Here’s a surprise. For my first stop in Milledgeville in two and a half years, we went to Shrimp Boats. Bet you couldn’t see that coming.
The Milledgeville Shrimp Boats is one of only seven left, and one of just two that still use the 1969-74 era building that I enjoy. When I last visited in 2013 to take some photos of the building – actually, they were more like photos of the sun with a shadowy structure in the foreground – I left raving about the cole slaw. But my visits to most of the other surviving stores has turned up a neat treat: most of them brag about the quality of their fried chicken, with the ones in Rock Hill serving up some of the best I’ve ever had, anywhere. So I figured we’d all split a two-piece dark meal as a snack before going to play.
But the surprise was on me, I’m afraid. On my last visit, I loved that cole slaw completely, but it just tasted ordinary and dull this time around. But that’s okay; the fried chicken was just wonderful. It was salty, juicy, and crispy, everything you’d want in good fried chicken. These guys are doing it right, which begs the question of why all these silly restaurants call themselves Shrimp Boats when the chicken is the best thing on any of their menus?
We weren’t entirely sure what we else that we would do in Milledgeville as we drove in on GA-22 from Sparta, but we figured that out as we pulled into town. See, there’s a bridge over the Oconee and just to our right as we crossed over, I saw some neat rapids. So after Shrimp Boats, we went down to the river to check that out, and learned that there’s a gorgeous walk that they put in, alongside the ruins of an old grist mill.
It was a really lovely day for a walk by the river. By the time this story goes up in late June, it might be awfully hot, but the chicken at Shrimp Boats is great and you will need to get some exercise after your meal. Is it worth the trip? We’d say yes, especially on the strength of what else we found in the city. More on that in the next chapter.
Previously in the Shrimp Boat series:
Overview and Milledgeville GA location
Monterrey (former Buford Hwy, Doraville GA location)
Durham NC location
Gastonia NC location
Rome GA location
Patrick’s Sub Shop (former Collier Rd, Atlanta GA location)
Instaloan (former Lawrenceville Hwy, Decatur GA location)
Ming’s Chinese Restaurant (former Valdosta GA location)
Lancaster SC location
Rock Hill SC locations
El Pollo Dorado (former Sandtown Rd, Marietta GA location)
Sunray and Motor Point (former Tarpon Springs / Orlando locations)
Dupsie’s (former Smyrna GA location)
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Marie, Let's Eat! 