By Mike Busch

The Oar Steak and Seafood Grill, a south shore favorite for over 30 years, has undergone an extensive renovation and is ready just in time for Spring and Summer 2018!

Already extremely popular, the Oar was voted one of the top 100 waterfront restaurants in the nation in 2015.

Owner Dick Blakeslee has deep ties to Patchogue River as his Great Grandfather was a boat builder for A.C. Smith and has spent his life on “the river”.

What has become the Oar started when Blakeslee purchased the Sun Dek Marina in 1986.  Soon the “ships store” became a snack bar and over time “it evolved into the mainland gourmet of river front dining.”

I sat down with owner Dick Blakeslee last week as he described all the recent work and other plans for next season.

The most notable change is a brand new, larger bar, raised ceilings, and new floors.  The raised ceiling now allows light from the adjacent sun room to flood into the bar.

“After 30 years it was like losing an old friend”, but we were able to use wood from the old bar at various locations inside the restaurant, Blakeslee explained.

Beyond the visual changes, all the infrastructure under the bar was replaced – all new equipment, plumbing, and beer lines for even colder draft beer!

Air Conditioning was also added for the first time.

While the Sun Dek Marina is at capacity, there are now 8 transient slips for boaters that want to stop by for dinner or spend the night.  Blakeslee also a has a water taxi- shuttle that can take people up and down the river to a number of other waterfront dining and drinking establishments.  As soon as the weather heats up look for weekend live music on the outdoor stage.

Check out the photos below but better yet, get down to the Oar and see it for yourself -open 7 days for lunch and dinner.

More photos on pages 2 and 3