Had a giant lobster roll at sundown! Wow! Good! Ocean Beach Fire Island, Steps away from the Ocean Beach Ferry. Really easy to get to! Super super service! Huge shout out to our pro server Cat and Mr Badger! We will return! Highly Recommended! Unbelievable location for a dockside sundown dinner on the Great South Bay! read more

Island Mermaid - Sunset dock dining - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

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Waitress was sitting with other table guests. When asked her how much longer for our food, said well it's only been 20min. Chicken quesadilla came with cup of sour cream, no guac, so pico. When asked for it said we'll have no guac, but will mix up some pico, never came. Asked for katchup, took so long I got up and got myself as I did always had to do this visit to get attention even though the place was at 20% capacity. Food was just passable, 27$ quesadilla, idk maybe. Overall, no for the fact it's a great location, the service and presentation are bad. read more

What an Amazing place. Great view. Great service. Reasonably priced. Staff was friendly and went out their way for my daughter's birthday. Our Hostess Catherine was absolutely charming.. read more

Island Mermaid - My daughter and Catherine our Hostess. - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

Fire Island is an exceptional place. I was here off season, but it was warm enough to enjoy the walk from where I was staying to the Island Mermaid about 1.2 miles away. The roads here, if you aren't already here experiencing this, are all made of sand despite what the map looks like. (TIP: it is actually easier to walk on the beach and make your way north. ) It is clear that this bar has a little something for everybody. There was a range of "bar-friendly" locals, families, and relatively hardy tourists like me. Technically, I should say hungry tourists, because off-season, finding food to eat on the Island, can be quite a stretch. The alcohol selection here was incredibly delightful, with lots of fantastic and creative drinks. it is a no-brainer that anytime you go into a restaurant that is nowhere near the mainland, you are going to have a greater cost to the dishes you order, but I was prepared when I ordered a local seafood dish with that expectation. I wasn't prepared for it to be a little on the bland side, however. It was a special that lacked that "something special" if you know what I mean? Music is most clearly an important factor to the bar and I enjoyed sitting there listening along.. They were also doing some kind of funky fundraiser the day after I left here, and it was great to see engagement with the local community, even after the largest of the summer crowds had left. read more

Island Mermaid - Great music, great place - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

Every summer, one of our regulation is coming to Fire island and end up this restaurant. Mostly being here for labor day weekend. But we came here Labor day Monday.. so Lille bit slower than usual. But always wait stuff and other customers are nice and friendly, warm beach vibes. We had late lunch therefore eating small and drinking this time, I love fried calamari here, probably best in town ! The squid is soft and juicy,outside is crispy ! Decent price of pro secco is ++. Try their pretzel as well, I forgot to take photo though.. read more

Finally had a chance to visit Fire Island earlier this summer with a large group, and specifically Ocean Beach. After spending a blissful day on the beach, we did outdoor dining for dinner at this lovely restaurant situated right along the water. I had a tough time deciding what to order, between the Sautéed Flounder and Grilled Wild Steelhead Salmon. Every time I thought I knew what I wanted, I would second guess myself. The waitress was very patient with me, but after she came back and I still couldn't pick, she took everyone else's order then didn't return for awhile. During this time, I was able to sample the ribs, seafood paella, crab cake, and Caesar chicken salad. Surprisingly, the ribs were really tasty! They were slightly crunchy, wonderfully tender, and well seasoned. The seafood paella was full of bold flavor and juicy, succulent shrimp, along with perfectly cooked rice. I also enjoyed the crab cake, which was delightfully crunchy and yummy. I'm not that into Caesar salad, but it was decent. I went with my first choice of Sautéed Flounder, served with herbed orzo, white balsamic soaked tomatoes and buerre blanc. This dish was nicely plated, and the size of the fish was very generous. The flounder was gorgeously browned, with a delicious, rich, creamy sauce. It was also amazingly tender and flaky. The orzo was fresh and flavorful, pairing beautifully with the flounder. Service was pretty good. Our waitress was friendly and was able to make recommendations from the menu. The prices are on the expensive side, but to be expected considering the area. I don't think I would return because if I am back in Ocean Beach, I would like to try out a new place. read more

