Fresh seafood the specialty at Geneva's Big Fish Grille

There's comfort in knowing — even when it's cold outside and a vacation to the coast is but a dream — fresh catches can be had close to home. Such is the case at Big Fish Grille, a flagstone and wood-trimmed seafood spot outfitted with a raw bar, hopping bar scene and live entertainment. Poised for date nights as well as family gatherings, it's a welcome addition with enough familiarity (and nautical trappings) to sate even the stodgiest diner.

We settled into our clubby leather booth, appreciating the fact that the fish — including mahi, jumbo stone crab claws and red snapper from Florida — is flown in daily. We began with the messy, plump Cajun grilled shrimp, served in peel-and-eat fashion. Offering just enough heat, they're an interactive, and fairly affordable, way to begin. We enjoyed the bracing tuna tartare even more. It was teamed with pickled cucumbers, wasabi vinaigrette and a generous blast of lime.

Other starters include the lump crab cakes, oysters Rockefeller and flash-fried calamari. For a slightly different spin, however, you might go with the “angry” Prince Edward Island mussels bathed in a white wine sauced flecked with bacon, red chilies, scallions and herbs or the creamy Fontina polenta with portobello mushrooms and white truffle oil.

We, on the other hand, chose a small sampler platter of fresh-shucked oysters, which included Sunset Beach from Washington, Blue Point from Long Island Sound and Wellfleet, which hail from Cape Cod. Briny and fresh, they're a smart choice for the casual slurper and aficionado alike.

Soups and salads range from gumbo and clam chowder to a Caesar topped with shards of Parmesan and grilled shrimp to a loaded wedge with bacon and blue cheese crumbles.

Non-fish eaters and bargain hunters will find much to like in the sandwiches, from a Dagwood crammed with shaved pastrami, Swiss cheese, spicy Thousand Island dressing and slaw on a pretzel roll to a Cuban-inspired panini with pulled pork, slivers of Virginia ham, dill pickles and mustard on griddled ciabatta. But seafarers shouldn't ignore this section either; the salmon BLT or the fish tacos are tempting enough.

When you're craving a fish fry (and we, in fact, were), the flaky, moist Lagunitas IPA battered cod with Old Bay fries is tough to beat. Veering in a different direction, we also tried the Thai red curry scallops with green beans, basil and sweet red peppers. The coconut base was appropriately silky; it just lacked punch, leaving us wishing we'd gone for the jumbo shrimp and cheesy grits dotted with bacon instead.

There's also cioppino bursting with mussels, clams, crab, shrimp and fish in garlicky tomato-wine broth; Greek-esque shrimp and feta rigatoni; and chicken topped with lump crab stuffing, aged cheddar and hollandaise, which gets baked until bubbly.

Carnivores can get their fill, too, by way of an Australian Wagyu strip steak topped with maitre d'hotel butter and a 22-ounce porterhouse served with sauteed portobello mushrooms. There's braised New Zealand lamb shank and a center-cut Cajun pork chop as well. Meaty mains come with a choice of red beans and rice, garlic mashed potatoes or — at dinner — a baked potato. Meanwhile, a la carte sides include roasted asparagus with hollandaise, a baked sweet potato and soft polenta.

For dessert, we went with the seasonal cheesecake (pumpkin), which nicely balanced sweet and tang without being too heavy. On the other hand, the chocolate cake — which gets points for being moist and gooey — was enough to weigh us down.

Those who dine during lunch will appreciate the reduced prices on many entrees as well as the fact that there's a design-your-own pasta bar that includes gluten-free options. Other boons include live music on Fridays and occasional wine dinners.

The friendly staff and family-friendly setting ensures dining here is a welcoming experience.

<b>Big Fish Grille</b>

1602 Commons Drive, Geneva, (630) 232-2222, bigfishgrille.net

Cuisine: Seafood

Setting: Clubby and casual with nautical details

Entrees: $8 to $33

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday