Published May 4, 2021

My sister found Gilligan's Clam Bar & Grill after doing research for king crab legs. She and her boyfriend trekked up to Pomona, New York and tried the restaurant before I did.

They loved it and raved about their meal, prompting me to drive on an overcast April evening to Gilligan’s Clam Bar to try it for myself.

Gilligan’s Clam Bar Interior

Up 287 as if you’re going to Lake George and through the windy, residential neighborhoods is the town of Pomona.

In the downtown shopping area to the left of the crisscrossed intersections is the light blue building for Gilligan’s Clam Bar & Grill.

We arrived around 5:30, beating the rush and having first pick of parking, which wrapped around the side and back of the building. Through the front doors and past the left-hand bar and restaurant seating, we approached the colorful hostess stand and were seated in a high-ceiling dining area.

Three full walls of floor-to-ceiling white windows that looked out upon the parking lot and nearby intersection. Plants and flower arrangements hung on hooks from the white metal beams across the ceiling. A giant colorful toucan hung to the right above our table. A ladder rope with a monkey and a large dolphin dangled from the beams, giving a busy tropical feeling to the ceiling.

The tabletops were painted in colorful patterns with bright plates, while the rest of the restaurant walls were light orange and teal with beachy murals and decorations.

The paper menu was tall and narrow with three columns. I was surprised to see the number of Italian dishes, including a list of brick oven pizzas.

We knew what we wanted for dinner but we weren’t sure what appetizer to order. I was impressed with the list of options: Calamari three ways, clams four ways, samplers, coconut shrimp, and more!

We ordered our drinks while we continued debating which appetizer to get.

A warm bread basket arrived to curb our appetite. My sister raved about the cornbread when she first visited Gilligan’s Clam Bar. I thought the cornbread was tasty, though I preferred the white bread with butter.

My sister and I decided on an appetizer and entrees and placed the order with the waiter. In the meantime, an elderly gentleman finished his meal on the other side of the room. A couple with their young daughter finished their beers at the table in front of ours. The parking lot was filling up and the restaurant dining room near the bar, was getting busier.

Appetizer

I didn’t note how many tables were available within our side of the dining room, but I would say it seats at least 30 people, mostly with 4-top tables.

There appeared to be a ramp or a staircase on the far right-hand corner of the room, that led to additional seating that looked out on our tables. I assumed that’s also where the kitchen doors were, because a server came down the ramp carrying two giant buckets of food.

“Don’t tell me that’s our food.” I whispered to my sister. We hadn’t received our appetizer yet.

A blonde waitress came over to the table. “Hi, I’ll be your server for this evening. Can I get you started with some apps?”

I glanced at my sister. “We already ordered with another waiter.” I pointed across the room to him.

The waitress left while the server at the bottom of the stairs hesitated with the giant dishes, looking from our table to our waiter. The server turned around and went back to the kitchen.

“Oh no, if they already cooked the seafood, they can’t leave it under the heat-lamp while we eat our appetizer or it’ll be terrible.”

Our waiter came over. “Did you already have your appetizer?”

“No…”

“Okay, sorry about that!” He went back to the kitchen and the server came back down to give us our buckets of crab.

“Do you think that means we won’t have our appetizer?” My sister asked. I wasn’t sure. Our entrees were cauldrons of seafood, so it wouldn’t make any difference if we skipped the appetizer. I was confused about why the waiters didn’t know what table they were supposed to take, and how our appetizer was missed by the kitchen.

Clams Oreganato | $8.99

In the end, our clams arrived shortly after our entrees. They were divine.

When I hear “oreganato” I think of a particular restaurant within my area that makes the breadcrumb stuffing for their clams, but then bathes the dish in a white wine butter sauce. It’s rich, so when I saw these clams, I was surprised that they didn’t have a sauce.

They didn’t need it. They were tender (not gritty), with a good ratio of breadcrumb filling to clam. Plus it was seasoned well.

We split the clams between us, and used our leftover bread to dip in the buttery crumbs inside the pan.

A large, plastic-lined bucket for our shells arrived on the edge of our table. Two individual plates held wipes, napkins, a cracker, and bib. I thought it was clever to bring everything a person could ever want at once, to limit the amount of requests and back-and-forth for the servers.

