I was hesitant to write a review as I was afraid once word got out, we wouldn't be able to score a reservation at this gem of a restaurant, which became our fave dining venue on LBI from our first visit. When we are on the island, dining out is part of the fun and we've consistently fit Dune 18 in twice each week we've visited (May, July & Labor Day week). There are many elements that contribute to my 5-star rating, but let's start with the little stuff and work up to the most important, the food.
The owners of Dune 18 are very much hands-on in running the place. Mark works the room, mingling with guests and proudly answering questions about the place, the food, how he and his wife came to establish it. His wife typically handles reservations and check-in's at the hostess station. You do need a reservation here -- getting a table via walk-in is unlikely -- and you should book in advance, which is an easy process via Resy.
On to the space. The dining room isn't very large, so some of the tables for smaller parties are a bit close together for my liking, but not moreso than any other popular eatery on the island. If you have a large party, try to score one of the round tables near the front windows as those feel a bit more private. If the weather is nice, there is outdoor seating along the side of the restaurant. We've eaten in all the areas at this point and have had enjoyable experiences regardless of location. The interior design is understated and the place is lit by Edison bulbs, which lend the space a nice glow and feel like a nod to the hip eateries in Brooklyn.
The service is solid, with some servers being more experienced and sophisticated than others. We've been lucky to have had Kayla taking care of us all but two visits. I can't rave enough about her -- she is professional (clearly very experienced in fine dining), friendly and knows the menu like the back of her hand. One of our nephews has celiac, his system cannot tolerate any cross-contamination. He was with us on two visits. The first time, we had Kayla tending to us and she knew exactly which dishes would work for him as well as those that could be slightly modified to accommodate him. The second time, we had a younger, less experienced server who wasn't super familiar with the ingredients in the dishes and didn't seem to understand the whole gluten-free thing. I located Kayla and though she was slammed with a full outdoor area of tables, she came in and helped our nephew with his selection. She is that good.
On to the food. I rate a place based on whether the food is crave-worthy and Dune 18 has hit the mark every time. We've brought a handful of family members with us on a couple of our visits and they loved the food as much as we do. For me and my husband, Gables used to be the place to beat in terms of food, but Dune 18 is at the same level, and that's really saying something. Everything we have tried has been delicious, but the absolute stand-out dish -- if seafood is your jam -- is the Atlantic Halibut entree. At $58, it's a pricey dish by our standards, so I was hesitant to order it the first time around, but it is worth the splurge (you're going to pay nearly as much for the seafood combo at Howard's which, while tasty and the tops for what it is, isn't particularly inspired). The dish is comprised of a good size piece of perfectly cooked halibut atop a delicious risotto with lobster cream sauce. The halibut is surround by mussels and clams and tucked under it are scallops. It's All The Things in one dish and it is absolutely crave-worthy. The star appetizer, in my opinion, are the crab cakes. A completely different preparation than our other fave crab cakes on the island (the jumbo lump ones at the group of restos owned by the Black Whale people), but just as satisfying. These are lightly fried and come with a delicious smear of remoulade. There are three of them, so definitely large enough for two people to share. As you can see from my photos, we've tried a good assortment of the menu items this summer. All of them have been good; it's a solid menu and there are often additional specials.
This is our last week at the beach for the year. We ate at Dune on Tuesday and we are going again on Friday, our last night here, as it feels like a fitting send-off. read more