Ropewalk changes vision, name in Fenwick, looks ahead to Bethany location

One day it was Ropewalk Fenwick Island and the next day it wasn’t.

“People were confused,” said Ropewalk owner Marc McFaul.

Those people obviously hadn’t seen the surprise Facebook post from Ropewalk’s Fenwick location. An out-of-the-blue post May 13 alerted customers that on May 18, Ropewalk Fenwick was becoming Big Eye Jacks.

The change has nothing to do with business at the Fenwick Ropewalk.

Construction will start in September, McFaul said, at Ropewalk’s newest location in downtown Bethany Beach with the target opening date in March 2018.

With the wildly successful Ocean City location down Coastal Highway, the company decided to sandwich its Fenwick space with Ropewalk’s and change the Fenwick location now. The initial plan was to change the restaurant and menu next season.

But …

“Why not just do it this year and have something new since the Ropewalk’s are already close together,” McFaul said. “So we decided to move it a little ahead and do it this year.”

Big Eye Jacks — named after big-eye jack fish, also known as a horse-eye jack fish — is a Key West/Caribbean-themed restaurant.

The decor inside is a brighter, Key West-type look, though some Delaware and Maryland design features have remained. Soon, the roof will be painted a brighter color, McFaul said.

But fans of Ropewalk — a 22-year Baltimore staple — don’t fret. The award-winning wings have gone nowhere. You can still get oysters, too.

McFaul said the menu is a little less expensive, with options like street tacos and coconut shrimp. Five different tacos are available: Kalua pork, fish, shrimp, jerk chicken and tuna poke.

The coconut shrimp are served with a mango aioli and “tropical” pico de gallo.

Entree selections include a duck stir fry, chorizo meatloaf, smoked Caribbean jerk chicken and a fresh catch of the day.

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Other menu differences include a more extensive drink menu. There’s still a selection of “crushes” and slushies, but new to the offerings is a mojito list, which McFaul said wasn’t quite possible before.

“The staff has become a little more creative,” McFaul said. “Something we can’t do in Ocean City because it’s such a large restaurant and we have to do the same thing every day because we can have thousands of people eat there.

“Here we’ve got a little more creativity, more chances to do specials and bring fresh local products in.

“People have really liked it. We’re happy with that.”

McFaul mentioned the additions of more upscale restaurants in Fenwick Island like the new Our Harvest restaurant from Liquid Assets owner John Trader.

His chefs, he said, wanted to move in that direction.

“We decided we’d double down on it and be the family place,” McFaul said, citing the outdoor playground and ring toss located outside Big Eye Jacks.

Big Eye Jacks isn’t the only new addition to the company. Earlier this year, McFaul’s business partner Chris Reda helped Ropewalk add to the roster by opening a location in Chincoteague.

McFaul wasn't ready to reveal an exact location for the Bethany project, but he did call it a “total rebuild.”

Jeff Neiburg can be reached at jneiburg@delmarvanow.com.