84 Best Restaurants in Long Island, New York

This is as real as Montauk gets: a weathered old sea captain having lunch at the bar, fishermen stopping in for an afternoon pint or quick bite, and locals sharing a laugh with friends any time of the day. Here, tucked away on a side street close to Gosman's Dock yet a world apart, the beer is cold and the food is good and as down to earth as the folks who hang out here. Weird and wacky tchotchkes and seafaring-related antiques festoon the rustic wood walls and ceiling.

Outsiders are welcomed but should be aware of the "list," including: no checks, no cell phones, no strollers or screaming kids, no whining, wimps, or chickenhawks. Stick with these rules, and you'll be just fine.

People stop in at this upscale, yet casual and lively, waterfront restaurant on their way home from the beach just across the road or after kayaking or paddleboarding right off their dock. Appetizers include sushi and sashimi appetizer, duck egg roll, lobster mac-and-cheese; aged steak, clambake platter, or lobster are always popular entrees. The large deck overlooking the bay has good sunset views. At night the bar scene attracts a mixed crowd, with three bars, outdoor living-room areas with lots of comfortable seating, and live music several nights a week throughout the summer.

On the first warm day of the season, locals flock to the umbrella-shaded patio tables of this casual spot next to the American Legion Hall. Have a bowl of steamers and watch the boats head into the marina. Traditional seafood favorites such as seared scallops and fried oysters share the menu with paella and chicken pot pie. Inside are two simple dining rooms and a small bar.

The eponymous burger—smothered with a variety of cheeses, sauteed onion, and secret sauce—has quickly made this relative newcomer to Sayville's Main Street a part of the landscape and a favorite among locals looking for good, unfussy fare in a lively environment. Outdoor dining is available, and live music is offered several nights a week year-round. Selections include a half-rack of babyback ribs and classic mac and cheese. Even if you're not vegetarian or a health nut, try the delicious veggie burger, packed with spinach and sweet potato.

Locals treasure this as their secret spot—a simple roadside restaurant housed in a little red house that serves good breakfasts and lunch, as well as fresh, creative American dinner fare. People rave about the blueberry pancakes and chorizo hash. Crab cakes and chicken quesadillas are popular with the lunch crowd, and vegetables and salads couldn't get any fresher—they come from their own garden out back. A three-course prix-fixe dinner is offered for $29. If you want to make a reservation, call between 2 and 3:30.

Steamers, mussels, and fresh fish are the mainstays at this casual, nautical-theme restaurant overlooking the bay, and the big waterside deck, shaded by a tent canopy, is a great spot on a sunny day. Steaks, chops, and chicken are also on the menu, joined by salads and panini at lunchtime. The wine list features local and international selections, with 25 available by the glass. Great for family dining, there is always a lively bar and live music scene as well.

With dark-wood furniture, wood beam ceilings, and Yankees memorabilia on almost every wall, this one of the few true old-school neighborhood sports-themed bar and grills you'll find hereabouts. It's all very un-Hamptons. Established in 1980, it probably hasn't changed much since then, and the locals like it that way. There's no cocktail menu, no local wines, and if you ask what type of beer they have, they'll simply says "cold." But if you like steak, you'll love the 16-oz porterhouse marinated in Budweiser and ketchup; corn fritters are served with a zesty, creamy horseradish sauce; and if you just want a chili dog, you can get one here. The prices are also very un-Hamptons, and it's open year-round.

Part restaurant, part postwork social pub, Finn's has the feel of an Irish tavern, with lots of wood and a noise level that rises as the evening wears on. In addition to a large selection of domestic and imported beers, the pub serves hearty homemade stews and sandwiches.

This modern restaurant is a little piece of Manhattan in Greenport. North Fork sophisticates come for the small, lively bar and contemporary fare, such as Oysters Friskafella with garlic-scented spinach and chipotle. Diners can splurge on the $48, 45-day dry-aged rib-eye steak frites. It's also a popular spot for unique cocktails made with premium liquor. The restaurant does not accommodate children younger than 6.

Entrées are inspired by Tuscan, Sardinian, and Sicilian cooking, and the wine list is similarly inclusive. Try the branzini (Mediterranean sea bass), which is roasted whole and then filleted at your table. You can dine on the porch overlooking the village, or sit at a candlelit table inside, where you'll be surrounded by photographs of Europe and serenaded by live jazz bands on Tuesday through Sunday nights.

