Whether you're relaxing on a deck sipping Mai Tais with friends, enjoying a bottle of Pinot with that special someone overlooking the lake, or just throwing back shots with your crew, Montauk has a little bit of everything when it comes to the consumption of alcohol.
Here's a quick rundown of some of the bars worth looking into:
Nick's on So. Emerson offers an outdoor deck they call "the boat bar." The bartenders are friendly and the music is often live. A near perfect way to spend a day with friends. Inside Nick's is the nightclub/lounge, with a red-lips leather couch, two elevated platforms for dancers, a pool table and bar. It usually gets going around 10 or 11 p.m. Upstairs is the restaurant with an outdoor patio for more carousing.
The Gig Shack on Main Street offers live music in its outdoor area. Outdoor tables make it possible to have a drink, eat some food (the gelati is outstanding), hear some music and keep an eye on the happenings on Main Street.
Separate from but connected to its restaurant,
Shagwong is a popular bar. It has all the flair and requirements of a solid local summer bar. And they're still looking for that elusive piano player who knows how to open clams.
Along the Plaza is
O'Murphy's Pub, a traditional Irish pub serving lunch and dinner. Saturday nights are for karaoke, with more live entertainment on other nights of the week.
A three-minute walk west of the Plaza yields
The Point Bar & Grille. A half-dozen or so plasma TVs adorn the walls for the Yankees and Mets games, and NFL Sunday Ticket in the fall. But in the summer, it's happy hour every day. It gets even happier on Sundays with $2 beers and drinks as part of Sloppy Sundays.
Just across the way is the
Memory Bar, part of the Memory Motel made famous by the Rolling Stones. They've got live music throughout the summer. No word on whether Mick and the boys are part of that lineup.
In Montauk Harbor, just next to Gosman's Dock is
The Dock. The decor is inside but equal parts strange and appealing. Not too many places can pull off firefighter hats, stuffed animals mounted on the wall, viking helmets and a photograph of former president Dwight Eisenhower all in the same confines. According to one bartender, people just bring this stuff and they put it up. It has all the charm of a local fisherman's bar. And if you go in during the day, the skylight in the middle casts sunlight along the bar.
Within Gosman's Dock is
Gosman's Topside Bar. It sits above the Inlet Cafe and Window Bar, with a beautiful view of the harbor as fishing and regular boats pass through.
On West Lake Drive, just a short drive from Montauk Harbor, is
Liars' Saloon. The bar is not very visible from the road, but their sign sure is: $1 Draft Beers. It's been said that karaoke is known to occur at this place.
Of course, the
restaurants in Montauk have bars worth your time, too. Quite a few bring in DJs at night, too.
When enjoying the Montauk bars and nightlife, don't be a dunsky. Call a cab if you drink too much. Program these handy numbers into your cell phones, sidekicks and BlackBerrys.
• Lindy's Taxi
631-668-8888
• Montauk Taxi
631-668-2468
• Pink Tuna Taxi
631-668-3838
