The Buoy Bar

cool seafood bar on the water

Awesome casual dining. The only thing better than the food is the views of the water. The perfect spot for lunch during the summer.

Great food all around, great service for a popular and always crowded place. Great area and scenery on the water. Only complaint is a small menu.

If it's greasy, frozen cod (?) patties that you're looking for when you order Fish & Chips, this is the place for you. They should be embarrassed by even putting that on a plate. Sell it to the fishermen and let them use it as chum. No reason to ever go back there.

The Buoy Bar Waterfront Grill is physically sandwiched in between the more upscale Fisherman's Catch and the more casual Ted's Fishing Station, so it's no wonder that the vibe and cuisine fits right in between as well.

Not too formal, not too casual, Buoy Bar is the perfect outdoor post-beach spot to grab some sandwiches and refreshing frozen drinks. We rolled in on a Sunday afternoon and found plenty of other people also shaking the sand off while enjoying their meals and the weekly live music (every Thursday and Sunday I was told).

Their menu is a mixture of land and sea-based selections, with sandwiches, entrees, and typical fried apps tossed in too. Between the three of us, we ordered the lemon pepper Mediterranean Sea bass, lemon flounder, and sweet & spicy tiburon sandwich. The first two entrees (priced in the high teens) come served with a buttery rice and steamed mixed veggies, while the $14 fish sandwich came with sweet potato fries. Food was terrific, but my favorite was the refreshingly light tiburon sandwich, served sweet n' spicy style with a chopped mango salsa and fresh avocado on toasted ciabatta bread. All three meals were worth the price, but I'd say their sandwiches in general are the best deal. On the converse end, I'd probably steer clear of their $10-$12 salads, especially since the price goes up an additional $4+ for a protein.

Live music was as awesome as it was relaxing. A solo acoustic guitarist w/ amp covered songs from Johnny Cash to Oasis and just about everything in between. He played a three-hour set, and took two short breaks during his set. His selections were perfect, and definitely set the mood for the much needed waterfront tranquility after a long day out in the surf.

I'd give this place a solid four-star rating, but our server went the extra mile and brought out a complimentary chocolate torte dessert for a birthday we had at our table. She also lassoed up her fellow staff and they gave us a quick table-side "happy birthday" song to boot.

Thanks, and we'll definitely be back!

P.S. - Buoy Bar is located at Scotty's Fishing Station - right on the water. Signage along Bayside Ave. might make it hard to initially spot, so just look for Scotty's!