ST. ALBANS, W.Va. -- Grumpy's seems like a strange name for a riverfront restaurant with plenty of sunny deck and dock space and a bright yellow dining room.

"Our motto is that nobody leaves here grumpy," said Jeremy Casebolt, who owns Grumpy's Waterfront Grille along with seven partners. "We wanted to create a fun, family-friendly atmosphere."

 Grumpy's opened earlier this month in the St. Albans Kanawha River front location that formerly contained Tomahawk's.

Grumpy's menu features smoked pulled pork, chicken, turkey and brisket, all smoked on the premises. Shaved smoked prime rib, roasted red peppers and cheese is stacked on the Philly steak hoagie. The pulled pork comes on the Pig Salad, or on a platter or sandwich with one of three barbecue sauces.

"Fish tacos made with mahi-mahi are a specialty," Casebolt said. "So are the crispy fried shrimp, gourmet burgers and pizzas."

Burgers, salads, sandwiches and wraps round out the lunch menu, and most cost between $6 and $9.

Grilled rib-eye steaks and flat iron steaks head the entrée menu, accompanied by platters of smoked chicken or pulled pork, pastas, smothered chicken and a tropical grilled mahi-mahi served over a grilled pineapple slide. Entrée prices range from $10 to $18.

Chefs Ryan McCoy, Manny Froehlic and Matthew Grover developed the menu.

"The feedback we've heard is that we have the best food on the river," Casebolt said.

Grumpy's served about 800 customers the first weekend it opened, leaving servers scrambling to fill customers' orders. "We want to thank everyone for their patience and understanding. I think we have fixed that," Casebolt said.

A newly constructed wall divides the dining room from the full-service bar. The windows on the wall facing the river were previously covered in plastic. The owners installed new windows that provide a clear view of the deck and river below.

Diners dress casually indoors and out, especially if they're hopping off a boat they've tied to the dock. Shirts are required. Live entertainers perform on the deck.

Casebolt and his partners are longtime Cross Lanes friends and boaters who opened Grumpy's based on their idea of the kind of place where they'd like to hang out. Two of the partners are pharmaceuticals representatives. Several others work for Frontier. One is a physician. All have full-time jobs. The partners are Jody Franco, Patrick Dunn, Brian and Robin Evans, Larry and Robin Menninger and Dr. John Lilly.

Casebolt, who is a pharmaceutical representative, owns the Red Line Diner and Bon Appetite Catering in St. Albans.

"This place wasn't known for its food and family atmosphere before," Casebolt said. "We want to make it safe and inviting for everyone. Everyone's welcome. I'm a boater and biker myself."

Grumpy's Waterfront Grille, 5930 MacCorkle Ave., is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Call 304-766-8800 or visit on Facebook.

Reach Julie Robinson at jul...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1230.