Long Island restaurants on the water

On Long Island, there is no shortage of restaurants that take to waterside decks and patios for picturesque summer dining.

Pair a view of the ocean, bay or beach with fresh seafood, sushi rolls, New American fare and more for an afternoon or evening that will feel like an escape from the cares of the day. And often, these hot spots will round out weeknights and weekends with live music and seasonal events.

From casual to fine dining, any of these may have just the table for you.

RIGHT ON THE BEACH

Five Ocean

5 New York Ave., Long Beach

There are restaurants with water views, and then there is Five Ocean Bar & Grill, there the patio is built on the sands of Long Beach. Chef-owner Craig Attwood made a name for himself at fine-dining establishments such as Jedediah Hawkins Inn in Jamesport and East Hampton Point. In Long Beach, he is keeping it casual with local fish tacos, steamed littleneck clams and a bang-up buttermilk fried chicken with lime-chili sauce and jicama-cabbage slaw. More info: 516-517-2828, fiveoceanlongbeach.com

The Boat Yard at Tobay Beach

1 Ocean Pkwy., Massapequa

An outdoor food hall on Tobay’s tranquil bay, The Boat Yard comprises five order-at-the-counter kiosks that cover a few continents' worth of menu items. Hit up the Dockside Grill kiosk for burgers and sandwiches; a few feet to the right, Bonanno’s Gourmet Pizza & Calzones serves personal pies and calzones. There’s Mexican street food at La Playa Taco Bar, seafood at Rudy’s Raw Bar & Chowder, and salads and bowls at Bayside Salad & Bowls. The Boat Yard's neighbor, Surf Shack, is a slightly more formal restaurant, though flip-flops are always welcome. More info: 516-324-8474, theboatyardny.com 

Bodhi’s Beach Shack

1 Corey Ave., Blue Point

A legendary level of popularity clings to Aunt Fran’s baked clams at this colorful no-frills spot, colorful as in the fleet of Adirondack chairs lined up from bar to ocean, and the many deck-bound stools at this charming and coziest of beach spots. Expect further color from the patrons at the bar itself, which is festooned with an adult swing set that draws committed devotees of Montauk Wave Chaser IPA and host of tropically potent cocktails. More info: bodhisbeachshackny.com

Catcher’s Fish House

301 Woodcleft Ave., Freeport

Among the Nautical Mile’s newest arrivals is this attractive. Yes, it’s clearly haunted by the grillwork and Bourbon St. vibe of restaurants past, but the place has been spiffed up otherwise. Its burgers and chowders are a hit, as are the outdoor tableclothed seating, each worthy of a Venetian canal, not to mention a Woodcleft one. More info: 516-600-9698

Flynn’s Fire Island

1 Cayuga St., Ocean Bay Park

You go for the rocket fuel — the celebrated amaretto colada that locals insist was invented on-site — but stay for dancing on the deck at this beloved stalwart, a staple of dining and carousing since 1937. And speaking of dining, don’t overlook house specialties like the baked clams, chowders and a bevy of seafood options, all best enjoyed from perfect tables overlooking Great South Bay. More info: 631-583-5000, flynnsfireislandny.com

John Scott’s Surf Shack

540 Dune Rd., Westhampton Beach

“Where debris meets the sea” is the motto of this irresistible hangout for locals or anyone else drawn to stuffed quahogs with drawn butter, ginormous plates of nachos, John Daly cocktails (vodka+lemonade), worldwise bartenders just back from Panama, and more. The back patio is nothing short of glorious, just the spot for watching the sun melt into Moriches Bay. More info: 631-288-5810, johnscottssurfshack.com

