William Hyer

Review of Capt. Bill's Waterfront Restau...

An upscale, waterfront restaurant and bar is how I...

An upscale, waterfront restaurant and bar is how I describe Captain Bill's. The view of the bay and many sailing vessels from waterside restaurants is what once was standard all along the coast of Long Island...and sandy beaches on the south shore. This is one of the gems that still remains. The last major hurricane which passed through Bay Shore also went through this almost idyllic place ( I reserve the word idyllic for any place in the Caribbean or the South Seas). It has been rebuilt, rejuvenated, restored, and its regular customers like me are RE-LIEVED.
The seafood served to me on my last visit was artistically rendered as if it were a fine painting on porcelain. Yes, "fine painting on porcelain". Very tasty, nice presentation, and satisfying is how normal people would describe it. This is not "California ostentatious".
If you don't choose to dine here because of that ham sandwich you just had at home, you may wish to wash away its taste with the fine assortment of brews, wine, and liquor available at their very homey bar. I wish my home had a den like this. Wouldn't we all?
The price point is slightly elevated on the Richter scale ($$), however very comparable in value to Tellers and Verace ($$$) in Islip just down the street ("Montauk Highway" to be formal; it is "Main Street" if you are local or if you don't want to spell Montauk). The food though is not as fancy, expensive or as grandiose as Verace; Tellers is a better comparison. All three have their merits, but the view of the water must be balanced against other features and benefits offered by competitors. Dollar signs are not enough to be your guide. For a romantic dinner Captain Bill's would not even be close to a blip on my radar.
I can wear a tuxedo at other restaurants and feel at home. Here, the monkey suit would be a bit much. If you are so inclined to impress your lady, dress slacks or Dockers, a clean shirt with a blazer or sweater would do nicely. This is the first time I have given fashion tips to restaurant patrons.
Captain Bills provides one gastronomic delight after the other. The service is more relaxed here than Tellers reflected by their relaxed attentiveness when you drop your fork on the floor. I found the staff to be very young, polite, competent, yet inconsistently attentive, as I just mentioned. There is not a Waitstaff Captain standing by to cater to you nor to motivate the kids bringing your food and refilling your water glass. It is not that kind of establishment. This is a restaurant where you would enjoy bringing your small children as well as that first date you wish to impress.
The cuisine is well presented and tasty. I find the noise level from the patrons is moderate. I detest noise when having dinner conversation if I cannot hear my date. There have been too many mess hall visits during my time in the Navy. I am a satisfied customer. Five stars and two thumbs up since this is a hometown favorite and I find no major faults.