Nobody expects great seafood in landlocked Ohio, and that is exactly the point. I used to think crab legs meant a coastal drive and a steep bill.
Then a friend dragged me into a strip mall buffet on a random Tuesday night, and I watched my whole opinion collapse in one bite. Trays of shrimp, snow crab, and fried fish kept coming out hot, no reservation required, no ocean in sight.
Ohio hides more of these spots than people realize, spread across small towns and busy highway exits alike. I started keeping a mental list after that night, chasing the same feeling in different parking lots…