La Plage

131 Creek Rd., Wading River

La Plage (" the beach" in French), which sits steps away from the town beach, is a weathered low-slung structure with canopied tables spilling out from the dining room. Chef Wayne Wadington has owned it since it opened in 1996, and he has settled into a cooking style that blends high and low. One of his most popular items is the rigatoni, which on the one hand is essentially pasta and tomato sauce but on the other, involves sun-dried tomatoes, manchego cheese, shrimp and a final flambé. Other can’t-take-off-the-menu items include a green-apple salad with blue cheese, walnuts and mâche composed with care and dressed with a sherry vinaigrette, as well as house-smoked beef "carpaccio" and duck confit on fresh chive risotto. More info: 631-744-9200, laplagewadingriver.com

Maliblue

1500 Lido Blvd., Lido Beach

The raw bar is an elemental part of this summer spot, but it also serves a lot of steamers, lobster tacos, lobster rolls, baked clams oreganata and pan-seared branzino to balance the burgers, po'boys and chicken-Caesar salad wraps. The umbrellas unfurl in front of the sleek, contemporary restaurant when it opens for the season Memorial Day weekend. More info: 516-442-2799, maliblueoysterbar.com 

Navy Beach

16 Navy Rd., Montauk

Splashed across a 200-foot stretch of private beach overlooking Fort Pond Bay, the perennial East End favorite offers an eclectic menu that ranges from salmon tartare to seared sea scallops. Don’t miss the fried chicken. Enjoy all of this — plus a huge selection of rosé wines — while seated at a picnic table with your toes in the sand. More info: 631-668-6868, navybeach.com/montauk 

Ocean Restaurant at Crescent Beach Club

333 Bayville Ave., Bayville

Aruba has come to Bayville. The longtime catering hall's on-site restaurant, Ocean, is one of the rare places on Long Island where you can eat with your toes in the sand. Last season's menu included mahi-mahi tacos, lobster rolls and linguine with seafood in lobster cream sauce. More info: 516-628-3330, cometotheocean.com 

On the Docks

177 Meeting House Creek Rd., Aquebogue

The perpetually packed bar may be the spiritual home of lotto-playing locals looking to catch up on area gossip, but it’s the dining room that most deserves your attention. There, a certain serenity exists consistent with views of Lighthouse Marina and Meeting House Creek, one best enjoyed with a pile of Blue Point oysters on ice. More info: 631-886-1160, onthedocksgrill.com

Tiki Joe's Cedar Beach

223 Harbor Beach Rd., Mount Sinai

Right on the sand, this lively covered bar and waterside grill attracts a rainbow of humanity, from young families and day-trippers to couples on first dates, bikers and seemingly professional beer drinkers. You can belly up to the four-sided bar in a tankini to holler your order across live music or take a table on the relatively placid patio for the usual beach fare of cheeseburgers, fish and chips, baked clams and poke bowls. More info: 631-743-9410

Walls Wharf

18 Greenwich Ave., Bayville

Modest charm rules the day at this tiny but lively eatery with tables on the pebbly sand. The staff is enthusiastic and the menu packs some surprises, too: Bacon boosts the shrimp po’boys, horseradish truffle sauce boosts the salmon, fennel pollen boosts the cioppino — and everything gets a boost from Wall’s matchless North Shore sunsets. More info: 516-628-9696, wallswharf.com

CASUAL WATERSIDE EATS

Baja Boathouse

31 Baker Place, Patchogue

A Latin-influenced cantina has taken over the Off Key Tikki space on Patchogue’s waterfront. The three-acre meeting spot is anchored by a marina, multilevel indoor-outdoor dining, a sandy lounge, and multiple bars. Although the location has always been prime for summer imbibing, the focus will now be “on the food as much as the drinks," owner Lenny Oliva said. The limited menu — with plans for a larger one, including BBQ and brick oven pizza — is big on Latin staples from a tuna ceviche ($20) to panko-fried shrimp with pineapple cubes and lime crema ($17), to a stuffed Cubano ($17). Try the pineapple wasabi burger topped with Swiss cheese ($16) — a surprisingly great flavor combination — or opt for tacos ($13-15), which round out the menu. Daily live music and drink specials abound, while the weekend brings bottomless brunch. More info: 631-475-1723, bajaboathouse.com

