Rotgut.org Blog: #6414 - Pickle Bill's, Grand River, OH

Sunday, November 23, 2025

#6414 - Pickle Bill's, Grand River, OH - 11/22/2025

Pickle Bill's Lobster House
Grand River, OH

Yesterday we stopped for lunch at Pickle Bill's Lobster House in Grand River, OH, hard by the eponymous river and just a few blocks south of Lake Erie. Pickle Bill's started in 1967 in "The Flats" in Cleveland, which I was lucky enough to visit in its rocking heyday. "I virtually started the Flats," founder Jerry Powell once said. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Dec 16, 1991)

Eventually the originally business foundered, apparently based on problems with a ship called the Flying Cloud which Powell converted to a floating restaurant and which eventually led to a punishing set of building inspections.

Powell worked odd jobs for six years, until a friend gave him virtually free access to a building at the current location, which he refurbished with the help of family members and some financing help from an old high school friend. The new Pickle Bill's (named in homage to the perennially pickled W.C. Fields) opened in 1982, originally seating 50 to 90 people (the number varies by source). With continued additions over the years, including a floating barge bar, rooftop bar with swings for seats, boardwalk seating, etc. is now said to seat nearly 700 patrons, and serve up to 1,000 meals on sunny days in Summer, boosted by Jerry's "all you can eat" features. The new place has demonstrated its resilience by rebuilding after being leveled by fire in 1998, and pounded by floodwaters in 2006. (Ibid)

A printed history in the restaurant itself, describes the concurrently blooming relationship with his wife:

"In 1984, the beautiful and brilliant Marianne Benkowski began working at Pickle Bill's as a lunch server and bartender. Within 2 months, her business savvy mind and passion for the restaurant earned her a manager position. While bonding over their enthusiasm and visions for Pickle Bill's, Jerry and Marianne fell in love. In 1998, Marianne became Jerry's co-captain and partner in life when they married in Scotland. For over two decades, Jerry and Marianne Powell ran Pickle Bill's side by side, creating fun and unique ways to continue ever-elevating the restaurant's architecture and dining experience. Unfortunately, Jerry passed away February 8th of 2021, but Marianne continues to maintain ownership and keep Jerry's vision and golden standard of service for this iconic All You Can Eat Lobster House alive."