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Food (2/5): A lot of the food here was surprisingly very bad especially the seafood. The only good dishes were the fries and lobster bisque, everything else somehow turned out really bad. The lobster roll was super expensive, tasted bland and microwaved, and may have been the worst I've had at a restaurant; the calamari had way too much batter, the mezcal shrimp mole had terrible mole sauce that was super bitter. My friend got the crab cake which tasted below average. Really not worth the expensive prices. Service (3/5): The servers were alright but they seemed excessively busy and were not able to check up on us much. Also the food took a while to come out. Ambiance (5/5): The only great thing about this restaurant is the cool view of the ocean, live music and outdoor seating setup. Highly recommend just coming here to chill and get drinks and not get any food. read more

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I don't usually order a cheeseburger at a seafood restaurant, but I couldn't resist the sizzled description on the menu. It did not disappoint- perfectly cooked and seasoned!! Beautiful views, friendly attentive service and a perfectly crafted Dirty Martini!! read more

Island Mermaid - Beautiful view! - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

Wonderful ambiance, delicious food and excellent service. Highly recommend. Oh and the martinis rock. Enjoy!

Super fun spot. This was THE place to be every night we were here. Tuesday night, we cane for Bitchy Bingo, with drag queen Ariel Sinclair, which was hilarious. Then Wednesday, we came for "Wisdom Wednesday" with singer Victoria Wisdom, another male singer, and saxophonist, all of whom were awesome! Then Thursday, we came for a late 8:30 pm dinner and the Fire Island Follies at 9! Really entertaining. For drinks, the Mermaid Margarita hit the spot. For dinner, loved my scallops, and my husband really liked his linguini with prosciutto, sausage and pistachio cream sauce. read more

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The charcuterie board was NOT good. It started with the waiter dumping it onto our table and bits going into a drink. When it was pointed out he said, 'uh..do you want a new one?' Of course we did! Then, the bill had a 4% "surcharge" with no explanation. I assumed it was a cc fee but no, our server said it was for 'back of house' and also because we were on an island and had to have food delivered. Please. read more

Best restaurant in Ocean Beach with great staff. Their menu has something for everyone. The charcuterie board and tuna tartar appetizers are my favorite. The watermelon margaritas are delicious. They have different events most nights of the week so make sure to follow them on Instagram and check their schedules. read more

Island Mermaid - Watermelon marg - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

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This place is said to have some of the best Rocket Fuels on Fire Island/Ocean Beach. I've been here a while ago and yes they are good, but today not so much. It was good and strong (my definition of strong) but too watery. I don't recall them being that. I like mine thicker/more frozen. I'm not crazy about the food here. I don't eat seafood, so ate basic. Very basic - chicken fingers and curly fries. But both were fried way too hard. The location is convenient, right of the ferry and service was decent. If you go here, try something different. Explore the island for sure... read more

Island Mermaid - Rocket Fuel - Pina Colada with a 151 floater - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

Had another great meal at the Mermaid. Had some of the best fried calamari you can get anywhere and my wife and I order it most places that have it on the menu. Perfectly cooked which isn't easy and they have the best dipping sauce around I always ask for extra!! We also had two great salads. read more

It's overpriced and food was not good! I got the simple fish $40, it was supposed to be broiled flounder, I think it was talapia! It was salty, wasn't broiled! It came wide sticky white rice and inedible, indescribable vegetables! I could buy a piece of flounder at the fish market for $10! My daughter's Miso fish, was the same, terrible! My Moscow Mike drink was awful! Had plenty of vodka but no ginger! There were 8 of us, we pretty much said the same thing about our meals! Oh, stay away from the lobster Ravioli....terrible. A lobster roll was $48...obscene! I would not recommend this restaurant. I can say more by why bother! read more

I went here last summer for to celebrate my birthday with my boyfriend. everything was fine, we ate, had a few drinks. paid our tab, thanked our waitress. gratuity was already added as well as we tipped. the owner or manager whatever he was then proceeded to come over to us and ask if everything was okay, we said yes. then he goes well you didn't tip what was suggested. he was very rude he sat my boyfriend down like a child and basically demanded more of a tip. very strange experience.. read more

