Surf Shack — Restaurant in Town of Oyster Bay

We had a great time here, the food & cocktails were great as well as the server. The issue that we ran into was the women in the front at the host stand. We were a party of 11 split between 2 tables all on one check to make everything easier because when we got there they were a bit busy & couldn’t seat us all together even though we said we would wait for something larger to open, they were insistent on sitting us in 2 sep tables across from each other which was fine but not ideal bc our backs were to each other they weren’t even directly next to each other. We were obviously there to have a good time and enjoy dinner on the beach and hang out for a bit as any large party would. We were there for about an hour and 40 minutes (our plates were just cleared maybe minutes before this happened) between apps entrees and cocktails our check was about $700 and the lady at the front had the audacity to walk up to our table and ask us to leave because we were there too long and people were waiting for our table. Let them wait like we would have for our table. I’m in the industry for over 15 years and never treated anyone like that especially a large table no matter how busy the front got. I never leave a review, but this just didn’t sit well with me. If there is a rude women at the host stand when you arrive I’d steer clear if you’re trying to enjoy your night out. 5 stars for service because everyone that wasn’t that lady was great. EDIT: she also has no faith in the staff and lets it known to the customers. Telling everyone at my table that our server just got seated 4 tables in a row so he’s gunna be backed up so it may take some time which is no issue at all. He was great and had no problem, but imagine knowing he may be backed up and then rushing a larger party out. She either shouldn’t work in a restaurant or she should leave her...

Today we went and this was our 2nd trip here. Our first trip was a sunset dinner prior to a concert at Jones Beach theater and we loved it. Beautiful sunset, good food, great location. Tonight, not so much.

We're on vacation and my wife wanted to go here for her birthday and catch the sunset. We arrived just after 5p and were seated quickly and warmly. Juan came over soon enough and took our drink order, when he quickly brought our strawberry margarita (his recommendation) and diet coke. We order the calamari appetizer but didn't know what we wanted for dinner. Juan bristled when my wife asked him to explain the Monday lobster special. Our calamari was delivered by a different wait staff without plates. Juan came over to take our order and was interrupted by a request for plates. He went and got the plates, took our order and we didn't interact with Juan for at least another 20 minutes. By this time, there was a line to get in and Juan was flustered. I had to flag him down for another diet coke, he never asked my wife if she wanted another drink. Our entrees were delivered by a different wait staff and my wife asked Juan for more bleu cheese (the original one was less than half full). Eventually, we had to ask a different wait person for bleu cheese. And water. We had clearly aggravated Juan. I witnessed him at one point motion to the hostess to slow down the seatings. I get it it was busy but our questions/requests were solidly within the norm. Someone else cleared my plate. My wife ate most of her wings while I watched Juan attend to every other table besides ours. He did return to clear her plate and bring us the check.

Altogether disappointing since we planned our entire day to have dinner here on the memory of our visit last year. We're going to have to really want to see the sunset to...

I don’t care for writing reviews but felt the need to after last night’s terrible experience. I would like to say that I had dinner there last night but I didn’t. I did eat there for lunch two years ago on July 4th. The 3 hostesses follow some protocol where they have to call people on a waiting list for tables and have reservations. Except here’s the thing, there were empty tables everywhere on a Saturday night at prime time for dinner. I watched a table next to the hostesses be empty for 45 minutes. I watched other tables be empty for a while. The line for the restaurant kept growing. If there are empty tables everywhere (my mom counted 10 tables at one point), that means the kitchen can’t keep up and they were told to slow down seating people.

The bartenders ignored us for 10 mins at bar but other people pushed through…but we were sitting at the bar. One bartender said I will be right with you but served other people who came after us that were pushy. The drink I eventually got was a mojito and it was watery with no taste. I threw it out. Side note: Bartenders needed another bartender to help them because they couldn’t keep up.

We were told at 6:50pm the wait would be 2 hours for 4 people + a baby. My husband said he didn’t want to waste his money there so we left a little after 8 seeing empty tables (for a while). We got the text at 8:15 our table was ready…1 hour and 20 minute wait when we or others could have had dinner and left by then at those empty tables!

I gave two stars based on the ambience, decor, and the fact that the bar staff was short staffed from my eyes and that the hostesses were following some rule that most likely came from their manageryeah it’s not working. Come up with a better...