Gilgo Beach Inn

4104 Gilgo Beach

Squint at the Gilgo Beach Inn to obscure the cellphones and you could be looking at a scene from any one of the institution's past eight decades. Gilgo occupies the narrow midpoint of the barrier island that extends from Jones Beach to Captree State Park. The 1,200-square-foot structure, facing the bay but just an underpass away from the ocean, functions as a snack bar, a community center, a relic and, ultimately, a living museum of itself. The menu still fits easily on one of those old-fashioned white boards with black press-on letters: 11 grill items and the same number of frozen sweets, plus beach cocktails and beers. More info: 631-826-3339, gilgoinn.com 

Clam Bar at Bridge Marine

40 Ludlam Ave., Bayville

Just across the bridge from Oyster Bay to Bayville, and tucked into a marina on West Harbor, is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it area of covered tables, plus an outdoor bar and busy kitchen turning out clam chowder, burgers and more. Many visitors boat in and tie up to the Clam Bar’s 160-foot-long floating dock for some of the freshest clams around, dug right from the nearby harbor and ordered at the counter. More info: 516-628-8688, bridge-marina.com/the-clam-bar 

Claudio’s

111 Main St., Greenport

There’s nothing more satisfying than an evening spent at this stalwart’s racetrack-sized oblong bar perched on the edge of Greenport Harbor, but seats can still be hard to come by. There are tables, too, of course, but this branch of the Claudio’s conglomerate is best appreciated while eavesdropping on bar talk and quaffing a dockside lemonade, a cocktail of dependable potency and even a little subtlety despite the unassuming name. Plates of littleneck clams on the half shell and North Fork oysters have a winning straight-from-the-ocean brine. Steamed clams arrive in a cobalt blue pot, bathed in garlic and white wine. Still, it’s the people — the heady mix of locals, tourists and a seemingly endless string of bachelorette party celebrants — that keep this place fun, interesting and full of life. More info: 631-477-0627, claudios.com 

Butler's Flat

86 Orchard Beach Blvd., Port Washington

Named after a lighthouse in New Bedford, Massachusetts, this New England-style clam shack in Brewer Capri Marina West has a sweeping view of Manhasset Bay. Highlights include clam chowder, stuffed quahogs, lobster rolls, crab rolls, shrimp rolls and snack bar favorites like hot dogs and grilled cheese. Craft beer and wine, too. More info: 516-883-8330, butlersflat.com 

Kingston’s Clam Bar

130 Atlantic Ave., West Sayville

At this waterside clam shack, which shares a terminus with the West Sayville Boat Basin, a deck runs the length of the dining room and umbrella-topped tables look out over bobbing boats. You can start with a half-dozen clams on the half shell, then move onto lobster rolls, a seafood platter or the fried-flounder Reuben. More info: 631-589-0888, kingstonsclam.com 

Laura's BBQ

76 Shore Rd., Glen Cove

Located in a marina alongside Glen Cove Creek, this waterside barbecue spot turns out a memorable menu of Texas-style brisket, pulled pork, barbecued chicken, collard greens, mac-and-cheese and more. More info: 516-715-1500, lauras-bbq.com

Lazy Lobster 

10 Front St., East Rockaway

It’s a rollicking scene at this self-described "lobster beer garden" along the East Rockaway waterfront. Wash down the excellent lobster rolls (and tacos, nachos and sandwiches) with a Lazy Lobster frosé or Grandpa Marco’s secret family recipe for sangria. More info: 516-837-8484, lazylobsterny.com

Little Creek Oyster Farm & Market

37 Front St., Greenport

Just a stone’s throw from the harbor, this decade-old friendly establishment is a love letter to the North Fork’s favorite mollusk, thanks to owner Ian Wile’s carefully curated, constantly-changing selection of local oysters. Snag any seat that’s free and pencil in a list to the kitchen, but don’t neglect the eatery’s smoked fish dips, shrimp and crab rolls. Wash it all down with the house G & T with cracked pepper. More info: 631-477-6992, littlecreekoysters.com