Dined here pre season with a friend before sundown on a Saturday evening, one week before Memorial Day Weekend. This popular Fire Island waterfront restaurant definitely has a "South Beach" vibe. A few yachts, disembarking après-sunbathing crowds of yuppies, docked on the restaurant's marina, which is located on the Great South Bay. Everybody was casually dressed, friendly and unpretentious. The outgoing and gregarious restaurant owner, Scotty, warmly greeted us at our table, exclaiming that he remembered precisely where we were sitting the last time that we were here. He was right because he pointed to the correct seats. Outdoor diners were treated to a mesmerizing sunset. Future brides and grooms, at their joint bachelor/bachelorette parties, were holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes as they sat among guests. Indoor diners have direct access to the indoor dance floor, where A VAX CARD is required. Visit #IslandMermaidOB on Instagram for more information. There is also maskless outdoor dancing on the dock, in adherence to COVID-19 guidelines. Only the pre-season menu is available for now. I had the Short Rib Ragu, and my friend had the sautéed Flounder. Both were just satisfactory. My friend and I shared a key lime pie, which was more than satisfactory. It was incredibly fluffy and tasty. I can't wait until the season starts so we can order from Island Mermaid's larger seasonal menu. The restaurant will also be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, according to its Instagram page. I am knocking this updated review a notch down to four stars because only a few items on the pre-season menu appealed to me. read more

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This place has so much potential if the owner let some of the bartenders and servers flourish into their own personalities. Way too much micromanaging going on. read more

I am so impressed with this place. The weight staff is great. The general manager I guess was so accommodating. I am gluten-free and he went out of his way to make sure that I got exactly what I wanted. This place is definitely a go to. read more

I went with two friends in Sept 2021. We had reservations which was great because there was already a lot of people waiting. We got seated on the pier/dock which was so nice. It got us away from the tent and music, (which we liked) and had a nice breeze (bring a sweater if you get cold easily). The sunset was gorgeous from our table, but the ferry building blocks it a little bit. We ordered the garlic bruschetta and crispy crab "tots" to share and all got the pan roasted sea scallops as entrees. The garlic bruschetta was delicious- bread was fresh and the tomato confit was sooo good. Crispy crab "tots" came with about 5-6 tots- they definitely have a kick to them. Glad I tried them, but probably wouldn't get them again. Most importantly, the sea scallops were the absolute BEST. Perfectly cooked, great flavor. The potatoes are sliced thinly and crispy, the truffle creamed corn is nothing I've ever had before in the best way and the pistachio pesto added a great crunch. We had micro greens instead of Arugula salad, but I'm not complaining in the slightest. Did I mention the scallops were perfectly cooked? Highly recommend! read more

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So out of the 5 restaurants we chose this place. That was mistake #1. We sat down and waited like 20 minutes before someone came to take our drink order, and waited another 30 minutes before we actually got them. (They were water down drinks). Mistake #2 we ordered some fried calamari as apps. We saw them like 40 minutes later, and they were like rubber bands. Now we order some burgers and crab cakes and skirt steak mistake #3 we attempted to eat the worst possible food ever. Not even worth describing it. So you know what the worst was we ordered a 8 year old a virgin Shirley temple and guess what the kid got a buzz, it had alcohol!!!! So needles to say the parents were livid. So after close to 4 hours we almost missed the ferry, and we did manage to file a police report and I believe they were fined.. they should close this dump"tourist trap" down. Customer service and ticket time were horrible, I would never patronize this place ever. So sad, but don't waste your money here . You are better off getting a slice of pizza from down the street. BEWARE!!!!!! read more

Island Mermaid - Restaurant cover - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

I can't discredit the history or location of Island Mermaid. I have eaten and drank here before and understand what it's about, but today was insanity. We came early with a large group with 4 young children and ordered lunch and drinks. Everything was great until my husband bit into his chicken sandwich and pulled out a piece of hooked metal. We immediately knew it was a barbecue cleaner bristle. Listen, things happen. I appreciate the fact my husband didn't swallow it and rip open his insides and none of our kids ordered grilled food. I'm grateful, but I also need to see some humanity on the side of the people who served us a metal bristle. After speaking to our server, and then having to speak to another server, the owner finally came over telling us he came to us "immediately". As you can imagine, that's how the rest of the exchange went. He looked at us with big eyes and false words and gave us a check that included my husband's chicken sandwich, but did remove someone else's cheeseburger and a round of drinks. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I know it's more than that. It occurred to me in that moment how bad it could have been had my husband swallowed that bristle. I'm not going to say I left the restaurant with integrity, because I did comment on the metal bristle and did suggest a bbq scrub daddy on the way out - but we did pay the check and leave a great tip as the server didn't deserve the speaking to that the owner gave her to make a show of it. My biggest regret is not taking a photo, but I never expected to need to leave this review had the owner treated us with some humanity and respect. read more

