Perched along the shore of the Ohio River in the last remaining building from Marietta’s Federalist era. The Levee House has served many purposes since its founding nearly 200 years ago and has been a long-standing member of historical Marietta. Today, the location brings a novel culinary experience to the community: The Levee House Bistro.
Co-owned by the couple Casey and Tom Hickey, The Levee House Bistro is a passion project that has overcome several obstacles to open it’s doors.
Tom, who grew up in Boston, originally moved to Marietta to begin working at the Lafayette Hotel and was resistant to operating his own restaurant. After working for other venues in the area, he finally acquiesced to Casey’s idea to start their own spot.
“I was just a little sneaky. Every time we would pass a building that had a for-sale sign, I’d be like, ‘We could put a restaurant there.’ And I just kept doing it,” Casey says.
The couple took over the riverfront establishment after the building had been vacant for three years. Although the interior was gutted and grimy, the structure for a restaurant was there.
“There was a lot of cleaning and a lot of preparing. The tables and chairs were already here because it was a restaurant, but we had to buy all different equipment,” Casey says.
Tom, who grew up in Boston, originally moved to Marietta to begin working at the Lafayette Hotel and was resistant to operating his own restaurant. After working for other venues in the area, he finally acquiesced to Casey’s idea to start their own spot.
“I was just a little sneaky. Every time we would pass a building that had a for-sale sign, I’d be like, ‘We could put a restaurant there.’ And I just kept doing it,” Casey says.
The couple took over the riverfront establishment after the building had been vacant for three years. Although the interior was gutted and grimy, the structure for a restaurant was there.
“There was a lot of cleaning and a lot of preparing. The tables and chairs were already here because it was a restaurant, but we had to buy all different equipment,” Casey says.
Eventually ready for their soft opening in February of 2021, the Hickeys still had to contend with the COVID-19 pandemic and a missing liquor license. A business bereft of a bar left customers unsatisfied and unwilling to dine at The Levee House Bistro.
“It took us 11 and a half months to get our liquor license because the state lost the stuff they needed,” Tom says.
“We had to tell customers we didn’t have beer, wine, alcohol, and our customers got mad at us.” After The Levee House Bistro acquired its liquor license, it was easier to establish themselves.
Through community involvement and partnerships with other local businesses such as Mid-Ohio Valley Players, The Levee House integrated into Marietta’s civic life to become a local favorite.
That, on top of its innovative menu, has allowed the restaurant to cultivate a steady rotation of regular diners. Tom has years of culinary experience and specializes predominantly in seafood, an influence of his East Coast roots, so a location on the riverfront was ideal.
“Any restaurant we owned, I would have done some sort of seafood,” Tom says. “We’re only right there [the riverfront], it makes perfect sense.”
Indeed, Tom’s creations offer the opportunity to sample food unusual to a Midwestern palette, “He’s brought in fish, and people are like, ‘I’ve never even heard of that,’” Casey says.
Tom consistently experiments and adapts his food, bringing patrons cuisine of all types, not just that from the deep blue sea. Tom offers the people of Marietta a deluxe fare at a reasonable price, including:
- Escargot
- Fig bruschetta
- Duck breast
This sentiment is reflected in their motto: classy but casual.
“What we consider ourselves is a casual restaurant with a little bit of the fine dining aspect. We want people to have the experience of the fine dining type of food, but you can come as you are,” Casey says.
That welcoming attitude is shared by their staff, who treat one another with playful familiarity. “Casey’s the boss of us, but we like to let Chef think he is,” General Manager Joy Delebreau jokes.
That welcoming attitude is shared by their staff, who treat one another with playful familiarity. “Casey’s the boss of us, but we like to let Chef think he is,” General Manager Joy Delebreau jokes.
The warm atmosphere between patrons and staff can heavily be attributed to the couple, whose affection for each other seeps into every corner of their business.
“They’re like newlyweds,” Delebreau says. Devotion to each other and their staff defines the character of hospitality at The Levee House Bistro, a place that takes extra care of its guests.
“When me and Casey opened this restaurant, what I told her my vision was I wanted a neighborhood bistro,” Tom says.
“Some place where you can go have a good conversation, drink some good wine, eat some good food. I just wanted a neighborhood bistro where people from this neighborhood can come here and experience things.”
To anyone who steps through the varnished wooden doors of The Levee House Bistro and takes a seat, it is soon evident that vision has come to fruition.
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