A good basic package would be a Penn 330 with 65# or 80# powerpro line. Use some backing, about 20 yards or so, and you should get 300 yards +/- on the reel. Make sure you fill the spool. Not a fast line retrieve but very functional. Put the reel on a Shakespeare halibut rod - Tidewater BTW SURR 5'6" or 6'. I like the roller tip models. They have the backbone of a decent pool cue which helps with leverage. You should get out of the store for around $275 including line.

I use a Penn 113H. A nice reel, but you need to educate your thumb to put line on evenly. It's just one more thing to think about when bringing in a fish or pulling your gear up. The 330 with level wind is much more forgiving. The plus side is the larger spool size so you get more line with each rotation of the handle. An extended handle can be nice.

The lever drag reels are a nice step up from the star drag.