New seafood restaurant gearing up to open at the Dayton Mall, and here’s a look at its menu

Credit: Mark Fisher

Credit: Mark Fisher

Workers are putting the finishing touches on a new Cajun-style seafood restaurant and are planning to open next month in the former Sears Tire & Auto Center at the Dayton Mall, according to a manager working at the restaurant earlier this week.

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Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood & Bar will be located at 2564 Miamisburg-Centerville Road in Miami Twp., where it will share the renovated building with the relocated Outback Steakhouse.

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The original plans for the 6,888-square-foot restaurant called for a dining room and bar that would seat about 200 and employ 40 to 50, a Hook & Reel spokeswoman said 11 months ago. It’s not clear how the coronavirus pandemic and required social distancing will affect the new restaurant’s seating capacity.

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The restaurant’s menu, copies of which are available on-site, show a build-your-own seafood theme, with choices such as clams, crawfish, mussels, shrimp, scallops, lobster and multiple types of crab, with choices of sauce and heat levels. Fried seafood baskets such as shrimp, oysters, catfish and flounder are available. Appetizers include hush puppies, Crab Bites, fried calamari, steamed oysters and coconut shrimp.

Credit: Mark Fisher

Credit: Mark Fisher

“At Hook & Reel, we celebrate the vibrant and flavorful cuisine of Louisiana by pairing the freshest seafood with authentic Cajun seasonings, fresh garlic, and zesty lemon,” a Hook & Reel spokeswoman told this news outlet in June 2019. “From the flavors and aromas to the energetic atmosphere, we provide an authentic experience that transports you straight to New Orleans.”

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The restaurant chain's web site lists more than 15 locations nationwide, and more than 40 that are "coming soon" in multiple states. The Dayton Mall restaurant is the only Ohio location listed.

The first Hook & Reel Restaurant opened in Maryland in 2013. The chain is headquartered in Flushing, New York.

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