 9:30 pm and Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 10:30 p.m. The website is www.pier81enid.com.
Judging from the large crowd at 3:30 p.m. on a Sunday, Enid is really excited about this new restaurant. Go check it out!