 Nicky's on the Bay

150 S. Clinton Ave., Bay Shore

Serving up salt air, sea vistas and sunsets is Nicky's on the Bay, a picture postcard of a seafood restaurant. In temperate weather, you'll want to sit on the outdoor deck, equipped with a canopied area at center. And before or after dinner, head up the stairs for drinks on the second level, where there's often live music. If you time it right, gorgeous sunsets, too. More info: 631-206-3311, nickysonthebay.com 

Toomey's Tavern

251 S. Ketcham Ave., Amityville

There are few written roadside signs to direct you from Merrick Road to Toomey’s Tavern — you just sort of need to know about the place. By day, old-timers cluster along its relic-strewn bar, bottles of Bud in hand, swapping stories or drinking in silence before the younger crowd arrives. Outside, on the canal, rows of picnic tables and a gazebo with fishing nets strung underneath its eaves lend an uber-chill ambience. Tropical-hued libations — a rum punch or a Toomey’s Explosion, which is turquoise in color — pack a wallop. Boaters drift up to the dock and tie onto the pastel pylons, ready for wings, sliders and baked clams. There’s spotty cell service, ice-cold beer and a buttery, satisfying clam chowder. More info: 631-264-0564, toomeystavernamityville.com

Peter's Clam Bar

600 Long Beach Rd., Island Park

Almost every table has a view and a breeze at Peter’s, from the roadside high-tops to the seats on the expansive patio along Barnum Inlet. Peter’s has been serving seafood, raw and cooked, since 1939 — as its look suggests — and the requisite fresh littlenecks, cherrystones and oysters all populate the raw bar. For a more substantial summertime snack, choose from king crab legs, lobster tacos, lobster rolls or a haul of fried seafood, from flounder (served as fish and chips) to fried shrimp and scallops. More info: 516-432-0505, petersclamhouse.com

Salt

3100 Whaleneck Dr., Merrick

Salt takes reservations for outdoor dining only, and an hour or two wait builds up on weekends. But it's worth sticking it out if you head past the host stand to the lounge area on the deck. The couch seating is remarkably low key and pretty quiet. For dinner, a table is an oasis, with plenty of elbow room and terrific bay views. Dine on casual eats like calamari, octopus small plates, lobster rolls or burgers. More info: 516-442-7470, saltonthewater.com

Turkuaz Grill

40 McDermott Ave., Riverhead

A skipping-stone’s throw from the boardwalk of Peconic Riverfront Park, this Turkish restaurant offers great food, views and even bird-watching. Dig into a vibrant shepherd's salad, an assortment of meze (small plates), housemade gyro and juicy kebabs. More info: 631-591-1757, turkuazgrillriverhead.com

Point Lookout Clam Bar

99 Bayside Dr., Point Lookout

A left turn at the end of the Loop Parkway delivers you into sleepy Point Lookout, and a few more turns along Reynold’s Channel to this spot, where the catchphrase is "from our ships to your lips." True to the motto, you can sometimes watch boats tie up to the dock to unload a fresh haul. Clams on the half shell, crisp clam strips, shrimp cocktail, chowders, salad and a lobster roll — they’re all here, served at umbrella-covered tables with relaxing water views. Take some to go from the fish market, too. More info: 516-897-4024, pointlookoutclambar.com

Whale's Tale

81 Fort Salonga Rd., Northport

Eat on the deck within view of both the yacht club pool and boatyard at tables shaded by umbrellas and awnings. Raw-bar items, wings, tacos, burgers, salads and the like comprise the menu. More info: 631-651-8844, thewhalestalenorthport.com 

WATERSIDE FINE DINING

A Lure

62300 Main Rd., Southold

A self-described "chowder house and oyster-ia," A Lure boasts an immense deck overlooking Port of Egypt Marina and Peconic Bay. Executive chef Tom Schaudel tours the world of seafood with crabcakes with tomato rémoulade, Baja-style fish tacos, macadamia-coconut-crusted flounder, pan-roasted salmon and plenty of classic steamed and raw dishes, too, plus an extensive wine list with many North Fork selections. More info: 631-876-5300, alurenorthfork.com