Once only an ok spot, now getting the full 5! They've continued to make improvements to the Mermaid and it shows. Now they have a permanent outdoor tent that would be great for inclement weather. Service also improved with prompt seating from our reservation (a must in the summer) and immediate waters and server attention. The food also seems to have notched up over the last year (I enjoyed the flounder which was perfectly prepared and flavorful. I was bummed they're were out of their house made spicy tequila, but the watermelon margarita was still excellent. My wife thought scallops were great! Make sure you come during sunset for the full experience read more

Island Mermaid - Flounder - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

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sat right away by the owner and served a drink within 5 min. over a half hour passed and server didn't come back to take food order.

Island Mermaid is consistently good year after year. The food is excellent for the island and now they have fun and entertaining events. On our first night, we had the pleasure of watching the Burlesque show from the dock area where it's a bit more breezy which was perfect for us. The staff are all pleasant, friendly and helpful which makes a huge difference, in my opinion. The bathrooms are small and get dirty fast but it seems they do their best to keep on top of it. The Linguini entree is positively sinful which is why I waited until the last meal of the trip to get. The Gourmet Burger is the best burger on the island. Sad to say that the Mexican Street Corn Chowder is blah at best. We enjoyed the Charcuterie Board, and all salads come beautifully fresh and well-made. My friends got several fish dishes that they loved but I don't eat fish, so really can't say much more about them. read more

Wonderful survive, great view and the owner came by our table and was lovely. Highly recommend for a great meal. Great drinks, great view and great vibes read more

This is where the party is at. Dj was great keeping everyone dancing. Bar seemed full but bartenders were fast and ready to get your thirst on. Outdoor dining available and you cadock for your boat. You can watch the bay full of boats. I had an amazing time read more

Island Mermaid - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

went with a group of 9. Everyone had a great dinner. I had pan roasted sea scallops with truffle corn which was absolutely delicious. The staff were very friendly and service was excellent. Even the young man clearing the table asked how everything was. Outside ambience was wonderful. Will definitely be returning. read more

Island Mermaid - Outside dining at Island Mermaid, Fire Island - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

visited 8/11 Sunday eve. Were out of menu items. Wings ? Really? Great view And ambiancr. Entertainment is good. Service was 8. Food quality was 5. Value for price 1. Food was mostly commercial not fresh. Could have went to a mcdonalds for better quality. Plus they chargea 4% bogus surcharge On your check. (Not a credit card fee, so no escaping thw fee) What BS, have gone there every summer last 6 years. And it's the same nonsense. crap food and overpriced. Never again. Last time I will visit Will go to Maguires instead. read more

This place has won my heart, and is now one of my top 5 all-time beach bars !!!! Scott , the owner , is a legend and extremely hospitable, and he's owned this place for over 30 years. The bartenders , Vicki Amanda, & Brittany , are absolute bada$$es !!!! Their margaritas are incredibly delicious. I've had the calamari , which was a giant portion , and breaded perfectly and tasted perfect. Also , the fried fish sandwich was amazing !!!! read more

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Came to The Island Mermaid for lunch with my girlfriend today. The bartender Spencer suggested 2 lovely cocktails that accompanied our meals perfectly. Between the view, the staff, and the food, The Island Mermaid is a must for a perfect Fire Island trip. Can't wait to visit again!! read more

Island Mermaid - New American Near Me - Ocean Beach, New York

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Very great service. Great food. My experience: My Parents and I ate here shortly after arriving to fire island and it hit the spot. I ordered the Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap and as somebody who normally isn't a major Turkey enjoyer, enjoyed it alot. It seems the Tuna Tar Tar is the big hit here and my dad is a big Tuna Tar Tar enjoyer ordered it after seeing another table ordered and he claims it was excellent. My mother who is a big salad enjoyer eats salads almost everywhere we go says the mermaid salad was good. If your looking for a nice easy place to go for lunch this is definitely the place. read more

The best food in Ocean Beach by far!! Love their bay scallops and steamers. We look forward to it every year. The staff and food are the best! read more

