Grab & Go: Delicious Barbecue on the Beach in Ludington

Photo by Dave Weidner

Head out on a Grab & Go adventure in Ludington! Stop by this barbecue spot for a winner chicken dinner and take your to-go goods to this favorite local beach.

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Grab: Cluck Bucket

Food truck: 88 S. Pere Marquette Hwy., Ludington // The Port: 222 W. Ludington Ave., Ludington // Cluck Bucket Website

When life handed Sheri Eaton a big ol’ bucket of lemons, she made pitchers of lemonade. In 2018, her husband, Derek, had emergency open-heart surgery to save his life after suffering an aortic dissection. He spent a week afterward in a medically induced coma. On Christmas Eve, the family of nine witnessed a miracle. Derek came home. The road to recovery would be a long one though, and doctors told Derek his career in construction was over.

RS80930_20230504-76405-lpr — Photo by Dave Weidner

Just a Snack: Snag a freshly made Cluck Bucket pretzel at The Port. “Best pretzel ever” has been uttered many a time, but you go ahead and decide for yourself.

Cue the lemonade. Sheri rolled up her sleeves and started cooking. The family purchased a food truck and a grill, serving barbecued chicken piled high on sandwiches, nachos and mac ’n’ cheese, along with classic sides like creamy slaw and cornbread. A favorite: The Cluck & Pits. Pit-tatoes (roasted on the grill over charcoal) are layered with pulled chicken, cheese, sour cream and Sheri’s homemade BBQ sauce. And about that lemonade: Try it in a sunburst float with Sprite and a scoop of ice cream.

Turns out, Ludington had a hankering for juicy barbecued chicken, and the Eatons opened a second location last June at The Port, a destination marketplace home to several local-gem boutiques and eateries.