Anchor Down Dockside

2479 Adler Ct., Seaford

Stephen Rosenbluth’s laid-back canal-side restauranthas a fish-centric menu that blends New American and global influences with classics such as baked/fried/raw clams, fish and chips, blackened swordfish, sesame-crusted tuna and lobster rolls — plus a few steaks, chops and burgers. The menu is very similar to that of Rosenbluth’s original Anchor Down, still trucking on the water in Merrick. More info: 516-785-2390, anchordowndockside.com 

The Beacon

8 West Water St., Sag Harbor

Celebrating their 25th season, this fine-dining mainstay gazes out over Sag Harbor Cover Yacht Club and Sag Harbor Bay beyond, and offers diners an incredible sunset to pair with a glass of wine and the New American fare that comes from its kitchen. Starters range from tuna tartare to mussels to pork belly pretzel buns with hoisin and a kohlrabi slaw, while entrees like roasted chicken with smoked bacon risotto and a pork Milanese offset seafood options including lobster rigatoni, a sesame crusted tuna with soba noodles, halibut baked in parchment with sundried tomatoes and a loaded bouillabaisse in tomato-saffron broth. Tip: If they’re featuring soft shell crabs as a special, get them. More info: 631-725-7088, beaconsagharbor.com

Dockers Waterside

94 Dune Rd., East Quogue

Coaxing half dollars of peach-pink splendor from umpteen littlenecks to the accompaniment of color-matching Spicy Summer Fling cocktails (tequila, jalapeño, watermelon juice) or blood orange margaritas is a rite of passage at this large and beautiful seafood haunt. Expect miso-glazed cod, mussels in a crazy prosecco butter sauce, and matchless views of Shinnecock Canal. More info: 631-653-0653, dockerswaterside.com

EHP Resort & Marina

295 Three Mile Harbor Hog Creek Rd., East Hampton

Made up of dining destinations Si Si, a Mediterranean bistro, and Sunset Harbor, newly imagined with a Japanese concept and sushi-driven menu, as well as Buongiorno Bakery, an Italian bakery and espresso bar that opens at 7 a.m. daily for takeaway, this lush, renovated hotel property is a mecca for food lovers who love a waterfront perch. The menu at Sunset Harbor, where sunsets overlooking the serene and picturesque Three Mile Harbor reign supreme, includes items like toro sashimi paired with house kimchi, miso black cod and Japanese A5 wagyu. Whereas at Sí Sí, a dramatic, multi-level open-air restaurant on the same waterfront, features the delicacies of Italy, Greece, Spain and Morocco, including regional specialties like za’atar roasted cauliflower, a lamb burger, seafood and vegetarian frito misto, and a mezze platter. More info: ehpresort.com

Felice

1382 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn

With prime real estate on Roslyn Pond, this offshoot of Manhattan’s trendiest Italian restaurant chain is a bustling, lively spot with serene water views. Open for brunch on weekends and dinner weekdays, this popular eatery offers Tuscan-style dining accompanied by wines – Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Rosato -- grown on Italian vineyard, Fattoria Sardi. Feast like you’re in the Italian countryside on charcuterie plates heaped with salumi, prosciutto, and imported cheeses, ricotta or chicken liver topped crostini, fried baby artichokes and calamari, truffled pizzetta and polpettine, or veal meatballs. A selection of house made pastas, including spinach ravioli in brown butter and sage, a fusilli with San Marzano tomatoes and burrata, and addictive lasagna with a veal ragú are staples. Chicken Milanese, a 12-ounce sliced sirloin, and branzino offset the carbs. More info: 516-933-5432, felicerestaurants.com