This is a pretty expensive restaurant for what you get. I suppose it's to be expected when you want to eat seafood with an incredible view of the sunset. On the plus side, the crab cake is excellent. Colorful, fresh, well-seasoned, and plenty of actual crabmeat. On the minus side, the wines are pretty mediocre and overpriced, the beet salad was quite small and overpriced, and the tables and chairs are cheap things, not what you might expect when paying $35ish for a main course. We opted for the grouper, which our waitress was extremely excited about as it's her favorite. They were running a clambake special that had all the things (BBQ chicken, lobster, clams, steamers, mussels, corn on the cob, cornbread, etc.) and seemed like a better deal...but she was so jazzed about the grouper that we went with that. It was solid enough, but unsurprisingly overpriced. There's a theme here. But the view. Seriously, it's a beautiful place to dine in the summer. It's pretty tough to be sad about seafood and wine and the sunset. I just wish the quality across the board was as high as the price point. On the bright side, the small portions make it easy to justify the post-dinner ice cream and perhaps cold cheese pizza late night. And maybe the hot dog later night. read more

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My daughter and I shared the skirt steak which was delicious. Asparagus and potatoes with it were superb. We also got mussels in white wine which were fabulous. Lovely evening. Service was great. Our food was a little delayed and the owner came over and apologized. Very nice of him to do. The staff were all great. Loved it. Highly recommend. Sat on the pier at sunset so location couldn't be beat. They had a band playing and Seth's singer was great too. read more

Person who had us seated gets an A++. We asked for a certain table and said we're willing to wait and she got us a seat even better than we thought. Lol. Unfortunately ....it goes downhill from there. Waited what seemed to be forever to get someone to simply acknowledge we were there. When we did - took another while to simply get two drinks. We noticed the drinks were not nearly as good here as the bar we originally went to for a drink late afternoon (prior to coming to dinner). And they were more expensive here too. Btw we sat sundown on Sunday night so it was winding down (plenty of empty seats)-so they were not packed despite the live music. As the sun now went down, and our (light) drinks are now empty, and still no water or even bread (never mind our app we ordered which was a pretzel) ...I finally had to go to the bathroom to find the waiter to say something. Guess what - he returned to our table to give us an update that they "lost our ticket" and he now put a rush on it. He apologized and walked away leaving our empty drink glasses, and seeing we still had no water either. In my mind I thought: Wait a second -- you mean if we hadn't found you -- we'd just be seated here with no food or no new drinks until closing? At least that encounter got us water (after asking for the 3rd time). Oh did I tell you the waiter didn't even offer a complimentary second round of drinks nor did he offer the app for free (now that we had to scarf it down that our dinner came out shortly after the pretzel was finally served). My boyfriend had to get the salt and pepper from a neighboring table as the fish was not only bland but also we were left alone for too long ....again....and by that time we were worried of missing the last ferry of the evening. ‍ Oh gosh. Never again. No thanks. The neighboring restaurants will be our go to's from now on when in OB. I respect the fact we're all human and make mistakes, but I also respect when people take accountability for their actions and offer something for their error....not that WE the customers had to pay for your mistakes with a subpar dining experience. Hats off again to the young lady who listened and seated us where we wanted to. She "made our night" not a total loss, as we were able to see the sundown over the beautiful water with some friendly fellow customers at a neighboring table who were experiencing similar problems to commiserate with. Music was great. read more

Excellent spot on the water. Calamari and chicken wings are very good. Very friendly staff and smiles all around. Excellent location for watching the ferries and people come and go. Say hi to Spencer for me. read more

Absolute outrage that this place charges a 4 percent surcharge for increased expenses rather than just raising prices. Ridiculous shell game. Most people probably just pay the surcharge without asking about it. But it's an absolute joke. Will not dine here next time read more

I came here for a quick drink before the ferry was supposed to arrive (so I am not sure about the food). The drinks were good but pricey. I had a rocket fuel and my friend had a beer. My drink was GOOD!!!!!!! We sat on the couch outside the restaurant. They have a nice outdoors area to sit, drink and/or eat. I would def come back here! Also they have a funny mermaids with the cut outs to put your head in for a picture... I had my son and friend take pictures. It was so cute and a memory Ill keep forever. lol read more

Had an amazing smoothie from the new addition to Island Mermaid and their breakfast menu - The Groovy Smoothie made an awesome espresso smoothie -note I hade it without the espresso floater, so delicious. Spencer was such a delight and a sweet face to see in the morning - love the breakfast vibe and the view. Going back again and again to work my way thru the menu read more