Stopped by on our way back from East Hampton. Great detour option when traffic is bumper to bumper. It was rainy so no wait (on sunny days the outside porch overlooking the water is lovely). The staff was very attentive and the sandwiches were good (mahi Mahi, and vegetarian hummus). Good ciabatta rolls, good fries. read more

Canal Cafe - Mahi Mahi on ciabatta - Seafood Near Me - Hampton Bays, New York

Amazing location, great views of water and boats, outdoor seating, and the food is delicious. Great service As well

Food was excellent, made to order and fresh... will definitely be back. Amazing spot off the beaten path near the harbor...

The dockside location is easy on the eyes, but it's not exactly the best seafood joint around. Luckily, their lobster roll is ridiculously good, and that's why people come here. Shoot, I'm not even that into lobster, but THIS was worth going back for over and over again. And even worth the evil sunburn I endured while sitting on the deck. Their famous lobster roll comes on fresh, toasted, chewy ciabatta bread and they don't skimp on the meat like most chintsy seafood places. It's tossed in just the right amount of mayo, seasonings and possibly a hint of crack. The mussels app comes in a super generous portion, and almost burned my entire tongue off. Not spicy, just about a million degrees fahrenheit. The white wine, butter and garlic sauce was not too shabby, especially with a nice toasty piece of bread to soak it all up. Crab cakes= Blah. Soggy, bready and a little sad. Fried shrimp= Blaaaaah. Crappy batter. Very sad. BLT- lots of fatty delicious bacon, decent sandwich choice. New England clam chowder- good! Bananas foster cheesecake- didn't sound very appealing, but pretty awesome! They have a pretty big menu and a chalk board with a long list of specials, but don't get distracted. The lobster roll is obviously where it's at. Keep your eye on the prize and you'll be happy you did (deathly sunburnt skin aside!) read more

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Not a fan of hunting for a table. They need a host to ease the fight for tables. The food was great but took 30 minutes after you place your order. I had a Mahi-mahi sandwich it was awesome. If you go maybe call ahead...the view was great also sitting outside. read more

Finally had the opportunity to try this spot out for lunch. It was recommended by a few friends. Lobster roll was totally worth the $30 price tag, large delicious chunks of lobster meat. Probably one of the best ones I've eaten. The only item I would change is the hard bread it's served on, other than that it's great. We also tried the fried flounder sandwich, also very tasty and plentiful. Loved sitting outside and enjoying the view. I'll be back! read more

Expensive little restaurant on the sound. We went on a windy fall day and it was such a pretty view. We ordered food at the window - buffalo cauliflower and the Mediterranean plate. Both were done in a timely manner and were delicious! We did not like the roasted eggplant part of the plate but everything else was delicious. They have a big cooler of water in a few spots which I really loved because I'm always waiting for my server to bring more! read more

Hands down the BEST lobster roll I've had...ever...in my life. It's pricey, but so dang delish! I feel like the roll tends to overshadow the other menu items, but the calamari and fish tacos are consistently spot on. Rum punch is pretty tasty too. Deducting one star bc the waitstaff can be soooooo slow. read more

Delicious burger!! Loved their takeout, we brought it to the beach and the food was so good. Great French fries and overall awesome experience. Wait time can be a bit hectic but def be patient as it's worth it! read more

Best burger in Hamptons!! Temperature is always cooked as ordered. Cowfish, Gators or Rumba does not compete.plus a great view

The atmosphere here is very pleasant. The restaurant is waterfront and located on a marina's property. There are some nice boats to look at while you dine, and the waterfront breeze is perfect on a hot afternoon. I shared the Gazpacho for appetizer. It was refreshing and served very quickly. I decided on the Softshell Crab Sandwich for my main entree though most of the patrons seemed to order the Lobster Roll which looked delicious. The sandwich was well balanced with none of the ingredients overwhelming any of the others. The french fries which came with the sandwich were very crispy and had a tasteful seasoning. read more