The LakeHouse

135 Maple Ave., Bay Shore

A well-appointed deck at the water's edge offers a view of the Fire Island ferries chugging across the Great South Bay. Order from the regular menu of innovative New American dishes, or a bar menu composed of crowd-pleasers like burgers and steamed mussels. More info: 631-666-0995, thelakehouserest.com

Louie's Grill & Liquors

395 Main St., Port Washington

The name changes slightly and chefs come and go, now steering Louie’s in a slightly Asian direction, now toward New American. What doesn’t change is a lineup of seafood classics — chowder, raw bar, fried calamari, baked clams, crabcakes, fish and chips, lobsters and lobster rolls. You’ll also find steaks and unparalleled views of Manhasset Bay, especially at sunset. More info: 516-883-4242, louiessince1905.com

Mill Pond House

437 E. Main St., Centerport

There’s been an eatery in this historic structure for at least 70 years; it was 2003 when Dean Philippis purchased the old Mill Pond Inn, upgrading the restaurant to match the stunningly serene location on the southern edge of Mill Pond. The menu contains multitudes — steaks and chops, Italian pastas and Parms, New American, classic and fusion seafood, continental classics (like duck a l’orange), sushi and even caviar service. Lunch is more casual, with hearty fare such as "The King" Dino's Steak Sandwich, with sirloin, sauteed onions, mushrooms and mozzarella on a toasted buttered hero. More info: 631-261-7663, millpondrestaurant.com

Nikkei of Peru

55 Shore Rd., Port Washington

Sushi bars with outdoor seating are a rarity on Long Island. Nikkei of Peru goes above and beyond with Peruvian-influenced Japanese cuisine and a stunning view of Manhasset Bay. (Try to snag a seat facing the bay to witness one of the Island's loveliest sunsets.) Chef-partner Hermanto Jong sharpened his knives and skills during a decade at Nobu 57 in Manhattan, so consider forgoing the typical California roll for the chef's signature creations. More info: 516-439-4201, nikkeiofperu.com

Nino’s Beach

43 Orchard Beach Blvd., Port Washington

Safe Harbor Capri East, the marina overlooking Manhasset Bay has hosted a series of outdoor restaurants over the past half century, none of them lasting more than a few summers, but the latest incarnation, Nino’s Beach, looks to have staying power. Owners and brothers Franco and Michael Vendome gutted the facility and installed a sparkling venue — in tones of stone, alabaster, marble and brass — that boasts two dining rooms, a bar, an oyster bar and, of course, a deck overlooking the water. The Mediterranean menu is serious, too, featuring homemade pastas; artisanal pizzas; starters such as hamachi crudo with pickled rhubarb or grilled Portuguese octopus with squash puree and green mango. Mains include a 14-ounce New York strip, double-cut pork chops and seared yellowfin tuna. More info: 516-502-0441, ninosbeach.com

Trumpets on the Bay 

58 S. Bay Ave., Eastport

Diners at the two-dozen tables on the porch enjoy one of the most dramatic views on Long Island. Bordered by marsh, the restaurant is at the tip of one of the fingers of Moriches Bay. The restaurant offers everything from jumbo shrimp cocktail to pan-seared salmon. More info: 631-325-2900, trumpetsonthebay.com

Prime: An American Kitchen and Bar

117 New York Ave., Huntington

Huntington’s waterfront is largely inaccessible; Prime is the luxurious exception. Come by car or by boat (slips available) for some of Long Island’s most acclaimed cooking, with steaks, sushi, raw bar and New American dishes. More info: 631-385-1515, restaurantprime.com

View

3 Consuelo Place, Oakdale

In fine weather, the capacious dining room spills out onto an equally ample waterfront patio at the mouth of the Connetquot River, with a panoramic view of the Great South Bay beyond. The restaurant could not be more aptly named, and Bill Muzio’s kitchen looks out to the sea as well with a globe-trotting menu featuring a raw bar, crispy Thai calamari, crabcakes and more. Manager Joe Scalice’s extensive wine list is full of treasures, many of which can be ordered by the glass. More info: 631-589-2694, viewoakdale.com