Long Island restaurant reviews: this week's picks

In this week’s Newsday, Peter Gianotti reviews the revamped and retooled Jack Halyards American Bar & Grill in Oyster Bay. Under the assured direction of chef John Brill, “the successor to Fiddleheads, a seafood house, expands the repertoire in this dimly lit stretch of downtown Oyster Bay. Once more, there's life north of Main Street.”

Joan Reminick visits Maxwell’s in Islip, a boisterous pub whose kitchen has its ups (“meltingly good mini Reuben sandwiches,” “must-order” fish tacos “crammed with cubes of seared mahi-mahi, black beans, slaw, a spicy-creamy mayonnaise and just a touch of mango”) and its down (underdressed chopped salad, pre-frozen waffle fries, fried Thai calamari “drenched in a sweet chili glaze .?.?. comes off as sticky squid candy.”