The glass-enclosed dining room of this cozy restaurant affords stunning views of sunsets on Fort Pond, and the menu is inspired by local fresh seafood and homegrown produce. You might start with calamari salad with red pepper vinaigrette, then try the swordfish picatta with sautéed spinach, capers, olives, and cherry tomatoes, or the pork tenderloin with apricot-apple chutney with watercress pine-nut salad and Spanish prosciutto. With family-style service and often a buzzing crowd of return customers, there's a nice vibe about the place—and entrées are huge.

Ask a local about the best places to eat in Ocean Beach, and more than likely this casual waterside eatery will be on the list, and the views are spectacular, whether you eat on the deck or inside. The food, predominently seafood, is American with contemporary touches. Baked monkfish is prepared with thick-cut bacon and fingerling potatoes; paella is packed with fresh fish, shrimp, clams, and mussels; and mussels with frites comes in so many flavors it's hard to decide. The menu also includes duck, pan-roasted chicken, and a 16-oz porterhouse steak. The earlier you come, the more mellow the crowd.

Chianti bottles hang from the ceiling over tables draped in red-and-white-check cloths in the three rooms of this cozy and slightly kitschy family-friendly restaurant. Consistently good cooking and service make it a year-round favorite. Don't miss the garlic knots and the ravioli, made in-house.

The scenery surrounding the waterside tables at the Inlet Café and sushi bar is so mesmerizing that you may forget to bite into the sushi or succulent local lobster on your plate. There are four Gosman's eating establishments on the dock; this one serves fresh seafood right off the boat.

There is much debate over where you can get the best Rocket Fuel (a Fire Island specialty–piña colada with amaretto and a 151 rum floater), but many say it's here. You can also get fresh seafood, steaks, and some really good meatballs while dining bayside (the clam bake is tasty and a good value, but nothing to write home about). Serving the community for about a quarter-century, this place is an institution. There's a fun bar crowd at night.

Upscale yet reasonably priced, Jewel, by Long Island's renowned chef-restaurateur

Tom Schaudel, is sophisticated with a touch of whimsy, with its multitude of glass-ball chandeliers. The service is attentive and professional. The beet salad impresses and is a perfect starter to the millionaire's pizza with black truffle, fontina cheese, and fried egg. The salmon with thick "forbidden" coconut rice with mango vinaigrette is a stunner.

Great steaks are the draw at this elegantly upbeat restaurant, and though a meal here doesn't come cheap, fans return for the perfectly prepared food and impeccable service, starting with valet parking that rivals that of New York City's best steakhouse. Favorite main dishes include Black Angus rib eye paired with sautéed spinach and a potato pancake, and Lobster Jimmy (pan-sautéed lobster with lemon, butter, and garlic). For poultry fans, the Tuscan chicken is a flavorful choice. Dessert options include chocolate mousse, peach melba, or crème brûlée. The restaurant is about a five-minute drive from Long Beach.

If you plan to share, be prepared for an $8 sharing charge.

Waiters in tuxedos serve simple dishes such as broiled fish at this seafood restaurant with fireplaces and paintings of old Roslyn. Children get their own menu.

A harpist plays on Monday evenings at this elegant French restaurant a few miles east of Great Neck. Try the duck à l'orange or rack of lamb with a mustard-and-bread-crumb crust, paired with one of the more than 150 selections from the wine list. A prix-fixe dinner for $39 is offered on Sunday. Reservations are essential on Saturday.

For four decades this has been the place to go for its classic Italian "red-sauce" and pizza Italian menu, huge, family-style portions, and reasonable prices. Spaghetti celestino (with tomato-cream sauce) and prosciutto with tomato and basil are favorites. Be prepared for a wait on summer weekends. Take-out and deliveries are available.

From the outside it doesn't look like much—a few tables on an outdoor porch across from the ferry terminal with a nice bay view—but inside, it's all beachy chic, with turquoise and sand-colored glass tile accents and Fire Island–themed artwork. The food is contemporary and eclectic. Duck lettuce wraps with cranberry aioli have a barbecue zing with an Asian flair, and the sushi gets high marks. The chef really gets creative with the daily specials, like Thai curry mussels and conch fritters—and that's just the appetizers. A hand-crafted cocktail is a perfect accompaniment, like Skinny Acai Lemonade with fresh-queezed lemon or blueberry mojito with perfectly muddled mint. Breakfast includes signature french toast with caramelized walnuts and fruit and a frittata with eggwhites, goat cheese, and tomato.