Entrees

Crab Feast Bucket | $49.99

The crab feast bucket had steamed king crab, snow crab, Dungeness crabs, steamed clams and mussels, with a side of coleslaw and butter.

The bottom of my colorful bowl was filled with a buttery, herbed broth. I had tons of steamed mussels and clams. Plus all of the crab legs.

The king crab legs were unbelievable. I liked that Gilligan’s pre-sliced the shells as well, so you didn’t have to work too hard to try and open them.

I liked my side of melted butter, though the broth in the bowl was a flavorful option as well. I liked the small cup of coleslaw as well, since it provided a sweet, refreshing crunch in between the rich seafood.

Luckily Gilligan’s staff didn’t rush us while we ate. The room was filled, even with the tables separated for social distancing. A grandmother with her two grown granddaughters sat behind us. Two older couples took the four-top table across from us — the husbands chain-smoked outside until their meals arrived. Diagonal us, a high school couple in letterman jackets ordered their meals. The other dining room to the left of the entrance was packed with kids and families, who I saw enter from our table against the window.

I didn’t see our waiter again, so a waitress with glasses came by to replace our shell bucket and refill our water glasses. Eventually, I slowed down, having eaten the majority of my crab legs and a good amount of mussels. As with the appetizer, the mussels were juicy and not gritty.

We asked for takeout containers for our remaining food. I poured my broth into a tall soup container, and removed most of the mussels from their shells and plopped them in. I only had the knuckle of my Dungeness crab left, so I added that to my container. I figured I could make some pasta and toss it in the broth with the clams and mussels.

Dessert

At this point, I was full. But when my sister went to Gilligan’s Clam Bar for the first time she ordered a slice of their chocolate cake and said it was awesome.

Thus, I asked our waitress with the glasses if she had any cappuccinos. She said they did but the machine was broken. Which, y’all, if you’re told that, more than likely it’s because no one wants to clean the cappuccino machine at the end of the night, and it’s easier to say it’s broken so you can serve coffee or tea instead.

So I ordered a regular coffee and a tiramisu. My sister ordered her slice of chocolate cake.

What I enjoyed about Gilligan’s presentation is that their plates and presentation matched the bright, coloring branding in the room. Those little details tie into the overall experience. My coffee was tasty and strong, which was a bonus.

Tiramisu | $5.99

The tiramisu was classically soft and rich. My slice was a decent size for $5.99 and I enjoyed how cold and refreshing it was. I would order it again, even though Gilligan’s had other desserts, such as apple crisp, creme brûlée, NY cheesecake, and more.

Chocolate Layer Cake | $5.99

My sister’s chocolate layer cake looked appealing in its presentation when it arrived at the table.

My sister was disappointed with the chocolate layer cake compared to how it was when she first visited Gilligan’s. My impression was that the cake is usually popped in the microwave to take the chill out and help the chocolate filling melt.

In our case, the cake was chilled, so the cake’s texture was dense and the icing was thick. In the end, it was still tasty, but not the molten-style cake my sister described after her first visit.

My Recommendations

Overall, my first impression of Gilligan’s Clam Bar & Grill in Pomona, New York is an 9/10 for the following:

• Decor and Design

  • Gilligan’s is consistent with its bright color scheme, use of greenery, and beach decorations to create a tropical style restaurant. Even the exterior of the building with its grey-blue wood and beachy decorations along the walkway draws guests into the space for a great seafood meal.

• Service

  • The service at Gilligan’s was a strange experience. There seemed to be a ton of staff with dedicated roles for the evening — including servers to deliver the meals, individuals to clear the tables, and a manager who oversaw the room.
    
    However, I thought it was odd that amongst themselves, the staff didn’t know who was assigned to our table, and who should follow up on the timing of our appetizers. In the end, the girl with the glasses who served us dessert was attentive and polite and wrapped up our dining experience on a good note.

• Food

  • I would not imagine that a restaurant in the mountains of New York would have fresh and delicious seafood. 10/10 for the portions, presentation, quality, and flavor of the dishes we had. All around, I was impressed with the appetizer, adored our entree, and was satisfied with dessert.
    

Have you been to the Gilligan’s?

Do you have a favorite seafood restaurant you think I should try? Leave a comment below or browse some more of my New York restaurant reviews to find your next restaurant to visit.