Love love this place the food is great and the view is wonderful been going there for awhile never disappointed can't wait to visit this year again! read more

My family and I were visiting and wanted to get some good fresh seafood. We definitely found that at Canal Cafe. It started with a nice ambiance right on the water. You could sit outside in the water or inside. We chose inside because it was ridiculously hot. I had the appetizer seafood salad. It has fresh shrimp, scallops, & calamari with red onions & tomatoes over a bit of lettuce. It was yummy, but even with a squeeze of lemon, it didn't have a lot of flavor. It needed some salt or marinade or a sauce or something. Now for lunch, my son and I split a lobster roll. Now that was the highlight of the me. The bread was a ciabatta and amazing! The lobster, omg it was freakin delish! The fries were also very yummy too! $28 was a bit steep for lunch, but it was packed with delicious lobster. My other kids shared the fish and chips. It was super fresh fish too, but still lacked a little flavor. I don't think the fish and chips was worth the $20 price point. My son and his cousins had the Caesar salad. It was ok. Nothing special. My husband had the gazpacho soup for appetizer (tasty) & crab cakes for appetizer (3 small ones). The crab cakes were super fresh and definitely not all breaking. All in all it was a nice place with super fresh seafood. My only complaint was the prices were a little high. 5 kids and 2 adults cost $150 after taxes and tips, for lunch. I wish we would have had the kids order the grilled cheese or chicken strips kids meals (not on the menu). read more

Canal Cafe - Seafood salad - Seafood Near Me - Hampton Bays, New York

This place is in a great location if you don't mind it getting a little buggy (seating is ALL outdoors, as far as I could see), and the vibe is casual and laid back. Service was very friendly, even if a bit forgetful; it seems they could use an extra waiter/waitress when the place is at capacity. On a Saturday night around 8 we had to wait at least 15 minutes to sit down, but it was worth it. This was because of the outstanding lobster roll - very meaty and delicious! It's served on a perfect soft bun with good fries. The spring rolls we got as an app were pretty good too, as were the crab cakes. Overall very pleasant and we'll definitely return. read more

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Hidden a bit off the beaten path, down by a marina this place is great place for a casual bite. For me the menu really only has one item on it... the Lobster Roll. I've tried to order something else but I just can't bring myself to do it. I've tasted many of the apps and the other entrees off family members plates and they are all very good, but the Lobster Roll is where it's at. Relaxed dinning , right on the water with friendly service and a great Lobster Roll. Seek it out. read more

Canal Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Hampton Bays, New York

Excellent service, reasonable prices, and great food. Awesome location and gorgeous bartenders!!!!! Cocktails are a little high, considering they use well liquor. read more

Canal Cafe - Great view - Seafood Near Me - Hampton Bays, New York

Little pricey for what it is but you have a nice view and honestly all three of my kids were insanely happy and enjoyed their meals. It was a great night here. read more

Canal Cafe - Enjoying the food and the view - Seafood Near Me - Hampton Bays, New York

Casual water front restaurant with a great view. Lobster Roll's a must have, although I would definitely recommend to share it with someone. You also get extra fries when you split dish! Down side is that it is pretty over priced....we order the shrimp special and it was $26 dollars for 7 shrimps..... read more

