The Top Five Suffolk Seafood Restaurants

If you are looking for a good seafood meal while in Suffolk County on Long Island, you will not have to look far. Thanks to the fresh seafood brought in during the summer, there are some magnificent local seafood restaurants to choose from. Red Lobster can't shine a candle to these restaurants!

Varney's Restaurant - Brookhaven
Opened in 1981, Varney's Restaurant in Brookhaven is a family-owned local favorite. With a small restaurant that seats no more than 50 patrons, Varney's is located right on Montauk Highway between Brookhaven Hamlet and Bellport. The menu at Varney's features a wide selection from the land and the sea. Every night, a 2-for-1 baked clam special is offered. Varney's is "world famous" for their mussels, which will never disappoint. The seafood is fresh, especially the clams, scallops and mussels which are caught right down the road. If you go to Varney's with someone that isn't a seafood fan, they will have plenty to choose from, too. Varney's is closed on Sundays, open from 11:00am until 9:00pm Monday thru Thursday; 11:00am thru 10:00pm Friday and Saturday.

Captain Bill's - Bay Shore
Captain Bill's in Bay Shore is the best seafood restaurant in the Town of Islip-- hands down. Open for lunch and dinner (and brunch on Sundays), Captain Bill's offers a wide array of seafood selections. The broiled sea scallops are to die for, as is the fried calamari appetizer. There is also a small selection of non-seafood entrees, including steak, lamb and chicken. Captain Bill's has a magnificent view of the Great South Bay, which is another reason why the restaurant is so popular. Captain Bill's also has capabilities for lovely wedding receptions and other private parties.

The Oar Seafood Grille - Patchogue
Located on the Patchogue River, The Oar Seafood Grille is a local favorite and has been for over twenty years. They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during the winter, but are open every day of the week during the summer. During the summer, The Oar runs happy hour in their gazebo on Pier 264. Specials are run every day, including half-price appetizers on Saturdays during lunch. This is a great restaurant for boaters during the summer, as you can just pull up to the dock and grab a meal. Do try the Long Island steamers with drawn butter, a local favorite.

Lobster Roll Northside - Baiting Hollow
Just off of Sound Avenue in the Baiting Hollow section of Riverhead stands an adorable blue barnhouse with royal blue awnings. This is the Lobster Roll Northside, a family owned restaurant that has been in existence since 1964 in a town called Amagansett. In 1997, the family opened their second restaurant in Baiting Hollow, right next to a smattering of quaint shops. The Lobster Roll Northside has a fantastic offering of fresh seafood, salads, burgers and sandwiches. Unfortunately, Lobster Roll Northside is only open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. With its location, it makes a great stop during a tour of some Long Island wineries.

Harbor Crab Co. - Patchogue
The Harbor Crab Co. on the Patchogue River in Patchogue is a phenomenal restaurant with a hoppin' bar scene. A little over a decade old, this dockside restaurant has ample parking for both cars and bots. They even own a few slips, which they loan to patrons that eat at the restaurant for free. (Contact the restaurant for more details on dock slips.) Do order something fried, be it an appetizer or an entree-- They have deep frying down to an art, especially for a restaurant located north of the Mason-Dixon Line. If you don't like seafood, do try a burger-- They even do six buck build-a-burger specials on Mondays! If you are into the old school type of disco, you have got to do to Disco-Crab on Saturday nights.