The Crow’s Nest: Montauk, NY

I have a number of Hamptons favorites, usually casual, dive bar places in Montauk, but The Crow’s Nest is my number one for a sit down restaurant. While there are a lot of nice places to dine at, I tend to feel that they’re way overpriced and way too sceney — The Crow’s Nest is pricey, and my parents did run into Paul McCartney there so it can certainly qualify as being in the scene, but the food can definitely speak for itself. Prior to our meal, we had drinks down by the water in the outdoor bar area, and this had to have been one of my favorite moments throughout the whole summer. A cold gin and tonic with a side of an ocean view, and suddenly all is right in the world. This is an easy 4.8/5 flowers from The Flour Child! Let’s get into it:

It was a quick 30 minutes before our table was ready and then we were off to the races. We started with the mezze platter which is simple, fresh, and great for a group. It’s priced at $50 and is absolutely huge, and turns out to be way less expensive than ordering several small plates. It comes with hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, vegetables like carrots, radishes (my favorite), and cucumbers, along with olives, artichokes, whipped feta, and perfectly fluffy pita. This is a really great start to the meal since it showcases the restaurant’s attention to detail and understanding of flavors without filling you up too much before the entree.

For my main, I got the Montauk Bass which came with quinoa, radish, fennel salad, and honey harissa sauce. When I tell you that I wish I could’ve bottled up this sauce and put it in my bag to take to every restaurant going forward, I’m being serious. I’ll have to remake it in my own kitchen soon.

Some of the other table favorites were the lobster tagliatelle with tomato confit and Calabrian chili butter (drool), and the scallops with fregola, local corn, and chives. The ambiance of The Crow’s Nest captures the entire energy of Montauk so beautifully — upscale without trying too hard, celebrating local ingredients and emphasizing the simply stunning scenery. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough if you’re staying in Montauk for the summer or even just a weekend; no reservations so come early, have a joyous happy hour, and don’t forget a picture with the twinkle lights. See you next summer!