Canal Cafe - Patio dining is great! - Seafood Near Me - Hampton Bays, New York

We've been coming to Canal Cafe for 7+ years including through the pandemic, we absolutely love it. Coming from Manhattan, we enjoy the drive, and the anticipation of those Lobster Rolls. We were there yesterday with our 2 dogs, one who gets excited and barks a little. We were frowned upon by the hostess immediately, who did everything to try and get us to leave. She wouldn't budge on trying to accommodate us, even though we asked to sit out of the way. "We can only seat 4 people down by the water, because tables up top can't accommodate 4." We were 3 with 2 dogs. We decided to just to take out, when I then see her seating 5 people upstairs. We drove from Manhattan 1 hour and 40 minutes, and she wouldn't budge or try to accommodate us. I have a news flash, you're "dog friendly,", your patrons should understand, you also have a sign on the hostess stand about a dog that just passed, Leo, so we thought for sure you'd try to accommodate us, because you understand, but no. I have never been treated like this by a "dog friendly" restaurant, dogs bark, they get excited. We asked to sit downstairs to be out of the way to no avail. So, we ended up just eating by our car on a blanket, we weren't going to let that blond lady ruin our day. Hopefully she can be a bit nicer as a hostess. Regretfully leaving this post but I had to. read more

A chaotic free for all. After Covid-19 they eliminated their wait staff and make you order AND pickup through a window. They give you instructions on a chalkboard on how to order, but no system on where you can find a table. So in other words, they only care about taking your money, not how you can enjoy the food. We got there and there weren't any tables available, and more than half of them were occupied by people not eating. We decided to leave instead of ordering $36 lobster rolls and having to eat it while sitting on the floor or my car. Sorry, this formula is a major fail! read more

The hostess and another employee were so hostile and rude, we decided to take our business elsewhere

One of my favorite restaurants to have lunch at. Cute spot tucked away behind a boatyard. The lobster salad is always delish! My guests always love the interesting menu, service is great, prices are typical of a Hampton's restaurant. The reason only 4 stars, the outdoor chairs are scary, rickety and super uncomfortable for most people unless you are a skinny mini. Wish owner would invest in better furniture on dock area. read more

Insanely good. The Best Lobster Roll in the Hamptons. The Thai Red Curry Mussels are out of this world. I've been here over 10 times, and have never been disappointed. , and lets not forget the Bloody Mary. read more

Canal Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Hampton Bays, New York

We were on vacation in the Hampton's & Not sure how many others got the worst case of food poisoning from here on July 14, 2022 from their lobster roll & scallop ceviche It landed me and my fiancé in the hospital for 10 hours!!! Beware. read more

Avoid this place at ALL costs. Extremely overpriced for bad food. The fish sandwich was inedible. My friend ordered a lobster roll which came on a hard very ciabatta roll which was completely wrong for a lobster roll. The lobster wasn't so tasty. The burger was meh. We didn't order any drinks and the check was $140!!!! Ridiculous. Never again read more

Been hearing about this place for years from my family. Finally had a chance to eat here: the hype was justified. First time we went we sat at the bar and ordered lobster rolls to go. Drinks were fantastic. The back bar faces the water and they have minimal liquor to block your view. (Also A/C which was quite nice on a muggy July day) We split the lobster rolls and I gotta say it is the best lobster roll I ever had! Packed with lobster! Delicious, absolutely delicious. So the next day, I decided to go again for lunch and have the tuna sandwich - a special of the day. ( everyone told me to order the special of the day you can't miss..) some crab cakes too... oh my god! Crab cakes were fantastic, the tuna was perfectly prepared and melted in your mouth! So what did I do again 2 days later.... yep.... had to get the key lime pie this time! I don't get home often to see family but I hope the canal cafe will be here next year.... well done. You got a out of town fan... read more

Canal Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Hampton Bays, New York

Favorite local spot for fresh seafood and the absolute best lobster roll, not served in a hot dog bun but a fresh baked crisp ciabatta roll. Celeb spotting..... Friendly service. Pains me to say, but I Took away a star for staff dress code- there is none. Only clean up crew has restaurant logo tees, bar staff and wait staff are sloppy dressed and unkept. Also-WIPE DOWN THE PLACE MATS AFTER CHANGE OF TABLES PLEASE. read more

Always great. Upstairs is fun and the outside bar is excellent. We also like Rumba and in the summer they have a boat to take you over there. Very nice perk since parking is somewhat of a problem. read more