A warm, welcoming, busy little bistro, Le Chef serves mainly French food. Standouts include baby rack of lamb and noisettes of veal; specials on their pink restaurant board change weekly. Attracting an upscale "early bird" crowd, prix-fixe menus are available Thursday through Sunday before 6:45 pm, and brunch is offered on Sunday. This nice place, albeit a bit dated, offers a nice alternative to the twentysomething Hamptons "scene."

Set along the no-man's-land between Amagansett and Montauk, this local institution (affectionately known as "Lunch") is the proverbial shanty by the sea, with recognizable red, white, and blue awning. Attracting customers from far and wide, its booths and outdoor picnic tables are filled with people coming and going from the beach. Kids are often seen running around its grounds while carefree vacationers take in a quintessential summertime experience. They come for the fresh lobster rolls, both the classic and now also a hot variety; fish-and-chips; puffers (blowfish); and mouth-watering grilled tuna and swordfish.

This rustic, wood-paneled seafood restaurant with high ceilings, moldings, and brass railings at the wooden bar affords views of the harbor. Try the classic fish-and-chips or the salmon fillet with a soy-ginger glaze, asparagus, and black olives.

Enjoy creative, contemporary cuisine and sample local wines in a waterside setting at this restaurant owned by acclaimed chef Tom Schaudel and restaurateur Adam Lovett, with chef-partner Jeff Yguil at the helm in the kitchen. Deep-toned wood and a stone fireplace create a warm indoor environment, and there's seating out on the deck too. Fresh seafood is the draw here, including macadamia-crusted flounder with lime beurre blanc, four sizes of lobster, grilled calamari, Thai curry mussels, and fish tacos, but they also do a mean flatiron steak. Prices are surprisingly reasonable, and there is live music three days a week in season.

In the center of town, with outdoor seating out front, this casual restaurant attracts visitors and locals of all ages, lured by the aroma of sizzing fajitas wafting in the air and the sight of diners enjoying colorful pint-sized cocktails with fresh fruit (which are more expensive than most of the mains). While you may have to wait a bit for the server to take your order—the place gets pretty packed—you can munch on the complimentary chips with fresh salsa, and know that once your order is placed, the food will likely be out quickly. It's not gourmet dining, but the carnitas are quite tasty, the guacamole delicious, and with lots of affordable options, your wallet won't take a hit.

Anyone who has driven Main Road in Aqueboque at night, driving back from the wineries or heading home from Greenport, has most definitely noticed the Las Vegas–like sign illuminating this otherwise sleepy strip. At this unpretentious family-owned café, beloved by locals and out-of-towners alike, you'll find comfort food at its best, including Long Island duck, roast loin of pork with sauerkraut, softshell crabs, and home-baked strawberry-rhubarb and lemon-meringue pies. They do take-out too.

One of the few places in the Hamptons where you can get a glass of wine or cocktail for $10 or less, dine in a Japanese-style booth with your shoes off, or keep them on while you sit at the restful central sushi bar. The typical Japanese fare served here includes sukiyaki and tempura dishes as well as such classic sushi and sashimi as sweet-water shrimp, fluke, and sea urchin. The food is consistently good and the service is very attentive.

Standing the test of time, this rustic, homey family-run restaurant has been serving local folks and visitors for almost four decades. Bright colors, rustic wood, and lots of windows create a down-home Southwestern atmosphere. Try the mesquite-smoked barbecued brisket, served with Texas pinto beans and corn on the cob, or the juicy and tasty jerk chicken. A children's menu and coloring page and crayons are offered for the little ones. Homemade desserts like the banana cream pie are best sellers. Daily specials include $25 prix-fixe, $5 margaritas, and Sunday brunch. There's a cute outdoor seating area, but the locals seem to prefer to gather inside and enjoy the warm and relaxed vibe, even on a beautiful evening.

The dining room at this upscale, trendy restaurant has a wood-burning brick oven in which Mediterranean and northern Italian house specialties are cooked daily. Local artist Eric Fischl designed the oven's mosaic mural. Wood-roasted chicken and fish are popular, and the Sunday brunch menu has a good choice of dishes, including wood-oven pizzas. Try the polenta fries with truffle oil for something different. There's open-air dining on the porch.