Know any good restaurants on City Island?

June 2, 2009 7:27 AM

Where is a great place to eat on City Island?

Me - native New Yorker hasn't been to City Island since about 1984. I need to arrange a dinner for a small group Wednesday evening.

It *used* to be a cool, almost New-England type fishing village right off the Bronx.

Whether or not it still is, I have no idea. Browsing menu pages and Zagat leaves one with conflicting reviews for each restaurant it seems (either good, or Red Lobster w/o the signage) ergo I am stumped.

So anyone know City Island? Anyone know a good place with good seafood (price is actually not a factor, woo hoo!) of the type and ambiance that City island used to be famous for?

TIA.

posted by xetere to food & drink (3 answers total)

Normally, we go to Artie's, which has a friendly atmosphere and great food. It's a little more of a local place, and isn't on the water. It's our favorite place for taking people, especially inlaws from out-of-town.

We also like the Black Whale, which is slightly funkier (Artie's feels like nice but 80s-era steakhouse sometimes) in decor and offerings.

Both of these places are low-key but not on the water.

Once, for our anniversary, my wife took me to Le Refuge. The food was very nice but we were the ONLY customers.

We're moving out of the Bronx at the end of the month and another meal (or two!) on City Island is on my to-do list. Let me know where you go and how it works out!
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 7:54 AM on June 2, 2009

I enjoyed a meal at the Lobster Box last year. It's a little pricier than most of the places out there, but the food and service are great and you won't be as surrounded by tourists in shorts as in many of the other places there. The cornbread is good too.

Sammy's, which is across the street, definitely has a Red Lobster vibe going on, although I've heard ok things about the food there.
posted by langeNU at 8:35 AM on June 2, 2009

Update, went to Lobster Box. Actually was disappointed. Perhaps it was an off night, but we all thought that the food was tasteless. Gave my leftovers to the cat and he wasn't interested either.
posted by xetere at 9:26 AM on June 15, 2009