Cute place, great vibe. Staff is very friendly and happy. Great spot for lunch, would NOT recommend for dinner unless you enjoy eating sandwiches off of paper plates as an entree. Service was great, food & atmosphere are decent at best. Still trying to figure out what all the hype is about. There are plenty of other waterfront spots that offer a lot more than canal cafe. read more

What a lovely place on a fine fall day. Beet salad was excellent. Clam fritters were a bit short on clam flavor (must be finely minced) but good. Fish and chips were very good. And excellent fries. Drinks could be a bit stronger though. Anyway, go there. read more

Another excellent lunch of crab cakes, fries and while good, wow too small side of coleslaw. This place is one of our main go to's --excellent service , sometimes the food can slip when they are busy, but otherwise top not seafood!! read more

Stumbled on this place driving around looking for something to eat. Great food friendly staff and nice location.

Excellent food great service. Duck wings, clam chowder, lobster roll, fish and chips and Yankee Pot Roast all worth a drive back for. Very quaint. Highly recommend getting out of the city for this gem! read more

Canal Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Hampton Bays, New York

I know others are complaining about the dining room not being open, but I appreciated all the open tables by the water. On a nice fall day it was great sitting outside. We got there right when they opened and since it was the off season it wasn't as busy. The food was great! We loved our steak and fried chicken sandwiches and we substituted sweet potato fries which were delicious. I also liked that they were packaged in to-go containers and and had all the utensils needed out for people to take. Will definitely be back! read more

Best french fries around. Been here for lunches. Delicious fish & chips, lobster salad added to excellent kale Cesar salad. Surprisingly good hamburger. Not sure why I got a burger, but must have felt like it that day. Sister loved the fried flounder sandwich. It's really good, more relaxed than Cowfish. Not inexpensive but good quality. read more

Can be a bit of a wait but well worth it. The food is always good and the wait staff experienced and friendly.

My review would've gotten more stars if the service was better. Once we were shown to our table , I went to use the ladies room and when I came back our waitress asks for my drink order since I wasn't there when she originally took the drink orders. She then asks me if I know what I want to order, yet I haven't even looked at the menu. What's the rush?!? THEN! A group of 4 older women come in and want to sit in a shaded are, the hostess tells her no she cannot "waste a big table on a smaller group" I get that, but it could've been said nicer. The customer protests a little and the hostess says; "the sun does move ya know, So you will eventually be in shade" I was floored! WHO SAYS THAT?!? At least the customer shot back sarcastically: "gee, really?!" I felt very rushed, like we were a bother to our waitress and it was very "here's your hat, what's your hurry" The food was good, a little pricey but the portions were a nice size. All in all it was just okay, would I go back? Probably not. read more

Food experience has not changed, service has not changed. But our most recent visit was especially frustrating due to the inaccurate wait time that we were quoted. We were told there was a 40 minute wait (it was a Saturday night at prime time). We agreed to wait, grabbed a few drinks at the bar and hung out listening to the live band they had playing. After we started seeing people get seated that arrived much later than us, we asked the host how much longer (we had been waiting an hour now). He said 10 more minutes. To make a long story short, we waited an hour and 45 minutes! We made it known to the owner and the host that we don't mind waiting - but don't quote us 40 minutes if you know for sure that is is going to be more than double that!! Then to top it off, our server wouldn't let us order appetizers while looking over the menu. We were told that we had to put our whole order in at once because the kitchen is too backed up. I've never heard of this before. read more

This is a nice little spot by the Marina. Food is tasty but it's all pretty much self serve as you order at one window and pickup after you get buzzed at a different window. You can sit at any open table you find. Food was quick to come out. read more

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives...This place fits the Dive category with the best lobster roll I have eaten in a long while. The rest of the menu is fried seafood, burgers and fries for the kiddies, and daily specials. Location is key at this hidden dive, right on the Shinnecock Canal in the Hampton's, NY. Hey remember that there is a hit TV show called Diners Drive-ins and Dives. So this really means that the place has good food and worth the trip to sit outside and enjoy a good meal read more