John Scott's Surf Shack

Great hotel near to beach serving delicious food and cocktails. Live music makes the ambience more lively and happy. We had an amazing lobsters roll here. It's better to reserve a table here before you go as it's always busy. We had to wait for an hour to get a table. The staff was really nice and helpful. We would like to visit this place again for sure.

If you had to ask me what my favorite all time restaurant is in the entire world, my answer would be John Scott’s Surf Shack. They are seasonal so they are normally open from the first Friday in May to the last Saturday of September, however their dates vary so make sure to check their social media outlets for details. For their 2024 season, they opened on Friday May 3rd, and of course I had to go on opening day. We arrived around 5p and it wasn’t busy yet. The parking lot is small, very small, and there is no parking on Dune Road so they hire a valet service. Since we got there before the rush, we parked our own car, but as we were leaving, we noticed that someone time in between they started their valet service. During peak times, there is often a line of cars waiting on the shoulder to be parked, but you have to wait with your vehicle, and the restaurant will not seat you until your entire party has arrived and parked. We sat outside in the sun overlooking the bay. As the sun set, we did get a little cold so be prepared for chilly times, even in warmer weather. We ordered so much food for their opening night (four people in total sharing everything). This included the following: -Surf Shack Famous Wings, 2x -Firecracker Shrimp -French Fries with Old Bay seasoning -Cajun Calamari -Popcorn Shrimp Wrap -Tijuana Chicken -Baja Fish Tacos -Fish and Chips Their chicken wings for opening night were the best chicken wings I’ve ever had from John Scott’s. I’m in love with their buffalo sauce however they are normally lacking in the quality of the wing itself. But this night, out of the world hence the two orders of them. On their ‘secret menu’ we ordered the basket of fries with old bay seasoning, and this is the best with fries, no ketchup for dipping even needed. My favorite thing on their menu is the firecracker shrimp. This has a Thai chili glaze and just bursts in flavor. On this day, two people finished the plate in less than 5 minutes. The popcorn shrimp wrap comes with wing sauce inside and we ordered extra on the side for dipping. 10/10! The fish and chips was new to me personally.. and I believe it was cod. But that coconut beer batter is something I don’t know how I lived without. The Cajun calamari was different but in a great way, and would order again. I didn’t taste the Tijuana chicken or the Baja fish tacos. For a drink I had a dirty Shirley and a Kona big wave on tap. Overall, my favorite place and will always continue to come back.

Perfect spot for a quick bite w/ great ambiance & delicious food! The outdoor deck had plenty of seating (and SHADE!) with great views of the water. Service was very quick and attentive. Prices were great considering the location. I ordered the clam chowder and a quahog - both hit the mark. The chowder was rich and perfectly New England style; the stuffed quahog was classic Cape Cod style - toasty on top but soft on the inside.

Always a good time and it's the only bar on Dune Road near Cupsogue. Valet parking and laid back service with a view. Go have fun and enjoy and tell Julia we said hi, she's a great bartender! Tell em Barsnobs sent ya! Another amazing time at JS! Cool vibes and delicious summer drinks. Tell em Barsnobs sent ya!

Great atmosphere with extraordinary views. It is best to book. The staff is exceptional. A visit to the terrace is highly recommended.

A quintessential Long Island bar that thrives in the summer. The food is of extremely high quality, bartenders are highly competent, and the environment enjoyable snd low stakes. The ideal summer haunt. Ownership is a good as it comes. One of the great Long Island bars.

Great place becomes a great place to grab a drink. This place gets crowded, but there is a lot of room. The backyard is accessible and the view is not bad.

We expect to wait a bit without a reservation. So we'll eat at the bar or in that area. The waitstaff, Eileen, set us up with chairs that had backs to save our backs. When the skies opened up, everyone entered the bar area, and we were happy to have seats with backs. The special, scallops was perfect, as was the attention and service.