This first thing you would see as you entered Ocean City island on the 9th Street Bridge, was the landmark Chris' Seafood Restaurant. The owner, Chris Montagna, was a fisherman who ran excursion boats for many years. The restaurant was open from 1932 to 1972 and he supplied his own sea food. Many kids remember the PT boats he modified and the thrill rides he gave folks in them.
The Flying Saucer was a converted World War II mahogany-bottomed PT boat that held up to 125 passengers and burned 300 gallons of high octane airplane fuel an hour at full-throttle (1,200 gal. capacity). It had air-fins synchronized with her rudders for responsiveness. He said it reached 90 miles an hour, and most agreed. It was a wet ride up to 21st St. and back. The Coast guard retired it in 1973 for safety reasons, even though it was outfitted with excursion-boat safety equipment. More photos
here.
Chris would always talk to the passengers and slowly give a little tour before heading out to the open sea. The truly adventurous would grab the front seats and get a screaming soaking ride. It had 3 big Packard engines.
Under the green fiberglass roof.
The much beloved Chris passed away in 1987, but will always be remembered by anyone who had the pleasure of joining him for a wonderful trip and a delicious meal. Condos now stand where this restaurant once was.
This first thing you would see as you entered Ocean City island on the 9th Street Bridge, was the landmark Chris' Seafood Restaurant. The owner, Chris Montagna, was a fisherman who ran excursion boats for many years. The restaurant was open from 1932 to 1972 and he supplied his own sea food. Many kids remember the PT boats he modified and the thrill rides he gave folks in them.
The Flying Saucer was a converted World War II mahogany-bottomed PT boat that held up to 125 passengers and burned 300 gallons of high octane airplane fuel an hour at full-throttle (1,200 gal. capacity). It had air-fins synchronized with her rudders for responsiveness. He said it reached 90 miles an hour, and most agreed. It was a wet ride up to 21st St. and back. The Coast guard retired it in 1973 for safety reasons, even though it was outfitted with excursion-boat safety equipment. More photos here.
Chris would always talk to the passengers and slowly give a little tour before heading out to the open sea. The truly adventurous would grab the front seats and get a screaming soaking ride. It had 3 big Packard engines.
Under the green fiberglass roof.
The much beloved Chris passed away in 1987, but will always be remembered by anyone who had the pleasure of joining him for a wonderful trip and a delicious meal. Condos now stand where this restaurant once was.
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Love the flamingo cage.
ReplyDeleteHi, I just discovered your blog, and it's fantastic! Right up my alley, I love this stuff. Thanks, and I look forward to going through your old posts and to future ones as well!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys - Fun little place, yes?
ReplyDeleteI rode every boat Chris' operated, including the "Sweetheart" sailboat, the Ocean City Cruiser "Expendable", the "Flying Pony", "Flying Saucer", "Wild Goose" and "Flying Cloud". Another PT boat conversion never made it to service; for a couple of summers, Chris anchored it off the 9th Street causeway with "CHRIS' RESTAURANT" painted prominently on the side.
ReplyDeleteI know this is an old post, but that was the "Gone With the Wind." It was painted black, had diesel engines, and a heated cabin for year-round service. That didn't go well and it was gone after one season. I do remember it anchored out in the bay. There is a postcard of it in service. I went out fishing on it once--caught nothing.
DeleteWhen Chris' died, so did Ocean City!
ReplyDelete'nuff said...
Chris was my mom's uncle. She is a Montagna. My memories of Uncle Chris go beyond his restaurant...he was a one of a kind! Thanks for recognizing and remembering him!
ReplyDeleteI worked at Chris's in the summer. What fun times...
ReplyDeleteI work for Chris. The Summers of 61 + 62 and part of 63. Chris was a very tough Italian man. A self made guy and a no-nonsense guy, his wife was a doctor of sorts and he would send us workers to her in lieu of sending us to a local Clinic. And that eventually got me fired because I did not trust her medical abilities.
ReplyDeleteChris taught me everything I know about working on a party boat, setting up fishing rigs, cutting bait the proper way and cleaning fish and basically how to maintain a PT boat and even a little bit about navigating. Chris was a very tough and determined man. I never saw him write a check he always paid everybody face-to-face with cash. 12 hour work days were normal working on Chris's Dock.i loved it and had a great summer all three years
grt
ReplyDeleteI also worked at for Chris, what a great place to work for the summer, we lived across the street from the restaurant, Chris would pay us on Monday because he said if he paid us on Friday we would spend all our money on beer for the weekend.
ReplyDeleteJohn H
Went there every year from 1953-1967. Rode the Flying Pony and the Flying Saucer every year too! Always rode the front seat!
ReplyDeleteMy Dad, Jacques (Jack) Guequierre was one of the drivers for the flying pony in the early 50’s I believe.
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