Shanty Grille to Shutter After More Than 60 Years

The owners of Shanty Grille posted the following letter on its website announcing their decision to close. They said they will continue to operate Sea King Carry Out at 3417 Plum Tree Drive in Ellicott City, but would close the Shanty Grille after Dec. 31.

An Open Letter to Our Friends Throughout Howard County and The Surrounding Areas:

The King family’s love affair with the seafood business was started by William C. King, Jr. (known to many as “Senior”), three generations ago in 1951. The original Sea King Carry Out debuted in Catonsville in 1963. Since 1975, we have been Howard County’s go to location for fresh crabs, quality seafood, and in more recent years, Pig Pickers Memphis Style Barbecue.

Since opening its doors in 1978, the Crab Shanty Restaurant, which was rebranded as the Shanty Grille in 2011, quickly became a Howard County staple. It was a place for friends to meet, where family traditions were launched, and where hundreds, if not thousands of kids worked their first jobs.

In recent years while Sea King has thrived, the Shanty Grille has faced an uphill battle against a myriad of market, regulatory, and demographic forces. After much consideration, we have decided to go back to our roots and focus our attention on our once and future flagship and anchor, the Sea King.

Therefore, today we are announcing that the Shanty Grille’s last day of operation will be this New Year’s Eve, (12/31/14). As so many of you have supported us through the years, and we sincerely thank you, we hope you will join us as we begin a more than two month celebration of our restaurant’s history. Please plan to check our website, www.shantygrille.com, frequently to stay apprised of the many special promotions we are planning through December 31st. We are so grateful for those who have cherished our famous Christmas Decorations over the years, and hope you will enjoy them with us one last time. What a better way to say goodbye to such a renowned business than with the spirit and love of the holidays.

Please know that much of the great seafood you have enjoyed at the Shanty is, and will be available just across the street from the restaurant at the Sea King Seafood Market. Even if not on their regular menus, with as little as a day’s notice, we can provide you with many of your favorite fresh fishes and seafood. In addition to being a carry-out, the Sea King & Pig Pickers also provide several catering options to include delivery and even food cooked to order at your location. In some ways, it’s like we will be bringing the Shanty to you. We have grown many business relationships through our Corporate Box Lunches, which have been a tremendous success, and we look forward to continuing to grow with them through Sea King.

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to again thank our many loyal customers, as well as our past and present employees for all of the wonderful support and memories you have provided our family. During the past 63 years, many of you have become like family to us and we treasure the opportunity we’ve had to serve you and hope we can continue to serve you in the future as well.

Thank you again for all of your patronage and friendship, we have felt truly blessed!

The King Family,
Bill & MaryAnn King, Eric & Jeanne King, Charley & Michelle King-Best

Photo Credit: Shanty Grille/Facebook