Oakland's Restaurant

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Hampton Bays Institution Since 1992

Oakland's Restaurant & Marina has held its place on Dune Road since 1992, when this family-owned waterfront spot first opened its doors along Shinnecock Inlet. More than three decades later, it remains one of Hampton Bays' most enduring destinations — a place where the views are as much a part of the meal as what arrives on the plate. Every table, indoors or out, looks toward the water, and the sunsets over the inlet have become something of a signature in themselves.

Fresh from the Local Waterways

The kitchen, led by Executive Chef John Hill, anchors its American cuisine in what the surrounding waters and region provide. Local clams on the half shell — Littlenecks or Cherrystones — arrive simply with a mignonette. Pan-seared local fluke comes with rosemary, Calabrian chili, and seasonal vegetables. Local sea scallops are set over creamy basil polenta with a chopped Mediterranean salad and tomato vinaigrette. Fresh lobster, steamed or stuffed, is the crowd favorite that guests return for year after year.

The menu moves confidently beyond seafood, too. Braised Wagyu meatballs with basil whipped ricotta and San Marzano tomato sauce, short rib sliders with cracked pepper truffle aioli, and a black pepper coriander grilled swordfish over cilantro risotto with hot honey compound butter show the range of a kitchen that takes its American cuisine seriously without overcomplicating it.

The Wine List and the Bar

Oakland's earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2022, recognition that reflects genuine investment in the cellar. The list complements a cocktail program that runs from a house-infused jalapeño blanco watermelon margarita to a well-built Tommy's Old Fashioned. The bar menu — with its crab cake, salmon tartare with house-made chili crisp, and oysters du jour — holds its own as a destination in itself.

Sunset, Song, and Walk-In Only

Live music is a regular fixture, with performers taking the stage on a rotating schedule. The atmosphere is relaxed and genuinely welcoming, the kind of place where a long afternoon at the water can stretch naturally into dinner. Oakland's operates on a walk-in basis — no reservations for indoor or outdoor dining — which keeps the energy easy and unpretentious, very much in keeping with the spirit of the place.