By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — The grand-opening celebration was late coming, but hopefully your food won’t be at Donny’s Family Kitchen.
Owners Shaylee Whisman and Kyle Gillen opened the restaurant in mid-May, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, and joined the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, which held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, Aug. 20.
Gillen said their third month of operation just passed and that it’s been a struggle dealing with seating restrictions related to COVID-19.
“Most days have been a loss, either even or a loss,” Gillen said, adding he expected to be slow in the first year but not as slow as he’s been.
“On Fourth of July, I was told the numbers that we should have had and the numbers that we did have were not even close,” he said.
Gillen, 33, said they serve traditional American food.
The breakfast menu includes egg, pancakes, french toast, eggs benedict, creamed chipped beef and omelets, as well as specialty items for children such as Smores and Funfetti pancakes.
For lunch and dinner there is pizza, strombolis, calzones, cheesesteaks and burgers.
“We’re actually getting really well-known for our burgers right now,” Gillen said, noting the restaurant has a bunch of specialty burgers such as the Black n’ Bleu — blackened with bleu cheese crumbles — and the Big Bobby — fried egg, bacon, sharp cheddar and toppings. They also have the Beyond Burger with a plant-based meatless patty.
Donny’s serves sandwiches, hot and cold subs, wraps and salads.
Entrees include spinach and cheese raviolis, chicken tenders parmigiana and a build-your-own Italian cuisine option.
Several items pay homage to Ocean City, such as the Wesley Burger and Asbury Burger, as well as the 7th Street Salad.
Gillen said they bought all of the assets from the Airport Diner, took over its recipes and its cook — Pam Scheeler.
The eatery is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., serving breakfast from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and has both indoor and outdoor dining options, as well as free delivery and take-out.
Gillen said they removed a large front window on about Aug. 17 and are keeping the front door open to allow for inside dining.
“The tables are 6 feet apart and we have to keep the air conditioner running,” Gillen said.
Whisman, 26, of Ocean City, said the restaurant is named for the couple’s son, Dominick, 2, whose nickname Donny honors the memory of a childhood friend of Gillen’s, Donny Hamilton, who died young.
“There was a guy that I went to high school with and everybody remembers him — he was super cool, football star, soccer star — and he died when we were pretty young. I always said when I was a kid that I’m going to make it and get a place and name it after him,” Gillen said. “I wound up naming my son’s nickname after him. He was one of my best friends, the coolest guy.”
The couple also has a daughter, Sonya, 4.
Donny’s Family Kitchen is located at 738 Wesley Ave. on the corner of Eighth Street. Call (609) 391-0009 or visit donnysfamilykitchen.com to place an order.
