Sweet Jane — Restaurant in Town of Islip

Like the rock band who wrote “Sweet Jane” suggests, Underground (as in Velvet) is the only word to describe Sweet Jane. In the 1920s my Uncle Louie ran a speakeasy and Sweet Jane is the closet I can imagine to it. The no-name all black door makes me feel like I’m walking into a Secret Joint (SJ, like the ice cubes) and while I seriously do not want to share its secret location, I will. Sweet Jane is the subdued younger sister of Verde and Coastal, owned by the same group, but with a different vibe. Low key is an understatement here. Wandering in one afternoon, we met Matt our bartender. When we told him we googled Sweet Jane and there is no actual phone number that came up, he laughed and said he thought it was meant to be that way. Here was a mixologist supreme who convinced me to try a Shochu Negroni in a sparkling crystal glass, a drink I will now fight and die for. Along with each drink comes a water chaser, a classy and appreciated touch. We ordered the Chef’s Charcuterie which included pork pate, nuts and cheeses and an added surprise-warm crunchy French bread. Add to that Italian Peroni on tap and you will find me here at many Happy Hours, 4-6 pm. You can join me, I am willing to share the secret of Sweet Jane, Main Street, Bay Shore, but find the black...

We were smart enough to get here early on a Saturday...5pm arrival like a bunch of blue hairs and it was good planning. We got a booth for 4 close to the front and within 15 minutes all other tables were loaded.

I can't say enough about what a great experience it was here...the cocktails were RIDICULOUS (see photos) and that's coming from 2 of us out of our party of 4 who can shake up some mean concoctions on our own. The service was outstanding and the food was definitely NOT an afterthought on the part of the owner and chef. We had a whipped ricotta appetizer which was not skimpy (we considered licking the plate, but refrained). I ordered the burger and it was an excellent choice. I forget what my husband ordered, but had meatball appetizer, I believe. All were happy, that's for sure. The service was top notch...our glasses were never empty! We each had 3 cocktails and took an Uber home. Some might complain it was pricey for what we ate and drank, but I know what goes into funky cocktails and they were booze forward (for those who wanted that) so not sugared up to mask a lack of alcohol. I greatly appreciated that.

We will...

At Sweet Jane's you will find THE slickest, modern, speakeasy style atmosphere on Main Street Bay Shore there is. Ultra Sophisticated cocktail menu, great wines and spirits and the most professional mixologists in the region that you'll encounter. It was a pleasure to find a seat at the bar and observe their work. An inventive food menu of small plates among other offerings . Plan your evening well because it is a quite intimate place and they currently do not take reservations. Definitely worth a wait on busy evenings. There's no signage, you have to know where it is. You can access it from their main entrance on East Main just west of Bay Shore Avenue or "secretive" stylish rear door so convenient if driving there. But again... You need to be "in the know" to find it. SHHHHH...The pass word is...